Conscription

The compulsory calling up of people to service, especially military service. The OT refers to men being conscripted to serve in the army, or in major building projects.

Men conscripted to serve in the army

Moses drew up lists of potential fighting men for the conquest of Canaan

Numbers 1:2–3 See also Numbers 1:17–19, Numbers 1:45–46NUM Numbers 26:2, Numbers 26:3–4, Numbers 26:63–65

“Take a census of the whole congregation of Israel by their clans and families, listing every man by name, one by one. You and Aaron are to number those who are twenty years of age or older by their divisions— everyone who can serve in Israel’s army.

Deborah called up troops to attack Jabin, a Canaanite king

Judges 4:4–7

God restricted the number of men conscripted by Gideon

Judges 7:1–8 The purpose of this was to make clear that Israel's victory was in God's strength alone.

The Benjamites raised a tribal militia to fight the rest of Israel

Judges 20:15–17

King Saul chose men to fight the Philistines

1 Samuel 13:2, 1 Samuel 14:52

King David maintained a regular army

1 Chronicles 27:1–15

The conscription of labourers

Those in charge of conscription

2 Kings 25:19 parallel Jeremiah 52:25

Solomon used conscripts to build the temple and other projects

1 Kings 5:13–15 parallel 2 Chronicles 2:2; 1 Kings 9:15, 1 Kings 9:20–21 parallel 2 Chronicles 8:7–8