Reference: Fortification And Siegecraft
Hastings
At the date of the Hebrew invasion of Canaan its inhabitants were found to be in possession of 'cities great and fenced up to heaven' (De 9:1; cf. Nu 13:28; Jos 14:12), most of them, as is now known, with a history of many centuries behind them. The inhabited places, then as always, were of two classes, walled and unwalled (De 3:5), the latter comprising the country villages, the former the very numerous 'cities,' which though small in area were 'fenced,' i.e. fortified (the modern term everywhere adopted by Amer. RV), 'with high walls, gates, and bars.' In this article it is proposed to indicate the nature of the walls by which these cities were fenced in OT times, and of the fortresses or 'strong holds' so frequently mentioned in Hebrew history, and finally, to describe the methods of attack and defence adopted by the Hebrews and their contemporaries.
1. The earliest fortification yet discovered in Palestine is that erected, it may be, as far back as b.c. 4000 by the neolithic cave-dwellers of Gezer. This consisted of a simple bank of earth, between six and seven feet in height, the inside face of which is vertical, the outside sloping, and both cased with random stones (Quarterly Statement of the same, 1903, 113, with section plan 116; 1904, 200; for date see 1905, 29). A similar 'earth rampart' was found at Tell el-Hesy, the ancient Lachish.
The Semitic invaders, who appeared in Canaan about the middle of the third millennium, were able with their tools of bronze to carry the art of fortification far beyond this primitive stage. Their cities were planted for the most part on an outlying spur of a mountain range, or on a more or less isolated eminence or tell. In either case the steep rock-faces of nature's building may be said to have been the city's first line of defence. The walls, of crude brick or stone, with which art supplemented nature, followed the contours of the ridge, the rock itself being frequently cut away to form artificial scarps, on the top of which the city wall was built. Consequently the walls were not required to be of uniform height throughout the enceinte, being lowest where the rock scarp was steepest, and highest on that side of the city from which approach was easiest and attack most to be feared. In the latter case, as at Jerusalem, which was assailable only from the north, it was usual to strengthen the defences by a wide and deep trench. Where, on the other hand, the city was perched upon an elevated tell, as at Gezer, Lachish, and in the Sheph
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Only that the people are strong dwelling upon the land, and the cities fortified, and very great: and also we saw the children of Anak there.
All these cities fortified with high walls, doors and bars; besides of cities of the open country exceedingly many.
Hear, Israel: Thou passest this day over Jordan to go to possess nations great and strong above thee; cities great and fortified to the heavens:
Only the tree which thou shalt know that it is not a tree of food, thou shalt destroy it, and cut down, and build a fortress against the city which made way with thee, till it came down.
And Joshua will rise early in the morning and will review the people, and he will go up, and the old men of Israel, before the people of Ai.
And now thou shalt give to me this mountain which Jehovah spake in that day; for thou heardest in that day that the Anakims were there, and the cities great being fortified: if Jehovah be with me, and I drove them out, as Jehovah spake.
And the house of Joseph will examine in the house of God. And the name of the city before, was Almond tree.
And it will be from the morrow, and the people will go forth to the field; and they will announce to Abimelech.
And also all the people will cut each a bough, and will go after Abimelech, and they will put upon the tower, and will set the tower on fire upon them, and all the men of the tower of Shechem will die; about a thousand men and women.
And a strong tower was in the midst of the city, and thither will flee all the men and women and all the lords of the city, and will shut up from after them, and they will go up upon the roof of the tower. And Abimelech will come even to the tower, and will fight against it, and will urge on, even to the door of the tower to burn it with fire.
And Samson will go to Gaza, and he will see there a woman, a harlot, and he will go in to her. To the Gazites, saying, Samson came here. And they will encompass, and will lie in wait for him all the night in the gate of the city, and they will be silent all the night, saying, During the light of the morning and we killed him. read more. And Samson will lie till half the night, and he will rise in half the night, and he will seize the doors of the gate of the city and with the two door-posts, and will remove them with the bar, and will set upon his shoulders, and he will bring them up to the head of the mountain which is upon the face of Hebron.
