Brigandine

Brigandine is an archaic English term used in Jeremiah 46:4 and 51:3 (King James Version) for a type of defensive armor, translated in modern versions as “coat of mail” or “armor.” A brigandine was historically a body armor made of small iron or steel plates riveted to a fabric or leather backing, sometimes described as a scale coat. The Hebrew siryon denotes the scale armor or coat of mail familiar from ancient Near Eastern warfare.

Jeremiah 46:4 is part of an oracle against Egypt, urging her soldiers to prepare for battle: “Harness the horses; mount, O horsemen! Take your stations with your helmets, polish your spears, put on your brigandines!” The irony is that Egypt's careful military preparation will not avail against the Babylonian advance that God is orchestrating. Jeremiah 51:3 similarly addresses the archer and soldier of Babylon, but the call to arms there is already futile. The brigandine's appearance in both oracles against foreign powers underscores that military readiness cannot overcome divine determination.