Topical Bible: Armies: Encamped in the Open Fields

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In biblical times, the encampment of armies in open fields was a common practice, reflecting both the logistical necessities of ancient warfare and the strategic considerations of military leaders. The Bible provides numerous accounts of armies encamping in open fields, offering insights into the military practices and divine interventions experienced by the Israelites and their adversaries.

Old Testament Accounts

One of the earliest mentions of an army encamped in the open fields is found in the narrative of the Israelites' journey to the Promised Land. In Numbers 31:12, the Israelites, after defeating the Midianites, brought the captives, spoils, and plunder to Moses and Eleazar the priest, and the congregation of Israel, who were camped on the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho. This location in the open fields served as a staging ground for the Israelites before their entry into Canaan.

The encampment of the Philistine army in the Valley of Elah, as described in 1 Samuel 17:1-3, is another significant example. The Philistines gathered their forces for war and camped between Socoh and Azekah. The Israelites, led by King Saul, encamped in the Valley of Elah, setting the stage for the famous encounter between David and Goliath. The open fields provided a neutral ground for the two armies to face each other, highlighting the strategic importance of such locations.

In 2 Kings 6:8, the king of Aram (Syria) waged war against Israel and consulted with his servants, saying, "My camp will be in such and such a place." The prophet Elisha, through divine revelation, warned the king of Israel about the Aramean encampments, allowing the Israelites to avoid ambushes. This account underscores the vulnerability of armies encamped in open fields to espionage and divine intervention.

Divine Intervention and Protection

The encampment of armies in open fields often set the stage for divine intervention. In 2 Kings 19:35, the angel of the LORD went out and struck down 185,000 men in the camp of the Assyrians, who had besieged Jerusalem. When the people arose early in the morning, they found all the dead bodies. This miraculous event demonstrated God's power to protect His people and deliver them from seemingly insurmountable odds.

Similarly, in 2 Chronicles 20:20-24, King Jehoshaphat of Judah faced a coalition of Moabites, Ammonites, and Meunites who had encamped in the wilderness of Tekoa. Jehoshaphat led his people in prayer and worship, and God caused confusion among the enemy forces, leading them to destroy one another. The open fields became a place of divine deliverance and victory for Judah.

New Testament Context

While the New Testament does not focus on military encampments in the same way as the Old Testament, the imagery of armies and warfare is used metaphorically to describe spiritual battles. In Ephesians 6:10-18, the Apostle Paul exhorts believers to put on the full armor of God to stand against the schemes of the devil. The open fields of spiritual warfare require believers to be vigilant and prepared, drawing on the strength and protection of God.

Conclusion

The encampment of armies in open fields throughout the Bible serves as a backdrop for both historical events and spiritual lessons. These accounts reveal the strategic importance of such locations, the vulnerability of human endeavors, and the overarching sovereignty of God in the affairs of nations.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

2 Samuel 11:11
And Uriah said to David, The ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in tents; and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the open fields; shall I then go into my house, to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? as you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do this thing.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

1 Chronicles 11:15
Now three of the thirty captains went down to the rock to David, into the cave of Adullam; and the host of the Philistines encamped in the valley of Rephaim.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

When Shall These Things Be?
... Armies had been many times encamped round her ... Usually the inhabitants of the open
country took refuge in the fortified capital when invasion harrowed their ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture e/when shall these things be.htm

The Retreat from Scythia.
... The Scythian chief sent back the following reply: "We have no inducement to contend
with you in open battle on the field ... The two armies were encamped at a ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/abbott/darius the great/chapter ix the retreat from.htm

Opening Thoughts.
... ridge from the view of the top of Olivet"perched on its open plateau of rock ... Happily
so, too, for ere this the Roman armies were encamped almost within ...
//christianbookshelf.org/macduff/memories of bethany/i opening thoughts.htm

Crossing the Hellespont.
... and galleys to pass through, in order to keep the communication open. ... Here they encamped. ...
modern times, at least in England and America, armies are recruited ...
//christianbookshelf.org/abbott/xerxes/chapter v crossing the hellespont.htm

The Israelites
... and children, partly of stragglers from the armies of the ... by the side of which they
were encamped, and the ... the only result of the pursuit was to open the road ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter i the israelites.htm

Canaan
... The army, we are told, had encamped in "the land ... fifteenth centuries before our era;
its armies made their ... This act of open defiance was speedily followed by ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter ii canaan.htm

The Iranian Conquest
... Those altars on which burned, a perpetual fire were not left exposed to the open
air: they ... Illustration: 032b.jpg THE OCCUPATIONS OF ANI IN THE ELYSIAN FIELDS]. ...
/.../chapter ithe iranian conquest.htm

The Nations of the South-East
... When the Israelites encamped in "the plain of Moab," Balak ... its kings contended in
battle with the armies of Nineveh. ... ports on the Gulf of Aqaba were open to her ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter iii the nations of.htm

The Eighteenth Theban Dynasty
... providing a practicable road for her armies marching to ... closed their gates and refused
to open them ... soldiery were dispersed over the fields, gathering together ...
/.../chapter iiithe eighteenth theban dynasty.htm

The Prophet Joel.
... those who had forgotten God, and to open the treasures ... Numbers 20:1: "And the people
encamped at Kadesh ... The locusts denote destroying hostile armies; the fire ...
/.../hengstenberg/christology of the old testament/the prophet joel.htm