Tower

VIEW:18 DATA:01-04-2020
TOWER.—See Fortification and Siegecraft, §§ 2, 4. For ‘Tower of Babel’ see Tongues [Confusion of].
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible
Edited by James Hastings, D.D. Published in 1909


Tower. Watch-towers, or fortified posts, in frontier, or exposed situations, are mentioned in Scripture, as the tower of Edar, etc., Gen_35:21; Isa_21:5; Isa_21:8; Isa_21:11 Mic_4:8; etc.; the tower of Lebanon. 2Sa_8:6. Besides these military structures, we read in Scripture, of towers built in vineyards, as an almost necessary appendage to them. 1Sa_5:2; Mat_22:33; Mar_12:1. Such towers are still in use in Palestine, in vineyards, especially near Hebron, and are used as lodges, for the keepers of the vineyards.
Smith's Bible Dictionary
By Dr. William Smith.Published in 1863


“The tower of the flock,” or the tower of Ader, Mic_4:8. It is said this tower was in the neighbourhood of Bethlehem, Gen_35:21, and that the shepherds to whom the angels revealed the birth of our Saviour were near to this tower, Luk_2:8; Luk_2:15. Many interpreters assert, that the passage of Micah: in which mention is made of the tower of the flock: “And thou tower of the flock, the strong hold of the daughter of Zion,” is to be understood of the city of Bethlehem, out of which our Saviour was to come. Others maintain, that the prophet speaks of the city of Jerusalem, in which there was a tower of this name, through which the flocks of sheep were driven to the sheep-market. “From the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city,” 2Ki_17:9. This form of speaking expresses in general all the places of the country, from the least to the greatest. The towers of the watchmen, or of the shepherds, stood alone in the midst of the plain, in which the shepherds and herdsmen who looked after the flocks, or watchmen, might lodge. King Uzziah caused several towers to be built for the shepherds in the desert, and made many cisterns there, because he had a great number of flocks, 2Ch_26:10.
The tower of the flock, and that which Isa_5:2, notices, which was built in the midst of a vineyard, were of the same kind.
TOWER OF BABEL. See BABEL.
TOWER OF SHECHEM was a citadel, or fortress, standing upon a higher ground than the rest of the city, and capacious enough to contain above a thousand persons. This tower, filled with the inhabitants of Shechem, was burned by Abimelech down to the very ground, together with those who had taken refuge in it.
Biblical and Theological Dictionary by Richard Watson
PRINTER 1849.


tou?ẽr. See FORTIFICATION, I., 5.; CITY, II., 1.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
PRINTER 1915.


2Sa_22:51 (b) The tower is a type of the high and safe place occupied by the children of GOD who hide in CHRIST and dwell in the secret place of the Most High. (See also Psa_18:2; Psa_61:3; Psa_144:2; Pro_18:10).

Son_7:4 (a) Ivory is very valuable and beautiful. A tower is firm and substantial. These qualities are evidently referred to as characteristic of the bride. The tower of Lebanon was evidently a lookout tower, facing Syria where the watchman could discern quickly the coming of the enemy. It probably means that the bride had a great sense of discernment and could easily and quickly discern that which was evil or wrong, or was from the enemy.

Jer_6:27 (a) Jeremiah was the center of GOD's work and power among the people of Israel. From him came the words of warning and entreaty. Through him GOD sent His messages, His commands, and made known His desires.

Mic_4:8 (a) Mount Zion is a high, rocky fortress, quite difficult to ascend, very steep. It was recognized as the very center of the defense of Jerusalem and of Judah.

Mat_21:33 (b) This tower probably represents Mount Zion in the midst of Israel, and of Jerusalem, and was a watch-tower from which the enemy could be seen for many miles away. CHRIST is referring partly to the history of Israel, and partly to the present time when He is away in the far country.

