Reference: Fenced cities
Easton
There were in Palestine (1) cities, (2) unwalled villages, and (3) villages with castles or towers (1Ch 27:25). Cities, so called, had walls, and were thus fenced. The fortifications consisted of one or two walls, on which were towers or parapets at regular intervals (2Ch 32:5; Jer 31:38). Around ancient Jerusalem were three walls, on one of which were ninety towers, on the second fourteen, and on the third sixty. The tower of Hananeel, near the north-east corner of the city wall, is frequently referred to (Ne 3:1; 12:39; Zec 14:10). The gateways of such cities were also fortified (Ne 2:8; 3:3,6; Jg 16:2-3; 1Sa 23:7).
The Hebrews found many fenced cities when they entered the Promised Land (Nu 13:28; 32:17,34-42; Jos 11:12-13; Jg 1:27-33), and we may estimate the strength of some of these cities from the fact that they were long held in possession by the Canaanites. The Jebusites, e.g., were enabled to hold possession of Jerusalem till the time of David (2Sa 5:6-7; 1Ch 11:5).
Several of the kings of Israel and Judah distinguished themselves as fortifiers or "builders" of cities.
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Nevertheless surely mighty, are the people that dwell in the land, - and, the cities, walled in, exceeding great, moreover also, the descendants of the
but, we, would arm ourselves promptly, before the sons of Israel, until that we have brought them into their place, - so should our little ones remain in the fortified cities, because of the inhabitants of the land.
And the sons of Gad built Dibon, and Ataroth, - and Aroer; and Atroth-shophan and Jazer, and Jogbehah; read more. and Beth-nimrah, and Beth-haran, - fortified cities and folds for flocks. And the sons of Reuben built Heshbon, and Elealeh, - and Kiriathaim, and Nebo and Baal-meon - their names being changed, and Sibmah, - and they gave names to the cities which they built. Then went the sons of Machir son of Manasseh to Gilead, and captured it, and dispossessed the Amorites who were therein, So Moses gave Gilead unto Machir son of Manasseh, and he dwelt therein. And Jair, son of Manasseh, went, and captured their encampments, - and called them Havvoth-jair. And, Nobah, went, and captured Kenath, with the villages thereof, - and called it Nobah, after his own name.
And, all the cities of these kings, and all the kings thereof, did Joshua capture, and he smote them with the edge of the sword, devoting them to destruction, - as Moses, the servant of Yahweh, commanded. Yet, none of the cities that were still standing upon their mound, did Israel burn, none but Hazor alone, did Joshua burn.
But Manasseh took not possession of Beth-shean and her towns, nor of Taanach and her towns, nor dispossessed the inhabitants of Dor and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Ibleam, and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Megiddo, and her towns, - but the Canaanites were determined to remain in this land; when Israel, however, had waxed strong, they put the Canaanites under tribute, - though they, dispossessed, them not. read more. And, Ephraim, dispossessed not the Canaanites who were dwelling in Gezer, - so the Canaanites remained in their midst, in Gezer. Zebulun, dispossessed not the inhabitants of Kitron, nor the inhabitants of Nahalol, - but the Canaanites remained in their midst, and came under tribute. Asher, dispossessed not the inhabitants of Acco, nor the inhabitants of Zidon, - nor of Ahlab, nor of Achzib, nor of Helbah, nor of Aphik, nor of Rehob; but the Asherites dwelt in the midst of the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land, - for they dispossessed them not. Naphtali, dispossessed not the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh nor the inhabitants of Beth-anath, but they dwelt in the midst of the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land, - and, the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh, and of Beth-anath, became theirs, under tribute.
And it was told the Gazites, saying - Samson hath come in hither. So they came round, and lay in wait for him, all the night, in the gate of the city, - but kept themselves quiet all the night, saying, Until the light of the morning, then will we slay him. And Samson lay till midnight, and arose at midnight, and took hold of the doors of the gate of the city, and of the two doorposts, and tare them away, with the bar, and put them on his shoulders, - and carried them up to the top of the hill that faceth Hebron.
Then went the king and his men, to Jerusalem, against the Jebusites, inhabiting the land, - and they spake to David, saying - Thou canst not come in hither, unless thou take away the blind and lame - Thinking, David will not come in hither. So then David captured the citadel of Zion, - the same, is the city of David.
