25 Bible Verses about Sieges

Now when the city of Jerusalem was taken - for in the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth Month, came Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon and all his Host, and besieged Jerusalem,

and took it the same day, and smote it with the edge of the sword and all the souls that were therein: and utterly destroyed them the same day, according to all that he did to Lachish.

And that same day Joshua took Makkedah, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and the king thereof also, and utterly destroyed them and all the souls that were therein, and let nought remain. And he did to the king of Makkedah, as he did to the king of Jericho.

And the LORD delivered it also into their hands, with the king also, and smote it with the edge of the sword and all the souls that were therein, and let nought remain in it, and did unto the king thereof as he did unto the king of Jericho.

And the LORD delivered, into the hands of Israel, Lachish; that they took it the second day, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls that were therein, according to all that he did to Libnah.

Then said Eliakim the son of Hilkiah and Shebnah and Joah, to Rabshakeh, "Speak, we pray thee, to thy servants in the Syrians' language, for we understand it: and talk not with us in the Jews' tongue, in the ears of the people that are on the walls."

if he begin to fume and say unto thee, 'Wherefore approached ye so nigh unto the city to fight? Wist ye not that men would hurl and shoot from the walls? Who smote Abimelech son of Jerubbosheth? Did not a woman cast a piece of a millstone upon him from off the walls, that he died in Thebes? Why then went ye nigh the walls?" Then say thou, 'Thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.'"

And they cried with a loud voice in the Jewish language, unto the people of Jerusalem that were on the walls, to fear them and to dismay them, that they might have taken the city.

and called to the king. And there came out to them, Eliakim the son of Hilkiah steward of household, and Shebnah the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph, the recorder.

And he sent messengers to Ahab king of Israel into the city, and said unto him, "Thus sayeth Benhadad, 'Thy silver and thy gold is mine, and the best of thy wives, and the best of thy children be mine.'"

Thou wilt haply speak a light word, that thou hast counsel and power to make war. On whom then dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against me?

Whoso is far off, shall die of the pestilence; he that is nigh at hand shall perish with the sword; and the others that are besieged shall die of hunger. Thus will I satisfy my wrathful displeasure upon them.

And the ninth day of the fourth month of that year, there was so great hunger in the city, that there was no sustenance for the people of the land.

And as the king of Israel walked upon the walls, there cried a woman to him, saying, "Help, my lord king." And he said, "Nay, the LORD help thee. But wherewith should I help thee, with corn or wine?" Then said the king to her, "What aileth thee?" And she answered, "This woman here said to me, 'Bring thy son and let us eat him today, and we will eat mine tomorrow.' read more.
And so we dressed my son and did eat him. And I said to her another day, 'Bring thy son that we may eat him.' But she hath hid her son."

And Benhadad, king of Syria, gathered all his host together - and thirty two kings with him, with horse and chariot - and went up and besieged Samaria and warred against it.

And then the king of Assyria came throughout all the land, and came to Samaria and besieged it three years.

After this, Benhadad king of Syria gathered all the Host, and went and besieged Samaria.

And he went to lustily and built up the wall where it was broken, and made towers above upon, and yet another wall without, and repaired Millo the city of David, and made many darts and shields.

There shall ye see the rifts in the walls of the city of David, whereof there shall be many. Ye shall gather together the waters of the lower pool, and number the houses of Jerusalem, and break of some of them to make the wall strong.

Now therefore gather the rest of the people together, and come and besiege the city and take it: lest if I take it, the victory be ascribed to me."

After these deeds and truth, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and entered into Judah, and pitched against the strong cities, and thought to draw them to him.

And it came to pass in the beginning of a new year, in the times when kings are wont to go forth to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him and all Israel. And they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem.

And as Joab fought against Rabbah, the city of the children of Ammon, he took the king's Tower, and sent messengers to David, saying, "I have made assault to Rabbah, and also have taken the castle from whence they had their water. Now therefore gather the rest of the people together, and come and besiege the city and take it: lest if I take it, the victory be ascribed to me." read more.
And David gathered all the people together, and went to Rabbah and assaulted it and gat it.

In his time came the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, to Jerusalem and the city was besieged.

Therefore, in the ninth year of his reign, the tenth day of the tenth month, came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon with all his power to Jerusalem: and pitched against the town and made engines against it on every side. And the city continued besieged until the eleventh year of king Zedekiah.

and will smite them, that dwell in this city, yea both man and cattle shall die of the pestilence.

Behold, there are bulwarks made now against the city, to take it: and it shall be won of the Chaldeans that besiege it with sword, with hunger and death. And look, what thou hast spoken, that same shall come upon them. For lo, all things are present unto thee:

And on the morrow Saul put the people in three parts. And they came in upon the host in the morning watch, and slew the Ammonites, until the heat of the day. And they that remained, scattered: so that two of them were not left together.

