Bible Verses About Armies

"'Is there a man here who has planted a vineyard, but hasn't yet made use of its fruit? He should go back home; otherwise he may die fighting, and another man will use it.

"'Is there a man here who is engaged to a woman, but hasn't married her yet? He should go back home; otherwise he may die fighting, and another man will marry her.'

"The officials will then add to what they have said to the soldiers: 'Is there a man here who is afraid and fainthearted? He should go back home; otherwise his fear may demoralize his comrades as well.'

When the officials have finished speaking with the soldiers, commanders are to be appointed to lead the army.

When Adoni-Tzedek king of Yerushalayim heard how Y'hoshua had taken 'Ai and utterly destroyed it - he had done the same to 'Ai and its king as he had done to Yericho and its king - and how the inhabitants of Giv'on had made peace with Isra'el and were living among them,

his people became greatly alarmed; because Giv'on was as large as one of the royal cities, larger than 'Ai, and all its men were courageous.

So Adoni-Tzedek king of Yerushalayim sent this message to Hoham king of Hevron, Pir'am king of Yarmut, Yafia king of Lakhish and D'vir king of 'Eglon:

"Come up and help me, and we'll attack Giv'on, because it has made peace with Y'hoshua and the people of Isra'el."

So the five kings of the Emori - the kings of Yerushalayim, Hevron, Yarmut, Lakhish and 'Eglon - got together, went up with all their armies, pitched camp against Giv'on and made war against it.

When Yavin king of Hatzor heard of it, he informed Yovav king of Madon; the king of Shimron; the king of Akhshaf;

the kings to the north, in the hills, in the 'Aravah south of Kinn'rot, in the Sh'felah and in the regions of Dor on the west;

the Kena'ani to east and west; the Emori, Hitti, P'rizi and Y'vusi in the hills; and the Hivi at the foot of Hermon in the land of Mitzpah.

So they set out, they and all their armies, many people, in number like the sand at the seashore, with very many horses and chariots.

All these kings met together, then came and pitched camp together at the Merom Spring, to fight Isra'el.

One time, after Isra'el's sowing season, Midyan, with 'Amalek and others from the east, attacked them.

They set up camp by them and destroyed the produce of the country all the way to 'Azah; they left nothing for people to live on, no sheep, no oxen, no donkeys.

For they came up with their cattle and tents, and they came in as thick as locusts; both they and their camels were beyond numbering, and they came into the land to destroy it.

He stood and yelled at the armies of Isra'el, "Why come out and draw up a battle line? I'm a P'lishti, and you are servants of Sha'ul, so choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me.

If he can fight me and kill me, we'll be your slaves; but if I beat him and kill him, you will become slaves and serve us."

The P'lishti added, "I challenge Isra'el's armies today - give me a man, and we'll fight it out!"

When Sha'ul and all Isra'el heard those words of the P'lishti, they were shaken and terrified.

Now David was the son of that Efrati from Beit-Lechem in Y'hudah named Yishai. He had eight sons; and in the time of Sha'ul he was old - the years had taken their toll.

Yishai's three oldest sons had followed Sha'ul to battle; the names of his three sons who went to battle were Eli'av the firstborn, next to him Avinadav, and the third Shammah.

David was the youngest; the three oldest followed Sha'ul.

David went back and forth from Sha'ul to pasture his father's sheep at Beit-Lechem.