Topical Bible: Fortresses

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Topical Encyclopedia

In the biblical context, fortresses are often depicted as strongholds or places of defense and protection. They serve both literal and metaphorical purposes throughout the Scriptures, symbolizing physical security as well as spiritual refuge.

Old Testament References

Fortresses in the Old Testament are frequently associated with military defense and the protection of cities. The ancient Near Eastern cities often had fortified walls and towers to guard against enemy attacks. For instance, the city of Jericho is famously known for its formidable walls, which fell after the Israelites marched around them as described in Joshua 6.

The term "fortress" is also used metaphorically to describe God's protection over His people. In Psalm 18:2 , David declares, "The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer. My God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold." Here, the fortress symbolizes God's strength and the security He provides to those who trust in Him.

Similarly, in Psalm 46:7 , the psalmist proclaims, "The LORD of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress." This verse emphasizes the divine protection and presence of God as a refuge for His people amidst turmoil and danger.

New Testament References

While the New Testament does not focus on physical fortresses as much as the Old Testament, the concept of spiritual fortresses is evident. The Apostle Paul speaks of spiritual warfare and the need to demolish strongholds in 2 Corinthians 10:4 : "The weapons of our warfare are not the weapons of the world. Instead, they have divine power to demolish strongholds." Here, strongholds represent arguments, pretensions, and thoughts that oppose the knowledge of God, and believers are called to overcome them through divine power.

Symbolism and Spiritual Application

Fortresses in the Bible symbolize not only physical protection but also the spiritual security found in God. They represent the strength and refuge that God provides to His people. Believers are encouraged to seek God as their fortress, trusting in His power and protection against spiritual and physical adversities.

The imagery of God as a fortress is a recurring theme that underscores His reliability and steadfastness. In times of trouble, believers are reminded to turn to God, who is described as an unshakeable stronghold, offering safety and peace.

Conclusion

Throughout the Bible, fortresses serve as powerful symbols of protection, strength, and divine refuge. They remind believers of the security found in God and the spiritual fortitude required to stand firm against opposition.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

(n.) Plural of Fortress.

Greek

3794. ochuroma -- a stronghold, fortress
... 833).]. Word Origin from ochuroo (to fortify) Definition a stronghold,
fortress NASB Word Usage fortresses (1). stronghold. From ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3794.htm - 7k

Strong's Hebrew

1003a. biranith -- a fortress, fortified place
... 1003, 1003a. biranith. 1003b . a fortress, fortified place. Transliteration:
biranith Short Definition: fortresses. Word Origin ...
/hebrew/1003a.htm - 5k

4694. metsurah -- siegeworks, rampart
... Word Origin from tsur Definition siegeworks, rampart NASB Word Usage battle
towers (1), fortified (5), fortress (1), fortresses (1). ...
/hebrew/4694.htm - 6k

4013. mibtsar -- fortification
... NASB Word Usage besieged (1), fortifications (5), fortified (17), fortified cities
(1), fortified city (1), fortress (3), fortresses (1), strongest (1 ...
/hebrew/4013.htm - 6k

4526. misgereth -- border, rim, fastness
... Word Origin from sagar Definition border, rim, fastness NASB Word Usage borders
(8), fortresses (3), rim (6). border, close place, hole. ...
/hebrew/4526.htm - 6k

4581. maoz -- a place or means of safety, protection
... Word Origin from uz Definition a place or means of safety, protection NASB Word
Usage defense (4), fortress (4), fortresses (3), helmet (2), protection (2 ...
/hebrew/4581.htm - 6k

Library

Two Fortresses
... THE PROVERBS TWO FORTRESSES. ... I. Consider then, first, the two fortresses. One need
only name them side by side to feel the full force of the intended contrast. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/two fortresses.htm

The Lord Our Dwelling Place
... But there are other sorts of fortresses that are soft, and tender, and full of comfort;
and this psalm describes them. ... What blessed fortresses are these! ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/smith/the god of all comfort/chapter 8 the lord our.htm

Alexander
... The Son Of Aristobulus, Who Ran Away From Pompey, Makes An Expedition Against Hyrcanus;
But Being Overcome By Gabinius He Delivers Up The Fortresses To Him. ...
/.../chapter 8 alexander.htm

