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.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
Yet the people who are inhabiting [it are] strong and the cities [are] fortified and very large; moreover, we saw the descendants of the Anakites there.
but we ourselves will become armed [and] ready before the {Israelites} until we have brought them to their place, and our little children will live in the fortified cities because of the inhabitants of the land.
The descendants of Gad rebuilt Dibon, Ataroth, and Aroer, and Atroth Shophan, Jazer, and Jogbehah, read more. and Beth Nimrah and Beth Haran, the cities of Mibzar, and the sheep pens for flocks. The descendants of Reuben rebuilt Heshbon, Elealeh, and Kiriathaim, and Nebo, Baal Meon (their names [were] changed), and Sibmah, and {they renamed} the cities that they rebuilt. The descendants of Makir son of Manasseh went to Gilead, and they captured it and drove out the Amorites who [were] in it. So Moses gave Gilead to Makir son of Manasseh, and he lived in it. And Jair son of Manasseh went and captured their unwalled villages, and he called them Havvoth Jair. Nobah went and captured Kenath and its villages, and he called it Nobah after his [own] name.
And Joshua captured all the cities of these kings, and all their kings, and he utterly destroyed them with {the edge of the sword}, as Moses the servant of Yahweh commanded. Israel did not burn the cities standing on their mounds, except Hazor alone, [which] Joshua burned.
Manasseh did not drive out Beth-Sean and its towns, or Taanach and its towns, or the inhabitants of Dor and its towns, or the inhabitants of Ibleam and its towns, or the inhabitants of Megiddo and its towns; the Canaanites [were] determined to live in this land. And it happened, when Israel grew strong, they put the Canaanites to forced labor, but they never totally drove them out. read more. Ephraim did not drive out the Canaanites living in Gezer, so the Canaanites lived in their midst in Gezer. Zebulun did not drive out the inhabitants of Kitron or Nahalol, so the Canaanites lived in their midst and became [subjected] to forced labor. Asher did not drive out the inhabitants of Acco, Sidon, Ahlab, Aczib, Helbah, Aphik, or Rehob, so the Asherites lived in the midst of the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land, for they did not drive them out. Naphtali did not drive out the inhabitants of Beth Shemesh or Beth-anath, but lived in the midst of the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land; the inhabitants of Beth Shemesh and Beth-anath became forced labor for them.
The Gazites [were told], "Samson has come here," so they surrounded [the place] and lay in ambush for him all night at the city gate. They kept silent all night, saying, "[We will wait] until the morning light, and then we will kill him." But Samson lay until the middle of the night; he got up in the middle of the night and took hold of the doors of the city gate and the two door posts, tore them loose with the bar, put them on his shoulders, and carried them up to the top of the hill that is {in front of} Hebron.
The king and his men went to Jerusalem, to the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land. They said to David, "You will not come here, for even the blind and the lame can turn you back, saying, 'David cannot come here.'" David captured the fortress of Zion, the city of David.
And over the treasury rooms of the king [was] Azmaveth the son of Adiel. And over the treasuries in the country, in the cities, in the unwalled villages, and in the towers [was] Jonathan the son of Uzziah.
Then he strengthened himself and built up all the walls that were broken down, and raised towers upon [them] and another wall {outside}. And he strengthened the Millo of the city of David and made much weaponry and small shields.
Also, a letter to Asaph, keeper of the king's land reserve, that he should give me timber for laying the beams for the gates of the citadel of the house and for the walls of the city, and for the house which I will enter." And the king gave [permission] to me, according to the good hand of God on me.
Then Eliashib the high priest and his brothers the priests arose and rebuilt the Sheep Gate. They consecrated it and erected its doors. They consecrated it up to the Tower of the Hundred and up to the Tower of Hananel.
The sons of Hassenaah built the Fish Gate. They laid its beams and erected its doors, its bolts, and its bars.
Jehoiada the son of Paseah and Meshullam repaired the old Yeshanah Gate. They laid its beams and erected its doors, its bolts, and its bars.
and over the Gate of Ephraim, at the Old Gate, at the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel and the Tower of the Hundred, and [to] the Sheep Gate. And they [stopped and] stood at the Gate of the Guard.
"Look, days [are] coming," {declares} Yahweh, "and the city will be rebuilt for Yahweh, from the Tower of Hananel [to] the Corner Gate.
All the land will be transformed into a desert plateau from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem. But it will rise up high and it will stay in its place from the Gate of Benjamin to the place of [the] former gate, up to the Corner Gate and from the Tower of Hananel to 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).
