Bible Encyclopedias
Marshal

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

mar´shal : Not found in the King James Version, but in the Revised Version (British and American) the word represents two Hebrew words: (1) ספר , ṣōphēr ( Judges 5:14 ), translated "they that handle the marshal's staff." A difficulty arises because the usual meaning of ṣōphēr is "scribe" or "writer" (so the King James Version). The revisers follow Septuagint and Greek authority which favor "marshal" as against "scribe." The office of marshal was to help the general to maintain discipline (compare 1 Macc 5:42). (2) טפסר , ṭiphṣar (Jeremiah 51:27 ), a loan-word whose meaning is clear. Lenormant thinks it akin to a Babylonian-Assyrian word meaning "tablet-writer" (compare Delitzsch). Accordingly, the Revised Version margin renders Nahum 3:17 "thy scribes," though the Syriac has "thy warriors," as does the Targum in Jeremiah. We must await further light on both words.