Difference between revisions of "Captain"

<div> '''1: '''''Χιλίαρχος''''' ''' (Strong'S #5506 — Noun Masculine — chiliarchos — khil-ee'-ar-khos ) </div> <p> denoting "a commander of 1000 soldiers" (from chilios, "a thousand," and archo, "to rule"), was the Greek word for the [[Persian]] vizier, and for the Roman military tribune, the commander of a Roman cohort, e.g., &nbsp;John 18:12; &nbsp;Acts 21:31-33,37 . One such commander was constantly in charge of the Roman garrison in Jerusalem. The word became used also for any military commander, e.g., a "captain" or "chief captain," &nbsp;Mark 6:21; &nbsp;Revelation 6:15; &nbsp;19:18 . </p> <div> '''2: '''''Στρατηγός''''' ''' (Strong'S #4755 — Noun Masculine — strategos — strat-ay-gos' ) </div> <p> originally the commander of an army (from stratos, "an army," and ago, "to lead"), came to denote "a civil commander, a governor" (Latin, duumvir), the highest magistrate, or any civil officer in chief command, &nbsp;Acts 16:20,22,35,36,38; also the "chief captain" of the Temple, himself a Levite, having command of the [[Levites]] who kept guard in and around the Temple, &nbsp;Luke 22:4,52; &nbsp;Acts 4:1; &nbsp;5:24,26 . Cp. &nbsp;Jeremiah 20:1 . </p> <div> '''3: '''''Ἀρχηγός''''' ''' (Strong'S #747 — Adjective — archegos — ar-khay-gos' ) </div> <p> see [[Author]] (No. 2). </p> &nbsp;Acts 28:16

<p> In the O.T. this word is used for one filling any office of rule or command: as the head of a tribe, &nbsp;Numbers 2:3-29; commander of an army, etc. The person who appeared to Joshua as 'a man' declared himself to be 'captain of the Lord's host.' He told Joshua to remove his shoes from his feet, for the ground was holy, evincing that he was God's representative to lead their warfare. &nbsp;Joshua 5:14,15 . In the N.T. the Lord is called 'Captain' of our salvation, ἀρχηγός, 'chief leader.' &nbsp;Hebrews 2:10 . </p> <p> There was also a [['Captain Of The Temple']]  στρατηγός. &nbsp;Luke 22:4,52; &nbsp;Acts 4:1; &nbsp;Acts 5:24,26 . This word is literally 'the leader of an army;' it is also applied to magistrates, &nbsp;Acts 16:20 , but the captain of the temple was set not over the soldiers, but over the priests and Levites: cf. &nbsp;Numbers 3:32; &nbsp;1 Chronicles 9:11; &nbsp;Jeremiah 20:1 . </p> <p> THE [[Chief Captain]] or [[High Captain]]  is χιλίαρχος, <i> lit. </i> 'Captain of a thousand,' applied to the chief of the soldiers in Jerusalem. &nbsp;Acts 21 - 25. </p> <p> [[Captain Of The Guard]]  &nbsp;Acts 28:16 , is στρατοπεδάρχης,properly 'commander of a camp,' but here the prefect of the Praetorian Guard, an officer to whom state prisoners were entrusted at Rome. </p>

<li> The Captain of our salvation is a name given to our Lord (&nbsp;Hebrews 2:10 ), because he is the author and source of our salvation, the head of his people, whom he is conducting to glory. The "captain of the Lord's host" (&nbsp;Joshua 5:14,15 ) is the name given to that mysterious person who manifested himself to [[Abraham]] (&nbsp;Genesis 12:7 ), and to Moses in the bush (&nbsp;Exodus 3:2,6 , etc.) the Angel of the covenant. (See [[Angel]] .) <div> <p> '''Copyright Statement''' These dictionary topics are from M.G. Easton [[M.A., DD]]  Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Third Edition, published by [[Thomas]] Nelson, 1897. Public Domain. </p> <p> '''Bibliography Information''' Easton, Matthew George. Entry for 'Captain'. Easton's Bible Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/ebd/c/captain.html. 1897. </p> </div> </li>

