SABAOTH . See God, 2 ( h ), and Lord of Hosts.

1: σαβαώθ (Strong's #4519 — Noun — sabaoth — sab-ah-owth' ) is the transliteration of a Hebrew word which denotes "hosts" or "armies," Romans 9:29 ; James 5:4 . While the word "hosts" probably had special reference to angels, the title "the Lord of hosts" became used to designate Him as the One who is supreme over all the innumerable hosts of spiritual agencies, or of what are described as "the armies of heaven." Eventually it was used as equivalent to "the Lord all-sovereign." In the prophetical books of the OT the Sept. sometimes has Kurios Sabaoth as the equivalent of "the LORD of hosts," sometimes Kurios Pantokrator, in Job, it uses Pantokrator to render the Hebrew Divine title Shadday (see ALMIGHTY).

The transliteration of the Hebrew word Tsebha'oth , Meaning "hosts," "armies" ( Romans 9:29 ; James 5:4 ). In the LXX. the Hebrew word is rendered by "Almighty." (See Revelation 4:8 ; Compare Isaiah 6:3 .) It may designate Jehovah as either (1) God of the armies of earth, or (2) God of the armies of the stars, or (3) God of the unseen armies of angels; or perhaps it may include all these ideas.

‘Lord of Sabaoth’ (i.e. ‘Lord of Hosts,’ יְהֹוָה צְבָאֹוח) is a common title for Jahweh in the prophets, with the exception of Hosea and Ezekiel. The appellation may not have originated with them, but they invested it with a deeper significance. What was the original meaning of the title is still a subject of dispute. Some take the ‘Hosts’ in question as the armies of Israel which Jahweh leads on to victory (Judges 4:14), while others find an allusion to the stars, the host of heaven, or to the armies of angels (but it is contended that in the plural צְבָאוֹת is used only of earthly warriors). Whatever the original meaning of the phrase, it came afterwards to denote the all-controlling power of God, as represented by the rendering of the Septuagint κύριος παντοκράτωρ; cf. 2 Corinthians 6:18 (also κύριος τῶν δυνάμεων). Sometimes, however, the Septuagint renders κύριος Σαβαώθ as in Isaiah 1:9, which is reproduced verbatim from the Septuagint in Romans 9:29. The only other instance of the use of the phrase in the NT is James 5:4, where God is so named to suggest the awful majesty of the great Judge who will avenge the oppression of the poor. There are several instances in Rev. of the title made familiar by the Septuagint , κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὁ παντοκράτωρ, ‘Lord God Almighty.’ G. Wauchope Stewart.

(ssa ba' ohth) Transliteration of Hebrew meaning, “hosts, armies, heavenly bodies.” Part of a divine title, “Lord of Hosts” variously interpreted as Lord of Israel's armies (compare 1 Samuel 17:45 ); the deposed Canaanite nature gods whose title Yahweh assumed; the stars; members of Yahweh's heavenly court or council; a comprehensive title for all beings, heavenly and earthly; an intensive title describing God as all powerful. Interestingly, the title does not appear in Genesis through Judges. The earliest Greek translation at times translated Sabaoth as a proper name, sometimes as Almighty, and sometimes not at all. The title was apparently closely tied to Shiloh and the ark of the covenant (1Samuel 1:3, 1 Samuel 1:11 ; 1 Samuel 4:4 ; 1 Samuel 6:2 ). When David brought the ark to Jerusalem, he also introduced the title Yahweh of Hosts to Jerusalem worship (2 Samuel 6:2 ). Yahweh Sabaoth seems to have emphasized God's place as divine king enthroned on the cherubim with the ark as His footstool ruling over the nation, the earth, and the heavens (Psalm 24:10 ). He is the God without equal (Psalm 89:8 ) who is present with His people (Psalm 46:7 ,Psalms 46:7,46:11 ; compare 2 Samuel 5:10 ).

We meet with this word twice in the New testament. (Romans 9:29 and James 5:4) Perhaps the word might be more properly read Zabaoth, armies, from Tzaba, army, (Jeremiah 11:20) And when joined to the incommunicable name of JEHOVAH, it forms together that glorious title The Lord of hosts, or armies. And when we call to mind that the whole creation of God are his armies, what a sense of greatness and glory do such ideas awaken in the mind! It may serve in some measure to teach us the reverence Moses, the man of God, endeavoured to impress the children of Israel with when he proclaimed JEHOVAH under these characters—"that thou mayest fear (said Moses) this glorious and fearful name, the Lord thy God." (Deuteronomy 28:58)

Hebrew tsebaot (not Sabbath, an altogether different word), i.e. "of hosts", namely, of the heavenly powers (1 Kings 22:19; Psalms 103:21; Psalms 148:2; Romans 9:29; James 5:4, reminding the rich who think the poor have no advocate that the Lord of the whole hosts in heaven is their patron). Implying the boundless resources at His command for His people's good (Psalms 59:5). The sabaoth included both the angelic and starry hosts. The latter were objects of the idolatry, hence called sabaism (2 Kings 17:16). God is above even them (1 Chronicles 16:26). The "groves" symbolized these starry hosts. In contrast, Jehovah is the Lord of them, therefore alone to be worshipped. The title does not occur in the Pentateuch, nor earlier than 1 Samuel 1:3, but in the singular Joshua 5:14-15.

See HOSTS, LORD OF.

Lord of hosts

(1): (n. pl.) Armies; hosts. (2): (n. pl.) Incorrectly, the Sabbath.

or rather Zabaoth, a Hebrew word, signifying hosts or armies, יהוה צבאות , Jehovah Sabaoth, The Lord of Hosts. By this phrase we may understand the host of heaven, or the angels and ministers of the Lord; or the stars and planets, which, as an army ranged in battle array, perform the will of God; or, lastly, the people of the Lord, both of the old and new covenant, which is truly a great army, of which God is the Lord and commander.

Sabaoth (săb'a-ŏth or sa-bâ'oth), hosts. The phrase "Lord of Sabaoth" occurs twice in the New Testament, in Romans 9:29 and James 5:4 It should not be mistaken as referring to the Sabbath. But it is the Greek transliteration of the Hebrew Tsebaoth, "hosts" or "armies," so often recurring in the Old Testament, "the Lord of hosts," Isaiah 1:9, "the Lord God of hosts," i.e., the heavenly bodies, the angels, or the people of God.

(Hebrew: army, hosts) Title of majesty applied chiefly to God, "the Lord of Hosts," hosts meaning whatever suggests strength or power; the armies of Israel; the angelic hosts of Heaven; the might and beauty of the universe.

Or rather Tsabaoth, hosts or armies. JEHOVAH SABAOTH is the Lord of Hosts; and we are to understand the word hosts in the most comprehensive sense, as including the host of heaven, the angels and minister of the Lord; the stars and planets, which, as an army ranged in battle array, perform the will of God; the armies of earth, whose conflicts his providence overrules to the accomplishment of his own wise designs; the hordes of inferior creatures, as the locusts that plagued Egypt, the quails that fed Israel, and "the canker-worm and the palmer-worm, his great army," Joel 2:15 ; and lastly, the people of the Lord, both of the old and new covenants, a truly great army, of which God is the general and commander, 2 Samuel 6:2 Psalm 24:10 Romans 9:29 James 5:4 .

SABAOTH, n. Armies a word used, Romans 9:29 , James 5:4 , the Lord of Sabaoth.

The Hebrew word for "Hosts." The words "Lord God ofSabaoth," to be found in the Te Deum, mean the same as "Lord God ofHosts" in the Ter Sanctus in the Communion Service.