In biblical times, the act of besieging a city or stronghold was a common military strategy employed by various nations and armies. A siege involved surrounding a city, cutting off its supplies, and waiting for the inhabitants to surrender due to starvation, thirst, or disease. This tactic is frequently mentioned in the Bible, illustrating both the physical and spiritual battles faced by the people of God.

Old Testament Instances

One of the earliest mentions of a siege is found in the account of the conquest of Jericho. In Joshua 6, the Israelites, under God's command, besieged the city by marching around it for seven days. On the seventh day, the walls of Jericho miraculously fell after the Israelites shouted and blew trumpets, demonstrating God's power and faithfulness to His promises.

Another significant siege is recorded in 2 Kings 6-7, where the city of Samaria was besieged by the Arameans. The siege led to a severe famine, causing desperate conditions within the city. However, God intervened by causing the Aramean army to hear the sound of a great army, leading them to flee and leave behind their supplies, thus delivering Samaria from starvation.

The siege of Jerusalem by the Babylonians is a pivotal event in biblical history. In 2 Kings 25, the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem, leading to its eventual fall and the exile of the Jewish people. This event was a fulfillment of prophetic warnings given by prophets like Jeremiah, who called the people to repentance and warned of the consequences of their disobedience to God.

New Testament Context

While the New Testament does not focus on physical sieges in the same manner as the Old Testament, the concept of spiritual warfare and the siege of the soul is evident. Believers are encouraged to stand firm against spiritual attacks and to put on the full armor of God, as described in Ephesians 6:10-18. This passage emphasizes the need for spiritual vigilance and reliance on God's strength to withstand the enemy's schemes.

Spiritual Significance

The imagery of a siege in the Bible often serves as a metaphor for spiritual battles and the need for reliance on God's power and protection. Just as ancient cities relied on their fortifications and provisions during a siege, believers are called to rely on their faith and the Word of God to withstand spiritual sieges.

In Psalm 31:21, David praises God for His protection during times of distress, saying, "Blessed be the LORD, for He has shown me His loving devotion in a city under siege." This verse highlights the assurance of God's presence and deliverance even in the most challenging circumstances.

Conclusion

The concept of besieging in the Bible underscores the reality of both physical and spiritual conflicts faced by God's people. Through these accounts, believers are reminded of the importance of faith, obedience, and reliance on God's power to overcome adversities and to stand firm in the face of spiritual sieges.6887a. tsarar -- to bind, tie up, be restricted, narrow, scant, or ...
... root Definition to bind, tie up, be restricted, narrow, scant, or cramped NASB Word
Usage afflicted (1), besiege (3), besieges (1), bind (1), binds (1), bound ...
/hebrew/6887a.htm - 6k

Antigonus Besieges those that were in Masada, whom Herod Frees ...
... Antigonus Besieges Those That Were In Masada, Whom Herod Frees From Confinement
When He Came Back From Rome, And Presently Marches To Jerusalem Where He Finds ...
/.../chapter 15 antigonus besieges those.htm

The Wars of the Jews or History of the Destruction of Jerusalem
... Antigonus Besieges Those That Were In Masada, Whom Herod Frees From Confinement
When He Came Back From Rome, And Presently Marches To Jerusalem Where He Finds ...
/.../josephus/the wars of the jews or history of the destruction of jerusalem/

Of Repentance, in the Case of Such as have Lapsed after Baptism.
... He grieves that that sinner, (now) Christ's servant, is destined to judge him and
his angels. [8485] And so he observes, assaults, besieges him, in the hope ...
/.../tertullian/on repentance/chapter vii of repentance in the.htm

The Conquest of Lydia.
... Cyrus opposes them to the cavalry."The battle fought."Cyrus victorious."Situation
of Sardis."Its walls."An ancient legend."Cyrus besieges the city ...
//christianbookshelf.org/abbott/cyrus the great/chapter vii the conquest of.htm

The Death of Joseph [Herod's Brother] which had Been Signified to ...
... Off The Head Of Pappus, Who Was The Murderer Of His Brother And Sends That Head
To [His Other Brother] Pheroras, And In No Long Time He Besieges Jerusalem And ...
/.../chapter 17 the death of.htm

General Index to Sozomen's Ecclesiastical History.
... luxury of Romans, [2494]204; made a general through influence of Stilicho,
[2495]415, [2496]421; plots with Stilicho, [2497]415, [2498]421; besieges Rome, [ ...
/.../general index to sozomens ecclesiastical.htm

The Springs of Social Life.
... Think how many such abodes there are this very night, which winter besieges with
all his terrors, and into which he sends his invading frost! ...
/.../chapin/humanity in the city/discourse v the springs of.htm

The Battle of Armageddon.
... He besieges Jerusalem and captures it""Behold, the day of the Lord cometh,
and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/pink/the redeemers return/6 the battle of armageddon.htm

The Voice of Job.
... He simply holds on to the skirt of God's garment"besieges his door"keeps putting
his question again and again, ever haunting the one source of true answer ...
//christianbookshelf.org/macdonald/unspoken sermons/the voice of job.htm

Verse the Seventeenth
... is said to inhabit." And this is one of his subsequent remarks: "When, in this manner,
sin resides in us, it completely and more powerfully besieges us and ...
/.../arminius/the works of james arminius vol 2/verse the seventeenth.htm

Besieges (1 Occurrence)
... Multi-Version Concordance Besieges (1 Occurrence). 1 Kings 8:37 "If there
is famine in the land, if there is pestilence, if there ...
/b/besieges.htm - 6k

Besieging (9 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Besiege. 2. (a.) That besieges;
laying siege to. Multi-Version Concordance Besieging (9 Occurrences). ...
/b/besieging.htm - 9k

Grasshopper (12 Occurrences)
... 1 Kings 8:37 "If there is famine in the land, if there is pestilence, if there is
blight, mildew, locust or caterpillar; if their enemy besieges them in the ...
/g/grasshopper.htm - 12k

Grasshoppers (11 Occurrences)
... 1 Kings 8:37 "If there is famine in the land, if there is pestilence, if there is
blight, mildew, locust or caterpillar; if their enemy besieges them in the ...
/g/grasshoppers.htm - 10k

Besiege (17 Occurrences)
... 1 Kings 8:37 "If there is famine in the land, if there is pestilence, if there is
blight, mildew, locust or caterpillar; if their enemy besieges them in the ...
/b/besiege.htm - 12k

Besiegers (1 Occurrence)

/b/besiegers.htm - 6k

Blight (5 Occurrences)
... 1 Kings 8:37 "If there is famine in the land, if there is pestilence, if there is
blight, mildew, locust or caterpillar; if their enemy besieges them in the ...
/b/blight.htm - 9k

Caterpillar (6 Occurrences)
... 1 Kings 8:37 "If there is famine in the land, if there is pestilence, if there is
blight, mildew, locust or caterpillar; if their enemy besieges them in the ...
/c/caterpillar.htm - 10k

Mildew (26 Occurrences)
... 1 Kings 8:37 "If there is famine in the land, if there is pestilence, if there is
blight, mildew, locust or caterpillar; if their enemy besieges them in the ...
/m/mildew.htm - 16k

Pestilence (57 Occurrences)
... 1 Kings 8:37 "If there is famine in the land, if there is pestilence, if there is
blight, mildew, locust or caterpillar; if their enemy besieges them in the ...
/p/pestilence.htm - 31k

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