And so David and his men went to Keilah and fought with the Philistines, and drave away their cattle and slew a great slaughter of them. And so David saved the inhabiters of Keilah.

And David gathered all the people together, and went to Rabbah and assaulted it and gat it.

and took it the same day, and smote it with the edge of the sword and all the souls that were therein: and utterly destroyed them the same day, according to all that he did to Lachish.

And he said unto Jehoshaphat, "Wilt thou go with me to battle, to Ramoth in Gilead?" And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, "I will be as thou art, and my people shall be as thine, and my horses as thine."

And so the king of Israel, and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth in Gilead.

Then Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai which is beside Bethaven, on the east side of Bethel, and spake unto them, saying, "Get you up and view the country." And the men went up and spied out Ai, and returned unto Joshua and said unto him, "Let not all the people go up, but let as it were a two or three thousand men go up and destroy Ai, and make not all the people to labour thither, for they are but few." And so there went up thither about a three thousand men, which fled before the men of Ai.

And the LORD said unto Joshua, "Fear not, nor dread: but take all the men of war with thee, and up and get thee to Ai. Behold, I have given into thy hand, the king of Ai, and his people, his city and his land. And thou shalt do to Ai and her king, as thou didst unto Jericho and her king. Nevertheless the spoil and cattle thereof, ye shall take unto yourselves. But lay a watch unto the town on the backside thereof." And then Joshua arose and all the men of war, to go up unto Ai. And Joshua chose out thirty thousand men of war, and sent them by night. read more.
And he commanded them, saying, "See that ye lie await unto the town on the backside thereof. Go not very far from the city, and see that ye be all ready. And I and all the people that are with me, will approach unto the city. And when they come out against us, as at the first time, then will we flee before them. And they will come out after us, until we have plucked them away from the city. For they will say, 'They flee before us, as at the first time': for we will flee before them. Then shall ye rise up from lying await and destroy the city: For the LORD your God will deliver it into your hands. As soon, therefore, as ye have taken the city, see that ye set it on fire. According to the commandment of the LORD see that ye do: behold, I have charged you." And Joshua sent them forth, and they went to lie await, and lay between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of Ai. But Joshua lodged that night among the people. And he rose up early in the morning and numbered the people and went up, both he and the elders of Israel before the people, unto Ai. And all the men of war that were with him, went up and drew nigh, and came before the city, and pitched on the north side of Ai, a valley being between them and Ai, and he took upon a five thousand men and put them to lie await, between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of the city. And he put the people, even all the host, on the north side of the city, and the lyers-await on the west. And Joshua went the same night into the midst of the valley. And when the king of Ai saw that they hasted and rose up early, then the people of the city went out against Israel, to battle, both the king and all his people, at a time appointed, even before the plain, and wist not that there were lyers-await on the backside of the city. And Joshua and Israel were put to the worse before them, and fled toward the wilderness. And all the people of the town cried to follow after them. And they followed after Joshua till they were drawn away from the city: So that there was not a man left in Ai, or in Bethel, that went not out after Israel. And they left the city open and followed after Israel. Then the LORD said unto Joshua, "Stretch out the spear that is in thine hand toward Ai, for I have given thee it." And Joshua stretched out the spear that was in his hand, toward the city. And the lyers-await rose quickly out of their places, and ran, as soon as Joshua had stretched out his hand, and they entered into the city, and took it, and hasted and set it on fire.

His slings and battle-rams shall he prepare for thy walls, and with his weapons break down thy towers.

how it is besieged, how bulwarks and strong ditches are graven on every side of it. Describe also the tents, and a host of men round about it.

Thy daughters that are in the land shall he slay with the sword: but against thee, he shall make bulwarks and grave up ditches about thee, and lift up his shield against thee.

how it is besieged, how bulwarks and strong ditches are graven on every side of it. Describe also the tents, and a host of men round about it.

And Abimelech rose up, and all the people that were with him, by night. And they laid await to the city in four companies.

And then Abimelech fought against the city all that day, and took it, and slew the people that were therein, and destroyed the city and sowed salt in the place.

And he sent thither horse and chariots and a great Host. And they came thither by night and compassed the town about.

"And when ye see Jerusalem besieged with a host, then understand that the desolation of the same is nigh.

When thou hast besieged a city long time in making war against it to take it, destroy not the trees thereof, that thou wouldest thrust an axe unto them. For thou mayest eat of them, and therefore destroy them not. For the trees of the fields are no men that they might come against thee to besiege thee. Neverthelater those trees which thou knowest that men eat not of them, thou mayest destroy and cut them down and make bulwarks against the city that maketh war with thee, until it be overthrown.

he took counsel with his captains and men of might, to stop the water of the fountains that were without the city - and they were content to help him. And so there gathered much people together and stopped all the wells, and the brook that ran through the midst of the land; intending that the kings of Assyria should not find much water when they came.