<p> [[Captain Of The Temple]]  (&nbsp;Luke 22:4; &nbsp;Acts 4:1; &nbsp;Acts 5:24): not military, but over the guard of the temple, consisting of priests and Levites (&nbsp;2 Kings 12:9), "the priests that kept the door" (&nbsp;2 Kings 25:18); they visited the posts by night, and saw that the sentries were on the alert. In &nbsp;Hebrews 2:10, (Greek "Prince leader of their salvation,") the antitypical Joshua who leads us into the heavenly Canaan. The same Greek in &nbsp;Hebrews 12:2, "the Author," rather "Prince leader of our faith." &nbsp;Acts 3:15, "Prince of life." </p>

<p> &nbsp;2 Chronicles 13:12 (a) One of the many positions taken by our Lord for the blessing of His people. We are soldiers of [[Jesus Christ]] as we find in &nbsp;Hebrews 2:10. See2Ti &nbsp;2:3. </p>

<p> ''''' kap´tin ''''' : In the King James Version there are no fewer than 13 Hebrew words, and 4 different Greek words, which are rendered by this one English word. In the Revised Version (British and American) some of these are rendered by other English words, and so we find for "captain": "marshal" (Jer 27; &nbsp;Nahum 3:17 ), "prince" (&nbsp;1 Samuel 9:16 ), "governor" (&nbsp;Jeremiah 51:23 , &nbsp;Jeremiah 51:18 ), while in the case of one of these Hebrew words a different construction is found altogether (&nbsp;Jeremiah 13:21 ). </p> 1. In the Old Testament <p> Of Hebrew words in the Old Testament rendered by "captain" (1) The most frequent is שׂר , <i> ''''' sar ''''' </i> , which denotes "a military commander," whether of thousands or hundreds or fifties (&nbsp;Numbers 31:48; &nbsp;1 Samuel 8:12 and many other places). <i> ''''' Sar ''''' </i> is the chief officer of any department, civil and religious, as well as military - captain of the guard the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American), chief of the executioners the Revised Version, margin (&nbsp;Genesis 37:36 ); chief butler (&nbsp;Genesis 40:9 ); chief baker (&nbsp;Genesis 40:16 ); chief of a district (&nbsp;Nehemiah 3:15 ); chiefs of tribes (Naphtali; Zebulun, &nbsp;Psalm 68:27 ); chiefs over gangs of slaves (&nbsp;Exodus 1:11 ); chiefs of the priests and the Levites (&nbsp;Ezra 8:29 ). (2) רב , <i> ''''' rabh ''''' </i> , later Hebrew for chief of the executioners or captain of the guard, a title always given to Nebuzar-adan (&nbsp;2 Kings 25:8; &nbsp;Jeremiah 39:9 ) and to [[Arioch]] (&nbsp;Daniel 2:14 ). Compare also Rab-mag, chief of the magicians (&nbsp;Jeremiah 39:13 ), and Ashpenaz, chief of the eunuchs (&nbsp;Daniel 1:3 ). (3) ראשׁ , <i> ''''' rō'sh ''''' </i> , "head" over a host (Israel in the wilderness, &nbsp;Numbers 14:4 ), over tribes (&nbsp;Deuteronomy 29:10 , where the Revised Version (British and American) renders "heads"), over thousands (&nbsp;1 Chronicles 12:20 ). Abijah, king of Judah, before joining battle against Jeroboam, claimed "God himself is with us for our captain" the King James Version, "with us at our head" the Revised Version (British and American) (&nbsp;2 Chronicles 13:12 ). (4) שׁלישׁ , <i> ''''' shālı̄sh ''''' </i> , originally the third man in the chariot, who, when the chief occupant was the king, or commander-in-chief, was of the rank of captain (&nbsp;2 Kings 