60 Bible Verses about Attacking

Abram heard that his nephew had been taken captive. Abram led his trained men, born in his house, three hundred eighteen of them, in pursuit as far as Dan. He divided his forces against them by night. He and his servants routed them and pursued them to Hobah, north of Damascus. Then he brought back all the goods. He also brought back his nephew Lot and all the men and women.

Gideon and the hundred men, who were with him, came to the outside of the camp. It was the beginning of the middle watch and they had just posted the new watch. They blew the trumpets, and broke the jars that were in their hands. The three companies blew the trumpets, and broke the jars, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands. Then they cried: The sword of Jehovah, and of Gideon! Every man stood in his place around the camp. The army ran, and cried, and fled.

Jonathan climbed out of the pass on his hands and knees. The young man followed him. Jonathan attacked the Philistines and knocked them down. The young man killed them. In that first slaughter Jonathan and the young man killed about twenty men in an area of about half an acre.

The king and his men went to Jerusalem to attack the Jebusites, who lived in that region. The Jebusites told David: You will never get in here. Even the blind and the lame could turn you away. In other words he could not enter there. However, David captured the fortress Zion, that is, the City of David.

David and all Israel went to Jerusalem, which is Jebus, where the Jebusites were, the inhabitants of the land. Then the inhabitants of Jebus said to David: You shall not come in here! Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion that is, the City of David.

When you go to war against your enemies, you may see horses, chariots, and armies larger than yours. Do not be afraid of them for Jehovah your God, who brought you out of Egypt, will be with you. A priest must come and speak to the troops before the battle begins. He should say: Listen, Israel, today you are going into battle against your enemies. Do not lose your courage! Do not be afraid. Do not tremble because of them.read more.
Jehovah your God is going with you. He will fight for you against your enemies and give you victory. The officers should speak to the army: If you have built a new house that has not been dedicated, you may go home. Otherwise, you might die in battle, and someone else will dedicate it. Have you planted a vineyard and not used its fruits? Go home to your house and vineyard. If you die in battle another man will use its fruit. Is there anyone here engaged to be married? If so, he should go home. Otherwise, if he is killed in battle, someone else will marry the woman he is engaged to. The officers will also say to the men: Is there any man here who has lost his nerve and is afraid? If so, he is to go home. Otherwise, he will destroy the morale of the others. When the officers finish speaking to the army, leaders are to be chosen for each unit. When you go to attack a city, first give its people a chance to surrender. If they open the gates and surrender, they will all become your slaves and do forced labor for you. If the people of that city choose to fight and will not surrender, surround it with your army. When Jehovah your God lets you capture the city, kill every man in it. You may take the women, the children, the livestock, and everything else in the city for yourselves. You may use everything that belongs to your enemies. Jehovah has given it to you. This is what you must do to all the cities that are far away that do not belong to the nations nearby. Do not spare anyone's life in the cities of these nations Jehovah your God is giving you as your property. You must capture the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites for Jehovah and completely destroy them. Jehovah your God commands you. Otherwise, they will teach you to do all the disgusting things they do for their gods. You will sin against Jehovah your God. This is what you must do whenever you blockade a city for a long time in order to capture it in war. Do not harm any of its fruit trees with an ax. You may eat the fruit. Never cut those trees down, because the trees of the field are not people you have come to blockade. You may destroy trees that you know are not fruit trees. You may cut them down and use them in your blockade until you capture the city.

Jehovah said to Joshua: See, I have given into your hand Jericho, and the king there, and the mighty men of valor.

Jehovah said to Joshua: Do not fear and do not be discouraged (troubled) (confused). Take all the people of war with you and go up to Ai. I have given into your hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land. Do to Ai and her king what you did to Jericho and her king. Take the spoil and the cattle for yourselves. Lay an ambush for the city behind it. Joshua and all the people of war went up against Ai. Joshua chose out thirty thousand mighty men of valor, and sent them away by night.

Joshua came against them suddenly by surprise at night. Jehovah threw them into confusion before Israel. They were killed in a great battle at Gibeon. They were chased along the road that goes up to Beth-horon. They were slaughtered all the way to Azekah, and Makkedah.

