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Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary

an ensign, or standard, used by armies or caravans on their journeys in the eastern countries. The original רגל , is rendered by lexicographers and translators under this word, as a noun, in which form it often occurs, a standard, banner; as a verb, once, to set up a banner;   Psalms 20:5; as a participle pahul, vexillatus, one distinguished by a banner, the chief; as a participle niphal, bannered, or with banners. The meaning of the root is illustrated by the very ingenious and sensible author of "Observations on Divers Passages of Scripture," who shows, from Pitts and Pococke, that, "as in Arabia and the neighbouring countries, on account of the intense heat of the sun by day, people generally choose to travel in the night; so, to prevent confusion in their large caravans, particularly in the annual one to Mecca, each company, of which the caravan consists, has its distinct portable beacon, which is carried on the top of a pole, and consists of several lights, which are somewhat like iron stoves, into which they put short dry wood, with which some of the camels are loaded. Every company has one of these poles belonging to it; some of which have ten, some twelve of these lights on their tops, more or less; and they are likewise of different figures, as well as numbers; one, perhaps, in an oval shape; another, triangular, or in the form of an M, or N, &c, so that by these every one knows his respective company. They are carried in the front, and set up in the place where the caravan is to pitch, before that comes up, at some distance from one another. As travelling then in the night must be, generally speaking, more agreeable to a great multitude in that desert, we may believe a compassionate God, for the most part, directed Israel to move in the night. And in consequence, must we not rather suppose the standards of the tribes were moveable beacons, like those of the Mecca pilgrims, than flags or any thing of that kind?" This ingenious author seems, however, to forget,

1. That the pillar of fire was with the Israelites to direct their marches.

2. That the Israelites were not a mere caravan, but an army; and, as such, for order, required standards as well by day as by night. See Armies .

Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary

In a figurative language, Christ is said to be an ensign, or standard, to his people. ( Isaiah 11:10; Isa 11:12) Hence, the Psalmist, in allusion to Christ, "Thou hast given a banner to them that feared thee, that it may be displayed because of the truth." ( Psalms 60:4) And when Moses built an altar, after the victory obtained over Amalek, he called the name of it JEHOVAH Nissi; that is, the Lord is my banner. And what Lord but Christ? Were not both the altar and the banner tokens of the Lord Jesus Christ? ( Exodus 17:15) Hence, the church speaks, in allusion to Christ, "In the name of our God, we set up our banners." ( Psalms 20:5) And hence also, the church, when beheld in her warlike appearance, fighting in the strength of her Lord, is said to be, "fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners." ( Song of Song of Solomon 6:4; Son 6:10) It is very blessed to eye Christ in this most glorious character, as JEHOVAH'S banner to his people, for their waging war with sin, death, and hell. He is lifted up from everlasting, in the glories of his person, as the church's Husband from all eternity. Hence, the Standard-bearer among ten thousand, under whose shadow all his redeemed are safe, and made more than conquerors through Him that loveth them. Reader! believer! friend! are we under this almighty Banner? Hath the Lord Jesus brought us to his banqueting house, and is his banner over us of love? Oh, then, let us sit down under his shadow, for, surely, all his fruit is sweet to our taste! Sure banner of peace with God, and good will towards men! See Jehovah Nissi.

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

Hebrew Neec , not, in the English sense of the term, an arbitrary token to distinguish one band or regiment of Israel from another, but a common object of regard, a signal of observation, a rallying point to awaken men's hopes and efforts ( Exodus 17:15). Moses called the altar of thanksgiving, after Amalek's defeat, Jehovah Nissi "Jehovah is my banner." The altar is the pledge that Jehovah, in covenant with Israel, shall enable His people to defeat utterly Amalek and all his foes. (Compare  Numbers 21:8, "a pole";  Isaiah 5:26;  Isaiah 11:10, "a root of Jesse shall stand for an ensign of the people,"  Isaiah 13:2;  Isaiah 30:17;  Isaiah 49:22;  Psalms 60:4.)

Messiah set forth manifestly as the crucified Savior ( Galatians 3:1) is the rallying point for the gathering together in one unto Him of all the redeemed in spirit, in the glorified body also hereafter ( Genesis 49:10;  Matthew 24:31;  2 Thessalonians 2:1). His love displayed is the "banner" under which His people rally for almighty protection and unspeakable comfort ( Song of Solomon 2:4). As Neec is a "signal," raised on some special occasion, always on an elevation and conspicuous, so Degel is a military standard for a large division of an army; Oth , for a small one. (See Encampment .)

Holman Bible Dictionary

banner degel nes oth degel oth  Numbers 2:2

A banner was usually a flag or a carved figure of an animal, bird, or reptile. It may have been molded from bronze, as was the serpent in  Numbers 21:8-9 . Each tribe of Israel may have had some such animal figures as their standard, or banner. The banner was used as a rallying point for groups with a common interest, such as a call for an army to assemble, or as a signal that a battle was to begin. When the Israelites left Sinai for the land of Canaan, they marched under the banner of four major tribes: Judah, Reuben, Ephraim, and Dan ( Numbers 10:1 ). The prophet Isaiah used the term in reference to a signal God would raise against Babylon as a warning of impending destruction ( Isaiah 13:2 ). In  Isaiah 49:22 God's upraised hand is a signal (“ nes ”) for the nations to bring the sons of the exiles home to the land of Canaan. The practice of using banners, or standards, was widespread in ancient times in many cultures and lands. Israel probably borrowed the custom from her neighbors.

