Bible Dictionaries
Guard

Holman Bible Dictionary

An individual or body of troops assigned to protect a person or thing. Guard translates numerous Hebrew and Greek terms. Tabbach (literally butcher or slaughterer) is a Hebrew term used only for officers of foreign kings (of Pharaoh, Genesis 37:36; Genesis 39:1; of Nebuchadnezzar, 2 Kings 25:8-20; Jeremiah 39:9-13 ). Two of the terms for guards are derived from the root shamar (to hedge about, guard, protect). The KJV often translated these terms by “watch” ( Nehemiah 4:9; Nehemiah 7:3 ). The most common designation for the guards of the kings of Israel and Judah was “runners” (1 Samuel 22:17; 1 Kings 1:5; 1 Kings 14:27-28 ) from the use of such guards to escort the king's chariot. Modern translation frequently use the expression “court of the guard” where the KJV used “court of the prison” (Nehemiah 3:25; Jeremiah 32:2 ). Two terms for guard are used only one time. The first refers to the large guard gathered to defend the boy king Joash (2 Chronicles 23:10 ). The second refers to God as the guard of His people (Zechariah 9:8 ).

Three Greek nouns are translated as guard. Hyperetes is used for those guarding the high priest's quarters ( Matthew 26:58; Mark 14:54 ). Koustodia ( Matthew 27:66; Matthew 28:11 ) is a Latin loan word, suggesting that this guard was indeed a Roman guard. Philake is used for stations of guards in Acts 12:10 .