So Joshua and all the people of war with him came up against them. Suddenly they attacked them by the waters of Merom. Jehovah delivered them into the hand of Israel, who killed them. They chased them unto great Zidon, and to Misrephoth-maim, and to the valley of Mizpeh eastward; and they killed them. They did not leave any survivor remain.

The Amalekites fought Israel at Rephidim. Moses said to Joshua: Choose some of our men. Then fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill. I will hold in my hand the staff God told me to take along. Joshua did as Moses told him. They fought the Amalekites, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went to the top of the hill.read more.
As long as Moses held up his hands, Israel would win, but as soon as he put his hands down, the Amalekites would start to win. Finally, Moses was so tired that Aaron and Hur got a rock for him to sit on. They stood beside him and supported his arms in the same position until sunset. That is how Joshua defeated the Amalekites.

Again the people of Israel sinned against Jehovah. Therefore he let the people of Midian rule them for seven years. The Midianites were very oppressive over Israel. So much so that the people of Israel hid from them in caves and other safe places in the mountains. When the Israelites planted their crops, the Midianites and the Amalekites along with the desert tribes attacked them.read more.
They camped on the land and destroyed the crops as far south as Gaza. They took all the sheep, cattle, and donkeys, and left nothing for the Israelites to live on. They came with their livestock and tents, as thick as locusts. It was impossible to count the men and their camels. They entered the land and destroyed it. Israel was helpless against them.

The Ammonites crossed the Jordan to fight the tribes of Judah, Benjamin, and Ephraim. Israel was greatly distressed.

After time passed the Ammonites went to war against Israel. When this war occurred, the leaders of Gilead went to bring Jephthah back from the land of Tob. They said: Come and be our commander, so that we can fight the Ammonites.

The Ammonites formed a battle line at the entrance of the city gate. The Arameans from Zobah and Rehob and the men from Tob and Maacah remained by themselves in the open country.

The Ammonites came out and drew up in battle formation at the entrance to their city, while the kings who had come were by themselves in the open country.

Shortly after that the Moabites, Ammonites, and some of the Meunites came to wage war against Jehoshaphat.

The Philistines heard that the Israelites gathered at Mizpah. So the Philistine rulers came to attack Israel. The Israelites heard about the Philistine plan and were afraid of them.

The Philistines heard that David was now king of Israel. They mobilized all their forces to capture him. But David found out and went into his fortress.

The Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel. So they went up in full force to search for him. David heard about it and went out to meet them.

Once more the Philistines raided the valley.

([Psalm of David]) Be gracious to me, O God, for man has trampled upon me. Fighting all day long he oppresses me. My foes have trampled upon me all day long. They are many who fight proudly against me.

King Benhadad of Syria mustered his entire army, accompanied by thirty-two other kings with their horses and chariots, he laid siege on Samaria, and launched attacks against it.

So, a year later, Benhadad got the Syrians (Aramaeans) together and went to Aphek to make war on Israel.

The Moabites heard that the three kings came to attack them. All the young and old men who could bear arms were called out and stationed at the border. They got up the next morning. The sun was shining on the water. It looked as red as blood. They said: It is blood! The three armies fought and killed each other! Let us go and loot their camp!read more.
When they came to the camp the Israelites attacked them and drove them back. The Israelites kept up the pursuit, killing the Moabites. They destroyed their cities. As they passed by a fertile field, every Israelite would throw a stone on it until finally all the fields were covered with stones. They also stopped up the springs and cut down the fruit trees. At last only the capital city of Kir Heres was left. The slingers surrounded it and attacked it. The king of Moab realized that he was losing the battle. So he took seven hundred swordsmen with him and tried to force his way through the enemy lines and escape to the king of Edom. However they failed. He took his oldest son, who was to succeed him as king, and offered him on the city wall as a sacrifice to the god of Moab. The Israelites were terrified and so they drew back from the city and returned to their own country.

The Syrians carried off a little Israelite girl during one of their raids against Israel. The girl became a servant of Naaman's wife.

After that King Benhadad of Syria led his entire army against Israel in siege of the city of Samaria. The siege caused a great food shortage in the city. It was so severe that a donkey's head cost eighty pieces of silver, and half a pound of dove's dung cost five pieces of silver.

