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 the people are strong that dwell in that land, and the cities are very great and strong; and moreover we saw the sons of Anak there.
but we ourselves will go arm ourselves and go with diligence before the sons of Israel until we have brought them unto their place, and our little ones shall dwell in the fenced cities because of the inhabitants of the land.
And the sons of Gad built Dibon and Ataroth and Aroer and Atroth-shophan and Jaazer and Jogbehah read more. and Bethnimrah and Bethharan, fenced cities, and also folds for sheep. And the sons of Reuben built Heshbon and Elealeh and Kirjathaim and Nebo and Baalmeon (their names being changed) and Shibmah and gave other names unto the cities which they built. And the sons of Machir, the son of Manasseh, went to Gilead and took it and dispossessed the Amorite who was in it. And Moses gave Gilead unto Machir, the son of Manasseh; and he dwelt therein. Jair, the son of Manasseh also went and took the small towns thereof and called them Havothjair. Likewise Nobah went and took Kenath and its villages and called it Nobah, after his own name.
Likewise, Joshua took all the cities of those kings and all their kings and smote them with the edge of the sword, and he utterly destroyed them as Moses the slave of the LORD had commanded him. But of all the cities that stood on their hills, Israel burned none of them, excepting Hazor only, which Joshua burned.
Neither did Manasseh drive out the inhabitants of Bethshean and its towns nor Taanach and its towns nor the inhabitants of Dor and its towns nor the inhabitants of Ibleam and its towns, nor the inhabitants of Megiddo and its towns; but the Canaanite desired to dwell in that land. And it came to pass when Israel was strong that they put the Canaanites under tribute but did not utterly drive them out. read more. Neither did Ephraim drive out the Canaanite that dwelt in Gezer, but the Canaanite dwelt in Gezer among them. Neither did Zebulun drive out the inhabitants of Kitron nor the inhabitants of Nahalol, but the Canaanite dwelt among them and became tributaries. Neither did Asher drive out the inhabitants of Accho nor the inhabitants of Zidon nor of Ahlab nor of Achzib nor of Helbah nor of Aphik nor of Rehob; to the contrary Asher dwelt among the Canaanites that inhabited the land, for they did not drive them out. Neither did Naphtali drive out the inhabitants of Bethshemesh nor the inhabitants of Bethanath, but he dwelt among the Canaanites that inhabited the land; nevertheless, the inhabitants of Bethshemesh and of Bethanath became tributaries unto them.
And it was told unto those of Gaza, Samson is come here. And they compassed him in and laid in wait for him all night in the gate of the city and were quiet all that night, saying, In the morning when it is light, we shall kill him. And Samson slept until midnight and arose at midnight and took the doors of the gate of the city, and the two posts, and went away with them, bar and all, and put them upon his shoulders and carried them up to the top of the mountain that is before Hebron.
Then the king and his men went to Jerusalem unto the Jebusites, who dwelt in the land, who spoke unto David, saying, Except thou take away the blind and the lame, thou shalt not come in here, thinking, David cannot come in here. Nevertheless, David took the fortress of Zion; the same is the city of David.
And Azmaveth, the son of Adiel, had charge of the king's treasures and of the treasures of the fields, of the cities, and of the villages, and of the castles, was Jehonathan, the son of Uzziah;
Also he strengthened himself and built up all the wall that was broken and caused the towers to be raised up, and another wall outside, and repaired Millo in the city of David, and made swords and shields in abundance.
and a letter unto Asaph, the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the palace of the house and for the wall of the city and for the house that I shall enter into. And the king granted me, according to the good hand of the LORD upon me.
Then Eliashib, the high priest, rose up with his brethren, the priests, and they built the sheep gate; they sanctified it and set up the doors of it; even unto the tower of Meah they sanctified it, unto the tower of Hananeel.
And the sons of Hassenaah built the fish gate; they laid its beams and set up its doors, its locks, and its bars.
Moreover, the old gate was restored by Jehoiada, the son of Paseah, and Meshullam, the son of Besodeiah; they laid its beams and set up its doors, its locks, and its bars.
and from the gate of Ephraim, to the old gate, and to the fish gate, to the tower of Hananeel, and the tower of Meah, unto the sheep gate; and they stood still in the gate of the guards.
Behold, the days come, said the LORD, and the city shall be built unto the LORD from the tower of Hananeel unto the gate of the corner.
All the land shall become a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem; and she shall be lifted up and inhabited in her place from Benjamin's gate unto the place of the first gate unto the gate of the corners, and from the tower of Hananeel unto the king's winepresses.