How Alexandra by Gaining the Good-Will of the Pharisees, Retained ...
... request, and if she had determined to prefer the Pharisees before them, they still
insisted that she would place them every one in her fortresses; for if some ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 16 how alexandra by.htm

Volume ii. , Part C. The First Theban Empire
... The principality of Heracleopolis: Achthoes-Khiti and the Heracleopolitan
dynasties"Supremacy of the great barons: the feudal fortresses, El-Kab and Abydos ...
/.../volume ii part c the.htm

Phasaelus is Too Hard for Felix; Herod Also Overcomes Antigonus in ...
... his ingratitude, both for what assistance he had afforded Maliehus, and for overlooking
Malichus's brother, when he possessed himself of the fortresses; for he ...
/.../chapter 12 phasaelus is too.htm

How Scaurus Made a League of Mutual Assistance with Aretas; and ...
... siege of the place, Alexander sent an embassage to him, desiring that he would pardon
his former offenses; he also delivered up the fortresses, Hyrcania and ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 5 how scaurus made.htm

Nisibene Hymns. Hymn i. O God of Mercies who Didst Refresh Noah ...
... 7. O Lord, gladden Thou in me the imprisoned ones of my fortresses, Thou
Who didst gladden those prisoners with the olive leaf! ...
/.../ephraim/hymns and homilies of ephraim the syrian/nisibene hymns hymn i o.htm

How Aristobulus and Hyrcanus came to Pompey in Order to Argue who ...
... And How Upon The Plight Of Aristobulus To The Fortress Alexandrium Pompey Led His
Army Against Him And Ordered Him To Deliver Up The Fortresses Whereof He Was ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 3 how aristobulus and.htm

Nahum's Doom of Nineveh
... enemy. All thy fortresses shall be like fig trees with the firstripe figs:
If they be shaken, They fall into the mouth of the eater. ...
/.../select masterpieces of biblical literature/xi nahums doom of nineveh.htm

Thesaurus

Fortresses (45 Occurrences)
...Fortresses (45 Occurrences). 2 Corinthians 10:4 The weapons with which we fight
are not human weapons, but are mighty for God in overthrowing strong fortresses. ...
/f/fortresses.htm - 19k

Strongholds (44 Occurrences)
... Isaiah 34:13 And thorns shall come up in her palaces, nettles and thistles in the
fortresses thereof; and it shall be a habitation of wild-dogs, an enclosure ...
/s/strongholds.htm - 19k

Fortifications (7 Occurrences)
... land 'is' in which it is dwelling, whether it 'is' good or bad; and what 'are' the
cities in which it is dwelling, whether in camps or in fortresses; (See NAS). ...
/f/fortifications.htm - 8k

Forts (12 Occurrences)
... (KJV WBS). Nahum 3:14 Waters of a siege draw for thyself, Strengthen thy fortresses,
Enter into mire, and tread on clay, Make strong a brick-kiln. (See RSV). ...
/f/forts.htm - 10k

Defenses (8 Occurrences)
... Amos 3:11 Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: "An adversary will overrun the land;
and he will pull down your strongholds, and your fortresses will be ...
/d/defenses.htm - 8k

Multiplieth (13 Occurrences)
... Lamentations 2:5 The Lord hath been as an enemy, He hath swallowed up Israel, He
hath swallowed up all her palaces, He hath destroyed His fortresses, And He ...
/m/multiplieth.htm - 10k

Mauzzim
... In Daniel 11:19 and 39, the word "Mauzzim" is simply translated "fortresses," and
the idea conveyed is that the mental obsession of fortresses is equivalent to ...
/m/mauzzim.htm - 7k

Citadels (15 Occurrences)
... Amos 3:11 Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: "An adversary will overrun the land;
and he will pull down your strongholds, and your fortresses will be ...
/c/citadels.htm - 9k

Fortification (5 Occurrences)
... The excavations recently made have disclosed the common features of Canaanite
fortresses-an outer wall, surrounding the entire area, 6 1/2 ft. ...
/f/fortification.htm - 40k

Palaces (37 Occurrences)
... Isaiah 34:13 Thorns will come up in its palaces, nettles and thistles in its fortresses;
and it will be a habitation of jackals, a court for ostriches. ...
/p/palaces.htm - 17k

