Thematic Bible: Difficulty of taking, alluded to

A brother offended is harder to win over than a fortified city,
And contentions [separating families] are like the bars of a castle.
Verse ConceptsCitadelsCastlesOffenceResentment, Against PeopleFamilyQuarrelsHatred Between RelativesLocks And BarsFriendsBest FriendsForgiving Others Who Hurt YouFriendship And TrustLosing A FriendLosing FriendsHurt And BetrayalProtecting Your FamilySibling Lovehelping

For I, behold, I have made you this day a fortified city and an iron pillar and bronze walls against the whole land -- "against the [successive] kings of Judah, against its princes, against its priests, and against the people of the land [giving you divine strength which no hostile power can overcome]. And they shall fight against you, but they shall not [finally] prevail against you, for I am with you, says the Lord, to deliver you.