King Hazael of Syria attacked the city of Gath and conquered it. Then he decided to attack Jerusalem.

It was the thirty-sixth year of Asa's reign. King Baasha of Israel invaded Judah and built fortified Ramah to prevent anyone from going to or coming from King Asa of Judah. Then Asa brought out all the silver and gold that was left in the treasuries of Jehovah's Temple and the royal palace. He sent them to Damascus to King Benhadad. He said: There is a treaty between you and me as there was between your father and my father. I am sending you silver and gold. Now break your treaty with King Baasha of Israel so that he will leave me alone.read more.
Benhadad agreed to do what King Asa requested. He sent his generals and their armies to attack the cities of Israel. He conquered Ijon, Dan, Abel Maim, and all the storage cities in the territory of Naphtali.

Jehovah his God handed him over to the king of Aram, who defeated him, captured many prisoners, and brought them to Damascus. He also handed him over to the king of Israel, who decisively defeated him.

Rehoboam established his kingdom and made himself strong. He and all Israel abandoned Jehovah's teachings. King Shishak of Egypt attacked Jerusalem. This took place in the fifth year of Rehoboam's reign. It happened because all Israel was not loyal to Jehovah. Shishak had twelve hundred chariots, sixty thousand horses, and an army of countless Libyans, Sukkites, and Sudanese from Egypt.read more.
He captured the fortified cities of Judah and came as far as Jerusalem.

Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against him. Hoshea became his servant and sent him offerings. Hoshea's treachery became clear to the king of Assyria. He had sent representatives to the king of Egypt. He did not send his offering to the king of Assyria like he did in previous years. So the king of Assyria had him put in chains and locked in prison. Then the king of Assyria invaded the land and advanced to Samaria. He besieged the city for three years.read more.
In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria. He led the Israelites away to Assyria. He stationed them in Halah and Habor on the Gozan River, and in the towns of the Medes.

It was the fourth year of King Hezekiah, the seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel. Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against Samaria and laid siege to it. It was captured at the end of three years. Samaria was taken in the sixth year of Hezekiah's rule, which was the ninth year of Hoshea, king of Israel. The king of Assyria took Israel away as prisoners into Assyria. They placed them in Halah and in Habor on the river Gozan, and in towns of the Medes.read more.
They did not obey the voice of Jehovah their God. In fact they went against his agreement, even against everything ordered by Moses, the servant of Jehovah. They did not listen to or obey Jehovah.

Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king. He ruled for eleven years in Jerusalem. He did what Jehovah his God considered evil. Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon attacked Jehoiakim and put him in bronze shackles to take him to Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar also brought some of the utensils of Jehovah's Temple to Babylon. He put them in his palace (temple) in Babylon.

Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon invaded Judah. Jehoiakim king of Judah was forced to serve him for three years. Then he rebelled and fought against him.

It was during his reign that the Babylonian army, commanded by King Nebuchadnezzar's officers, marched against Jerusalem and besieged it. During the siege Nebuchadnezzar came to Jerusalem in person. King Jehoiachin of Judah, along with his mother, his sons, his officers, and the palace officials, surrendered to the Babylonians. In the eighth year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign he took Jehoiachin prisoner.read more.
The Babylonians carried off to Babylon all the treasures in the Temple and the palace. As Jehovah foretold, Nebuchadnezzar broke up all the gold utensils King Solomon had made for use in the Temple. Nebuchadnezzar carried away as prisoners the people of Jerusalem, all the royal princes, and all the leading men, ten thousand in all. He also deported all the skilled workers, including the blacksmiths, leaving only the poorest of the people behind in Judah. He took Jehoiakin to Babylon as a captive. He also took the king's mother, wives, eunuchs, and the leading citizens of the land from Jerusalem as captives to Babylon. Included as prisoners were all the men of war, seven thousand of them, and a thousand expert workmen and metalworkers, all of them strong and able to take up arms.

Now in the ninth year of his rule, on the tenth day of the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon attacked Jerusalem with all his army. He took his position and laid siege to it. They built earthworks all round the town.