See Verses Found in Dictionary
Yet the people who are inhabiting [it are] strong and the cities [are] fortified and very large; moreover, we saw the descendants of the Anakites there.
but we ourselves will become armed [and] ready before the {Israelites} until we have brought them to their place, and our little children will live in the fortified cities because of the inhabitants of the land.
The descendants of Gad rebuilt Dibon, Ataroth, and Aroer, and Atroth Shophan, Jazer, and Jogbehah, read more. and Beth Nimrah and Beth Haran, the cities of Mibzar, and the sheep pens for flocks. The descendants of Reuben rebuilt Heshbon, Elealeh, and Kiriathaim, and Nebo, Baal Meon (their names [were] changed), and Sibmah, and {they renamed} the cities that they rebuilt. The descendants of Makir son of Manasseh went to Gilead, and they captured it and drove out the Amorites who [were] in it. So Moses gave Gilead to Makir son of Manasseh, and he lived in it. And Jair son of Manasseh went and captured their unwalled villages, and he called them Havvoth Jair. Nobah went and captured Kenath and its villages, and he called it Nobah after his [own] name.
Where [can] we go up? Our brothers have {made our hearts melt}, {saying}, "The people are greater and taller than we are, [and there are] great fortified cities [reaching] up to heaven, and we saw the sons of the Anakites [living] there." '
And we captured all [of] his towns at that time; [there] was not a city that we did not take from them. All of these [were] fortified towns with high walls, gates, and bars, {apart from} very many [of] the villages of the open country.
"Hear, Israel, you [are] about to cross the Jordan today to go to dispossess nations larger and more numerous than you, great cities fortified {with high walls}, a great and tall people, the sons of [the] Anakites, whom you know and [of whom you] have heard [it said], 'Who could stand before the sons of Anak?'
When all the lords of the tower of Shechem heard, they went to the vault of the temple of El-Berith.
But there was a strong tower in the middle of the city, and all the men, women, and lords of the city fled there and shut themselves in; and they went up to the roof of the tower.
The king and his men went to Jerusalem, to the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land. They said to David, "You will not come here, for even the blind and the lame can turn you back, saying, 'David cannot come here.'" David captured the fortress of Zion, the city of David.
Moreover, concerning Jezebel, Yahweh has said, 'The dogs will eat Jezebel in the outer rampart of Jezreel.'
So the king of Assyria went up in all the land, then he went up [to] Samaria and besieged it [for] three years.
At the end of three years, he captured it in the sixth year of Hezekiah, that [is,] the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel; Samaria was captured.
And over the treasury rooms of the king [was] Azmaveth the son of Adiel. And over the treasuries in the country, in the cities, in the unwalled villages, and in the towers [was] Jonathan the son of Uzziah.
And Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem, and he built cities as strongholds in Judah. He built Bethlehem, Etah, Tekoa, read more. Beth-Zur, Socoh, Adullam, Gath, Mareshah, Ziph, Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah, Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron, fortified cities that [are] in Judah and in Benjamin.
Then King Asa took all of Judah, and they carried away the stones of Ramah and its timber with which Baasha had been building, and he built Geba and Mizpah with them.
And he built towers in the desert and hewed many cisterns, for he had much livestock, both in the Shephelah and on the plain, [along with] farmers and vinedressers in the hills and in the fertile lands, for he loved the soil.
Then he strengthened himself and built up all the walls that were broken down, and raised towers upon [them] and another wall {outside}. And he strengthened the Millo of the city of David and made much weaponry and small shields.
Then Eliashib the high priest and his brothers the priests arose and rebuilt the Sheep Gate. They consecrated it and erected its doors. They consecrated it up to the Tower of the Hundred and up to the Tower of Hananel.
Malkijah son of Harim and Hasshub son of Pahath-Moab repaired another section and the Tower of the Ovens.
After him the Tekoites repaired a second section of a wall opposite the projecting tower that goes out as far as the wall of Ophel.
"Look, days [are] coming," {declares} Yahweh, "and the city will be rebuilt for Yahweh, from the Tower of Hananel [to] the Corner Gate.
"Look, days [are] coming," {declares} Yahweh, "and the city will be rebuilt for Yahweh, from the Tower of Hananel [to] the Corner Gate.
All the land will be transformed into a desert plateau from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem. But it will rise up high and it will stay in its place from the Gate of Benjamin to the place of [the] former gate, up to the Corner Gate and from the Tower of Hananel to the king's winepresses.
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
Abimelech fought against the city all that day, and he captured the city and killed the people that [were] in it; then he broke down the city and sowed it [with] salt.
Then he strengthened himself and built up all the walls that were broken down, and raised towers upon [them] and another wall {outside}. And he strengthened the Millo of the city of David and made much weaponry and small shields.