And, over the treasuries of the king, was Azmaveth, son of Adiel. And, over the treasuries in the fields, in the cities, in the villages and in the castles, was Jonathan, son of Uzziah;
And he took courage, and built all the wall that was broken down and carried up thereon towers, and, on the outside, another wall, and strengthened Millo, the city of David,-and made weapons in abundance, and bucklers,
also a letter unto Asaph, keeper of the park that belongeth unto the king, that he may give me timber to build up the gates of the fortress which pertaineth to the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the house whereinto I shall enter. And the king gave me, according to the good hand of my God upon me.
Then arose Eliashib the high priest and his brethren the priests, and built the sheep-gate, they, hallowed it, and set up the doors thereof, - even unto the tower of Hammeah, hallowed they it, unto the tower of Hananel;
And, the fish-gate, did the sons of Hassenaah build, - they, laid the beams thereof, and set up the doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars thereof;
And, the old gate, did Joiada son of Paseah, and Meshullam, son of Besodeiah, repair, - they, laid the beams thereof, and set up the doors thereof, and the locks thereof, and the bars thereof;
and above the gate of Ephraim, and upon the old gate, and upon the fish-gate, and the tower of Hananel, and the tower of Hammeah, even as far as the sheep-gate, - and they came to a stand, at the gate of the guard.
Lo days, are coming, Declareth Yahweh, That the city shall be built for Yahweh, From the tower of Hananeel, As far as the gate of the corner;
All the land shall turn into a plain, from Geba to Rimmon, south of Jerusalem, - and shall lift herself on high and abide in her own place, from the gate of Benjamin up to the place of the first gate, up to the corner gate, and from the tower of Hananeel up to the wine-presses of the king.
Fausets
The distinction between a "city" and a "village" in the Bible is, the former had walls. The village had sometimes a watchman's tower, where the villagers repaired when in danger. Such towers Uzziah built in the desert for the protection of husbandmen and cattle from marauding tribes (2Ch 26:10). David too had "castles" (1Ch 27:25). Argob in Bashan, Og's kingdom, E. of Jordan, had "three-score cities fenced with high walls, gates and bars, beside unwalled towns a great many" (De 3:4-5); all which Israel took. (See ARGOB.) Villages in the Hauran sometimes consist of houses joined together and the entrance closed by a gate for security against Arab marauders.
Build often means "fortify" (2Ch 11:5-10; 16:6; 1Ki 15:17). The defenses consisted of one or more walls with battlemented parapets and towers at intervals (2Ch 32:5; Jer 31:38), whereon were war engines, also a citadel or tower, the last resource of the defenders (Jg 9:46,51; 2Ki 9:17; 2Ch 26:9,15). Ninety towers crowned the oldest of Jerusalem's three walls, fourteen the second, sixty the third (B. J., 5:4, section 2). The tower of Hananeel is mentioned Jer 31:38; Zec 14:10; Ne 3:1, where also is mentioned "the tower of Meah," "the tower of the furnaces" (Ne 3:11), "the great tower that lieth out even unto the wall of Ophel" (Ne 3:27). An out-work is meant by the "ditch" or "trench," possibly a wall lining the ditch (1Ki 21:23; 2Sa 20:15).
The castle of Antonia was the citadel of Jerusalem in our Lord's time; it served also to overawe the town, the Roman soldiers occupying it (Ac 21:34). Canaan's "cities fenced up to heaven" were leading causes of the spies' and Israel's unbelieving panic (Nu 13:28; De 1:28; 9:1-2). These the Israelites "rebuilt," i.e. refortified (Nu 32:17,34-42). So fenced was "the stronghold of Zion" that it remained in the Jebusites' hands until David's time (2Sa 5:6-7). Samaria yielded to the mighty hosts of Assyria only after a three years' siege (2Ki 17:5; 18:10).
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Nevertheless surely mighty, are the people that dwell in the land, - and, the cities, walled in, exceeding great, moreover also, the descendants of the
but, we, would arm ourselves promptly, before the sons of Israel, until that we have brought them into their place, - so should our little ones remain in the fortified cities, because of the inhabitants of the land.
And the sons of Gad built Dibon, and Ataroth, - and Aroer; and Atroth-shophan and Jazer, and Jogbehah; read more. and Beth-nimrah, and Beth-haran, - fortified cities and folds for flocks. And the sons of Reuben built Heshbon, and Elealeh, - and Kiriathaim, and Nebo and Baal-meon - their names being changed, and Sibmah, - and they gave names to the cities which they built. Then went the sons of Machir son of Manasseh to Gilead, and captured it, and dispossessed the Amorites who were therein, So Moses gave Gilead unto Machir son of Manasseh, and he dwelt therein. And Jair, son of Manasseh, went, and captured their encampments, - and called them Havvoth-jair. And, Nobah, went, and captured Kenath, with the villages thereof, - and called it Nobah, after his own name.
