The Scripture speaks of two sorts of these chariots,
one for princes and generals to ride in, the other used to break the
enemies battalions, by letting them loose armed with iron, which made
dreadful havoc among the troops. The most ancient chariots of which we
have any notice are Pharaoh’s, which were overwhelmed in the Red Sea,
Exodus xiv, 7. The Canaanites, whom Joshua engaged at the waters of
Merom, had cavalry and a multitude of chariots, Joshua xi, 4. Sisera,
the general of Jabin, king of Hazor, had nine hundred chariots of iron
in his army, Judges iv, 3. The tribe of Judah could not get possession
of all the lands of their lot, because the ancient inhabitants of the
country were strong in chariots of iron. The Philistines, in the war
carried on by them against Saul, had thirty thousand chariots and six
thousand horsemen, 1 Sam. xiii, 5. David, having taken one thousand
chariots of war from Hadadezer, king of Syria, hamstrung the horses, and
burned nine hundred chariots, reserving only one hundred to himself, 2
Sam. viii, 4. Solomon had a considerable number of chariots, but we know
of no military expedition in which they were employed, 1 Kings x, 26. As
Judea was a very mountainous country, chariots could be of no great use
there, except in the plains; and the Hebrews often evaded them by
fighting on the mountains. The kings of the Hebrews, when they went to
war, were themselves generally mounted in chariots from which they
fought, and issued their orders; and there was always a second chariot
empty, which followed each of them, that if the first was broken he
might ascend the other, 2 Chron. xxxv, 24. Chariots were sometimes
consecrated to the sun; and the Scripture observes, that Josiah burned
those which had been dedicated to the sun by his predecessors, 2 Kings
xxiii, 11. This superstitious custom was borrowed from the Heathens, and
principally from the Persians.
one for princes and generals to ride in, the other used to break the
enemies battalions, by letting them loose armed with iron, which made
dreadful havoc among the troops. The most ancient chariots of which we
have any notice are Pharaoh’s, which were overwhelmed in the Red Sea,
Exodus xiv, 7. The Canaanites, whom Joshua engaged at the waters of
Merom, had cavalry and a multitude of chariots, Joshua xi, 4. Sisera,
the general of Jabin, king of Hazor, had nine hundred chariots of iron
in his army, Judges iv, 3. The tribe of Judah could not get possession
of all the lands of their lot, because the ancient inhabitants of the
country were strong in chariots of iron. The Philistines, in the war
carried on by them against Saul, had thirty thousand chariots and six
thousand horsemen, 1 Sam. xiii, 5. David, having taken one thousand
chariots of war from Hadadezer, king of Syria, hamstrung the horses, and
burned nine hundred chariots, reserving only one hundred to himself, 2
Sam. viii, 4. Solomon had a considerable number of chariots, but we know
of no military expedition in which they were employed, 1 Kings x, 26. As
Judea was a very mountainous country, chariots could be of no great use
there, except in the plains; and the Hebrews often evaded them by
fighting on the mountains. The kings of the Hebrews, when they went to
war, were themselves generally mounted in chariots from which they
fought, and issued their orders; and there was always a second chariot
empty, which followed each of them, that if the first was broken he
might ascend the other, 2 Chron. xxxv, 24. Chariots were sometimes
consecrated to the sun; and the Scripture observes, that Josiah burned
those which had been dedicated to the sun by his predecessors, 2 Kings
xxiii, 11. This superstitious custom was borrowed from the Heathens, and
principally from the Persians.