(4.) The " captain of the Temple'* ((trrparriyhc tov Upov), mentioned by Luke (Acts iv, 1 ; v, 24) in con- nection with the priests, was not a military officer, but superintended the guard of priests and Levites who kept watch by night in the Temple. The " captains" mentioned Luke xxii, 4, were probably his subalterns.
CAPTAIN
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CAPTIVE
The office ftpi>ean to have existed from an early date ; the " priests that kept the door*' (2 Kings xii, 9 ; xxv, 18) are described by Josephos (AtU. x, 8, 6) as **the officers guarding the Temple" (rove fjtv^dfraovraQ rb iipdv t'lytfiova^') : a notice occurs in 2 Mace, iii, 4, of a ]ffefect of the Temple (irpotrraTtic tov upov) ; this of- ficer is styled arpaTJiyoc or captain by Josephus {Ant. zx, 6, 2 ; War^ vi, 5, 8) ; and in the Mishna {Middotk^ i, §2) V^n in ©^St, "the captain of the mountain of tlie Temple;" his duty, as described in the place last quoted, was to visit the posts during the night, and see that the sentries were doing their duty (comp. 1 Chron. ix, 11; 2 Chron. xxxi, 13^ xxxt, 8, 9; Jer. XX, 1). See Temple.
The rank or power of an Israelitish captain was des- ignated by the number of men under his command, as captain of fifty, or captain of a thousand [comp. Cen- turion] ; and the commander or chief of the whole army was called the captain of the host (q. v.). The dirisioDS of the army were regulated in some measure
by the division of families, as the heads of families were usually officers. Captains of hundreds, or larger companies, were probably what would be called in modern phrase staff-officers, and formed the councils of war. See War. Sometimes distinjniisbed men who were not Hebrews were promoted to high stations in the army (Deut i, 15 ; 1 Chron. xiii, 1 ; 2 Chron. xxv, 5 ; 2 Sam. xxiii, 89). See Officeb.
God is called Captain (" Prince") of the Hott (^^ M2^n, Dan. viii, 11), not as equivalent to **Lord of Hosts," but because he is the head and protector of his people. So in the N. T. our Lord is called Captain of his people's salvation (opx»7y^C '*^C autnjpiag ai- ra>v, Heb. ii, 10), because he is the beginner, source, and author of their salvation, the head of his Church, which he conducts, with and in himself, to blessedness (comp. Josh. V, 14). See Jehovah.
Captive (properly '^30, Aebi'; Gr. a/x/iaXairoj;) is distinguished ^m a prboner (q. v.) or one in bond- age (q. v.). See Captivity. Various indignities and
cruelties were inflicted on those who had the misfortune to be taken captive in war. Those who surrendered were led out with halters as if for execution (I Kings XX, 32). See Behistun. On some occasions particular districts were marked out wiUi a line for destruction (2 Sam. viii, 2). The victors set their feet upon the necks (q. v.) of the cap- tured kings and nobles (Josh, x, 24), or mutilated their persons by cutting off their thumbs, toes, or ears (Judg. i, 7 ; 2 Sam. iv, 12 ; Ezek. xxiii, 25) ; and sometimes they put out their eyes (q. ▼•) by passing a red-hot iron over them, or literally scooped or dug them out of their sockets (2 Kings xxv, 7 ; Iml bd, 1). These cruelties are still practised under some of the despotic governments of the Eistem countries. See PcHiaHMENT. It was the barba- RNis custom of the conquerors of those tones to suspend their unhappy cap-
t'rciiu l]io K^vptStLU MiiiiiiJTiient?^
AF^cIcnt AuKsjiiuu* flajlBg U^pUvdi alit^
CAPnVE
108
CAPnvrrr
three by tiie hand (Lam. v, 18), and also to make them bow down that they might go over them (lea. li, 28) ; sometimes they were thrown among thorns, were sawn asunder, beaten to pieces with threshing instruments, or had imposed upon them the severest and most labo- rious occupations (Jndg. viii, 7; 2 Sam. xii, 81; 1 Chron. xx, 8). The soldiers who were talcen vere de- prived of all their property and sold naked into servi- tnde. When the city was taken by assault, all the men were slain ; the women and children were carried away captive, and sold at a very low price (Isa. xx, iii, 4; xlvii, 8; 2 Chron. xxviii, »-15; Psa. xliv, 12; Ific. i, 11 ; Joel iii, 8). See Siege. Sometimes the
Evacuation of a captured City. From the Assyrian Monuments.
conqueror stripped the wretched prisoners naked, shaved their beads, and made them travel in that con- dition, exposed to the heat of a vertical sun by day, and the chilling cold of the night. Nor were women exempted from this treatment (Isa. iii, 17). To them this was the height of indignity, as well as of cruelty, especially to those described by the prophets, who had indulged themselves in all manner of delicacies of liv- ing, and all the superfluities of ornamental dress, and even whose faces luid hardly ever been exposed to the sight of men. Women and children were also exposed to treatment at which humanity shudders (Nah. iii, 6, 6; Zech. xiv, 2; Esth. iii, 18; 2 Kings viii, 12; Psa. cxxxvii, 9 ; Isa. xiii, 16, 18 ; 2 Kings xv, 16 ; Hos. xiii, 16 ; Amos i, 18). Sometimes the people were carried into captivity, and transplanted to distant countries : this was the case with the Jews (Jer. xx, 5 ; xxxix, 9, 10 ; xl, 7 ; 2 Kings xxiv, 12-16). In some cases the conquered nations were merely made tributary (2 Sam. viii, 6; 2 Kings xiv, 14). To be tributary, however, was consider^ a great l^ominy, and was a source of reproach to the idol deities of the countries who were thus subjected (2 Kings xix, 8, 13). It was likewise a custom among the heathens to carry in triumph the images of the gods of such nations as they had van- quished (Isa. xlvi, 1, 2; Jer. xlviii, 7; Dan. xi, 8; Amos i, 15). Still farther to show their absolute su- periority, the victorious sovereigns used to change the names of the monarchs whom they subdued (2 Kings xxiv, 17; 2 Chron. XXXV, 21, 22; xxxTi,4; Dan.i,7). The conquerors, however, were not always destitute of humanity. In many instances they permitted the conquered kings to retain their authority, only requir- ing from them the promise of good faith and the pay-