And Jonathan will give his utensils to the boy that is to him, and he will say to him, Go, bring into the city.
And David will dwell in the fastness, and he will call it the city of David. And David will build round about from Millo and its house.
And Joab will fight against Rabbah of the sons of Ammon, and he will take the city of the kingdom.
And David will sit between the two gates: and he watching will go to the roof of the gate to the wall, and he lift up his eyes and see, and behold, a man running by himself.
And David will sit between the two gates: and he watching will go to the roof of the gate to the wall, and he lift up his eyes and see, and behold, a man running by himself.
And David will sit between the two gates: and he watching will go to the roof of the gate to the wall, and he lift up his eyes and see, and behold, a man running by himself.
And the king will be moved, and he will go up into the upper chamber of the gate and weep: and thus he said in his going, My son Absalom! my son, my son Absalom I who will give my death, me for thee, Absalom my son, my son!
And they will come and besiege against him in Abel of the house of oppression, and they will pour out a mound against the city, and it will stand in the fortification: and all the people which were with Joab laying waste to throw down the wall.
And they will come and besiege against him in Abel of the house of oppression, and they will pour out a mound against the city, and it will stand in the fortification: and all the people which were with Joab laying waste to throw down the wall.
And they will come and besiege against him in Abel of the house of oppression, and they will pour out a mound against the city, and it will stand in the fortification: and all the people which were with Joab laying waste to throw down the wall.
The son of Geber in Ramoth-Gilead; to him Havoth-Jair son of Manasseh, which was in Gilead; to him a portion of Ergab which is in Bashan, sixty great cities, with a wall and bars of brass.
And this the word of tribute which king Solomon brought up to build the house of Jehovah, and his house, and the fortress, and the walls of Jerusalem, and the enclosure, and Megiddo, and Gezer.
And it will be when Zimri saw that the city was taken, and he will come to the fortress of the king's house, and he will burn over him the king's house with fire, and he will die,
And also to Jezebel spake Jehovah, saying, Dogs shall eat Jezebel in the fortification of Jezebel.
And a great famine will be in Shomeron: and behold them pressing upon it till the head of an ass was for eighty of silver, and the fourth of a cup of doves dung, for five of silver.
And the king appointed the third who leaned upon his hand over the gate: and the people will tread upon him in the gate: and he will die according to the word of the man of God who spake in the king's coming down to him.
And he watching stood. upon the tower in Jezreel, and he will see the multitude of Jehu in his coming, and he will say, I see a multitude. And Jehoram will say, Take a horseman and send to meet them, and he shall say, Is it peace?
And he watching stood. upon the tower in Jezreel, and he will see the multitude of Jehu in his coming, and he will say, I see a multitude. And Jehoram will say, Take a horseman and send to meet them, and he shall say, Is it peace?
And the sons of Israel will cover the words not thus concerning Jehovah their God, and they will build to them heights in all their cities from the tower of those watching even to the fortified city.
He struck the rovers even to Azzah, and her bounds from the tower of those watching to the fortified city.
Therefore, thus said Jehovah to the king of Assur, He shall not come into this city, and he shall not shoot an arrow there, and a shield shall not come before it, and he shall not cast a mound against it
And it will be in the ninth year to his reigning, in the tenth month, in the tenth to the month, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babel came, he, and all his strength, against Jerusalem, and he will encamp against it, and build a watch tower against her round about.
And they dwelling in Jebus will say to David, Thou shalt not come in hither. And David will take the castle of Zion, this the city of David. And David will say, Every one striking the Jebusites the first shall be for head and for chief. And Joab son of Zeruiah, will go up at first, and he will be for head.
And he will strengthen the fortifications, and he will give in them leaders and treasures of food, and oil, and wine.
