Topical Bible: Military Arms of the Vanquished: Sometimes Kept As Trophies

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In the biblical narrative, the practice of keeping the military arms of the vanquished as trophies is a recurring theme that underscores the triumph of God's people over their enemies. This practice served not only as a physical reminder of victory but also as a testament to the power and favor of God upon His chosen people.

One of the earliest examples of this practice is found in the account of David and Goliath. After David, a young shepherd, defeats the Philistine giant Goliath with a sling and a stone, he takes Goliath's sword as a trophy. The Berean Standard Bible records, "David took the Philistine’s head and brought it to Jerusalem, and he put Goliath’s weapons in his own tent" (1 Samuel 17:54). This act symbolized the triumph of Israel over the Philistines and served as a tangible reminder of God's deliverance.

Similarly, in the account of King Saul's battles, we see the collection of enemy weapons as a sign of victory. After a successful campaign against the Amalekites, Saul and the Israelites kept the best of the spoils, including weapons, despite God's command to destroy everything (1 Samuel 15:9). Although Saul's disobedience led to his rejection as king, the act of keeping the spoils highlights the common practice of retaining enemy arms as trophies.

The collection of military arms also served a practical purpose. In ancient warfare, weapons were valuable commodities. By capturing and keeping the arms of the defeated, the victors not only deprived their enemies of the means to wage further war but also bolstered their own military resources. This is evident in the account of the Israelites' conquest of the Promised Land, where they often took possession of the weapons and chariots of their enemies (Joshua 11:6-9).

Moreover, the retention of enemy arms had a spiritual dimension. It was a visible sign of God's intervention and favor. In the case of Gideon, after defeating the Midianites with a small army, the Israelites collected the crescent ornaments and chains from the camels of the Midianite kings as trophies (Judges 8:21). These items were not only symbols of victory but also reminders of God's miraculous deliverance.

In the New Testament, while the focus shifts from physical warfare to spiritual battles, the imagery of military victory remains. The Apostle Paul speaks of the spiritual armor of God in Ephesians 6:10-18, drawing on the familiar concept of military equipment to illustrate the believer's defense against spiritual adversaries.

Throughout the biblical narrative, the practice of keeping the military arms of the vanquished as trophies serves as a multifaceted symbol. It represents the physical triumph over enemies, the practical acquisition of resources, and the spiritual testimony of God's power and faithfulness to His people.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

1 Samuel 17:54
And David took the head of the Philistine, and brought it to Jerusalem; but he put his armor in his tent.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Eighteenth Theban Dynasty
... not readily place under arms such enormous ... Egyptian military organisation had remained
practically unchanged ... as tribute paid by the vanquished are frequently ...
/.../chapter iiithe eighteenth theban dynasty.htm

Sargon of Assyria (722-705 BC )
... would be attempted till the vanquished enemy had ... for completing the organisation
and military defence of ... The murderer threw down his arms almost without having ...
/.../chapter iiisargon of assyria 722-705.htm

The Last Days of the Old Eastern World
... without individual energy and destitute of military genius, so ... inevitable, and the
rebels were vanquished, he still ... Below, in the transverse arms of the cross ...
/.../chapter iithe last days of 2.htm

The Rise of the Assyrian Empire
... The gods of the vanquished enemy, moreover, were, like ... Budilu carried his arms against
these tribes, and ... and to this end he established military colonies in ...
/.../chapter iithe rise of the.htm

The First Chaldaean Empire and the Hyksos in Egypt
... ordinarily, a twofold function, religious and military, the priest ... assimilated so
rapidly with the vanquished, that at ... has lent thee the shock of arms and the ...
/.../chapter ithe first chaldaean empire.htm

The Power of Assyria at Its Zenith; Esarhaddon and Assur-Bani-Pal
... sufficient regularity to prevent any important military expedition against ... He had
first to carry his arms to the ... those of the nations which he had vanquished. ...
/.../chapter iithe power of assyria 2.htm

Tiglath-Pileser iii. And the Organisation of the Assyrian Empire ...
... 46,600 women, 12,000 men capable of bearing arms, 23,335 oxen ... did not dare to shelter
the vanquished enemies of ... as to be able to defy the military engines of ...
/.../chapter iitiglath-pileser iii and the.htm

The Medes and the Second Chaldaean Empire
... of former humiliation and disaster; they flew to arms full of ... with what we know of
Assyrian military tactics ... at the waist by a belt, and sometimes reinforced by ...
/.../chapter iiithe medes and the.htm