Troublesome Topic: WEAPONS AND CLOTHING USED IN ONE-ON-ONE COMBAT

THE SINGLE-EDGED- SWORD

The most common weapon used in these situations was the single-edged- sword, which was used for hacking, slicing, and chopping. It could open great gashes which bled profusely. One advantage for the sword was that it was rare for it to get stuck so deeply in someone’s flesh as to be hard to pull out. Its disadvantage was that one had to be fairly close to the opponent to use the sword.

THE DOUBLE-EDGED-SWORD

The double-edged-sword could be used in the same way as the regular sword but it had the additional advantage that it could be used to stab someone and yet be pulled out easily. My perception is that double-edged swords were usually smaller and thus, more maneuverable, but required getting even closer to the opponent.

SPEARS

Some types of spears of the ancient Near East were not thrown, but kept in the hand and used only for jabbing. Apparently some could be used for both throwing or jabbing. There are four Hebrew nouns that mean “a spear”, plus one verb that can mean “to pierce or to stab with a spear”, one noun meaning “a dart or javelin” and one noun that means “a barb or harpoon.” I have not yet found anyone who persuasively explains these seven Hebrew words. I assume they referred to different weapons that were used in slightly different ways. 

Spears had the advantage of a longer handle, but it does not appear to have been used as commonly as the sword. I think this was because the shaft was made of wood which could be cut in two or it could have notches cut out of it. Thus, in many people’s minds the spear would not be as reliable for long battles involving numerous encounters. Yet some warriors were very successful with the spear.

JAVELINS OR DARTS

The Javelins or darts of ancient times in that part of the world were made to be thrown. They were smaller than what we think of as a javelin thrown in an Olympic competition. They were not very effective against a fully armored man unless the one throwing the javelin could find as his mark one of the small, exposed areas, such as the face or a joint in the armor.

SHIELDS

Shields were common as well, for obvious reasons. They differed in size, style, material and weight. In the story of David and Goliath, the Philistine’s servant is referred to as a “shield bearer” not an “armor bearer”. Thus it appears that, if you had a shield, you could use it, even in a one-on-one contest.

CLOTHING – ISRAELITES DID NOT GO INTO BATTLE NAKED!

Many statues, paintings, and ancient friezes depict people of ancient times going into battle naked in order to show their manliness. It may have happened some of the time, but I doubt it was as prevalent as people think because armor and articles of clothing are also depicted and described. Ancient friezes are divided on this issue. I think that the friezes showing a naked warrior may have been a way for the artist to show the manliness of his subjects, rather than a depiction of reality. Similarly, it could be said that the women in those friezes who have their breasts exposed are depicted that way, not because it was reality, but because the artist wanted to show how attractive the women of that culture were.  

However, regarding the soldiers of Israel I can emphatically state that they did not go into battle naked. The Law of God given through Moses considered it shameful to expose any skin remotely close to a reproductive organ. Exposing the reproductive organs themselves was strictly prohibited. For certain types of work or for running, they would tuck their robe into their belt and expose their knees, but they were willing to suffer a little bit of shame in order to get a job done more efficiently. However, the Jews saw battle as a holy thing – the soldiers were required to be “clean” in order to go into battle because the battle and the victory belonged to the Lord. They were only supposed to go into battle if God commanded it, and they had to follow His rules in order to expect a victory. So they did not want to expose parts of them that God had said never to expose in public.

Those captured in battle were often made to walk naked in the parade of the conquering hero as a form of disgrace. David’s emissaries to Hanun, the Ammonite king, suffered the great indignation of having their robes cut short in the back to expose their buttocks (or almost expose them). David took this as a huge affront to him, his soldiers and his people. This act by Hanun fomented a war between him and David, a war which David won decisively.

So each warrior chose to enter a one-on-one conflict with his favorite weapon, the one he had grown most accustomed to. But if he was Jewish, he also chose to enter the conflicted wearing some form of clothing.