Resources

Do we need to be aware of the spiritual battle that is taking place around us? | GotQuestions.org

Who is the king of the North in Daniel 11? | GotQuestions.org

Who is the king of the South in Daniel 11? | GotQuestions.org

Fortresses: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus

Concordance

Fortresses (45 Occurrences)

2 Corinthians 10:4
The weapons with which we fight are not human weapons, but are mighty for God in overthrowing strong fortresses.
(WEY NAS)

Numbers 13:19
and what the land 'is' in which it is dwelling, whether it 'is' good or bad; and what 'are' the cities in which it is dwelling, whether in camps or in fortresses;
(YLT)

1 Samuel 23:14
And David abideth in the wilderness, in fortresses, and abideth in the hill-country, in the wilderness of Ziph; and Saul seeketh him all the days, and God hath not given him into his hand.
(YLT)

1 Samuel 23:19
And the Ziphites go up unto Saul to Gibeah, saying, 'Is not David hiding himself with us in fortresses, in the forest, in the height of Hachilah, which 'is' on the south of the desolate place?
(YLT)

1 Samuel 23:29
And David goeth up thence, and abideth in fortresses 'at' En-gedi.
(YLT)

2 Samuel 22:46
The foreigners will fade away, and will come trembling out of their close places.
(See NAS)

2 Kings 8:12
And Hazael saith, 'Wherefore is my lord weeping?' and he saith, 'Because I have known the evil that thou dost to the sons of Israel -- their fenced places thou dost send into fire, and their young men with sword thou dost slay, and their sucklings thou dost dash to pieces, and their pregnant women thou dost rip up.'
(See RSV)

2 Chronicles 11:11
And he fortified the strongholds, and put captains in them, and store of victual, and oil and wine.
(See NAS RSV)

2 Chronicles 17:12
Jehoshaphat grew great exceedingly; and he built in Judah castles and cities of store.
(See NAS RSV)

2 Chronicles 27:4
Moreover he built cities in the hill-country of Judah, and in the forest he built castles and towers.
(See NAS)

Psalms 18:45
The foreigners shall fade away, and shall come trembling out of their close places.
(See NAS)

Isaiah 23:11
His hand is stretched out over the sea, the kingdoms are shaking: the Lord has given orders about Canaan, to make waste its strong places.
(See NIV)

Isaiah 23:13
Behold, the land of the Chaldeans--this is the people that was not, when Asshur founded it for shipmen--they set up their towers, they overthrew the palaces thereof; it is made a ruin.
(See NIV)

Isaiah 33:16
he shall dwell on high, the fortresses of the rocks shall be his high retreat; bread shall be given him, his water shall be sure.
(DBY RSV)

Isaiah 34:13
Thorns will come up in its palaces, nettles and thistles in its fortresses; and it will be a habitation of jackals, a court for ostriches.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT RSV)

Jeremiah 6:5
Up! let us go up by night, and send destruction on her great houses.
(See NIV)

Jeremiah 9:21
For death hath come up into our windows, It hath come into our palaces, To cut off the suckling from without, Young men from the broad places.
(See NIV)

Jeremiah 17:27
But if you will not listen to me to make the Sabbath day holy, and not to bear a burden and enter in at the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day; then will I kindle a fire in its gates, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be quenched.
(See NIV)

Jeremiah 34:7
and the forces of the king of Babylon are fighting against Jerusalem, and against all the cities of Judah that are left -- against Lachish, and against Azekah, for these have been left among the cities of Judah, cities of fortresses.
(YLT)

Jeremiah 49:27
I will kindle a fire in the wall of Damascus, and it shall devour the palaces of Ben Hadad.
(See NIV)

Jeremiah 51:30
The mighty men of Babylon have ceased to fight, they are sitting in the fortresses; their might hath failed, they are become as women: they have set her dwelling places on fire; her bars are broken.
(DBY)

Lamentations 2:5
The Lord hath been as an enemy, He hath swallowed up Israel, He hath swallowed up all her palaces, He hath destroyed His fortresses, And He multiplieth in the daughter of Judah Mourning and moaning.
(YLT)

