H3553 H3553
A helmet — bronze military headgear for battle; used figuratively of God's 'helmet of salvation' in Isaiah 59:17.
A masculine noun (כּוֹבַע) denoting a helmet, the protective headgear worn by soldiers in ancient Near Eastern warfare. Five of its six occurrences are straightforwardly military: Goliath wore a bronze helmet (1 Sam 17:5), Uzziah equipped his army with helmets (2 Chr 26:14), Egyptian soldiers are told to polish their helmets (Jer 46:4), and mercenaries of Tyre hang their helmets in her armory (Ezek 27:10; cf. 38:5). The sixth occurrence transforms the image theologically: in Isaiah 59:17, God himself dons righteousness as a breastplate and a 'helmet of salvation' on his head — an image Paul later applies to believers (Eph 6:17). The related form קוֹבַע appears in Ezekiel 23:24 as a variant spelling.
Senses
1. helmet (military headgear) — A helmet — a piece of military armor worn on the head for protection in battle. Literally, it appears as bronze headgear: on Goliath (1 Sam 17:5, כּוֹבַע נְחֹשֶׁת 'helmet of bronze'), in Uzziah's army provisions (2 Chr 26:14), in the call to Egyptian warriors (Jer 46:4), and among Tyrian mercenaries (Ezek 27:10; 38:5). Figuratively, Isaiah 59:17 transforms it into divine armor: God wears a 'helmet of salvation' (כּוֹבַע יְשׁוּעָה) on his head, paired with righteousness as his breastplate — an image foundational to the New Testament's 'armor of God.' Spanish 'casco' (helmet) and French/German transliterations of the Hebrew all point to the same concrete piece of military equipment. 6×
AR["بِالْخُوَذِ", "وَ-خُوذَةَ", "وَ-خُوذَةُ", "وَ-خُوَذًا", "وَخُوذَةً", "وَخُوذَةٍ"]·ben["-এবং-শিরস্ত্রাণ", "আর-শিরস্ত্রাণ", "এবং-শিরস্ত্রাণ", "ও-শিরস্ত্রাণ", "ও-শিরস্ত্রাণ।", "শিরস্ত্রাণে-সহ"]·DE["[בכובעים]", "[וכובע]", "[וכובעים]", "und-helmet-von"]·EN["and-a-helmet-of", "and-helmet", "and-helmet-of", "and-helmets", "with-helmets"]·FR["[בכובעים]", "[וכובע]", "[וכובעים]", "et-coupe", "et-helmet-de"]·heb["ב-כובעים", "ו-כובע", "ו-כובעים"]·HI["और-टोप", "और-तोपि", "में-टोपों"]·ID["dan-helm", "dan-ketopong", "dan-ketopong-ketopong", "dengan-ketopong"]·IT["[בכובעים]", "[וכובע]", "[וכובעים]", "e-helmet-di"]·jav["lan-ketopong", "lan-ketoprak", "lan-topi-bési", "lan-topong", "lan-topong-topong", "mawi-topong"]·KO["그리고-투구", "그리고-투구들과", "그리고-투구를", "투구들로-"]·PT["E-capacete-de", "e-capacete", "e-capacete-de", "e-capacetes", "em-capacetes"]·RU["в-шлемах", "и-шлем", "и-шлем-", "и-шлемы"]·ES["Y-casco-de", "con-cascos", "y-casco", "y-yelmo-de", "y-yelmo.", "y-yelmos"]·SW["mkiwa-na-kofia-za-chuma", "na-chapeo", "na-kofia", "na-kofia-ya-chuma", "na-kofia-za-chuma"]·TR["-de-miğferlerle", "Ve-miğfer", "ve-migferi-", "ve-miğfer", "ve-miğferler"]·urd["اور-خود", "اور-ٹوپ", "خودوں-کے-ساتھ"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† כּוֹבַע n.m. helmet (√ dub.; NH כּוֹבַע, Aramaic כּוֹבְעָא turban; cf. קוֹבַע Ez 23:24)—abs. כ׳ Ez 27:10; כּוֹבָ֑ע 38:5; cstr. כּ֫וֹבַע (Ew§ 213 f.) 1 S 17:5 Is 59:17; pl. כּוֹבָעִים Je 46:4 2 Ch 26:14;—helmet, of bronze כ׳ נְחשֶׁת עַל־רֹאשׁוֹ 1 S 17:5; Je 46:4 Ez 27:10; 38:5 2 Ch 26:14; fig. of י׳, וַיִּלְבַּשׁ צְדָקָה כַּשִּׁרְיָן וְכ׳ יְשׁוּעָה בְּרֹאשׁוֹ Is 59:17.