Horse

Horse - (Easton's Bible Dictionary)

Always referred to in the Bible in connection with warlike operations, except Isa. 28:28. The war-horse is described Job 39:19-25. For a long period after their settlement in Canaan the Israelites made no use of horses, according to the prohibition, Deut. 17:16. David was the first to form a force of cavalry (2 Sam. 8:4). But Solomon, from his connection with Egypt, greatly multiplied their number (1 Kings 4:26; 10:26, 29). After this, horses were freely used in Israel (1 Kings 22:4; 2 Kings 3:7; 9:21, 33; 11:16). The furniture of the horse consisted simply of a bridle (Isa. 30:28) and a curb (Ps. 32:9).

Horse - (Webster's 1828 Dictionary)

HORSE, n. hors.

1. A species of quadrupeds of the genus Equus, having six erect and parallel fore-teeth in the upper jaw, and six somewhat prominent in the under jaw; the dog teeth are solitary, and the feet consist of an undivided hoof. The horse is a beautiful animal, and of great use for draught or conveyance on his back. Horse, in English, is of common gender, and may comprehend the male and female.

2. A constellation.

3. Cavalry; a body of troops serving on horseback. In this sense, it has no plural termination. We say, a thousand horse, a regiment of horse.

4. A machine by which something is supported; usually a wooden frame with legs. Various machines used in the arts are thus called.

5. A wooden machine on which soldiers ride by way of punishment; sometimes called a timber-mare.

6. In seamen's language, a rope extending from the middle of a yard to its extremity, to support the sailors while they loose, reef or furl the sails, also, a thick rope extended near the mast for hoisting a yard or extending a sail on it.

To take horse to set out to ride on horseback.

1. To be covered, as a mare.

HORSE, v.t. To mount on a horse.

1. To carry on the back.

The keeper, horsing a deer.

2. To ride astride; as ridges horsed.

3. To cover a mare, as the male.

Horseback - (Webster's 1828 Dictionary)

HORSEBACK, n. hors'back. The state of being on a horse; the posture of riding on a horse.

I saw them salute on horseback.

hors:

1. Names:

The common names are (1) cuc, and

(2) hippos.

(3) The word parash, "horseman," occurs often, and in several cases is translated "horse" or "warhorse" (Isa 28:28; Eze 27:14; Joe 2:4 the Revised Version, margin); also in 2Sa 16, where the "horsemen" of English Versions of the Bible is ba`ale ha-parashim, "owners of horses"; compare Arabic faris, "horseman," and faras, "horse".

(4) The feminine form cucah, occurs in So 1:9, and is rendered as follows: Septuagint he hippos; Vulgate (Jerome's Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) equitatum; the King James Version "company of horses," the Revised Version (British and American) "steed." It is not clear why English Versions of the Bible does not have "mare."

(5) The word 'abbirim, "strong ones," is used for horses in Jud 5:22; Jer 8:16; 47:3; 50:11 (the King James Version "bulls"). In Ps 22:12 the same word is translated "strong bulls" (of Bashan).

(6) For [~rekhesh (compare Arabic rakad, "to run"), in 1Ki 4:28; Es 8:10,14; Mic 1:13, the Revised Version (British and American) has "swift steeds," while the King James Version gives "dromedaries" in 1Ki and "mules" in Est.

(7) For kirkaroth (Isa 66:20), the King James Version and the English Revised Version have "swift beasts"; the English Revised Version margin and the American Standard Revised Version "dromedaries"; Septuagint skiddia, perhaps "covered carriages." In Es 8:10,14 we find the doubtful words

(8) 'achashteranim, and

(9) bene ha-rammakim, which have been variously translated. the King James Version has respectively "camels" and "young dromedaries," the Revised Version (British and American) "used in the king's service" and "bred of the stud," the Revised Version margin "mules" and "young dromedaries."

See CAMEL.

2. Origin:

The Hebrew and Egyptian names for the horse are alike akin to the Assyrian. The Jews may have obtained horses from Egypt (De 17:16), but the Canaanites before them had horses (Jos 17:16), and in looking toward the Northeast for the origin of the horse, philologists are in agreement with zoologists who consider that the plains of Central Asia, and also of Europe, were the original home of the horse. At least one species of wild horse is still found in Central Asia.

3. Uses:

The horses of the Bible are almost exclusively war-horses, or at least the property of kings and not of the common people. A doubtful reference to the use of horses in threshing grain is found in Isa 28:28. Horses are among the property which the Egyptians gave to Joseph in exchange for grain (Ge 47:17). In De 17:16 it is enjoined that the king "shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he may multiply horses." This and other injunctions failed to prevent the Jews from borrowing from the neighboring civilizations their customs, idolatries, and vices. Solomon's horses are enumerated in 1Ki 4, and the se`irim and tebhen of 1Ki 4:28 (5:8) are identical with the sha`ir ("barley") and tibn ("straw") with which the arab feeds his horse today. In war, horses were ridden and were driven in chariots (Ex 14:9; Jos 11:4; 2Sa 15:1, etc.).

4. Figurative and Descriptive:

The horse is referred to figuratively chiefly in Zechariah and Revelation. A chariot and horses of fire take Elijah up to heaven (2Ki 2:11 f). In Ps 20:7; 33:17; and 76:6, the great strength of the horse is recalled as a reminder of the greater strength of God. In Jas 3:3, the small bridle by which the horse can be managed is compared to the tongue (compare Ps 32:9). In Job 39:19-25 we have a magnificent description of a spirited war-horse.

Alfred Ely Day

mar

(1) cucah, "steed," the King James Version "company of horses"; Septuagint he hippos, "mare" (So 1:9);

(2) bene ha-rammakhim, "bred of the stud," the King James Version and the Revised Version margin "young dromedaries" (Es 8:10); compare Arabic ramakat, "mare"): The word "mare" does not occur in English Versions of the Bible, but in So 1:9 we find cucah, the feminine of cuc, "horse," and in Es 8:10, bene ha-rammakhim is by some translated "sons of mares."

See CAMEL; HORSE.

Definition

A horse is a large, four-legged animal that in Bible times was mostly used for war and for transporting people.

A stallion is a male horse and a mare is a female horse.

"Steed" is a poetic word referring to a horse that is powerful or fast.

• Some horses were used to pull carts or chariots, while others were used to carry individual riders.
• In the Bible, horses were considered to be valuable possessions and a measure of wealth, mainly because of their use in war. For example, part of King Solomon’s great wealth was the thousands of horses and chariots that he had.
• Animals that are similar to the horse are the donkey and the mule.
• Horses often wear a bit and bridle on their heads so they can be guided.

(See also: chariot, donkey, Solomon)

Bible References

• 1 Chronicles 18:4
• 2 Kings 2:11
• Exodus 14:23-25
• Ezekiel 23:5-7
• Zechariah 6:8

Word Data

• Strong’s: H0047, H5483, H5484, H6571, H7409, G24620