Jehovah the God of their ancestors repeatedly sent messages through his prophets because he wanted to spare his people and his dwelling place. They mocked God's messengers. They despised his words, and made fun of his prophets until Jehovah became angry with his people. He could no longer heal them. So he had the Babylonian king attack them and execute their best young men in their holy temple. He did not spare the best men or the unmarried women, the old people or the sick people. God handed all of them over to him.read more.
He brought to Babylon each of the utensils from God's temple, the treasures from Jehovah's Temple, and the treasures of the king and his officials. He burned down the Temple and the city, with all its palaces and its wealth, and broke down the city wall. The survivors were taken to Babylonia as prisoners. They served as slaves of the king and his sons, until Persia became a powerful nation.

The siege ramps have reached the city to take it. The city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans who fight against it, because of the sword, the famine and the pestilence. You brought all this disaster on them.

On the fifth day of the tenth month in the twelfth year of our captivity, a refugee from Jerusalem came to me. He said: The city has been captured.

When Abimelech had reigned three years over Israel, God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem. The men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech:

The Israelites went to the house of God at Bethel, and there they asked God: Which of us should attack the Benjaminites first? Jehovah answered: The tribe of Judah. So the Israelites started out the next morning and camped near the city of Gibeah. They went to attack the army of Benjamin, and placed the soldiers in battle array to fight against Gibeah.read more.
The army of Benjamin came out of the city. That day they killed twenty-two thousand Israelite soldiers. The Israelite army was encouraged as they placed the soldiers in position again at the place where they put themselves the first day. They mourned in the presence of Jehovah until evening. They asked him if they should go again in battle against their brothers the Benjaminites? Jehovah's answer was: Yes. The Israelites marched against the army of Benjamin a second time. The second time the Benjaminites came out of Gibeah. This time they killed eighteen thousand trained Israelite soldiers. The people of Israel went up to Bethel and mourned. They sat there in Jehovah's presence and fasted until evening. They offered fellowship sacrifices and burned some sacrifices whole in the presence of Jehovah. The Ark of the Covenant was there at Bethel in those days. Phinehas, the son of Eleazar and grandson of Aaron, was in charge of it. The people asked Jehovah: Should we go to battle against our brothers the Benjaminites again, or should we cease? Jehovah answered: Fight. Tomorrow I will give you victory over them. The Israelites hid some soldiers around Gibeah. Then for the third straight day they marched against the army of Benjamin. They placed their soldiers in battle position facing Gibeah, as they had done before. The Benjaminites came out to fight and were drawn away from the city. Just as before they killed some Israelites in the open country, on the road to Bethel and on the road to Gibeah. They killed about thirty Israelites. The Benjaminites said: They are defeated just as before. But the Israelites planned to retreat and lead them away from the city onto the roads. The main army of the Israelites pulled back and regrouped at Baaltamar. The men surrounding Gibeah suddenly rushed out of hiding in the rocky country around the city. Ten thousand, specially chosen men, out of all Israel, attacked Gibeah, and the fighting was fierce. The Benjaminites did not realize they were about to be destroyed. Jehovah gave Israel victory over the army of Benjamin. The Israelites killed twenty five thousand one hundred of the enemy that day, The Benjaminites knew they were defeated. The main body of the Israelite army had retreated from the Benjaminites. This is because they relied on the men that were hiding around Gibeah. These men ran quickly toward Gibeah. They spread out and killed everyone there. The main Israelite army and the men in hiding had a prearranged signal. When they saw a big cloud of smoke going up from the town, the Israelites out on the battlefield were to turn around. By this time the Benjaminites had already killed the thirty Israelites. They told themselves: We have beaten them. The signal appeared. A cloud of smoke rose above the town. The Benjaminites looked behind them to see the whole city going up in flames. Then the Israelites turned around. The Benjaminites were thrown into panic because they could see that they were about to be destroyed. They retreated from the Israelites. They ran toward the open country and could not escape. They were caught between the main army and the men now coming out of the city. They were destroyed. The Israelites trapped the enemy. Without stopping they pursued them as far as a point east of Gibeah. They killed them as they advanced. Eighteen thousand of the best Benjaminite soldiers were killed. The others turned and ran to the open country to Rimmon Rock. Five thousand of them were killed on the roads. The Israelites continued to pursue the rest to Gidom, killing two thousand. In all, twenty-five thousand brave Benjaminites were killed that day. Six hundred men were able to escape to the open country to Rimmon Rock. They stayed there four months. The Israelites turned back against the rest of the Benjaminites and killed them all, men and women, children and animals as well. They burned every town in the area.

