Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

GUARD

As a verb (Heb. šāmar), “to watch over” or “pay careful attention to”; most frequently “to keep (safe), guard, preserve,” “to watch out for (oneself).” Thus, Adam is charged with guarding the garden of Eden (Gen. 2:15; NRSV “keep”) in light of the possible intrusion of evil, and God guards against Adam’s return to the garden after the Fall (3:24). The verb is used both for God and humans protecting someone from danger (1 Sam. 2:9; 25:21; Neh. 4:22) and for keeping one’s own nation (Isa. 26:2) or life (Prov. 10:17) from spiritual or moral danger. In this regard the appeal to the people of God is “to pay careful attention to” the words and ways of the Lord (Lev. 22:31; Deut. 4:40; Jer. 35:18; Ezek. 18:19). The term is also frequently used for guarding prisoners (Josh. 10:18) or sacred property (1 Chr. 9:23). The noun mišmereṯ bears the technical sense of levitical service at the sanctuary (e.g., Num. 8:26; 1 Chr. 9:27; Ezek. 40:46).

The participle and noun forms of šmr refer to official city watchmen (Isa. 21:11-12), gate guards (Neh. 4:22; cf. 7:3), and night watchmen (Ps. 63:6[MT 7]). The term is also used for court and cultic personnel such as gatekeepers (1 Kgs. 14:27), temple guards (2 Kgs. 12:10), field watchmen (Jer. 4:17), harem guards (Esth. 2:3, 8, 14), wardrobe managers (2 Kgs. 22:14 = 2 Chr. 34:22), and prison guards (2 Sam. 20:3; Jer. 51:12). In like manner, God takes official responsibility to protect those under his covenant as the “keeper” of Israel (Ps. 121:4), a notion so established that it became the object of the high priestly blessing for the nation (Num. 6:24).

In the NT Gk. phylássō and its derivatives are used for protecting the flock (Luke 2:8) and guarding prisoners (Acts 12:4; 23:35) and for the divine protection afforded the Son (John 17:12) or the saints (2 Thess. 3:3; 2 Tim. 1:12). Individuals are admonished to guard against harmful habits and practices (Luke 12:15; Acts 21:25) or to keep the commandments of God and Christ (Matt. 19:20 par.) or the apostles (Acts 16:4). Other NT terms refer to the soldier guarding the tomb of Jesus (Matt. 27:65; 28:11), the bodyguard of Herod Antipas (Mark 6:27), and the court officials (Matt. 5:25; 26:58; Mark 14:54, 65).

J. Randall Price






Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)

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