Daniel 11:19
Then he shall turn his face toward the fortresses of his own land; but he shall stumble and fall, and shall not be found.
(WEB ASV DBY NAS RSV NIV)

Daniel 11:24
In time of security shall he come even upon the fattest places of the province; and he shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers fathers; he shall scatter among them prey, and spoil, and substance: yea, he shall devise his devices against the strongholds, even for a time.
(See JPS NIV)

Daniel 11:38
But in his place shall he honor the god of fortresses; and a god whom his fathers didn't know shall he honor with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things.
(WEB ASV DBY NAS RSV NIV)

Daniel 11:39
He shall deal with the strongest fortresses by the help of a foreign god: whoever acknowledges him he will increase with glory; and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for a price.
(WEB JPS ASV DBY YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Hosea 8:14
For Israel has forgotten his Maker and built palaces; and Judah has multiplied fortified cities; but I will send a fire on his cities, and it will devour its fortresses." Zechariah
(WEB NIV)

Hosea 10:14
Therefore a battle roar will arise among your people, and all your fortresses will be destroyed, as Shalman destroyed Beth Arbel in the day of battle. The mother was dashed in pieces with her children.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Hosea 11:6
The sword will fall on their cities, and will destroy the bars of their gates, and will put an end to their plans.
(See RSV)

Amos 1:4
but I will send a fire into the house of Hazael, and it will devour the palaces of Ben Hadad.
(See NIV)

Amos 1:7
but I will send a fire on the wall of Gaza, and it will devour its palaces.
(See NIV)

Amos 1:10
but I will send a fire on the wall of Tyre, and it will devour its palaces."
(See NIV)

Amos 1:12
but I will send a fire on Teman, and it will devour the palaces of Bozrah."
(See NIV)

Amos 1:14
But I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah, and it will devour its palaces, with shouting in the day of battle, with a storm in the day of the whirlwind;
(See NIV)

Amos 2:2
but I will send a fire on Moab, and it will devour the palaces of Kerioth; and Moab will die with tumult, with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet;
(See NIV)

Amos 2:5
But I will send a fire on Judah, and it will devour the palaces of Jerusalem."
(See NIV)

Amos 3:9
Proclaim in the palaces at Ashdod, and in the palaces in the land of Egypt, and say, "Assemble yourselves on the mountains of Samaria, and see what unrest is in her, and what oppression is among them."
(See NIV)

Amos 3:10
And they have not known to act straightforwardly, An affirmation of Jehovah, Who are treasuring up violence and spoil in their palaces.
(See NIV)

Amos 3:11
Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: "An adversary will overrun the land; and he will pull down your strongholds, and your fortresses will be plundered."
(WEB NIV)

Amos 6:8
"The Lord Yahweh has sworn by himself," says Yahweh, the God of Armies: "I abhor the pride of Jacob, and detest his fortresses. Therefore I will deliver up the city with all that is in it.
(WEB NIV)

Micah 5:5
He will be our peace when Assyria invades our land, and when he marches through our fortresses, then we will raise against him seven shepherds, and eight leaders of men.
(WEB NIV)

Micah 5:11
And I have cut off the cities of thy land, And I have thrown down all thy fortresses,
(YLT)

Micah 7:17
They will lick the dust like a serpent. Like crawling things of the earth they shall come trembling out of their dens. They will come with fear to Yahweh our God, and will be afraid because of you.
(See NAS)

Nahum 3:12
All your fortresses will be like fig trees with the first-ripe figs: if they are shaken, they fall into the mouth of the eater.
(WEB JPS ASV YLT RSV NIV)

Nahum 3:14
Draw water for the siege. Strengthen your fortresses. Go into the clay, and tread the mortar. Make the brick kiln strong.
(WEB JPS ASV DBY YLT)

Subtopics

Fortresses

Fortresses: Afforded Protection in Danger

Fortresses: Christ, the Defence of Saints

Fortresses: Defended Against Enemies

Fortresses: God's Protection

Fortresses: Often: Deserted

Fortresses: Often: Destruction of, Threatened

Fortresses: Often: Entered by the Enemy

Fortresses: Often: Levelled

Fortresses: Often: Spoiled

Fortresses: Places Fortified by Art