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
The people who live there are strong. The cities have walls and are very large. We even saw the descendants of Anak there.
Then we will be ready to march in battle formation ahead of the other Israelites until we have brought them to their land. Meanwhile our families will live in walled cities. They will be safe from the other people who live here.
The tribe of Gad rebuilt the cities of Dibon, Ataroth, Aroer, Atroth Shophan, Jazer, Jogbehah, read more. Beth Nimrah, and Beth Haran as walled cities. They also built stone fences for their flocks. The tribe of Reuben rebuilt the cities of Heshbon, Elealeh, Kiriathaim, Nebo, Baal Meon whose names were changed, and Sibmah. These are the names they gave the cities they rebuilt. The descendants of Machir son of Manasseh went to Gilead. They captured it and forced out the Amorites who were there. So Moses gave Gilead to the people of Machir the descendants of Manasseh, and they lived there. Then Jair, a descendant of Manasseh, captured the settlements in Gilead. He called them Havvoth Jair. Nobah captured Kenath and its villages. He named it Nobah after himself.
Joshua took all the cities and all the kings and struck them with the edge of the sword. He utterly destroyed them. Just as Moses the servant of Jehovah commanded. Israel did not burn the cities that stood on their own mounds with the exception of Hazor, which Joshua burned.
Manasseh did not drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shean and her towns, nor Taanach and her towns, nor 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 wanted to live in that land. When Israel was strong they pressed the Canaanites into forced labor. They did not completely drive them out. read more. Neither did Ephraim drive out the Canaanites that lived in Gezer. But the Canaanites lived among them in Gezer. Neither did Zebulun drive out the inhabitants of Kitron, nor the inhabitants of Nahalol; but the Canaanites dwelt among them, and became forced laborers. 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: But the Asherites lived among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land: for they did not drive them out. Neither did Naphtali drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh, nor the inhabitants of Beth-anath; but he lived among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land: nevertheless the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh and of Beth-anath became forced laborers to them.
The people of Gaza discovered that Samson was there. They surrounded the place and waited for him all night long at the city gate. They were quiet all night, thinking: We will wait until daybreak and kill him. However Samson stayed in bed until midnight. He got up and took hold of the city gate and pulled it up, doors, posts, lock, and all. He put them on his shoulders and carried them far off to the top of the hill overlooking Hebron.
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.
These were all the commanders in charge of King David's property: for the royal treasuries, Azmaveth, son of Adiel for the goods in the fields, cities, villages, and watchtowers- Jonathan, son of Uzziah
Hezekiah worked hard. He rebuilt all the broken sections of the wall. He built the towers taller and built another wall outside the city wall. He strengthened the Millo in the City of David, and made plenty of weapons and shields.
I need a letter to Asaph, the keeper of the king's park, so that he may give me wood to make boards for the doors of the tower of the house, and for the wall of the town, and for the house which is to be mine. The king gave me this, for the hand of my God was on me.
The high priest Eliashib worked with his brother priest to rebuild the Sheep Gateway. They made it holy and put its doors in position. They sanctified everything as far as the tower of Hammeah including to the tower of Hananel.
The sons of Hassenaah were the builders of the fish doorway. They put its boards in place and put up its doors, with their locks and rods.
Joiada, the son of Paseah, and Meshullam, the son of Besodeiah, repaired the old doorway. They put its boards in place and put up its doors, with their locks and rods.
Over the Gate of Ephraim and by the old door and the fish door and the tower of Hananel and the tower of Hammeah, as far as the Sheep Gate: and at the doorway of the watchmen they came to a stop.
The time is coming, declares Jehovah, when the city will be rebuilt for me from the Tower of Hananel to Corner Gate.
All the land will be made like the Arabah, from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem. Jerusalem will be lifted up, and will dwell in her place, from Benjamin's gate to the place of the first gate, 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).
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The people who live there are strong. The cities have walls and are very large. We even saw the descendants of Anak there.
Then we will be ready to march in battle formation ahead of the other Israelites until we have brought them to their land. Meanwhile our families will live in walled cities. They will be safe from the other people who live here.
