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•BANDS (1) of love (Hos. 11:4); (2) of Christ (Psalm 2:3); (3) uniting together Christ’s body the church (Colossians 2:19; 3:14; Ephesians 4:3);
(4) the emblem of the captivity of Israel (Ezekiel 34:27; Isaiah 28:22; 52:2); (5) of brotherhood (Ezekiel 37:15-28); (6) no bands to the wicked in their death (Psalm 73:4; Job 21:7; Psalm 10:6). Also denotes chains (Luke 8:29); companies of soldiers (Acts 21:31); a shepherd’s staff, indicating the union between Judah and Israel (Zechariah 11:7).
•BANI built. (1.) 1 Chronicles 6:46. (2.) One of David’s thirty-seven warriors, a Gadite (2 Samuel 23:36). (3.) Ezra 2:10; 10:29,34,38. (4.) A Levite who was prominent in the reforms on the return from Babylon (Nehemiah 8:7; 9:4,5). His son Rehum took part in rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem (Nehemiah 3:17).
•BANNER (1.) The flag or banner of the larger kind, serving for three tribes marching together. These standards, of which there were four, were worked with embroidery and beautifully ornamented (Numbers 1:52; 2:2, 3, 10, 18, 25; Cant. 2:4; 6:4, 10).
(2.) The flag borne by each separate tribe, of a smaller form. Probably it bore on it the name of the tribe to which it belonged, or some distinguishing device (Numbers 2:2,34).
(3.) A lofty signal-flag, not carried about, but stationary. It was usually erected on a mountain or other lofty place. As soon as it was seen the war-trumpets were blown (Psalm 60:4; Isaiah 5:26; 11:12; 13:2; 18:3;
30:17; Jeremiah 4:6 21; Ezekiel 27:7).
(4.) A “sign of fire” (Jeremiah 6:1) was sometimes used as a signal.
The banners and ensigns of the Roman army had idolatrous images upon them, and hence they are called the “abomination of desolation” (q.v.). The