7:2; &nbsp;2 Kings 9:25 ), the term "third man" being generalized to mean "a captain" in &nbsp;2 Kings 10:25; &nbsp;2 Chronicles 8:9 , where "chief of his captains" combines (1) and (4). (5) נגיד , <i> ''''' nāghı̄dh ''''' </i> , leader by [[Divine]] appointment: of Saul (&nbsp;1 Samuel 9:16 , "captain," the King James Version, "prince" the Revised Version (British and American) &nbsp;1 Samuel 10:1 ); of David (&nbsp;2 Samuel 5:2 ); of [[Hezekiah]] (&nbsp;2 Kings 20:5 ); with a charge in connection with the temple (&nbsp;2 Chronicles 31:13 ). It is the word used of [[Messiah]] "the prince" (&nbsp;Daniel 9:25 ), who is also Prince of the [[Covenant]] (&nbsp;Daniel 11:22 ). (6) נשׂיא , <i> ''''' nāsı̄' ''''' </i> , rendered "captain" in the King James Version &nbsp;Numbers 2:3 , &nbsp;Numbers 2:5 , &nbsp;Numbers 2:7 only, there in the Revised Version (British and American) and in other places, both the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American), rendered "prince." In &nbsp; 1 Chronicles 7:40 "chief of the princes" combines (3) and (6). (7) פחה , <i> ''''' peḥāh ''''' </i> , is found almost entirely in a foreign title denoting "governor," and belongs to the later history of [[Israel]] (&nbsp;Nehemiah 2:7 , &nbsp;Nehemiah 2:9; &nbsp;Ezra 8:36; &nbsp;Haggai 1:1 ), rendered "captain" in exclusively foreign associations (&nbsp;1 Kings 20:24; &nbsp;2 Kings 18:24; &nbsp;Daniel 3:27 f). (8) קצין , <i> ''''' ḳācı̄n ''''' </i> (from root of <i> ''''' ḳadi ''''' </i> , Arabic for "judge"), denotes "dictator," almost "usurper," and is found in "rulers of Sodom" the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American), "judges of Sodom" the Revised Version, margin (&nbsp;Isaiah 1:10 ), used of [[Jephthah]] in sense of "captain" the King James Version, "chief" the Revised Version (British and American) (&nbsp;Judges 11:6 ), found combined with (3), "head and captain" (King James Version, "head and chief" the Revised Version (British and American) &nbsp;Judges 11:11 ). In &nbsp;Joshua 10:24 it denotes commanders of troops, the King James Version "captains of the men of war," the Revised Version (British and American) "chiefs of the men of war." (9) כּר , <i> ''''' kar ''''' </i> , in &nbsp;Ezekiel 21:22 "to set captains" the King James Version, is translated "to set battering rams" the Revised Version (British and American). (10) בּעל , <i> ''''' ba‛al ''''' </i> , only once in "captain of the ward" (&nbsp;Jeremiah 37:13 ). (11) טפסר , <i> ''''' ṭiphṣar ''''' </i> , a dignitary belonging to an oriental court, in the King James Version rendered "captain," in the Revised Version (British and American) "marshal" (&nbsp;Nahum 3:17; &nbsp;Jeremiah 51:27 ). (12) שׁלּיט , <i> ''''' shallı̄ṭ ''''' </i> , in &nbsp;Daniel 2:15 of Arioch, the king's captain; in &nbsp; Ecclesiastes 8:8 "having power over," and in &nbsp; Ecclesiastes 7:19 used of "mighty men" (the Revised Version (British and American) "rulers"). </p> 2. In the New Testament <p> Of Greek words rendered by "captain" in New Testament there are the following: (1) ἀρχηγός , <i> ''''' archēgós ''''' </i> , rendered "captain" in &nbsp;Hebrews 2:10 the King James Version but relegated to the margin in the Revised Version (British and American), where "author" (of their salvation) is preferred, this being the rendering of &nbsp; Hebrews 12:2 