In biblical times, the term "footmen" refers to soldiers or messengers who traveled on foot. These individuals played a significant role in ancient warfare and communication, often serving as infantry in military campaigns or as couriers delivering messages across distances. The concept of footmen is mentioned in various contexts throughout the Bible, highlighting their importance in both military and civilian life.

Military Role

Footmen were integral to the armies of ancient Israel and its neighboring nations. As infantry, they formed the backbone of military forces, engaging in hand-to-hand combat and executing strategic maneuvers on the battlefield. The presence of footmen is noted in several biblical passages, illustrating their role in warfare. For instance, in 1 Samuel 4:10 , the Israelites suffered a defeat at the hands of the Philistines, and the text mentions the loss of foot soldiers: "So the Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated, and each man fled to his tent. The slaughter was very great; thirty thousand foot soldiers of Israel fell."

The reliance on footmen in battle is further emphasized in the account of King Saul's reign. In 1 Samuel 13:5 , the Philistines assembled a formidable force to fight against Israel, including "thirty thousand chariots, six thousand horsemen, and troops as numerous as the sand on the seashore." This passage underscores the contrast between the chariots and horsemen of the Philistines and the foot soldiers of Israel, highlighting the challenges faced by footmen in ancient warfare.

Messengers and Couriers

Beyond their military function, footmen also served as messengers, tasked with delivering important communications. In a time before modern communication methods, these individuals were essential for conveying messages between leaders, cities, and nations. The role of footmen as messengers is illustrated in the account of King David. In 2 Samuel 15:1 , Absalom, David's son, prepared to usurp the throne by gathering support: "After this, Absalom got himself a chariot, horses, and fifty men to run before him." The mention of men running before Absalom suggests the use of footmen as heralds or messengers to announce his presence and intentions.

Symbolic Usage

The term "footmen" is also used symbolically in the Bible to convey spiritual truths and lessons. In Jeremiah 12:5 , the prophet uses the imagery of footmen to challenge the people of Judah: "If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses? If you stumble in a peaceful land, how will you do in the thickets of the Jordan?" This rhetorical question serves as a metaphor for the trials and challenges faced by the people, urging them to prepare for greater difficulties.

Conclusion

The concept of footmen in the Bible encompasses both literal and symbolic meanings. As soldiers and messengers, footmen were vital to the functioning of ancient societies, contributing to military campaigns and communication networks. Their presence in biblical narratives underscores the challenges and responsibilities faced by those who served on foot, offering insights into the historical and spiritual context of the times.(n.) Plural of Footman.7273. ragli -- on foot
... Word Origin from the same as regel Definition on foot NASB Word Usage foot (6),
foot soldiers (4), footmen (2), soldiers* (3). on foot man. ...
/hebrew/7273.htm - 6k

Josephus Makes an Attempt Upon Sepphoris but is Repelled. Titus ...
... 1. Now the auxiliaries which were sent to assist the people of Sepphoris, being
a thousand horsemen, and six thousand footmen, under Placidus the tribune ...
/.../chapter 4 josephus makes an.htm

Calms and Crises
... CALMS AND CRISES. 'If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee,
then how canst thou contend with horses? ... The footmen have wearied you. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture h/calms and crises.htm

Placidus Attempts to Take Jotapata and is Beaten Off. Vespasian ...
... capable of ambuscades. Next to these followed that part of the Romans which
was completely armed, both footmen and horsemen. Next to ...
/.../chapter 6 placidus attempts to.htm

How the War was Waged against the Ammonites and Happily Concluded.
... Now these kings had twenty thousand footmen. ... He had Shobach for the captain of his
host, with eighty thousand footmen, and ten thousand horsemen. ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 6 how the war.htm

Herod Takes Sepphoris and Subdues the Robbers that were in the ...
... However, Herod did not lie at rest, but seized upon Idumea, and kept it, with two
thousand footmen, and four hundred horsemen; and this he did by sending his ...
/.../chapter 16 herod takes sepphoris.htm

How Alexander Honored Jonathan after an Extraordinary Manner; and ...
... But Apollonius, when he heard that Joppa was taken by Jonathan, took three thousand
horsemen, and eight thousand footmen and came to Ashdod; and removing thence ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 4 how alexander honored.htm

A Great Slaughter About Ascalon. Vespasian Comes to Ptolemais.
... Now Ascalon was strongly walled about, but had almost no assistance to be relied
on [near them], for the garrison consisted of one cohort of footmen, and one ...
/.../chapter 2 a great slaughter.htm

What Cestius did against the Jews; and How, Upon his Besieging ...
... ranks, and to march through the midst of them, making a great slaughter as they
went, insomuch that unless the horsemen, and such part of the footmen as were ...
/.../chapter 19 what cestius did.htm

Now King Agrippa Sent an Army to Make Themselves Masters of the ...
... of Galilee, and was distant from him sixty furlongs, he took a hundred horsemen
that were with him by night, and a certain number of footmen, about two hundred ...
/.../josephus/the life of flavius josephus/section 24 now king agrippa.htm

Now, when the People of Sepphoris Had, in So Surprising a Manner.. ...
... But soon after, our unacquaintedness with the places forced us to retire, after
we had killed twelve of the Roman footmen, and two horsemen, and a few of the ...
/.../josephus/the life of flavius josephus/section 71 now when the.htm

Footmen (13 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (n.) Plural of Footman. Multi-Version Concordance
Footmen (13 Occurrences). Acts 23:23 And having called ...
/f/footmen.htm - 11k

Soldiers (83 Occurrences)
... chiefs of all the people, even of all the tribes of Israel, presented themselves
in the assembly of the people of God, four hundred thousand footmen who drew ...
/s/soldiers.htm - 31k

Charioteers (19 Occurrences)
... 2 Samuel 8:4 and David captureth from him a thousand and seven hundred horsemen,
and twenty thousand footmen, and David destroyeth utterly the whole of the ...
/c/charioteers.htm - 12k

Aramaean (13 Occurrences)
... the Aramaeans went in flight before Israel; and David put to the sword the men of
seven hundred Aramaean war-carriages and forty thousand footmen, and Shobach ...
/a/aramaean.htm - 10k

War-carriages (76 Occurrences)
... 2 Samuel 8:4 And David took from him one thousand, seven hundred horsemen and twenty
thousand footmen: and David had the leg-muscles of the horses cut, only ...
/w/war-carriages.htm - 31k

20000 (4 Occurrences)
... they were become odious to David, the children of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians
of Beth Rehob, and the Syrians of Zobah, twenty thousand footmen, and the ...
/num/20000.htm - 7k

Leaveth (25 Occurrences)
... 2 Samuel 8:4 and David captureth from him a thousand and seven hundred horsemen,
and twenty thousand footmen, and David destroyeth utterly the whole of the ...
/l/leaveth.htm - 13k

Leg-muscles (4 Occurrences)
... 2 Samuel 8:4 And David took from him one thousand, seven hundred horsemen and twenty
thousand footmen: and David had the leg-muscles of the horses cut, only ...
/l/leg-muscles.htm - 7k

Destroyeth (38 Occurrences)
... 2 Samuel 8:4 and David captureth from him a thousand and seven hundred horsemen,
and twenty thousand footmen, and David destroyeth utterly the whole of the ...
/d/destroyeth.htm - 17k

Chariot-horses (3 Occurrences)
... 2 Samuel 8:4 And David took from him a thousand chariots, and seven hundred horsemen,
and twenty thousand footmen: and David houghed all the chariot-horses ...
/c/chariot-horses.htm - 7k

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