And he set Captains of war over the people and gathered them together unto the large street of the gate of the city and spake gently to them, saying, "Pluck up your hearts and be strong: Be not afraid or in any wise discouraged for dread of the king of Assyria, and of the great multitude that is with him: for there is one greater with us than with him. With him is an arm of flesh: But with us is the LORD our God for to help us and to fight our battles!" And the people were well couraged with the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.

These things shall come upon her at the last: they shall break into her privy chambers, they shall leave her as bare as stones that be laid together upon heaps. They shall so destroy her that nothing shall be left. They shall slay all her mighty soldiers, and put them to death. Woe be unto them, for the day and the time of their visitation is at hand.

And he shall keep thee in all thy cities, until thy high and strong walls be come down wherein thou trustedest, through all thy land. And he shall besiege thee in all thy cities throughout all thy land which the LORD thy God hath given thee.

After that, Joshua departed from Libnah, and all Israel with him, unto Lachish, and besieged it, and assaulted it. And the LORD delivered, into the hands of Israel, Lachish; that they took it the second day, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls that were therein, according to all that he did to Libnah.

But yer David and his men were come to Ziklag the third day, the Amalekites had run in a running upon the south and upon Ziklag, and had smitten Ziklag and burnt it with fire, and had taken the women that were therein prisoners, both small and great: but slew not a man, save carried them with them and went their ways.

Then Joshua went from Makkedah, and all Israel with him unto Libnah, and fought against Libnah. And the LORD delivered it also into their hands, with the king also, and smote it with the edge of the sword and all the souls that were therein, and let nought remain in it, and did unto the king thereof as he did unto the king of Jericho.

And from Lachish, Joshua departed unto Eglon, and all Israel with him, and there besieged it, and assaulted it, and took it the same day, and smote it with the edge of the sword and all the souls that were therein: and utterly destroyed them the same day, according to all that he did to Lachish.

Then Joshua returned and all Israel with him to Debir, and they fought against it, and took it, and the king thereof and all the towns that pertained thereto. And smote them with the edge of the sword, and utterly destroyed all the souls that were therein, and let nought remain. And as he did to Hebron, so he did to Debir, and the king thereof, and as he did to Libnah and her king.

Then Joshua departed up from Eglon and all Israel with him, unto Hebron. And they fought against it, and took it, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and the king thereof, and all the towns that pertained to it, and all the souls that were therein, so that they left nought remaining: but in all things as they did to Eglon, so they destroyed it utterly, and all the souls that were therein.

Then Nahash the Ammonite came and besieged Jabesh in Gilead. And all the people of Jabesh said unto Nahash, "Make a covenant with us and we will be thy servants." And Nahash the Ammonite said, "Hereto will I make a covenant with you: even to thrust out all your right eyes, that I may bring that shame upon all Israel." Then said the elders of Jabesh, "Give us seven days respite that we may send messengers unto all the coasts of Israel. And then if there come no man to help us, we will come out to thee."

Set up tokens upon the walls of Babylon, make your watch strong, set your watchmen in array, yea hold privy watches: and yet for all that shall the LORD go forth with the device, which he hath taken upon them that dwell in Babylon.

And he took his people and divided them into three companies and lay await in the fields. And when he saw that the people were come out of the city, he ran upon them and laid upon them. And Abimelech, and the companies that were with him, ran and stood in the entering of the gate of the city. And the two other companies ran upon all the people that were in the fields and slew them.

The unity of brethren is stronger than a castle, and they that hold together are like the bar of a palace.

Now therefore gather the rest of the people together, and come and besiege the city and take it: lest if I take it, the victory be ascribed to me."

In the days of Pekah king of Israel, came Tiglathpileser, king of Assyria, and took Ijon, Abelbethmaacah, Janoah, Kadesh, Hazor, Gilead, Galilee, and all the land of Naphtali, and carried them away to Assyria.

The fourteenth year of king Hezekiah came Sennacherib king of Assyria against all the strong cities of Judah and took them.

Then Nahash the Ammonite came and besieged Jabesh in Gilead. And all the people of Jabesh said unto Nahash,

The twenty seventh year of Asa king of Judah, Zimri reigned seven days in Tirzah, the people besieging Gibbethon a city of the Philistines.

And Omri departed from Gibbethon and all Israel with him, and besieged Tirzah.

Then men told David, saying, "Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and spoil the barns."

