Bible Verses About Armies

When Amrafel was king of Shin'ar, Aryokh king of Elasar, K'dorla'omer king of 'Elam and Tid'al king of Goyim;

they made war together against Bera king of S'dom and against Birsha king of 'Amora, Shin'av king of Admah, Shem'ever king of Tzvoyim, and the king of Bela (which is the same as Tzo'ar).

All the latter kings joined forces in the Siddim Valley, where the Dead Sea is.

They had served K'dorla'omer twelve years, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled.

In the fourteenth year K'dorla'omer and the kings with him came and defeated the Refa'im in 'Asht'rot-Karnayim, the Zuzim in Ham, the Eimim in Shaveh-Kiryatayim

and the Hori at Se'ir, their mountain, all the way to Eil-Pa'ran by the desert.

Next they turned back, came to 'Ein-Mishpat (which is the same as Kadesh), and defeated all the country of the 'Amaleki, and also the Emori, who lived in Hatzatzon-Tamar.

Then the kings of S'dom, 'Amora, Admah, Tzvoyim and Bela (that is, Tzo'ar) came out and arrayed themselves for battle in the Siddim Valley

"Take a census of the entire assembly of the people of Isra'el, by clans and families. Record the names of all the men

twenty years old and over who are subject to military service in Isra'el. You and Aharon are to enumerate them company by company.

But those who were L'vi'im, according to the clan of their fathers, were not counted in this census;

because ADONAI had told Moshe,

"Do not include the clan of Levi when you take the census of the people of Isra'el.

Instead, give the L'vi'im charge over the tabernacle of the testimony, its equipment and everything else connected with it. They are to carry the tabernacle and all its equipment, serve in it and set up their camp around it.

"The people of Isra'el are to set up camp by clans, each man with his own banner and under his clan's symbol; they are to camp around the tent of meeting, but at a distance.

"Those camping on the east side toward the sunrise are to be under the banner of the camp of Y'hudah; they are to camp according to companies; by tribe and leader they are as follows: Tribe Chief Number Y'hudah Nachshon the son of 'Amminadav 74,600 Yissakhar N'tan'el the son of Tzu'ar 54,400 Z'vulun Eli'av the son of Helon 57,400 Total 186,400 "This group is to set out first.

"Then the tent of meeting, with the camp of the L'vi'im, will set out, with the other camps in front and behind. They will go in the same order as their camps are set up - each man will go forward in his position, under his banner.

"Those camping on the west are to be under the banner of the camp of Efrayim; they are to camp according to companies; by tribe and leader they are as follows: Tribe Chief Number Efrayim Elishama the son of 'Ammihud 40,500 M'nasheh Gamli'el the son of P'dahtzur 32,200 Binyamin Avidan the son of Gid'oni 35,400 Total 108,100 "This group is to set out third.

The officers in charge of the thousands who fought, the commanders of thousands and the commanders of hundreds, approached Moshe

and said to him, "Your servants have counted all the soldiers under our command, and not one of us is missing.

"When you go out to fight your enemies and see horses, chariots and a force larger than yours, you are not to be afraid of them; because ADONAI your God, who brought you up from the land of Egypt, is with you.

When you are about to go into battle, the cohen is to come forward and address the people.

He should tell them, 'Listen, Isra'el! You are about to do battle against your enemies. Don't be fainthearted or afraid; don't be alarmed or frightened by them;

because ADONAI your God is going with you to fight on your behalf against your enemies and give you victory.'

"Then the officials will speak to the soldiers. They are to say, 'Is there a man here who has built a new house, but hasn't dedicated it yet? He should go back home now; otherwise he may die fighting, and another man will dedicate it.