the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American), "author" (and finisher of our faith), "captain" being still retained in the Revised Version, margin. Compare &nbsp; Acts 3:15 and &nbsp; Acts 5:31 , where the same Greek word is rendered "Prince," the Revised Version, margin of the former passage giving "Author." In the [[Risen]] and [[Ascended]] Christ the various conceptions Thus expressed are found to blend. (2) χιλίαρχος , <i> ''''' chilı́archos ''''' </i> , the Latin <i> tribunus militum </i> of which there were six to a legion, commanding the six cohorts of which it was composed. In its lit. acceptation it would be "commander of a thousand," and it is so used in &nbsp; Acts 22:28 where it designates the commander of the Roman garrison in Jerusalem, consisting of a cohort, and is rendered "chief captain" (&nbsp; John 18:12; &nbsp;Acts 21:31; &nbsp;Acts 22:24; &nbsp;Acts 24:22 ). It is used more vaguely in the sense of "military officer" in &nbsp;Mark 6:21; &nbsp;Revelation 6:15; &nbsp;Revelation 19:18 . (3) στρατηγός , <i> ''''' stratēgós ''''' </i> , used only by Luke in the New Testament, and almost exclusively of ( <i> a </i> ) officials in charge of the Temple (&nbsp;Luke 22:4 , &nbsp;Luke 22:52; &nbsp;Acts 4:1; &nbsp;Acts 5:24 , &nbsp;Acts 5:26 ). The captain of the Temple had the superintendence of the Levites and priests who were on guard in and around the Temple, and under him were <i> ''''' stratēgoi ''''' </i> , who were also captains of the Temple police, although they took their instruction from him as their head. He was not only a priest, but second in dignity only to the high priest himself; ( <i> b </i> ) The exception to Luke's general usage is where the word is used of the chief authorities in civil affairs at Philippi; where "the magistrates," as the word is rendered (&nbsp;Acts 16:20 f), called themselves "praetors" ( <i> ''''' stratēgoi ''''' </i> ). In the case of Paul and Silas they placed themselves in peril of removal from their office by ordering them to be beaten, being Romans and uncondemned. (4) στρατοπεδάρχης , <i> ''''' stratopedárchēs ''''' </i> , the captain of the guard to whom [[Julius]] of the Augustan band (according to the Textus Receptus of the New Testament, &nbsp;Acts 28:16 ) delivered Paul and his fellow-prisoners. The word has disappeared from the Revised Version (British and American), but the passage in which it occurs has attestation which satisfies Blass, Sir [[William]] Ramsay, and other scholars. It was supposed that this was the captain of the Praetorian guard, but Mommsen and Ramsay believe him to be the <i> princeps peregrinorum castrorum </i> . See [[Augustan Band]]; [[Army]] , [[Roman]] . </p> <p> . </p>

<p> is the rendering, in the Auth. Vers., of numerous Hebrews and several Greek words, of which the following only require special elucidation. For the '''''כָּרַי''''' '', Kari '''''´''''' ,'' rendered "captains," &nbsp;2 Kings 11:4; &nbsp;2 Kings 11:19, (See [[Cherethites]]). </p> <p> '''(1.)''' As a purely military title, captain answers to '''''שִׂר''''' , ''Sar,'' in the Hebrew army, and '''''Χιλίαρχος''''' ''(Tribunus)'' in the Roman. (See Army). The "captain of the guard" ( '''''Στρατοπεδάρχης''''' ) spoken of in &nbsp;Acts 28:16 was the Praetorian ''Praefect.'' (See Chronology) p. 312, b. </p> <p> '''(2.)''' '''''קָצַין''''' ''',''' ''I'' ''Katsin','' which