The tribe of Gad rebuilt the cities of Dibon, Ataroth, Aroer, Atroth Shophan, Jazer, Jogbehah, read more. Beth Nimrah, and Beth Haran as walled cities. They also built stone fences for their flocks. The tribe of Reuben rebuilt the cities of Heshbon, Elealeh, Kiriathaim, Nebo, Baal Meon whose names were changed, and Sibmah. These are the names they gave the cities they rebuilt. The descendants of Machir son of Manasseh went to Gilead. They captured it and forced out the Amorites who were there. So Moses gave Gilead to the people of Machir the descendants of Manasseh, and they lived there. Then Jair, a descendant of Manasseh, captured the settlements in Gilead. He called them Havvoth Jair. Nobah captured Kenath and its villages. He named it Nobah after himself.
Where can we go up? Our brothers caused us to lose heart. They said: The people are stronger and taller than we are. The cities are large and the walls go up to the sky. Moreover we have seen the sons of the Anakims there.'
We captured all his cities. Not one was missed. We captured a total of sixty cities in the territory of Argob, the kingdom of Og in Bashan. All of these cities were fortified with high walls and double-door gates with bars across the gates. We also captured a large number of unwalled villages.
Hear, O Israel, you are about to cross the Jordan River. You will force out nations that are larger and mightier than you, with big cities that have sky-high walls. Their people are tall and strong. They are descendants of Anakim. You know all about them. You also heard it said: Who can oppose the descendants of Anak?
When all the men in the fort at Shechem heard this, they sought safety in the stronghold of the temple of Baal-Berith.
There was a strong tower there. The men and women in the city, including the leaders, ran to it. They locked themselves in and went up to the roof.
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.
Concerning Jezebel, Jehovah says: Dogs will eat her body in the city of Jezreel.
Then the king of Assyria invaded the land and advanced to Samaria. He besieged the city for three years.
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.
These were all the commanders in charge of King David's property: for the royal treasuries, Azmaveth, son of Adiel for the goods in the fields, cities, villages, and watchtowers- Jonathan, son of Uzziah
Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem. He built fortified cities in Judah. He rebuilt Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa, read more. Beth Zur, Soco, Adullam, Gath, Mareshah, Ziph, Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah, Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron. These were fortified cities in Judah and Benjamin.
King Asa gathered men from throughout Judah and had them carry off the stones and timbers that Baasha had been using at Ramah. They used them to fortify the cities of Geba and Mizpah.
He also built fortified towers in the open country and dug many cisterns, because he had large herds of livestock in the western foothills and plains. Because he loved farming, he encouraged the people to plant vineyards in the hill country and to farm the fertile land.
Hezekiah worked hard. He rebuilt all the broken sections of the wall. He built the towers taller and built another wall outside the city wall. He strengthened the Millo in the City of David, and made plenty of weapons and shields.
The high priest Eliashib worked with his brother priest to rebuild the Sheep Gateway. They made it holy and put its doors in position. They sanctified everything as far as the tower of Hammeah including to the tower of Hananel.
Malchijah, the son of Harim, and Hasshub, the son of Pahath-moab, were working on another part, and the tower of the ovens.
After him the Tekoites were making good another part, opposite the great tower that comes out, and up to the wall of the Ophel.
The time is coming, declares Jehovah, when the city will be rebuilt for me from the Tower of Hananel to Corner Gate.
The time is coming, declares Jehovah, when the city will be rebuilt for me from the Tower of Hananel to Corner Gate.
All the land will be made like the Arabah, from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem. Jerusalem will be lifted up, and will dwell in her place, from Benjamin's gate to the place of the first gate, to the corner gate, and from the tower of Hananel to the king's winepresses.
Some in the crowd shouted one thing and some another. The commander could not find out the facts because of the uproar so he commanded him to be brought into the barracks.
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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The fighting lasted all day. Abimelech captured the city and killed its people. He tore down the city and covered the ground with salt.
Hezekiah worked hard. He rebuilt all the broken sections of the wall. He built the towers taller and built another wall outside the city wall. He strengthened the Millo in the City of David, and made plenty of weapons and shields.
The time is coming, declares Jehovah, when the city will be rebuilt for me from the Tower of Hananel to Corner Gate.