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 the people are strong that dwell in that land, and the cities are very great and strong; and moreover we saw the sons of Anak there.
but we ourselves will go arm ourselves and go with diligence before the sons of Israel until we have brought them unto their place, and our little ones shall dwell in the fenced cities because of the inhabitants of the land.
And the sons of Gad built Dibon and Ataroth and Aroer and Atroth-shophan and Jaazer and Jogbehah read more. and Bethnimrah and Bethharan, fenced cities, and also folds for sheep. And the sons of Reuben built Heshbon and Elealeh and Kirjathaim and Nebo and Baalmeon (their names being changed) and Shibmah and gave other names unto the cities which they built. And the sons of Machir, the son of Manasseh, went to Gilead and took it and dispossessed the Amorite who was in it. And Moses gave Gilead unto Machir, the son of Manasseh; and he dwelt therein. Jair, the son of Manasseh also went and took the small towns thereof and called them Havothjair. Likewise Nobah went and took Kenath and its villages and called it Nobah, after his own name.
Where shall we go up? Our brethren have discouraged our heart, saying, This people is greater and taller than we; the cities are great and walled up to heaven; and moreover we have seen the sons of the Anakims there.
And we took all his cities at that time there was not a city which we did not take from them, sixty cities, all the region of Argob, of the kingdom of Og in Bashan. All these cities were fenced with high walls, gates, and bars besides a great many unwalled towns.
Hear, O Israel: Thou art ready to pass over the Jordan this day to enter in to inherit that of Gentiles greater and mightier than thyself, cities great and fenced up to heaven, A people, great and tall, sons of the Anakims, whom thou knowest and of whom thou hast heard say, Who can stand before the sons of Anak!
And when those of the tower of Shechem heard that, they entered into the stronghold of the temple of the god Berith.
But in the midst of the city there was a strong tower, and all the men and women fled there, and all those of the city, and shutting the doors behind them, they climbed up to the top of the tower.
Then the king and his men went to Jerusalem unto the Jebusites, who dwelt in the land, who spoke unto David, saying, Except thou take away the blind and the lame, thou shalt not come in here, thinking, David cannot come in here. Nevertheless, David took the fortress of Zion; the same is the city of David.
And of Jezebel, the LORD has also spoken, saying, The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the rampart of Jezreel.
Then the king of Assyria came up throughout all the land and went up to Samaria and besieged it three years.
And at the end of three years, they took it; even in the sixth year of Hezekiah, that is the ninth year of Hosea, king of Israel, Samaria was taken.
And Azmaveth, the son of Adiel, had charge of the king's treasures and of the treasures of the fields, of the cities, and of the villages, and of the castles, was Jehonathan, the son of Uzziah;
And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem and built cities for defence in Judah. He built Bethlehem and Etam and Tekoa read more. and Bethzur and Shoco 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 in Benjamin, fenced cities.
Then Asa, the king, took all Judah, and they carried away the stones of Ramah and the timber thereof, with which Baasha was building, and he built Geba and Mizpah with it.
He also built towers in the desert and dug many wells, for he had much livestock, both in the low country and in the plains, husbandmen also and vine dressers in the mountains and in Carmel, for he loved agriculture.
Also he strengthened himself and built up all the wall that was broken and caused the towers to be raised up, and another wall outside, and repaired Millo in the city of David, and made swords and shields in abundance.
Then Eliashib, the high priest, rose up with his brethren, the priests, and they built the sheep gate; they sanctified it and set up the doors of it; even unto the tower of Meah they sanctified it, unto the tower of Hananeel.
Malchijah, the son of Harim, and Hashub, the son of Pahathmoab, restored the other piece and the tower of the furnaces.
After them the Tekoites restored another piece, over against the great tower that lies out, unto the wall of Ophel.
Behold, the days come, said the LORD, and the city shall be built unto the LORD from the tower of Hananeel unto the gate of the corner.
Behold, the days come, said the LORD, and the city shall be built unto the LORD from the tower of Hananeel unto the gate of the corner.
All the land shall become a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem; and she shall be lifted up and inhabited in her place from Benjamin's gate unto the place of the first gate unto the gate of the corners, and from the tower of Hananeel unto the king's winepresses.
And some cried one thing, some another, among the multitude; and when he could not know the certainty for the tumult, he commanded him to be carried into the fortress.
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.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And Abimelech fought against the city all that day, and he took the city and slew the people that were therein and beat down the city and sowed it with salt.
Also he strengthened himself and built up all the wall that was broken and caused the towers to be raised up, and another wall outside, and repaired Millo in the city of David, and made swords and shields in abundance.
Behold, the days come, said the LORD, and the city shall be built unto the LORD from the tower of Hananeel unto the gate of the corner.