Luk_14:28 (b) This is a type of any great work of GOD which a man of GOD builds for the honor of the Lord JESUS CHRIST. This is illustrated in the great school built by Moody in Chicago, the great work in China built by Hudson Taylor, and the wonderful work in the Sudan built by R. V. Bingham. GOD would have all His children building something for His glory.
Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types
press 1957.



is the rendering in the A. V. of the following Heb. and Gr. words:
1. בָּחוֹן בִּחִן, and בָּחוּן(Sept. ἔπαλξις),from בָּחִן, to ‘search,” “explore,” a searcher or watcher; and hence the notion of a watch-tower. In Isa_32:14 the tower of Ophel is probably meant (Neh_3:26).
2. מגַדָּלand מַגְדּלor מגְדּוֹל(πύργος;' turris), from גָּדִלto “become great,” a-lofty tower; used sometimes as a proper noun. SEE MIGDOL,
3. מָצוֹר(πέτρα munitio), a strong fortification; only once “tower” (Hab_2:1). SEE EGYPT.
4. עֹפֵל(οικος;' domus), only in 2Ki_5:24. SEE OPHEL.
5. פּנָּה, usually “corner,” twice only “tower” (Zep_1:16; Zep_3:6; γωνία; angulus).
6. מַצְפֶּה(σκοπιά:specula), “watch-tower.” SEE MIZPAH.
7. מַשְׂגָּב(ὀχύρωμα; robur), “a refuge,” only in poetry. SEE MISGAH.
8. Πύργος, the general term in the New Test. SEE FORTIFICATION.
Isolated watch towers or fortified posts in frontier or exposed situations are mentioned in Scripture, as the tower of Edar, etc. (Gen_35:21; Mic_4:8; Isa_21:5; Isa_21:8; Isa_21:11; Hab_2:1; Jer_6:27; Son_7:4); the tower of Lebanon, perhaps one of David's “garrisons” (.netsib, 2Sa_7:6; Raumrer, Polaest. p. 29). Such towers or outposts for the defence of wells, and the protection of flocks and of commerce, were built by Uzziah in the pasture grounds (midbar), SEE DESERT, and by his son Jotham in the forests (choreshim) of Judah (2Ch_26:10; 2Ch_27:4). Remains of such fortifications may still be seen, which, though not perhaps themselves of remote antiquity, yet very probably have succeeded to more ancient structures built in the same places for like purposes (Robinson, Bibl. Res. 2, 81, 85,180; Roberts, Sketches, pl. 93). Besides these military structures, we read in Scripture of towers built in vineyards as an almost necessary appendage to them (Isa_5:2 : Mat_21:33; Mar_12:1). Such towers are still in use in Palestine in vineyards, especially near Hebron. and are used as lodges for the keepers of the vineyards. During the vintage they are filled with the persons employed in the work of gathering the grapes (Robinson, Bibl. Res. 1, 213; 2, 81; Martineau,. East. Lif, p. 434; De Saulcy, Travels, 1, 546; Hackett, Ilustr. of Script. p. 163, 171). SEE LODGE.
Mural towers were in all antiquity built as part of the fortifications of towns, especially at the corners of the walls and the gates (2Ch_14:7; 2Ch_26:9; 2Ch_26:15; 2Ch_32:5; 1Ma_5:55; 1Ma_13:33; 1Ma_13:43, etc.; comp. Isa_23:3; Isa_30:25; Eze_26:4; Eze_26:9; see Pliny, 11. N. 6:22, 1). Also in the interior of cities towers served as citadels (Jdg_9:46 sq.). Jerusalem (q.v.) was especially provided with towers of this description, many of which had special names (Neh_3:11; Neh_12:38; Jer_31:38, etc.). Those on the walls and at the gates were used for sentries (2Ki_9:17; 2Ki_17:9; 2Ki_18:8;, Eze_27:11). The Temple (q.v.) was likewise supplied with numerous towers. The “tower in Siloam” (q.v.) (Luk_13:4) was probably some mural defense near that fountain. SEE GATE; SEE WALL.
Among many ancient nations, especially the Babylonians, towers were employed in the siege of cities, as appears from the prophet's account of the divination used by the king of Babylon to determine his line of march into the kingdom of Judah: “At his right hand was the divination for Jerusalem, to appoint captains, to open the mouth in the slaughter, to lift up the voice with shouting, to appoint battering-rams against the gate, and to build a tower” (Eze_21:22). SEE BATTERING-RAM. In the Maccabaean age, towers borne on elephants were used to carry warriors in battle (1Ma_6:37; comp. Pliny, H. N. 11:1 “turrigeri elephantorum humeri”). In Roman sieges the tower (vinea, from the vine-branches with which it was often thatched), run on wheels along an artificial causeway (agger), was proverbial (Luk_19:43). SEE MOUNT.
In the figurative language of Scripture, towers are used for defenders and protectors, whether by counsel or strength, in peace or in war (Psa_18:10; Psalms 61, 3). SEE WAR.



CYCLOPEDIA OF BIBLICAL, THEOLOGICAL AND ECCLESIASTICAL
press 1895.





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