is occasionally rendered ''Captain,'' applies sometimes to a military (&nbsp;Joshua 10:24; &nbsp;Judges 11:6; &nbsp;Judges 11:11; &nbsp;Isaiah 22:3; &nbsp;Daniel 11:18), sometimes to a civil command (e.g. &nbsp;Isaiah 1:10; &nbsp;Isaiah 3:6): its radical sense is division, and hence decision without reference to the means employed: the term illustrates the double office of the '''''שֹׁפֵט''''' , ''Shophet','' or [[Dictator]] ("judge"). (See [[Judge]]). </p> <p> '''(3.)''' '''''שָׁלַישׁ''''' , ''Shalish''' (&nbsp;Exodus 14:7; &nbsp;Exodus 15:4; &nbsp;2 Samuel 23:8; &nbsp;1 Kings 9:22; &nbsp;2 Kings 9:25; &nbsp;2 Kings 10:25; &nbsp;2 Kings 15:25; &nbsp;1 Chronicles 11:11; &nbsp;1 Chronicles 12:18; &nbsp;2 Chronicles 8:9; "lord," &nbsp;2 Kings 7:2; &nbsp;2 Kings 7:17; &nbsp;2 Kings 7:19; &nbsp;Ezekiel 23:23; "prince," &nbsp;Ezekiel 23:15), prop. a [[Third]] man, i.e. one of three, Gr. '''''Τριστάτης''''' , a higher order of soldiers, who fought from chariots, ''Chariot-Warriors'' (&nbsp;Exodus 14:7; &nbsp;Exodus 15:4; &nbsp;1 Kings 9:22; '''''Ἀναβάται''''' , '''''Παραβάται''''' , Homr. ''Iliad,'' 23:32; Eurip. ''Supplic.'' 679); employed also for the body-guard of kings (&nbsp;1 Kings 9:22; &nbsp;2 Kings 10:25; &nbsp;1 Chronicles 11:11; &nbsp;1 Chronicles 12:18). The Sept. has ''Rptararatm,'' i.e. according to [[Origen]] and [[Gregory]] of Nyssa (in the ''Catenae),'' "soldiers fighting from chariots," and so called because each chariot contained three soldiers, one of whom managed the horses, while the other two fought (comp. Ewald, Gesch. Isr. 2:81). For although on the [[Egyptian]] monuments usually but one, or at most two appear in the war-chariots, yet occasionally, as certainly in the [[Assyrian]] bas-reliefs, in addition to the driver and the warrior, an armor-bearer or umbrella-bearer is depicted as standing in the chariot, who might properly be termed ternarius, or a third man. (See [[Chariot]]). It is true the Hebrew army did not originally consist of cavalry, although chariots were in use among the Canaanites, and the first occurrences of the term '''''שָׁלַישׁ''''' are in connection with the Egyptians; but at alater date a chariot-squadron was organized (&nbsp;1 Kings 10:26; comp. 9:9; 5:6; &nbsp;2 Samuel 8:4). Consequently, it is not strange that among the battalions of David and [[Solomon]] (&nbsp;2 Samuel 23:8) there should be named as a prominent hero the leader of these shalishim ( '''''ראשׁ''''' '''''הִשָּׁלַשַׁי''''' , or, rather, '''''הִשָּׁלַשַׁים''''' ; comp. Gesenius, ''Lehrgeb.'' p. 525; B '''''Ö''''' tticher, ''Spec.'' p. 38 sq.; Ewald, ''Gramm. Hebrews 5'' th ed. '''''§''''' 152, c. 177 a). Solomon's chariot-men ( '''''שָׁלַשָׁיו''''' ) are mentioned (&nbsp;1 Kings 9:22; &nbsp;2 Chronicles 8:9) as next to the priefects of his chariot-force ( '''''שָׂרֵי''''' '''''רַכְבּוֹ''''' ). After the times of Solomon there certainly were chariot- combatants ( ''Essedarii)'' as royal officers in the northern kingdom, and in the reign of [[Jehu]] runners and charioteers ( '''''וְהִשָּׁלַשַׁים''''' '''''הָרָצַים''''' ) formed, as it were, the king's Praetorian cohort (&nbsp;2 Kings 10:25); and the chief of these Praetorians (called by eminence '''''הִשָּׁלַישׁ''''' or '''''שָׁלַשׁ''''' '''''הִמֶּלֶךְ''''' ) was among the most noble of the regal attendants (q. d. adjutant-general). Accordingly, [[Joram]] had