A flag or symbol on a pole that represents and identifies a group of people.
About Standard
The standard was a distinctive device used to identify a particular group. It could be a flag or a board attached to a stick. In many cases it was a metal device or image (such as an eagle or the head of a lion) that was fitted over the end of a pole in much the same way that a spearhead was attached to a spear.
Key References
“The Israelites are to camp around the Tent of Meeting at a distance from it, each man under his standard, with the banners of his family.
First, the divisions of the camp of Judah set out under their standard, with Nahshon son of Amminadab in command.
He lifts a banner for the distant nations and whistles for those at the ends of the earth. Behold—how speedily and swiftly they come!
Raise a banner on a barren hilltop; call aloud to them. Wave your hand, that they may enter the gates of the nobles.
All Scripture References (37)
Numbers (16)
The Israelites are to camp by their divisions, each man in his own camp and under his own standard.
“The Israelites are to camp around the Tent of Meeting at a distance from it, each man under his standard, with the banners of his family.
On the east side, toward the sunrise, the divisions of Judah are to camp under their standard: The leader of the Judahites is Nahshon son of Amminadab,
On the south side, the divisions of Reuben are to camp under their standard: The leader of the Reubenites is Elizur son of Shedeur,
In the middle of the camps, the Tent of Meeting is to travel with the camp of the Levites. They are to set out in the order they encamped, each in his own place under his standard.
On the west side, the divisions of Ephraim are to camp under their standard: The leader of the Ephraimites is Elishama son of Ammihud,
On the north side, the divisions of Dan are to camp under their standard: The leader of the Danites is Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai,
The total number of men in the camp of Dan is 157,600; they shall set out last, under their standards.”
So the Israelites did everything the LORD commanded Moses; they camped under their standards in this way and set out in the same way, each man with his clan and his family.
First, the divisions of the camp of Judah set out under their standard, with Nahshon son of Amminadab in command.
Then the divisions of the camp of Reuben set out under their standard, with Elizur son of Shedeur in command.
Next, the divisions of the camp of Ephraim set out under their standard, with Elishama son of Ammihud in command.
Finally, the divisions of the camp of Dan set out under their standard, serving as the rear guard for all units, with Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai in command.
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and mount it on a pole. When anyone who is bitten looks at it, he will live.”
So Moses made a bronze snake and mounted it on a pole. If anyone who was bitten looked at the bronze snake, he would live.
And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them along with Korah, whose followers died when the fire consumed 250 men. They serve as a warning sign.
Psalms (4)
Now I know that the LORD saves His anointed; He answers him from His holy heaven with the saving power of His right hand.
God has spoken from His sanctuary: “I will triumph! I will parcel out Shechem and apportion the Valley of Succoth.
Your foes have roared within Your meeting place; they have unfurled their banners as signs,
There are no signs for us to see. There is no longer any prophet. And none of us knows how long this will last.
Song of Solomon (3)
He has brought me to the house of wine, and his banner over me is love.
You are as beautiful, my darling, as Tirzah, as lovely as Jerusalem, as majestic as troops with banners.
Who is this who shines like the dawn, as fair as the moon, as bright as the sun, as majestic as the stars in procession?
Isaiah (9)
He lifts a banner for the distant nations and whistles for those at the ends of the earth. Behold—how speedily and swiftly they come!
On that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples. The nations will seek Him, and His place of rest will be glorious.
He will raise a banner for the nations and gather the exiles of Israel; He will collect the scattered of Judah from the four corners of the earth.
Raise a banner on a barren hilltop; call aloud to them. Wave your hand, that they may enter the gates of the nobles.
All you people of the world and dwellers of the earth, when a banner is raised on the mountains, you will see it; when a ram’s horn sounds, you will hear it.
A thousand will flee at the threat of one; at the threat of five you will all flee, until you are left alone like a pole on a mountaintop, like a banner on a hill.
Their rock will pass away for fear, and their princes will panic at the sight of the battle standard,” declares the LORD, whose fire is in Zion, whose furnace is in Jerusalem.
This is what the Lord GOD says: “Behold, I will lift up My hand to the nations, and raise My banner to the peoples. They will bring your sons in their arms and carry your daughters on their shoulders.
Go out, go out through the gates; prepare the way for the people! Build it up, build up the highway; clear away the stones; raise a banner for the nations!
Jeremiah (5)
Raise a signal flag toward Zion. Seek refuge! Do not delay! For I am bringing disaster from the north, and terrible destruction.
How long must I see the signal flag and hear the sound of the horn?
“Announce and declare to the nations; lift up a banner and proclaim it; hold nothing back when you say, ‘Babylon is captured; Bel is put to shame; Marduk is shattered, her images are disgraced, her idols are broken in pieces.’
Raise a banner against the walls of Babylon; post the guard; station the watchmen; prepare the ambush. For the LORD has both devised and accomplished what He spoke against the people of Babylon.
“Raise a banner in the land! Blow the ram’s horn among the nations! Prepare the nations against her. Summon the kingdoms against her—Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz. Appoint a captain against her; bring up horses like swarming locusts.