Protective covering worn by soldiers to prevent injury in battle. However, those who wore it were not impregnable. Christians are to be equipped with spiritual armour.
Coat of armour
The breastplate
2 Chronicles 26:14 See also 1 Samuel 17:5, 1 Samuel 17:38; 2 Samuel 20:8; Ephesians 6:14
Uzziah supplied the entire army with shields, spears, helmets, armor, bows, and slingstones.
The belt
2 Samuel 20:8 The belt was an essential item of armour as it held the protective parts of the tunic in place. See also 1 Samuel 18:4; 2 Samuel 18:11; Ephesians 6:14
And while they were at the great stone in Gibeon, Amasa joined them. Now Joab was dressed in military attire, with a dagger strapped to his belt. And as he stepped forward, he slipped the dagger from its sheath.
The helmet
1 Samuel 17:5 See also 1 Samuel 17:38; 2 Chronicles 26:14; Jeremiah 46:4; Ezekiel 38:5
and he had a bronze helmet on his head. He wore a bronze coat of mail weighing five thousand shekels,
The shield
Jeremiah 46:3 See also 2 Chronicles 11:12, 2 Chronicles 32:5; Nehemiah 4:16; Ephesians 6:16
“Deploy your shields, small and large; advance for battle!
Armour worn by soldiers
2 Chronicles 26:14 See also Numbers 31:3–5, Numbers 32:20–21, Numbers 32:27; Joshua 4:13; Jeremiah 46:3–4
Uzziah supplied the entire army with shields, spears, helmets, armor, bows, and slingstones.
Armour-bearers
1 Samuel 16:21 Armour-bearers were sometimes used to carry the shield and additional weapons for a military leader or outstanding warrior. See also Judges 9:54; 1 Samuel 14:1, 1 Samuel 14:6–14, 1 Samuel 17:7
When David came to Saul and entered his service, Saul loved him very much, and David became his armor-bearer.
Those wearing armour were not impregnable
1 Kings 20:11, 1 Kings 22:34 parallel 2 Chronicles 18:33 See also 1 Samuel 17:48–49, 1 Samuel 31:3–4; Luke 11:21–22
And the king of Israel replied, “Tell him: ‘The one putting on his armor should not boast like one taking it off.’”
However, a certain man drew his bow without taking special aim, and he struck the king of Israel between the joints of his armor. So the king said to his charioteer, “Turn around and take me out of the battle, for I am badly wounded!”
Christians are to be equipped with spiritual armour
Ephesians 6:11 See also Ephesians 6:13–17; Romans 13:12; 2 Corinthians 6:7; 1 Thessalonians 5:8
Put on the full armor of God, so that you can make your stand against the devil’s schemes.
Related themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin Manser, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Bible Aquifer. Formatted for this site, with Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.