Lexical Summary nesheq: Weapon, Armament Original Word: נֶשֶׁק Strong's Exhaustive Concordance armed men, armoury, battle, harness, weapon Or nesheq {nay'-shek}; from nashaq; military equipment, i.e. (collectively) arms (offensive or defensive), or (concretely) an arsenal -- armed men, armour(-y), battle, harness, weapon. see HEBREW nashaq NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom nashaq Definition equipment, weapons NASB Translation armory (1), battle (1), weapon (1), weapons (7). Brown-Driver-Briggs נֶ֫שֶׁק, נֵ֫שֶׁק noun [masculine] equipment, weapons (collective) armoury; — absolute נֶ֫שֶׁק Ezekiel 39:9 2t., נֵ֫שֶׁק 1 Kings 10:25; 2Chronicles 9:24, נָָֽשֶׁק 2 Kings 10:2 2t., construct ׳נֶ Isaiah 22:8, ׳נֵ Job 20:24; — 1 equipment, weapons 1 Kings 10:25; 2 Kings 10:2; Isaiah 22:8; 2Chronicles 9:24; Ezekiel 39:9 (general term, followed by specific), Ezekiel 39:10; בַרְזֶל ׳נ Job 20:24 (קֶשֶׁת נְחשֶׁת); יוֺם נָָֽשֶׁק Psalm 140:8 i.e. day of battle; so ׳נ alone Job 39:21. 2 apparently armoury Nehemiah 3:19. Topical Lexicon Meaning and Scope Used ten times in the Old Testament, נֶשֶׁק embraces the whole idea of armament—individual weapons, collective arsenals, and even the clash of battle itself. Whether appearing as “weapons,” “armory,” or “battle,” the term gathers every implement devised for war under a single concept: the capacity of fallen humanity to defend, attack, dominate, or protect. Weapons in Royal Tribute 1 Kings 10:25 and 2 Chronicles 9:24 record foreign envoys bringing “articles of silver and gold, garments, weapons, spices, horses, and mules” to Solomon. Because the king already possessed unrivaled might (1 Kings 4:24), the weapons were symbolic gifts. They honored the king who needed no extra arms, highlighting the peace and prosperity God granted Israel when its ruler walked in wisdom. The text quietly reminds readers that true security for the nation traces back to covenant faithfulness, not to stockpiles. Armory and Civic Defense In Nehemiah 3:19, the restored community repairs a section “opposite the ascent to the armory at the Angle.” After exile, the first defensive structure native Judeans re-establish is the armory—evidence of practical realism. Yet the same book stresses prayer and vigilance (Nehemiah 4:9), showing that trust in the Lord and responsible preparation are not rivals but partners. Regime Change and Military Assets Jehu’s dramatic purge begins with a letter emphasizing chariots, horses, a fortified city, and “weapons” (2 Kings 10:2). Succession disputes were settled by control of weaponry. Scripture exposes the fleeting nature of dynastic power: while Jehu ascends through military means, he too is judged by the divine word (2 Kings 10:31). Human arsenals cannot secure long-term dynasty; covenant obedience alone does. Personal Combat and Divine Retribution Job 20:24 paints the wicked man fleeing from an iron weapon, only to be struck by a bronze-tipped arrow—portraying inescapable judgment. Job 39:21 pictures the warhorse that “charges into battle,” celebrating physical might, yet the larger divine speech underscores that such power is ultimately subordinate to its Creator. Psalm 140:7 uses the imagery for spiritual refuge: “O GOD the Lord, the strength of my salvation, You shield my head in the day of battle.” Believers recognize that every physical weapon finds its limiting countermeasure in the Lord’s sovereign protection. National Apostasy and Misplaced Trust Isaiah 22:8 rebukes Jerusalem: “On that day you looked to the weapons of the House of the Forest.” Rather than repent when God “removed the defenses of Judah,” the people rushed to inventory their arsenals. The prophet unmasks the sin of relying on military hardware while neglecting the One who commands angelic hosts. The passage ties trust in weapons to spiritual blindness. Eschatological Disposal of Weapons Ezekiel 39:9–10 foresees a day when Israel will gather the invaders’ weapons and burn them for seven years, needing no wood from the forest. The prophecy anticipates God’s climactic victory over Gog: He alone disarms the enemy, and the very instruments of war become fuel for peace. The detail that nothing else need be gathered underscores complete deliverance and divine sufficiency. Theological Trajectory Across Scripture נֶשֶׁק charts a trajectory from treasured tribute, through pragmatic defense, to final obsolescence. The motif culminates in prophetic visions where God renders weapons unnecessary, foreshadowing the messianic peace when “nation will no longer take up arms against nation” (compare Isaiah 2:4). Thus the term serves both as a sober reminder of human conflict and as a signpost toward the promised restoration where the Prince of Peace reigns. Ministry Reflections • Encourage believers to steward earthly resources responsibly while confessing that “salvation comes from the Lord” (Jonah 2:9). Forms and Transliterations בְּנֶ֨שֶׁק בַנֶּ֖שֶׁק בנשק הַנֶּ֖שֶׁק הנשק וְהַנָּֽשֶׁק׃ וְנֵ֣שֶׁק והנשק׃ ונשק מִנֵּ֣שֶׁק מנשק נֵ֣שֶׁק נֶ֖שֶׁק נָֽשֶׁק׃ נשק נשק׃ ḇan·ne·šeq ḇannešeq bə·ne·šeq bənešeq beNeshek han·ne·šeq hannešeq hanNeshek min·nê·šeq minnêšeq minNeshek nā·šeq nāšeq Nashek ne·šeq nê·šeq nešeq nêšeq Neshek vanNeshek vehanNashek veNeshek wə·han·nā·šeq wə·nê·šeq wəhannāšeq wənêšeqLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 1 Kings 10:25 HEB: זָהָ֤ב וּשְׂלָמוֹת֙ וְנֵ֣שֶׁק וּבְשָׂמִ֔ים סוּסִ֖ים NAS: garments, weapons, spices, KJV: and garments, and armour, and spices, INT: and gold garments weapons spices horses 2 Kings 10:2 2 Chronicles 9:24 Nehemiah 3:19 Job 20:24 Job 39:21 Psalm 140:7 Isaiah 22:8 Ezekiel 39:9 Ezekiel 39:10 10 Occurrences |
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