Active members of an army, whatever their rank. Paul uses the term frequently in his letters to draw attention to the fact that believers are engaged in spiritual warfare.
Armies of soldiers under different commanders
Moses' soldiers
Numbers 31:27–28, Numbers 31:32
Joshua's soldiers
Abimelech's soldiers
Benjamin's soldiers
Philistine soldiers
Saul's soldiers
1 Samuel 13:22, 1 Samuel 15:4, 1 Samuel 15:15, 1 Samuel 15:21, 1 Samuel 26:7
Hadadezer's soldiers
Aramean soldiers
Jehoahaz' soldiers
David's soldiers
2 Samuel 3:23 David's soldiers under Joab; 2 Samuel 23:8–39 parallel 1 Chronicles 11:10–47 David's mighty men; 2 Samuel 24:1–9 parallel 1 Chronicles 21:1–16 David displeased the LORD by counting his fighting men; 1 Chronicles 12:23–38, 1 Chronicles 27:1–22
Zedekiah's soldiers
Babylonian soldiers
Individual soldiers
2 Kings 5:1 See also 1 Samuel 14:28; 2 Chronicles 17:17; Daniel 3:20–22
Now Naaman, the commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man in his master’s sight and highly regarded, for through him the LORD had given victory to Aram. And he was a mighty man of valor, but he was a leper.
Soldiers came to John the Baptist
Soldiers involved in the last events of Jesus Christ's life on earth
In his arrest and trial
Luke 23:11, Luke 23:36; John 18:3, John 18:12, John 19:2
In his crucifixion
Matthew 27:27; John 19:16, John 19:23–24, John 19:32–34
After his crucifixion
After his resurrection
Matthew 28:2–4, Matthew 28:12, Matthew 28:15
Soldiers involved in the lives of the apostles
Peter
Acts 12:4, Acts 12:6, Acts 12:18
Paul
Acts 21:32, Acts 21:35, Acts 21:37
Soldiers used metaphorically
Ezekiel 27:27, Ezekiel 39:20; Joel 2:7; Amos 2:15–16
Paul draws parallels between a soldier and a Christian
1 Corinthians 9:7 An apostle has a right to be supported in material things by those to whom he preaches.
Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? Who tends a flock and does not drink of its milk?
Christians are called fellow-soldiers
See also Philippians 2:25; Philemon 1:2
Christians must put Jesus Christ first
Join me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. A soldier refrains from entangling himself in civilian affairs, in order to please the one who enlisted him.
God as the commander of an army of soldiers
Psalm 89:8 The term here translated “LORD God Almighty” can be translated “LORD God of hosts” or “LORD God of armies”. See also 1 Kings 19:10; Jeremiah 5:14; Hosea 12:5; Amos 4:13
O LORD God of Hosts, who is like You? O mighty LORD, Your faithfulness surrounds You.
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.