Band
The “band of Roman soldiers” referred to in (Matthew 27:27) and elsewhere was the tenth part of a legion. It was called a “cohort,” and numbered 400 to 600 men. [See Army]
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia on Band
Band The English word has two generic meanings, each shading off into several specific meanings: (1) that which holds together, binds or encircles: a bond; (2) a company of men. The second sense may philologically and logically have been derived from the first, men being held together by social ties. Both meanings appear in Old Testament and New Testament representing various Hebrew and Greek words. ⇒See the definition of band in the KJV Dictionary (1) A band (a) ('ecur): a flaxen rope (Jg 15:14); a band of iron and brass (Da 4:15,23); metaphorically used of a false woman's hands (Ec 7:26). (b) (chebhel): "The bands of the wicked have robbed me" (the King James Version of Ps 119:61), where "bands" = "troops" by mistr; the Revised Version (British and American) "The cords of the wicked have wrapped me round"; plural chobhlim = "bands" = the name of the prophet's symbolic staff representing the brotherhood between Judah and Israel (Zec 11:7,14). (c) (`abhoth): "I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love" (Ho 11:4; compare Eze 3:25; 4:8; Job 39:10). (d) (saphah): the edge of th…
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible on Band
Three words of difTerent ori^n and meaning but the same spelling are all found in AV. 1. Band = anything ths.t binds, whether for confinement or for strengthening. The Heb. words are (a) nijj^ 'Sbhvth, something twisted or twined. Job 39'" ' Canst thou bind the unicorn (RV ' wild-ox ') with his band ? ' Hos \\*'l drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love ' ; so Ezk 3=»48; but tr'' 'cords' Jg 15"- ", Ps 2» 118»' 129''. It is the word tr'' 'voreathen (work)' in Ex 28"- 22- "• =» 39">- "■ '». (6) ni=x 'rsur (-h=k '(sur, Dn 4'»- », Ec 7»«), anything that will bind' whether a flaxen rope or an iron fetter. Jg 15" ' his (Samson's flaxen) bands dropped from off his hands ' ; Dn 4'' ' a band of iron and brass,' so Dn 4-'', Ec 7^. (c) S;;n liebhel, a rope or cord, not for binding (though Ezk 27", Job 41', Est 1*) so much as for use on board ship (Is 33^), for fasten- ing tents (Is 33^), and especially for measuring, a measuring-line (2 S 8"^, Ps 78" etc.). In AV liehhel is tr^ ' bands' only in Ps 119'" ' the bands of the wicked have robbed me' (wliere 'bands' no doubt = ' troops,' by…
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- Easton, M.G. (1893) Easton's Bible Dictionary. 3rd edn. Thomas Nelson. [Public Domain]
- Nave, O.J. (1897) Nave's Topical Bible. Topical Bible Publishing Co.. [Public Domain]
- Hastings, J. (ed.) (1909) A Dictionary of the Bible. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Smith, W. (ed.) (1884) Smith's Bible Dictionary. London: John Murray. [Public Domain]
- Fausset, A.R. (1878) Fausset's Bible Dictionary. [Public Domain]A Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopaedia