Guard @ (1.) Heb. tabbah (properly a "cook," and in a secondary sense "executioner," because this office fell to the lot of the cook in Eastern countries), the bodyguard of the kings of Egypt Genesis:37:36) and Babylon ( 2Kings:25:8; Jeremiah:40:1; Daniel:2:14). (2.) Heb. rats, properly a "courier," one whose office was to run before the king's chariot ( 2Samuel:15:1; kjvKings:1:5). The couriers were also military guards ( 1Samuel:22:17; 2Kings:10:25). They were probably the same who under David were called Pelethites (kjvKings:14:27; 2Samuel:15:1). (3.) Heb. mishmereth, one who watches Nehemiah:4:22), or a watch-station (7:3; 12:9; Job:7:12). In the New Testament Mark:6:27) the Authorized Version renders the Greek _spekulator_ by "executioner," earlier English versions by "hangman," the Revised Version by "soldier of his guard." The word properly means a "pikeman" or "halberdier," of whom the bodyguard of kings and princes was composed. In Matthew:27:65-66Matthew:28:11, the Authorized Version renders the Greek _kustodia_ by "watch," and the Revised Version by "guard," the Roman guard, which consisted of four soldiers, who were relieved every three hours Acts:12:4). The "captain of the guard" mentioned Acts:28:16 was the commander of the Praetorian troops, whose duty it was to receive and take charge of all prisoners from the provinces.
