Harness

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

Harness . See, generally, Armour, which RV [Note: Revised Version.] substitutes in most places for AV [Note: Authorized Version.] ‘harness.’ Similarly ‘harnessed’ (  Exodus 13:18 ) becomes ‘armed,’ and the ‘well harnessed’ camp of 1Ma 4:7 becomes ‘fortified.’ For ‘the joints of the harness’ of   1 Kings 22:34 RVm [Note: Revised Version margin.] substitutes ‘the lower armour and the breastplate,’ the former being probably ‘the tassets or jointed appendages of the cuirass, covering the abdomen’ (Skinner, Cent. Bible, in loc .). The only passage where ‘harness’ as a verb has its modern signification is   Jeremiah 46:4 ‘harness the horses,’ the verb in the original being that used in   Genesis 46:29 ,   Exodus 14:6 etc. for yoking the horses to the chariot.

A. R. S. Kennedy.

Webster's Dictionary

(1): ( n.) The part of a loom comprising the heddles, with their means of support and motion, by which the threads of the warp are alternately raised and depressed for the passage of the shuttle.

(2): ( n.) Originally, the complete dress, especially in a military sense, of a man or a horse; hence, in general, armor.

(3): ( n.) The equipment of a draught or carriage horse, for drawing a wagon, coach, chaise, etc.; gear; tackling.

(4): ( v. t.) Fig.: To equip or furnish for defense.

(5): ( v. t.) To dress in armor; to equip with armor for war, as a horseman; to array.

(6): ( v. t.) To make ready for draught; to equip with harness, as a horse. Also used figuratively.

King James Dictionary

H`ARNESS, n.

1. Armor the whole accouterments or equipments of a knight or horseman originally perhaps defensive armor, but in a more modern and enlarged sense, the furniture of a military man,or offensive, as a casque, cuirass,helmet, girdle, sword,buckler, &c. 2. The furniture of a draught horse, whether for a wagon, coach, gig, chaise, &c., called in some of the American states, tackle or tackling, with which, in its primary sense, it is synonymous.

H`ARNESS, To dress in armor to equip with armor for war, as a horseman.

Harnessed in rugged steel.

1. To put on the furniture of a horse for draught.

Harness the horses.  Jeremiah 46

2. To defend to equip or furnish for defense.  1 Maccabees 4

Easton's Bible Dictionary

The children of Israel passed out of Egypt "harnessed" ( Exodus 13:18 ), i.e., in an orderly manner, and as if to meet a foe. The word so rendered is probably a derivative from Hebrew Hamesh (i.e., "five"), and may denote that they went up in five divisions, viz., the van, centre, two wings, and rear-guard.

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 'Harness'. Easton's Bible Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/ebd/h/harness.html. 1897.

Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types

 1 Kings 20:11 (a) This figure describes a very evident truth. The one that enters into the battle is not to give the victorious shout, but rather the one who comes out of the battle as the victor. The one who begins a race is not to be commended, but rather the one who ends the race as a successful contestant.

Morrish Bible Dictionary

Armour. Ahab was wounded by an arrow that entered at the joints of his armour.  1 Kings 22:34;  2 Chronicles 9:24;  2 Chronicles 18:33 .

Holman Bible Dictionary

 1 Kings 22:34 2 Chronicles 18:33 2 Chronicles 9:24Arms And Armor

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A suit of defensive armor,  1 Kings 20:11   2 Chronicles 18:33 . The Hebrews went out from Egypt "harnessed," that is, properly equipped or arranged.

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

occurs in several senses in the Eng. Vers. as the rendering of different Heb. words.

1. אָסָר (Asar', prop. to Bind, As it is generally rendered) is sometimes applied to the act of fastening animals to a cart or vehicle, e.g. Yoking kine ( 1 Samuel 6:7;  1 Samuel 6:10, "tie") or horses ( Jeremiah 46:4, "harness"), Gearing a chariot ( Genesis 46:29;  Exodus 14:6;  2 Kings 9:21, "make ready"), or absolutely ( 1 Kings 18:44;  2 Kings 9:21, ‘ prepare"). From the monuments we see that the harness of the Egyptian war-chariots was composed of leather, and the trappings were richly decorated, being stained with a great variety of colors, and studded with gold and silver. (See Chariot).

2. In the old English sense for Armor ( נֵשֶׁק or נֶשֶׁק ne'shek, warlike Accoutrements, elsewhere "armor,""weapons,"etc.),  2 Chronicles 9:24. (See Armor).

3. In a like sense for שַׁרְיָן (Shiryan',  1 Kings 22:34;  2 Chronicles 18:33), a coat of mail ("breastplate,"  Isaiah 59:17). (See Armor).

4. "Harnessed"( חֲמֻשַׁים , Chamushim', from חָמִשׁ in the sense of Being Fierce for battle) is the expression used to represent the equipped condition of the Israelites as they passed out of Egypt ( Exodus 13:18, "armed,"  Joshua 1:14;  Joshua 4:1-2  Judges 7:11), and seems to denote their orderly and intrepid disposal as if to meet a foe (the ancient versions interpret generally Full-Armed). (See Gesenius, Lex. s.v.)

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

har´nes  : A word of Celtic origin meaning "armour" in the King James Version; it is the translation of shiryān , "a coat of mail" (  1 Kings 22:34;  2 Chronicles 18:33 ); of nesheḳ , "arms," "weapons" ( 2 Chronicles 9:24 , the Revised Version (British and American) "armor"); of 'āṣar "to bind" ( Jeremiah 46:4 ), "harness the horses," probably here, "yoke the horses"; compare  1 Samuel 6:7 , "tie the kine to the cart" (bind them),  Genesis 46:29; another rendering is "put on their accoutrements"; compare 1 Macc 6:43, "one of the beasts armed with royal harness" (θώραξ , thō̇rax ), the Revised Version (British and American) "breastplates"; compare 1 Macc 3:3, "warlike harness"; 6:41 (ὅπλα , hópla ), the Revised Version (British and American) "arms"; 2 Macc 3:25, etc.; harnessed represents ḥămushı̄m , "armed," "girded" ( Exodus 13:18 , "The children of Israel went up harnessed," the Revised Version (British and American) "armed"). Tyndale, Cranmer, Geneva have "harnes" in  Luke 11:22 , Wycliff "armer."