Reference: Fortification And Siegecraft
Hastings
At the date of the Hebrew invasion of Canaan its inhabitants were found to be in possession of 'cities great and fenced up to heaven' (De 9:1; cf. Nu 13:28; Jos 14:12), most of them, as is now known, with a history of many centuries behind them. The inhabited places, then as always, were of two classes, walled and unwalled (De 3:5), the latter comprising the country villages, the former the very numerous 'cities,' which though small in area were 'fenced,' i.e. fortified (the modern term everywhere adopted by Amer. RV), 'with high walls, gates, and bars.' In this article it is proposed to indicate the nature of the walls by which these cities were fenced in OT times, and of the fortresses or 'strong holds' so frequently mentioned in Hebrew history, and finally, to describe the methods of attack and defence adopted by the Hebrews and their contemporaries.
1. The earliest fortification yet discovered in Palestine is that erected, it may be, as far back as b.c. 4000 by the neolithic cave-dwellers of Gezer. This consisted of a simple bank of earth, between six and seven feet in height, the inside face of which is vertical, the outside sloping, and both cased with random stones (Quarterly Statement of the same, 1903, 113, with section plan 116; 1904, 200; for date see 1905, 29). A similar 'earth rampart' was found at Tell el-Hesy, the ancient Lachish.
The Semitic invaders, who appeared in Canaan about the middle of the third millennium, were able with their tools of bronze to carry the art of fortification far beyond this primitive stage. Their cities were planted for the most part on an outlying spur of a mountain range, or on a more or less isolated eminence or tell. In either case the steep rock-faces of nature's building may be said to have been the city's first line of defence. The walls, of crude brick or stone, with which art supplemented nature, followed the contours of the ridge, the rock itself being frequently cut away to form artificial scarps, on the top of which the city wall was built. Consequently the walls were not required to be of uniform height throughout the enceinte, being lowest where the rock scarp was steepest, and highest on that side of the city from which approach was easiest and attack most to be feared. In the latter case, as at Jerusalem, which was assailable only from the north, it was usual to strengthen the defences by a wide and deep trench. Where, on the other hand, the city was perched upon an elevated tell, as at Gezer, Lachish, and in the Sheph
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Nevertheless the people are strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there.
All these cities were fortified with high walls, gates, and bars; besides unwalled towns a great many.
Hear, O Israel: you are to pass over Jordan this day, to go in to possess nations greater and mightier than yourself, cities great and fortified up to heaven,
Only the trees which you know will not be trees for food, you shall destroy and cut them down; and you shall build bulwarks against the city that makes war with you, until it is subdued.
And Joshua rose up early in the morning, and numbered the people, and went up, he and the elders of Israel, before the people to Ai.
Now therefore give me this mountain, of which the LORD spoke in that day; for you heard in that day how the Anakim were there, and that the cities were great and fortified: if so be the LORD will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the LORD said.
And the house of Joseph sent to spy out Bethel. (Now the name of the city before was Luz.)
And it came to pass the next day, that the people went out into the field; and they told Abimelech.
And all the people likewise cut down every man his bough, and followed Abimelech, and put them against the stronghold, and set the stronghold on fire over them; so that all the men of the tower of Shechem died also, about a thousand men and women.
But there was a strong tower within the city, and there fled all the men and women, and all they of the city, and shut themselves in, and went up to the top of the tower. And Abimelech came unto the tower, and fought against it, and went near unto the door of the tower to burn it with fire.
Then went Samson to Gaza, and saw there a harlot, and went in unto her. And it was told the Gazites, saying, Samson has come here. And they surrounded the place, and laid wait for him all night in the gate of the city, and were quiet all the night, saying, In the morning, when it is day, we shall kill him. read more. And Samson lay till 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 a hill that is before Hebron.
And Jonathan gave his weapons unto his lad, and said unto him, Go, carry them to the city.
Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion: the same is the city of David.
So David dwelt in the fort, and called it the city of David. And David built all around from Millo inward.
And Joab fought against Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and took the royal city.
And David sat between the two gates: and the watchman went up to the roof over the gate unto the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold a man running alone.
And David sat between the two gates: and the watchman went up to the roof over the gate unto the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold a man running alone.
And David sat between the two gates: and the watchman went up to the roof over the gate unto the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold a man running alone.
And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for you, O Absalom, my son, my son!
And they came and besieged him in Abel of Beth-maachah, and they cast up a mound against the city, and it stood against the rampart: and all the people that were with Joab battered the wall, to throw it down.
And they came and besieged him in Abel of Beth-maachah, and they cast up a mound against the city, and it stood against the rampart: and all the people that were with Joab battered the wall, to throw it down.
And they came and besieged him in Abel of Beth-maachah, and they cast up a mound against the city, and it stood against the rampart: and all the people that were with Joab battered the wall, to throw it down.