Whither, are, we, to go up? Our own brethren, have made our heart melt saying - A people greater and taller than we, cities large and walled-up into the heavens, - yea, moreover sons of Anakim, have we seen there.
And we captured all his cities, at that time, there was no fortress which we took not from them, - sixty cities all the region of Argob, the kingdom of Og in Bashan. All these, were fortified cities each with a high wall, folding gates and a bar, - besides country towns exceeding many.
Hear O Israel! thou art passing, to-day, over the Jordan, to go in to dispossess nations, greater and stronger than thou, - cities great and fortified into the heavens; a people great and tall, the sons of Anakim, - whom, thou, knowest, and of whom thou hast heard say, Who can stand before the sons of Anak?
And, when all the owners of the tower of Shechem heard, they entered into the basement of the house of El-berith.
Now, a strong tower, was in the midst of the city, and there fled thither all the men and the women, and all the owners of the city, and shut themselves in, - and went up on the roof of the tower.
Then went the king and his men, to Jerusalem, against the Jebusites, inhabiting the land, - and they spake to David, saying - Thou canst not come in hither, unless thou take away the blind and lame - Thinking, David will not come in hither. So then David captured the citadel of Zion, - the same, is the city of David.
Moreover also, concerning Jezebel, hath Yahweh spoken, saying, - The dogs, shall eat Jezebel, in the town-land of Jezreel:
And the king of Assyria came up throughout all the land, - yea he came up to Samaria, and besieged it three years.
and he captured it at the end of three years, in the sixth year of Hezekiah, - the same, is the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel, was Samaria captured.
And, over the treasuries of the king, was Azmaveth, son of Adiel. And, over the treasuries in the fields, in the cities, in the villages and in the castles, was Jonathan, son of Uzziah;
And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, - and built cities for defence, in Judah; yea he built Bethlehem and Etam, and Tekoa; read more. and Beth-zur and Soco, and Adullam; and Gath and Mareshah, and Ziph; and Adoraim and Lachish, and Azekah; and Zorah, and Aijalon and Hebron, which are in Judah and Benjamin, - as fortified cities.
And, Asa the king, took all Judah, and they carried away the stones of Ramah, and the timbers thereof, which Baasha had used in building, - and he built therewith, Geba and Mizpah.
And he built towers in the desert, and digged many wells, for, much cattle, had he, both in the lowland, and in the plain, - husbandmen and vinedressers, in the mountains and in the fruitful field, for, a lover of the soil, was he.
And he took courage, and built all the wall that was broken down and carried up thereon towers, and, on the outside, another wall, and strengthened Millo, the city of David,-and made weapons in abundance, and bucklers,
Then arose Eliashib the high priest and his brethren the priests, and built the sheep-gate, they, hallowed it, and set up the doors thereof, - even unto the tower of Hammeah, hallowed they it, unto the tower of Hananel;
a second length, did Malchijah son of Harim and Hasshub son of Pahath-moab, repair, - also the tower of the ovens;
after him, repaired, the Tekoites, a second length, - from over against the great tower that projecteth, even unto the wall of Ophel:
Lo days, are coming, Declareth Yahweh, That the city shall be built for Yahweh, From the tower of Hananeel, As far as the gate of the corner;
Lo days, are coming, Declareth Yahweh, That the city shall be built for Yahweh, From the tower of Hananeel, As far as the gate of the corner;
All the land shall turn into a plain, from Geba to Rimmon, south of Jerusalem, - and shall lift herself on high and abide in her own place, from the gate of Benjamin up to the place of the first gate, up to the corner gate, and from the tower of Hananeel up to the wine-presses of the king.
but, others, were calling out, something else, in the multitude; and so, as he could not get to know the certainty, because of the tumult, he ordered him to be brought into the castle.
Smith
Fenced cities,
i.e. cities fortified or defended. The fortifications of the cities of Palestine, thus regularly "fenced," consisted of one or more walls (sometimes of thick stones, sometimes of combustible material), crowned with battlemented parapets, having towers at regular intervals,
on which in later times engines of war were placed, and watch was kept by day and night in time of war.
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And, Abimelech, fought against the city, all that day, and captured the city, the people also that were therein, he slew, - and brake down the city, and sowed it with salt.
And he took courage, and built all the wall that was broken down and carried up thereon towers, and, on the outside, another wall, and strengthened Millo, the city of David,-and made weapons in abundance, and bucklers,
Lo days, are coming, Declareth Yahweh, That the city shall be built for Yahweh, From the tower of Hananeel, As far as the gate of the corner;