Towers

From: The New Topical Textbook By: Reuben Archer Torrey

• 1 min. read • grade level: 12

Origin and antiquity of. Gen. 11:4⁴And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth. (Genesis 11:4).

WERE BUILT

In cities. Judg. 9:51⁵¹But there was a strong tower within the city, and thither fled all the men and women, and all they of the city, and shut it to them, and gat them up to the top of the tower. (Judges 9:51).

On the walls of cities. 2 Chr. 14:7⁷Therefore he said unto Judah, Let us build these cities, and make about them walls, and towers, gates, and bars, while the land is yet before us; because we have sought the Lord our God, we have sought him, and he hath given us rest on every side. So they built and prospered. (2 Chronicles 14:7). 2 Chr. 26:9⁹Moreover Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the corner gate, and at the valley gate, and at the turning of the wall, and fortified them. (2 Chronicles 26:9).

In the forests. 2 Chr. 27:4⁴Moreover he built cities in the mountains of Judah, and in the forests he built castles and towers. (2 Chronicles 27:4).

In the deserts. 2 Chr. 26:10¹⁰Also he built towers in the desert, and digged many wells: for he had much cattle, both in the low country, and in the plains: husbandmen also, and vine dressers in the mountains, and in Carmel: for he loved husbandry. (2 Chronicles 26:10).

In vineyards. Isa. 5:2²And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes. (Isaiah 5:2). Matt. 21:33³³Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country: (Matthew 21:33).

Frequently very high. Isa. 2:15¹⁵And upon every high tower, and upon every fenced wall, (Isaiah 2:15).

Fly strong and well fortified. Jud. 9:51, with 2 Chr. 26:9⁹Moreover Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the corner gate, and at the valley gate, and at the turning of the wall, and fortified them. (2 Chronicles 26:9).

Were used as armories. SoS. 4:4.

Were used as citadels in times of war. Judg. 9:51⁵¹But there was a strong tower within the city, and thither fled all the men and women, and all they of the city, and shut it to them, and gat them up to the top of the tower. (Judges 9:51). Ezek. 27:11¹¹The men of Arvad with thine army were upon thy walls round about, and the Gammadims were in thy towers: they hanged their shields upon thy walls round about; they have made thy beauty perfect. (Ezekiel 27:11).

Watchmen posted on, in times of danger. 2 Kin. 9:17. Hab. 2:1¹I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved. (Habakkuk 2:1).

MENTIONED IN SCRIPTURE;

Babel. Gen. 11:9⁹Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the Lord did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the Lord scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth. (Genesis 11:9).

Edar. Gen. 35:21²¹And Israel journeyed, and spread his tent beyond the tower of Edar. (Genesis 35:21).

Fennel. Judg. 8:17¹⁷And he beat down the tower of Penuel, and slew the men of the city. (Judges 8:17).

Shechem. Judg. 9:46⁴⁶And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard that, they entered into an hold of the house of the god Berith. (Judges 9:46).

Thebez. Judg. 9:50, 51⁵⁰Then went Abimelech to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez, and took it. ⁵¹But there was a strong tower within the city, and thither fled all the men and women, and all they of the city, and shut it to them, and gat them up to the top of the tower. (Judges 9:50‑51).

David. SoS. 4:4.

Lebanon. SoS. 7:4.

Of the furnaces. Neh. 3:11¹¹Malchijah the son of Harim, and Hashub the son of Pahath-moab, repaired the other piece, and the tower of the furnaces. (Nehemiah 3:11).

Meah. Neh. 12:39³⁹And from above the gate of Ephraim, and above the old gate, and above the fish gate, and the tower of Hananeel, and the tower of Meah, even unto the sheep gate: and they stood still in the prison gate. (Nehemiah 12:39).

Jezreel. 2 Kin. 9:17.

Hananeel. Jer. 31:38³⁸Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that the city shall be built to the Lord from the tower of Hananeel unto the gate of the corner. (Jeremiah 31:38). Zech. 14:10¹⁰All the land shall be turned as a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem: and it shall be lifted up, and inhabited in her place, from Benjamin's gate unto the place of the first gate, unto the corner gate, and from the tower of Hananeel unto the king's winepresses. (Zechariah 14:10).

Syene. Ezek. 29:10¹⁰Behold, therefore I am against thee, and against thy rivers, and I will make the land of Egypt utterly waste and desolate, from the tower of Syene even unto the border of Ethiopia. (Ezekiel 29:10). Ezek. 30:6⁶Thus saith the Lord; They also that uphold Egypt shall fall; and the pride of her power shall come down: from the tower of Syene shall they fall in it by the sword, saith the Lord God. (Ezekiel 30:6).

Siloam. Luke 13:4⁴Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? (Luke 13:4).

Of Jerusalem remarkable for number, strength and beauty. Psa. 48:12¹²Walk about Zion, and go round about her: tell the towers thereof. (Psalm 48:12).

Frequently thrown down in war. Judg. 8:17¹⁷And he beat down the tower of Penuel, and slew the men of the city. (Judges 8:17). Judg. 9:49⁴⁹And all the people likewise cut down every man his bough, and followed Abimelech, and put them to the hold, and set the hold on fire upon them; so that all the men of the tower of Shechem died also, about a thousand men and women. (Judges 9:49). Ezek. 26:4⁴And they shall destroy the walls of Tyrus, and break down her towers: I will also scrape her dust from her, and make her like the top of a rock. (Ezekiel 26:4).

Frequently left desolate. Isa. 32:14¹⁴Because the palaces shall be forsaken; the multitude of the city shall be left; the forts and towers shall be for dens for ever, a joy of wild asses, a pasture of flocks; (Isaiah 32:14). Zeph. 3:6⁶I have cut off the nations: their towers are desolate; I made their streets waste, that none passeth by: their cities are destroyed, so that there is no man, that there is none inhabitant. (Zephaniah 3:6).

ILLUSTRATIVE OF

God as the protector of His people. 2 Sam. 22:3, 51³The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence. (2 Samuel 22:3)
⁵¹He is the tower of salvation for his king: and showeth mercy to his anointed, unto David, and to his seed for evermore. (2 Samuel 22:51). Psa. 18:2²The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. (Psalm 18:2). Psa. 61:3³For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy. (Psalm 61:3).

The name of the Lord. Prov. 18:1¹Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom. (Proverbs 18:1)

Ministers. Jer. 6:27²⁷I have set thee for a tower and a fortress among my people, that thou mayest know and try their way. (Jeremiah 6:27).

Mount Sion. Mic. 4:8⁸And thou, O tower of the flock, the strong hold of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, even the first dominion; the kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem. (Micah 4:8).

The grace and dignity of the church. SoS. 4:4. SoS. 7:4. SoS. 8:10.

The proud and haughty. Isa. 2:15¹⁵And upon every high tower, and upon every fenced wall, (Isaiah 2:15). Isa. 30:25²⁵And there shall be upon every high mountain, and upon every high hill, rivers and streams of waters in the day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall. (Isaiah 30:25).

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The New Topical Textbook

• Titles and Names of Christ.

• Titles and Names of Ministers.

• Titles and Names of Saints.

• Titles and Names of the Church.

• Titles and Names of the Devil.

• Titles and Names of the Holy Ghost.

• Titles and Names of the Wicked.

• Towers

• Travelers.

• Trees.

• Trespass Offering.

• Tribes of Israel, the.