Bible Dictionary
BOSS
The raised or curved central knob of an ancient shield. The term occurs in the plural in Job 15:26 as an image of a shield's protuberances.
Definition
A boss is a raised or curved protuberance, especially the central knob of a shield or buckler. The word comes from a term meaning an arch or projection.
Biblical Usage
The plural occurs in Job 15:26, where the bosses are associated with the curved ornaments or central projection of a shield.
Historical Background
The term refers to the raised central part of an ancient defensive shield, rather than to a person of authority.
Related Figures
Historical Bible Dictionaries
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>bos: Occurs only in the plural as a translation of gabh = "arch," or "protuberance," referring to the curved ornaments of a shield (Job 15:26), the central knob of the buckler.</p>