And the LORD said unto Joshua, "Behold, I have given into thine hand, Jericho and her king and the men of war. And ye shall compass the city, all that be men of war, and go round about it once: and so shall you do six days. And seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark. And the seventh day, ye shall compass the city seven times and the priests shall blow with their trumpets. read more.
And when there is a long blast blown with the ram's horn, as soon as ye hear the sound of the horn, let all the people shout a mighty shout. And then shall the walls of the city fall down, and the people shall ascend up, every man straight before him." And Joshua the son of Nun called unto the priests, and said unto them, "Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the LORD." And he said unto the people, "Go and compass the city: And let the men of arms go before the ark of the LORD." And when Joshua had spoken unto the people, the seven priests that bare the seven trumpets of rams horns before the ark of the LORD went forth and blew with the horns, and the ark of the covenant of the LORD followed after them. And the men of arms went before the priests that blew with the horns, and the common people came after the ark: and as they went, they blew with the horns. And Joshua commanded the people, saying, "Shout not nor let your voice be heard, or any word proceed out of your mouths, until the day I bid you shout: and then shout." And so the ark of the LORD compassed the city and went about it once: and then they returned unto the host and lodged there. And Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the LORD, and seven priests bare seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the LORD, and as they went, blew with the horns. And the men of arms went before them, and the common people came after the ark of the LORD: and as they went, they blew with the horns. And the second day they compassed the city once, and returned again into the host, and so they did six days long. And the seventh day they rose early: even with the dawning of the day, and compassed the city after the same manner seven times: only that they compassed the city seven times. And at the seventh time, the priests blew with the horns, and Joshua said unto the people, "Shout! For the LORD hath given you the city. But the city shall be excommunicate, both it and all that is therein, unto the LORD: only Rahab the harlot shall live, both she and all that is with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent. And in any wise beware of the excommunicate things, lest ye make yourselves excommunicate. For if you take of the excommunicate things, so shall you make the host of Israel excommunicate and shall trouble it. But all the silver, gold, vessels of brass and iron shall be holy unto the LORD and shall go into his treasury." And the people cried, and blew with horns: for when the people heard the sound of the horns, they shouted a great shout. And the walls fell down, and the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and took the city.

Wherefore thus sayeth the LORD, of the king of Assyria: He shall not come to this city, nor shoot arrow into it, nor come before with shield nor cast any bank against it -

These shall come upon thee with horses, chariots, and a great multitude of people: which shall be harnessed about thee on every side, with breastplates, shields and helmets. I will punish thee before them; yea, they themselves shall punish thee according to their own judgment.

I have digged and drunk strange waters, and with the soles of my feet have I dried up the sea!'

"O thou son of man, Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon hath made his host, with great travail and labour to come before Tyre: that every head may be bald, and every shoulder bare. Yet hath Tyre given neither him nor his host any reward, for the great travail that he hath taken there.

I will send also into Babylon fanners, to fan her out, and to destroy her land: for in the day of her trouble they shall be about her on every side.

"For lo, I will make up a host of people from the northern land, and bring them upon Babylon: these shall lay siege to it, and win it. Their arrows shall not miss, like as a cunning archer shooteth not wrong.

The fourteenth year of king Hezekiah came Sennacherib king of Assyria against all the strong cities of Judah and took them.

And that same day Joshua took Makkedah, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and the king thereof also, and utterly destroyed them and all the souls that were therein, and let nought remain. And he did to the king of Makkedah, as he did to the king of Jericho.

Therefore, in the ninth year of his reign, the tenth day of the tenth month, came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon with all his power to Jerusalem: and pitched against the town and made engines against it on every side.

And then the king of Assyria came throughout all the land, and came to Samaria and besieged it three years.

Then went Abimelech to Thebez and besieged it and took it.

And Abimelech rose up, and all the people that were with him, by night. And they laid await to the city in four companies.

Thou hast fashioned me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.

And the lyers-await rose quickly out of their places, and ran, as soon as Joshua had stretched out his hand, and they entered into the city, and took it, and hasted and set it on fire.

And then Abimelech fought against the city all that day, and took it, and slew the people that were therein, and destroyed the city and sowed salt in the place.

And then Abimelech fought against the city all that day, and took it, and slew the people that were therein, and destroyed the city and sowed salt in the place.

Draw water now against thou be besieged, make up thy strongholds, go into the clay, temper the mortar, make strong brick:

And Jericho shut in her people, and was shut for fear of the children of Israel, so that no man went out or in.

For the days shall come upon thee; that thy enemies shall cast a bank about thee, and compass thee round and keep thee in on every side;

Moreover the daughter of Zion is left alone like a cottage in a vineyard, like a watch house in time of war, like a besieged city.

After that shalt thou be robbed thyself, O thou robber's daughter: they shall lay siege against us, and smite the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek.

They skipped up upon the hills, as it were the sound of chariots; as the flame of fire that consumeth the straw, and as a mighty people ready to the battle.