The son of Geber, in Ramoth-gilead; to him belonged the towns of Jair the son of Manasseh, which are in Gilead; to him also belonged the region of Argob, which is in Bashan, threescore great cities with walls and bronze bars:
And this is the reason of the levy which king Solomon raised; to build the house of the LORD, and his own house, and Millo, and the wall of Jerusalem, and Hazor, and Megiddo, and Gezer.
And it came to pass, when Zimri saw that the city was taken, that he went into the palace of the king's house, and burned the king's house over him with fire, and he died,
And of Jezebel also spoke the LORD, saying, The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.
And there was a great famine in Samaria: and, behold, they besieged it, until a donkey's head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a kab of dove's dung for five pieces of silver.
And the king appointed the lord on whose hand he leaned to have the charge of the gate: and the people trod upon him in the gate, and he died, as the man of God had said, who spoke when the king came down to him.
And there stood a watchman on the tower in Jezreel, and he saw the company of Jehu as he came, and said, I see a company. And Joram said, Take a horseman, and send to meet them, and let him say, Is it peace?
And there stood a watchman on the tower in Jezreel, and he saw the company of Jehu as he came, and said, I see a company. And Joram said, Take a horseman, and send to meet them, and let him say, Is it peace?
And the children of Israel did secretly those things that were not right against the LORD their God, and they built them high places in all their cities, from the tower of the watchmen to the fortified city.
He struck the Philistines, even unto Gaza, and the borders thereof, from the tower of the watchmen to the fortified city.
Therefore thus says the LORD concerning the king of Assyria, He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shield, nor cast up a siege mound against it.
And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came, he, and all his army, against Jerusalem, and encamped against it; and they built a siege wall against it round about.
And the inhabitants of Jebus said to David, You shall not come here. Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion, which is the city of David. And David said, Whosoever smites the Jebusites first shall be chief and captain. So Joab the son of Zeruiah went first up, and was chief.
And he fortified the strongholds, and put captains in them, and store of food, and of oil and wine.
Moreover Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the corner gate, and at the valley gate, and at the turning of the wall, and fortified them.
And he made in Jerusalem devices, invented by skillful men, to be on the towers and upon the corners, to shoot arrows and great stones. And his name spread far abroad; for he was marvelously helped, till he was strong.
And he made in Jerusalem devices, invented by skillful men, to be on the towers and upon the corners, to shoot arrows and great stones. And his name spread far abroad; for he was marvelously helped, till he was strong.
Moreover he built cities in the mountains of Judah, and in the forests he built forts and towers.
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 fortress which pertains to the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the temple that I shall enter into. And the king so granted me, according to the good hand of my God upon me.
Now it came to pass, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had built the wall, and that there was no break left in it; (though at that time I had not set up the doors upon the gates;)
That I gave my brother Hanani, and Hananiah the ruler of the palace, charge over Jerusalem: for he was a faithful man, and feared God more than many.
A wise man scales the city of the mighty, and casts down the stronghold in which they trust.
In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks.
And for a spirit of justice to him that sits in judgment, and for strength to them that turn back the battle at the gate.
And I will encamp against you round about, and will lay siege against you with a mound, and I will raise siegeworks against you.
Therefore thus says the LORD concerning the king of Assyria, He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shields, nor cast up a siege mound against it.
Thus says the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have held, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the armor of kings, to open before him the two-leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut; I will go before you, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of bronze, and cut asunder the bars of iron:
And I will make your pinnacles of agates, and your gates of carbuncles, and all your walls of precious stones.
When the king of Babylon's army fought against Jerusalem, and against all the cities of Judah that were left, against Lachish, and against Azekah: for these fortified cities remained of the cities of Judah.
And lay siege against it, and build a siege wall against it, and cast up a mound against it; set camps also against it, and place battering rams against it round about.
And lay siege against it, and build a siege wall against it, and cast up a mound against it; set camps also against it, and place battering rams against it round about.
And lay siege against it, and build a siege wall against it, and cast up a mound against it; set camps also against it, and place battering rams against it round about.
Neither shall Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company help him in the war, by casting up siege mounds, and building walls, to cut off many persons:
At his right hand was the divination for Jerusalem, to appoint captains, to open the mouth in the slaughter, to lift up the voice with shouting, to set battering rams against the gates, to cast up a siege mound, and to build a wall.
He shall slay with the sword your daughters in the field: and he shall set up a siege wall against you, and cast a mound against you, and lift up a large shield against you. And he shall set battering rams against your walls, and with his axes he shall break down your towers.
And you shall go out through the breaches, every cow straight before her; and you shall cast them into the palace, says the LORD.
He shall recount his nobles: they shall stumble in their walk; they shall make haste to the wall, and the defense shall be prepared.
A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fortified cities, and against the high towers.
For the days shall come upon you, that your enemies shall cast a bank about you, and surround you, and hem you in on every side,
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 barracks.
The chief captain commanded him to be brought into the barracks, and bade that he should be examined by scourging; that he might know why they cried so against him.
Above all, taking the shield of faith, with which you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.