Lexicon :: Strong's H4013 - miḇṣār

“Is the land they live in good or bad? Are the cities they live in encampments or fortifications?

“But we will arm ourselves and be ready to go ahead of the Israelites until we have brought them into their place. Meanwhile, our dependents will remain in the fortified cities because of the inhabitants of the land.

Beth-nimrah, and Beth-haran as fortified cities, and built sheep pens.

So Joshua and the Israelites finished inflicting a terrible slaughter on them until they were destroyed, although a few survivors ran away to the fortified cities.

The boundary then turned to Ramah as far as the fortified city of Tyre; it turned back to Hosah and ended at the Mediterranean Sea, including Mahalab, Achzib,[fn]

The fortified cities were Ziddim, Zer, Hammath, Rakkath, Chinnereth,

The number of gold mice also corresponded to the number of Philistine cities of the five rulers, the fortified cities and the outlying villages. The large rock[fn] on which the ark of the LORD was placed is still in the field of Joshua of Beth-shemesh today.

They went to the fortress of Tyre and all the cities of the Hivites and Canaanites. Afterward, they went to the Negev of Judah at Beer-sheba.

“Then you will attack every fortified city and every choice city. You will cut down every good tree and stop up every spring. You will ruin every good piece of land with stones.”

and Hazael asked, “Why is my lord weeping? ”

He replied, “Because I know the evil you will do to the people of Israel. You will set their fortresses on fire. You will kill their young men with the sword. You will dash their children to pieces. You will rip open their pregnant women.”

Your master’s sons are with you, and you have chariots, horses, a fortified city, and weaponry, so when this letter arrives

The Israelites secretly did things[fn] against the LORD their God that were not right. They built high places in all their towns from watchtower to fortified city.

He defeated the Philistines as far as Gaza and its borders, from watchtower to fortified city.

These were the ones who served the king, besides those he stationed in the fortified cities throughout all Judah.

You have broken down all his walls;

you have reduced his fortified cities to ruins.

Who will bring me to the fortified city?

Who will lead me to Edom?

The fortress disappears from Ephraim,

and a kingdom from Damascus.

The remnant of Aram will be

like the splendor of the Israelites.

This is the declaration of the LORD of Armies.

The high-walled fortress will be brought down,

thrown to the ground, to the dust.

Her palaces will be overgrown with thorns;

her fortified cities, with thistles and briers.

She will become a dwelling for jackals,

an abode[fn] for ostriches.

“Today, I am the one who has made you a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls against the whole land ​— ​against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests, and the population.

Declare in Judah, proclaim in Jerusalem, and say,

Blow the ram’s horn throughout the land.

Cry out loudly and say,

“Assemble yourselves,

and let’s flee to the fortified cities.”

They will consume your harvest and your food.

They will consume your sons and your daughters.

They will consume your flocks and your herds.

They will consume your vines and your fig trees.

With the sword they will destroy

your fortified cities in which you trust.

I have appointed you to be an assayer among my people —

a refiner[fn] —

so you may know and assay their way of life.

Why are we just sitting here?

Gather together; let’s enter the fortified cities

and perish there,[fn]

for the LORD our God has destroyed[fn] us.

He has given us poisoned water to drink,

because we have sinned against the LORD.

while the king of Babylon’s army was attacking Jerusalem and all of Judah’s remaining cities ​— ​that is, Lachish and Azekah, for they were the only ones left of Judah’s fortified cities.

Come down from glory; sit on parched ground,

resident of the daughter of Dibon,

for the destroyer of Moab has come against you;

he has destroyed your fortresses.

Without compassion the Lord has swallowed up

all the dwellings of Jacob.

In his wrath he has demolished

the fortified cities of Daughter Judah.

He brought them to the ground

and defiled the kingdom and its leaders.

The Lord is like an enemy;

he has swallowed up Israel.

He swallowed up all its palaces

and destroyed its fortified cities.

He has multiplied mourning and lamentation

within Daughter Judah.

“Then the king of the North will come, build up a siege ramp, and capture a well-fortified city. The forces of the South will not stand; even their select troops will not be able to resist.

“During a time of peace,[fn] he will come into the richest parts of the province and do what his fathers and predecessors never did. He will lavish plunder, loot, and wealth on his followers, and he will make plans against fortified cities, but only for a time.

“He will deal with the strongest fortresses with the help of a foreign god. He will greatly honor those who acknowledge him,[fn] making them rulers over many and distributing land as a reward.

the roar of battle will rise against your people,

and all your fortifications will be demolished

in a day of war,

like Shalman’s destruction of Beth-arbel.

Mothers will be dashed to pieces

along with their children.

He brings destruction[fn] on the strong,[fn]

and it falls on the fortress.

I will remove the cities of your land

and tear down all your fortresses.

All your fortresses are fig trees

with figs that ripened first;

when shaken, they fall —

right into the mouth of the eater!

Draw water for the siege;

strengthen your fortresses.

Step into the clay and tread the mortar;

take hold of the brick-mold!

They mock kings,

and rulers are a joke to them.

They laugh at every fortress

and build siege ramps to capture it.