And Uzziah will build towers in Jerusalem at the gate of the corner, and at the gate of the valley, and at the angle, and he will strengthen them.
And he will make in Jerusalem engines, devised of him devising, to be upon the towers and upon the corners to cast with arrows and with great stones. And his name went forth even to afar off; for he was made wonderful to help even till he was strong.
And he will make in Jerusalem engines, devised of him devising, to be upon the towers and upon the corners to cast with arrows and with great stones. And his name went forth even to afar off; for he was made wonderful to help even till he was strong.
And he built cities in the mountain of Judah, and in the thickets he built fortresses and towers.
And a letter to Asaph watching the pleasure-grounds to the king, who shall give to me woods to frame the gates of the fortress that is to the house, and for the walls of the city, and for the house which I shall come into it And the king will give to me according to the good hand of my God upon me.
And it will be as it was heard by Sanballat and Tobiah, and by Geshem the Arabian, and by the rest of our enemies, that I built the wall and a breach was not left in it; also even to this time I set not up the doors in the gates;
And I shall command Hanani my brother, and Hananiah chief of the fortress, over Jerusalem, for he is as a man of truth, and fearing God above many.
The wise one ascended the city of the strong, and he will bring down the strength of its confidence.
In that day this song shall be sung in the land of Judah: A strong city to us; he will set salvation the wall and the fortification.
And for a spirit of judgment to him sitting upon the judgment, and for strength of them turning back the battle of the storm.
And I encamped as a circle upon thee, and I pressed upon thee with a garrison, and I raised intrenchments against thee.
For this, thus said Jehovah concerning the king of Assur, Thou shalt not come into this city, and thou shalt not shoot an arrow there, and thou shalt not go before it with a shield, and thou shalt not cast a mound against it.
Thus said Jehovah to his Messiah, to Cyrus whom I held by his right hand to bring down nations before him; and I will loosen the loins of kings to open before him the doors; and the gates shall not be shut I will go before thee, and I will make straight the circles: I will break in pieces the doors of brass, and I will cut down the bars of iron:
And I set thy battlements the ruby, and thy gates in stones of sparkling, and all thy bound in stones of delight
And the strength of the king of Babel warred against Jerusalem, and against all the cities of Judah being left against Lachish, and against Azekah: for these remained of the cities of Judah, fortified cities.
And give siege against it, and build a watch tower against it, and cast a mound against it, and give the camp against it, and set battering-rams against it round about
And give siege against it, and build a watch tower against it, and cast a mound against it, and give the camp against it, and set battering-rams against it round about
And give siege against it, and build a watch tower against it, and cast a mound against it, and give the camp against it, and set battering-rams against it round about
And not with great strength and with a great convocation, shall Pharaoh do for him in the war by throwing up a mound and by building a watchtower to cut off many souls?
In his right hand was the divination of Jerusalem, to set battering-rams, to open the mouth in breaking in pieces, to lift up the voice with a loud noise, to set battering-rams against the gates, to throw up a mound, to build a watch-tower.
Thy daughters in the field he shall slay with the sword: and he gave a watch-tower against thee, and he threw up a mound against thee, and lifted up the buckler against thee. And he will give the stroke of his front against thy walls, and with his sword he will tear down thy towers.
And ye shall go forth at the breaches, a woman before her; and ye cast to the fortress, says Jehovah.
He shall make mention of his chiefs: they shall be weak in their goings; they shall hasten to her wall, and the covering was prepared.
A day of the trumpet and loud noise against the fortified cities, and against the high pinnacles.
For the days shall come upon thee, and thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and keep thee together from all sides,
And other cried what other in the crowd: and not being able to know certainly for the uproar, he commanded him to be brought into the camp.
The captain of a thousand commanded him to be brought to the camp, having spoken to examine him by scourges; that he might know for what cause they exclaimed so against him.
Over all, having taken the shield of faith, in which ye shall be able to quench all the inflamed darts of evil.