Topical Bible: Armies: Employed in Assaulting Cities

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In the biblical narrative, armies play a significant role in the history of Israel and the surrounding nations, often being employed in the assault and capture of cities. The use of military force in these contexts is depicted as both a divine instrument of judgment and a means of territorial expansion.

Jericho: One of the most famous examples of an army assaulting a city is the fall of Jericho, as recorded in the Book of Joshua. The Israelites, under Joshua's leadership, were commanded by God to march around the city for seven days. On the seventh day, after the priests blew the trumpets, the walls of Jericho collapsed, allowing the Israelites to take the city. This event is described in Joshua 6:20: "So when the trumpets sounded, the people shouted. And when they heard the blast of the trumpet, the people gave a great shout, and the wall collapsed. Then all the people charged straight into the city and captured it."

Ai: Following the victory at Jericho, the Israelites set their sights on Ai. Initially, they suffered a defeat due to Achan's sin, but after addressing the sin, they successfully captured the city. Joshua 8:19 recounts the assault: "As soon as he had stretched out his hand, the men in ambush rose quickly from their position, ran, and entered the city and captured it. They quickly set the city on fire."

Gibeon: The Gibeonites, fearing the might of Israel's army, resorted to deception to make a treaty with Israel. When the city was later attacked by a coalition of Amorite kings, Joshua led the Israelite army to defend Gibeon. The battle is notable for the miraculous intervention where the sun stood still, as described in Joshua 10:13: "So the sun stood still and the moon stopped until the nation took vengeance upon its enemies."

Jerusalem: King David's capture of Jerusalem from the Jebusites is another significant military event. Despite the Jebusites' confidence in their city's defenses, David's forces took the city by entering through the water shaft, as recorded in 2 Samuel 5:7-8: "Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion (that is, the City of David). On that day, David had said, 'Whoever wants to strike down the Jebusites must reach the water shaft to attack these 'lame and blind' enemies of David.'"

Assyrian and Babylonian Sieges: The Assyrian and Babylonian empires are depicted as instruments of God's judgment against Israel and Judah for their disobedience. The Assyrian siege of Samaria led to the fall of the Northern Kingdom, as noted in 2 Kings 17:5-6: "Then the king of Assyria invaded the whole land, marched up to Samaria, and besieged it for three years. In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria and deported the Israelites to Assyria." Similarly, the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem resulted in the destruction of the city and the temple, as described in 2 Kings 25:9-10: "He set fire to the house of the LORD, the royal palace, and all the houses of Jerusalem. Every significant building was burned down."

Prophetic Context: The use of armies in the assault of cities is often framed within the prophetic context of divine judgment. Prophets like Isaiah and Jeremiah warned of impending sieges as consequences of the people's unfaithfulness. Isaiah 29:3-4 speaks of such a siege: "I will camp in a circle around you; I will besiege you with towers and set up siege works against you. You will be brought low; from the ground you will speak, and from the dust your speech will be muffled."

Throughout the biblical text, the employment of armies in assaulting cities serves as a powerful reminder of the sovereignty of God over nations and His use of human history to fulfill divine purposes.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Joshua 7:3,4
And they returned to Joshua, and said to him, Let not all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai; and make not all the people to labor thither; for they are but few.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Judges 9:45
And Abimelech fought against the city all that day; and he took the city, and slew the people that was therein, and beat down the city, and sowed it with salt.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

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