LECTURE III

MANLY occupations: warriors

THE Hebrew Scriptures afford several indications that,
for a considerable period after the final settlement in

Palestine of the Hebrew invaders, the most honourable
career was, as we should expect, that of the expert warrior,
and consequently those who had won their possessions by
the sword became the aristocracy of the land. This is
indeed evident from the fact that the words gibbôr ɪ and
hayil_i³∙ which in their original significance suggest martial
prowess, sometimes seem merely to denote high rank, even
when there is no hint of a military career. Thus Gideon,
who up to the time of the Theophany vouchsafed to him
seems to have led an agriculturalist, or perhaps agri-
cultural and pastoral, life, is addressed by the angel as
gibbôr hayil ; whereas the base-born Jephthah is evidently
so called³ because he is already recognized as a doughty
warrior. Saul’s father * is similarly described, though there
is no hint of his having distinguished himself in war. The
same term is applied to Jeroboam 5 also, although we find
him employed in a civil occupation. So likewise it is clear
from several passages⁶ that the gibbôr is not necessarily
identical with the man of war. The word seems to have
come to mean one who belongs to the knightly class, or in
other words a gentleman. It is no argument that in later,
more plutocratic days the expression could be used of the
wealthy,’ for our own English history affords, alas, too

¹ Commonly rendered in the English version ‘ mighty man^,, and
followed by hayil which is then rendered ‘ valour ’.

^l This word, which seems originally to mean ‘ force when used to
qualify ish ‘ man or ben ‘ son loses all sense of military force.

³ Judges xi. ɪ.         ⁴ ɪ Sam. ix. ɪ.         ³I Kings xi. 28.

⁴ e.g. ɪ Sam. xiv. 52, xvi. ι8; Ezek. xxxix. 20.

’ e.g. 2 Kings xv. 20.

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