Bryce Sandlin

Easton's Bible Dictionary

A "sign of fire" ( Jeremiah 6:1 ) was sometimes used as a signal.

The banners and ensigns of the Roman army had idolatrous images upon them, and hence they are called the "abomination of desolation" (q.v.). The principal Roman standard, however, was an eagle. (See  Matthew 24:28;  Luke 17:37 , where the Jewish nation is compared to a dead body, which the eagles gather together to devour.)

God's setting up or giving a banner ( Psalm 20:5;  60:4;  Song of Solomon 2:4 ) imports his presence and protection and aid extended to his people.

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.

Bibliography Information Easton, Matthew George. Entry for 'Banner'. Easton's Bible Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/ebd/b/banner.html. 1897.

Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types

 Psalm 60:4 (a) Evidently this is the confession which a Christian makes; it is the testimony which he bears to the truth of GOD and to his faith in his Lord. (See also  Psalm 20:5).

 Song of Solomon 2:4 (c) This banner represents the leadership of the Lord in the lives of His people. Under His guidance they march along firmly convinced and fully persuaded that everything that happens to them comes from the loving heart of their Lord.

 Song of Solomon 6:4 (c) In a war where the army is composed of many allies, each nation carries its own banner, thus displaying the great resources behind the forces. In this passage the banner indicates the many divisions of GOD's gracious provision for his own. There is the banner of His power and also of His love, and also of His sufficiency, and also of His grace.

 Isaiah 13:2 (a) Probably this banner indicates that Babylon must be exposed and advertised in her true colors. Her character must be plainly manifested. It may refer actually to the city of Babylon, or it may refer to the false Babylon, which is the Roman church, and her daughters.

Webster's Dictionary

(1): (n.) A kind of flag attached to a spear or pike by a crosspiece, and used by a chief as his standard in battle.

(2): (n.) A large piece of silk or other cloth, with a device or motto, extended on a crosspiece, and borne in a procession, or suspended in some conspicuous place.

(3): (n.) Any flag or standard; as, the star-spangled banner.

King James Dictionary

BAN'NER, n. L.pannus.

1. A square flag a military ensign the principal standard of a prince or state. 2. A streamer borne at the end of a lance or elsewhere. 3. In botany, the upper petal of a papilionaceous corol.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Banner. See Ensign .

Morrish Bible Dictionary

See Standard

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ban´ẽr (ENSIGN, Standard ): The English word "banner" is from banderia , Low Latin, meaning a banner (compare bandum , Latin, which meant first a "band," an organized military troop, and then a "flag"). It has come to mean a flag , or standard, carried at the head of a military band or body, to indicate the line of march, or the rallying point, and it is now applied, in its more extended significance, to royal, national, or ecclesiastical "banners" also. We find it applied sometimes to a streamer on the end of a lance, such as is used by the Arab sheik today. "Banner" occurs in the following significant Old Testament passages: (1) in the singular, "Lift ye up a banner upon the high mountain" ( Isaiah 13:2 the King James Version); "a banner to them that fear thee" (  Psalm 60:4 ); and (2) in the plur., "In the name of our God we will set up our banner" ( Psalm 20:5 ); "terrible as an army with banner" ( Song of Solomon 6:4 ).

1. Military Ensigns Among the Hebrews

The Hebrews, it would seem, like the Assyrians, the Egyptians, and other ancient nations, had military ensigns. As bearing upon this question, a very significant passage is that found in  Numbers 2:2 : "The children of Israel shall encamp every man by his own standard, with the ensigns of their fathers' houses." "Standard-bearer" in   Isaiah 10:18 the King James Version, "They shall be as when a standard-bearer fainteth," is not a case in point, but is to be rendered as in the Revised Version, margin, "as when a si ck man pineth away."

In this noted passage a distinction seems intentionally made (another view is held by some) between "the ensigns of their fathers' houses" (literally, "signs"; compare   Psalm 74:4 , where the reference is thought by some today to be to the standards of Antiochus' army), and "the standards " of the four great divisions of the Hebrew tribes in the wilderness (compare the "banner" of  Song of Solomon 2:4 and   Song of Solomon 6:4 ,  Song of Solomon 6:10 ).

2. A D istinction with a Difference

The relation of these to the "standard" of  Numbers 21:8 f (Hebrew nēṣ , the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American) "standard") is by no means clear. The word nēṣ , here translated "standard," seems to have meant at first a pole set up on an eminence as a signal for mustering troops (compare "mast"  Isaiah 30:17 the English Revised Version, margin). But it occurs frequently in the prophets both in this literal and original sense, and in the figurative or derived sense of a rallying point for God's people (see   Isaiah 5:26;  Isaiah 11:10;  Jeremiah 4:21 and elsewhere). Here the rendering in English Versions of the Bible alternates between "ensign" and "banner" (see HDB , 1-vol, article "Banner").