Horse-drawn vehicles used for carrying important people when travelling or on ceremonial occasions, and in war for carrying warriors. The chariot is used as a symbol of military power, the power of God and as a picture of God's angelic army.
Chariots used for travelling
Genesis 46:29 See also Genesis 50:9; Judges 4:15; 2 Samuel 15:1; 1 Kings 12:18, 1 Kings 18:44, 1 Kings 20:33; 2 Kings 5:21, 2 Kings 9:16, 2 Kings 9:21, 2 Kings 10:16; Acts 8:28
Joseph prepared his chariot and went there to meet his father Israel. Joseph presented himself to him, embraced him, and wept profusely.
Chariots used on ceremonial occasions
Genesis 41:43 See also Genesis 50:9; Jeremiah 17:25
He had Joseph ride in his second chariot, with men calling out before him, “Bow the knee!” So he placed him over all the land of Egypt.
Chariots used for carrying warriors
Exodus 14:6–7 See also Deuteronomy 11:4, Deuteronomy 20:1; Joshua 11:4, Joshua 17:16; Judges 1:19, Judges 4:13; 1 Samuel 8:11, 1 Samuel 13:5 the Philistines prepare for battle; 2 Samuel 1:6, 2 Samuel 8:4 parallel 1 Chronicles 18:4; 1 Kings 10:26 parallel 2 Chronicles 1:14; 1 Kings 20:1; 2 Kings 6:14, 2 Kings 8:21, 2 Kings 10:2; 1 Chronicles 19:6 the Ammonites hire chariots and charioteers; 2 Chronicles 12:3, 2 Chronicles 14:9; Ezekiel 23:24, Ezekiel 26:7, Ezekiel 26:10; Nahum 2:4
So Pharaoh prepared his chariot and took his army with him. He took 600 of the best chariots, and all the other chariots of Egypt, with officers over all of them.
The chariot as a symbol of military might
Psalm 20:7 See also 2 Kings 19:23 parallel Isaiah 37:24; Isaiah 2:7, Isaiah 22:7, Isaiah 22:18, Isaiah 31:1, Isaiah 36:9; Jeremiah 50:37, Jeremiah 51:21; Micah 5:10; Nahum 2:13; Haggai 2:22
Some trust in chariots and others in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.
The chariot as a symbol of God's mighty power
Psalm 104:3 See also 2 Kings 2:11; Psalm 68:4, Psalm 68:33; Isaiah 19:1; Ezekiel 1:15–21; Zechariah 6:1–8
laying the beams of His chambers in the waters above, making the clouds His chariot, walking on the wings of the wind.
God's mighty angelic army depicted by chariots
2 Kings 6:17 See also Psalm 68:17; Isaiah 66:15; Jeremiah 4:13; Habakkuk 3:8
Then Elisha prayed, “O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see.” And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw that the hills were full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
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.