There are many names for God in the Hebrew scriptures. You may have seen some of them explained. But, what does the Lord of Hosts mean? It’s used more frequently than any other title. But, I don’t see Jehovah Tsva’ot talked about very often.
This name for God is not simply a military title. It encompasses His total dominion over all creation. From the tiniest particles to the farthest galaxies, He is the one who creates, orders, and rules all of reality.
What Does the Lord of Hosts Mean?
I know I’ve come across this name before. I just finished reading the first and the last chapters of Haggai, where it appears frequently. But, it only caught my attention when I saw it repeated three times in a single verse in the first chapter of Zechariah.
‘Therefore say to them, Thus declares the Lord of hosts: Return to me, says the Lord of hosts, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts.’ Zechariah 1:3 ESV
A quick trip to Mechon Mamre or the Interlinear Bible shows that the phrase in question is yehovah tsva’ot יהוה צבאות. Aside from Jehovah Tsva’ot, the title is often rendered as Jehovah Tsava’ot and even Jehovah Sabaoth.
In Hebrew, the word tsava צבא means an army. So, the Hebrew phrase yehovah tsva’ot can be translated as Lord of Armies. And, there are Bible translations that use this term, among others. But, while tsava is militaristic, the usage of yehovah tsva’ot does not always share this connotation. In fact, the first person in scripture to use this term was Hannah:
‘And she vowed a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.”’ 1 Samuel 1:11 ESV
Was Hannah seeking a military victory? No. She desperately wanted a son.
The Ruler of All Creation
Scripture shows her addressing this specific facet of God’s nature when crying out to Him. But, she didn’t need an army. So, why would she call to the Lord of Armies? The answer is that this term is not so narrowly defined. She was asserting that He is the ruler of all creation.
In Berakhot 31b of the Talmud, Rabbi Elazar notes that she was the first person to use this term for God. He and others have interpreted her prayer as a challenge to God. How could it be beyond you to grant me a son, when you have created so many other wonders? How could you have prepared such a feast, only to deny me this crust of bread?
This commentary reminds me of the story of the Canaanite woman in Matthew 15:21-28. Jesus rewarded that troubled mother because of her importunate request and faith. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”
I prefer Lord of Hosts as the translation for yehovah tsva’ot יהוה צבאות because it allows room for a more expansive interpretation. It is not just about armies. Everything and everyone that works together for a purpose must ultimately serve His purpose, right down to the subatomic particles.
2 Kings 6:16-17 shows the relevance of the military interpretation. God commands an immense army of spiritual beings. This principle is echoed in Psalm 34:7 and Psalm 27:1-3. But, the Lord of Hosts is not limited to commanding armies.
All you have to do is read the next verse in 2 Kings to see that every cell in every body obeys His will. God did not use the army of angels to slay the Assyrians. He simply made their optic nerves stop working.
Jesus and Creation
This post has given me so many reminders of the relationship between Jesus and creation, as shown in the New Testament. He demonstrated power over every facet of the creation in the gospels. But, I keep being drawn to this passage in Luke when considering him as the Lord of Hosts:
‘As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives— the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”’ Luke 19:40 ESV
Only the God of all creation could make inanimate objects proclaim His glory. It sounds ridiculous to even consider. Yet, this is exactly the relationship He has with His creation. Scripture talks about it in Hebrews 1:1-3 and in this passage in Colossians:
‘He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.’ Colossians 1:15-17 ESV
We see “the Lord of Hosts” and wonder which hosts? The smartest creatures in creation ask a question that the rest of creation cannot help but answer. It thunders through the heavens: all hosts. Every army. Every rock and hill and mountain. He is Lord of all.
Lord of Hosts – Most Frequent Name for God
The Lord of Hosts is one of God’s later titles. It appears for the first time in 1 Samuel, just before the advent of the Israelite kings. As mentioned before, Hannah was the first one to use it. But, despite its late appearance in the text, it is by far the most frequently used name for God.
Of all the compound titles you might recognize, most of them are used only once in scripture. Jehovah Jireh, Jehovah Shalom, Jehovah Rafah, Jehovah Nissi. Each appears only a single time. Compare that to Jehovah Tsva’ot which appears over 200 times. Why did they use it so often?
The post-exilic prophets (Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi) used this title especially frequently. I wonder if it brought them comfort, as it did to Hannah. I imagine that they probably used His names in the same ways that we do.
When we need healing, we remind ourselves that He is Jehovah Rafah. When we need peace, we pray using the name Jehovah Shalom. The names we use to address Him do not change who He is. They draw our attention toward the parts of Him we need the most.
They had been defeated by the Babylonians. The survivors returned with no particular military might of their own, and were surrounded by hostile enemies. “The Lord of Hosts” was a powerful reminder of where true strength comes from. It still is.
What are your favorite names or titles for God from the scriptures?
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