But Amaziah paid no attention. So Jehoash king of Israel went to Amaziah king of Judah to meet face to face at Bethshemesh in Judah. Judah was defeated by Israel and every man fled home. Jehoash king of Israel made Amaziah king of Judah son of Jehoash, son of Ahaziah, prisoner at Bethshemesh. He went to Jerusalem and had the wall of Jerusalem pulled down from the Gate of Ephraim to the gate in the angle, six hundred feet.read more.
He took all the gold and silver and all the vessels in the Temple of Jehovah and in the storehouse of the king, together with those whose lives would be the price of broken faith, and went back to Samaria.

But Amaziah would not listen. God made this happen because he wanted to hand over the Judeans to Jehoash because they had sought help from Edom's gods. Thus King Jehoash of Israel attacked. King Amaziah of Judah met him in battle at Beth Shemesh in Judah. Israel defeated the army of Judah. The Judeans fled to their homes.read more.
King Jehoash of Israel captured King Amaziah, son of Joash and grandson of Ahaziah of Judah, at Beth Shemesh and brought him to Jerusalem. He tore down a six hundred foot section of the wall around Jerusalem from Ephraim Gate to Corner Gate. He took all the gold, silver, and all the utensils he found in God's temple with Obed Edom and in the royal palace treasury. He also took hostages. Then he returned to Samaria.

Abijah became king of Judah in Jeroboam's eighteenth year as king of Israel. His mother was Micaiah the daughter of Uriel from Gibeah. He ruled from Jerusalem for three years when war broke out between Abijah of Judah and Jeroboam of Israel. Abijah raised an army of four hundred thousand soldiers. Jeroboam opposed him with an army of eight hundred thousand soldiers.

What causes wars and fighting among you? Is the cause of fighting your sensual lusts for pleasure that battle within you? You lust, and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain! You fight and war. You do not have because you do not ask.

Beware of the dogs (impure men) (false teachers)! Beware of the evil workers! Beware of the mutilation of the body.

See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone. But follow that which is good, both among you, and to all men.

Brothers, do not speak against each other. He who speaks against a brother, or judges his brother, speaks against the law, and judges the law. If you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law, but a judge. Only one is the lawgiver and judge, even he who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you that you judge your neighbor?

Do not repay evil for evil, or insult for insult. Do just the opposite. For you were called to inherit a blessing.

While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.

The crowd rose up against them. The magistrates ripped their garments off them, and commanded to beat them with rods.

Death is the punishment for murder. If you did not intend to kill someone and I, Jehovah, let it happen anyway, you may run for safety to a place that I have set aside. If a man schemes and kills a man deliberately remove him from my altar and put him to death.read more.
He who strikes (beats) his father or his mother shall surely be put to death. Whoever kidnaps another person must be put to death regardless of whether he has sold the kidnapped person or still has him. Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death. When men quarrel and one hits the other with a rock or with his fist and injures him so that he has to stay in bed you must do this. If the injured man is able to stand up again and walk around outside with a cane, the one who hit him must not be punished. He must pay the injured man for the loss of his time and for all his medical expenses. If a slave owner takes a stick and beats his slave, whether male or female, and the slave dies on the spot, the owner is to be punished.

One night, David was in Saul's home, playing the harp for him. Saul sat there with a spear in his hand. The distressing spirit from Jehovah took control of him. Saul tried to pin David to the wall with his spear. David dodged it, and Saul's spear struck the wall. David escaped from Saul that night.

David stopped his men by saying this to them. He did not let them attack Saul. Saul left the cave and went out onto the road.

Be sober, be watchful: your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion walks about, seeking whom he may devour (consume). Stand firm in your faith, knowing that the same sufferings are accomplished in your brothers in the world.