Artillery
ArtifactsWhat is the meaning of Artillery in the Bible?
Artillery refers to heavy weaponry designed to project projectiles over long distances, a category that includes the siege engines mentioned in 1 Maccabees 6:51. In 1 Samuel 20:40, the term was historically mistranslated to describe personal weapons like bows, a rendering that modern scholarship has corrected to 'weapons' to reflect the original context.
SIGNIFICANCE
Distinguishing between ancient siege machinery and personal armaments allows readers to accurately assess the scale and nature of military engagements in biblical narratives. This clarification prevents anachronistic interpretations of combat scenes and ensures a more precise understanding of the technological capabilities described in the text.
Bible Study Quick-Reference Guide
- Why did the biblical author mention Artillery in this passage?
- What cultural or historical assumption does Artillery clarify?
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Source Attribution
Built upon the 1915 International Standard Bible Encyclopedia and Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897). Entries have been modernized, checked for academic truthfulness, and shortened for clarity.