Bible Dictionary
Forces
“Forces” may refer to military armies or fortified places. In prophetic passages it can also mean the wealth or resources of the nations brought into service or offered to God.
Definition
“Forces” can denote military forces or an army. In other passages the word refers to wealth, substance, resources, or fortified places, depending on the context and the underlying term.
Biblical Usage
The term is used for armies in accounts involving military power. In prophetic passages concerning the nations, it is rendered “wealth” or “substance,” describing the riches of the Gentiles. Elsewhere it can designate fortresses.
Historical Background
The biblical translations reflect several Hebrew terms with different contextual meanings, including military strength, wealth, and fortified places.
Scripture References
Historical Bible Dictionaries
Easton's Bible Dictionary
Of the Gentiles (Isa. 60:5, 11; R.V., “the wealth of the nations”) denotes the wealth of the heathen. The whole passage means that the wealth of the Gentile world should be consecrated to the service of the church.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>for'-sis (chayil):</p><p>(1) The word is used as a military term, equivalent to army, in 2Ki 25:23,16 (where the King James Version reads "armies"); 2Ch 17:2; Jer 40:7, etc.</p><p>See ARMY.</p><p>(2) In Isa 60:5,11, it is rendered in the Revised Version (British and American) by "wealth," and in Ob verse 11, by "substance."</p><p>Two other Hebrew words are also translated "forces" in the King James Version, ma'amatstsim (Job 36:19), and ma`oz (Da 11:38), the latter being rendered in the Revised Version (British and American) "fortresses."</p>