an officer of this title, "on whose hand the king leaned" (&nbsp;2 Kings 7:2; &nbsp;2 Kings 7:17; &nbsp;2 Kings 7:19); Jehu's charioteer was [[Bidkar]] (&nbsp;2 Kings 9:26); and [[Pekah]] held this eminent office under [[Pekahiah]] (&nbsp;2 Kings 15:25). Others, however (after Drusius), hold that the '''''שָׁלַישׁ''''' was merely the third officer in rank after the king, or commanded a third part of the army (comp. the Roman ''Tertiarii).'' So the Greek glossarists (ap. Drusius ''Ad Ezech.'' and in ''Fragm. Vet. Interpr. Gr.'' p. 145; Schleusner, ''Nov. Thesaur.'' s.v. '''''Τριστάτης''''' ; Dufresne, ''Glossar.'' s.v.; see Rosenm '''''Ü''''' ller, [[Scholia]] ad &nbsp;Exodus 14:7). (See [[Chief Of Three]]). </p> <p> '''(4.)''' The " captain of the Temple" ( '''''Στρατηγὸς''''' '''''Τοῦ''''' '''''Ἱεροῦ''''' ) '','' mentioned by Luke (&nbsp;Acts 4:1; &nbsp;Acts 5:24) in connection, with the priests, was not a military officer, but superintended the guard of priests and Levites who kept watch by night in the Temple. The "captains" mentioned &nbsp;Luke 22:4, were probably his subalterns. The office appears to have existed from an early date the "priests that kept the door". (&nbsp;2 Kings 12:9; &nbsp;2 Kings 25:18) are described by Josephus ''(Ant.'' 10:8, 5) as "the officers guarding the Temple" ( '''''Τοὺς''''' '''''Φυλάσσοντας''''' '''''Τὸ''''' '''''Ἱερὸν''''' '''''Ἡγεμόνας''''' ) '':'' a notice occurs in &nbsp;2 Maccabees 3:4, of a praefect of the Temple ( '''''Προστάτης''''' '''''Τοῦ''''' '''''Ἱεροῦ''''' ) '';'' this officer is styled '''''Στρατηγός''''' or captain by Josephus ''(Ant.'' 20:6, 2; ''War,'' 6:5, 3); and in the [[Mishna]] (Middoth, 1, '''''§''''' 2) th '''''איש''''' '''''הר''''' '''''ה''''' ''',''' "the captain of the mountain of the Temple;" his duty, as described in the place last quoted, was to visit the posts during the night, and see that the sentries were doing their duty (comp. &nbsp;1 Chronicles 9:11; &nbsp;2 Chronicles 31:13; &nbsp;2 Chronicles 35:8-9; &nbsp;Jeremiah 20:1). (See Temple). </p> <p> The rank or power of an [[Israelitish]] captain was designated by the number of men under his command, as captain of fifty, or captain of a thousand, (See [[Centurion]]); and the commander or chief of the whole army was called the captain of the host (q.v.). The divisions of the army were regulated in some measure by the division of families, as the heads of families were usually officers. Captains of hundreds, or larger companies, were probably what would be called in modern phrase staff-officers, and formed the councils of war. (See [[War]]). Sometimes distinguished men who were not Hebrews were promoted to high stations in the army (&nbsp;Deuteronomy 1:15; &nbsp;1 Chronicles 13:1; &nbsp;2 Chronicles 25:5; &nbsp;2 Samuel 23:39). (See [[Officer]]). </p> <p> God is called Captain ("Prince") of the Host ( '''''הִצָּבָאשִׁר''''' , &nbsp;Daniel 8:11), not as equivalent to "Lord of Hosts," but because he is the head and protector of his people. So in the N.T. our Lord is called Captain of his people's salvation ( '''''Ἀρχηγὸς''''' '''''Τῆς''''' '''''Σωτηρίας''''' '''''Αὐτῶν''''' , &nbsp;Hebrews 2:10), because he is the beginner, source, and author of their salvation, the head of his Church, which he conducts, with and in himself, to blessedness (comp. &nbsp;Joshua 5:14). (See [[Jehovah]]). </p>