armor
shir.yon denotes protective body equipment, used literally in battle settings and figuratively in Isaiah's clothing image.
The term most often occurs as protective body equipment in scenes of arming, warfare, and injury; Isaiah 59:17 applies the same clothing imagery to righteousness, while Nehemiah 4:10 provides no clear English counterpart in the APB verse.
Senses in use
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Protective equipment in military settings · dominant
In 1 Samuel 17:5, the singular construct forms occur in the description of a helmet, clothing, and measured bronze equipment; in 1 Samuel 17:38, the singular absolute form occurs when Saul clothes David. In 1 Kings 22:34 and 2 Chronicles 18:33, the singular form marks the equipment between whose joints the king is struck; 2 Chronicles 26:14 places the plural among supplies prepared for the army. The plural also occurs in Nehemiah 4:10, although the APB verse there speaks of exhausted builders and rubble without isolating an English counterpart for the term.
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Figurative clothing image · rare
In Isaiah 59:17, the singular absolute form occurs in a clothing image: the APB renders righteousness being put on, alongside a helmet of salvation, garments of vengeance, and zeal as a cloak. The verse uses the equipment image within that sequence of clothing and protective items.
In the Anselm Project Bible: The APB uses armor terminology in several military scenes and presents a clothing image in Isaiah 59:17. Nehemiah 4:10 does not visibly show an English counterpart for the plural form.