Numbers 24:19 — Word Study
WLCוְיֵ֖רְדְּ מִֽיַּעֲקֹ֑ב וְהֶֽאֱבִ֥יד שָׂרִ֖יד מֵעִֽיר׃
BSAA ruler will comerâdâh▸ [with dominion, having power] from JacobYaʻăqôb [the son of Isaac and Rebekah] and destroyʼâbad [perish, utterly defeat] the survivorssârîyd [remnant, those remaining] of the cityʻîyr [town, a place with a wall]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וְיֵ֖רְדְּ | and he will rule | Conjunction, verb qal jussive third person masculine singular |
| מִֽיַּעֲקֹ֑ב | from Jacob | Preposition, noun proper masculine |
| וְהֶֽאֱבִ֥יד | and he will destroy | Verb, Hiphil, sequential perfect third person masculine singular |
| שָׂרִ֖יד | [the] survivor[s] | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| מֵעִֽיר׃ | from a city | Preposition, noun common feminine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | A ruler will come from Jacob and destroy the survivors of the city.” |
| KJV | Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth of the city. |
| ASV | And out of Jacob shall one have dominion, And shall destroy the remnant from the city. |
| YLT | And [one] doth rule out of Jacob, And hath destroyed a remnant from Ar.' |
| WEB | Out of Jacob shall one have dominion, and shall destroy the remnant from the city.” |
| BBE | And Israel will go on in strength, and Jacob will have rule over his haters. |
Where they part company is in the rendering of שָׂרִיד — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence has one main clause and three subordinate phrases, indicating a clear action followed by details on the outcome.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbאָבַד
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Numbers 24:19
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — Balaam's Prophecygenerated
Numbers 24:19 presents a prophecy from Balaam, who foretells the rise of a ruler from Jacob, indicating a significant leader who will emerge from the lineage of Israel. This ruler will not only have power but will also bring about the destruction of the survivors in a city, highlighting the themes of judgment and dominion in the context of Israel's future. The surrounding verses provide insight into Israel's victories and the fates of their enemies, emphasizing the divine plan at work.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Genesis 49:10 | The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the staff from between his feet, until Shiloh comes and the allegiance of the nations is his. |
| 2 | Psalm 2:1–12 | Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? |
| 3 | Psalm 72:10–11 | May the kings of Tarshish and distant shores bring tribute; may the kings of Sheba and Seba offer gifts. |
| 4 | Isaiah 11:10 | On that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples. The nations will seek Him, and His place of rest will be glorious. |
| 5 | Micah 5:2–4 | But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come forth for Me One to be ruler over Israel — One whose origins are of old, from the days of eternity. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 15 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — רָדָה, ve.Ye.redgenerated
The verb רָדָה (radah) is a jussive form, indicating a command or desire for someone to rule or have dominion. It is built from a root that can also mean to scrape, suggesting a physical action of control or authority. The context here emphasizes the ruler's power over others, particularly in a military or governing sense.
This word encompasses the idea of authority, suggesting that the ruler will not just lead but will do so with absolute control, as seen in the broader narrative of Israel's conquests. The use of the jussive form implies a future expectation of rule that is divinely ordained.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses will come and destroy to convey the actions of the ruler.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb of the verse is יֵ֖רְדְּ (he will rule), which governs the subject מִֽיַּעֲקֹ֑ב (from Jacob) and the action וְהֶֽאֱבִ֥יד (and he will destroy). This structure emphasizes the ruler's authority and the subsequent action of destruction.
The sentence's flow indicates a cause-effect relationship: the ruler's coming leads directly to the destruction of the survivors, highlighting the ruler's power and the fate of the city.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, רָדָה is rendered as ἐχεγερθήσεται, which suggests a sense of being raised or lifted up, potentially indicating a different nuance of authority compared to the Hebrew.
This choice reflects a broader interpretation of the ruler's role, focusing not just on dominion but also on the elevation of Israel's status in contrast to its enemies.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Numbers 24:19 tells us that a ruler will come from Jacob, indicating a leader who will have power and authority. This ruler will destroy the survivors of the city, showing the fate of those who oppose Israel. The prophecy highlights the future strength of Israel and the judgment on its enemies.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
This indicates that a significant leader will emerge from the lineage of Jacob, representing Israel, who will have authority and power.
Balaam is a non-Israelite prophet who was summoned to curse Israel but instead delivered blessings and prophecies about their future.
It signifies judgment against those who oppose Israel, indicating the power of the ruler and the divine plan for Israel's victory.
This prophecy connects to themes of leadership, judgment, and the fulfillment of God's promises to Israel, as seen in other prophetic texts.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What qualities do you think this ruler from Jacob will possess?
- How does this prophecy reflect God's plan for Israel?
- In what ways can we see God's judgment in our world today?
- How can we apply the themes of leadership and authority in our own lives?
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Numbers 24:19 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleOut of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion,.... Meaning either David, or rather the Messiah; and so Jarchi interprets this of another ruler out of Jacob, even of the Messiah, of whom it is
Read John Gill on Numbers 24 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryOut of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth of the city. Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion , [ wªyeerd (H7287)].
Read Robert Jamieson on Numbers 24 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleOut of Jacob; out of Jacob’ s loins. He that shall have dominion; David, and especially Christ. Of the city, or, from or out of this city, i.e. the cities, the singular number for the plural, which hath been oft noted before. The sense is, He shall not only subdue those Moabites and Edomites which meet him in the field, but he shall pursue them even to their strongest holds and cities, and shall pull them out thence. Possibly he may note some eminent city in which they confided most, their metropolis or royal city, as may be guessed from .
Read Matthew Poole on Numbers 24 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsNumbers 24:19 Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth of the city.Ver. 19. And shall destroy him.] David in the history, Christ in the mystery, even all the antichristian rout and rabble.
Read John Trapp on Numbers 24 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(19) He that shall have dominion.—The reference is explained in Psalms 72:8, “He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth,” where the same verb occurs which is in both places rendered in the Authorised Version “shall have dominion.” And shall destroy him that remaineth of the city.—Or, and He shall destroy the remnant from the cities. The city, which is in the singular number here as in Psalms 72:16, may be used collectively to denote cities generally, though some have understood the reference to be to the city of Jerusalem. But the reference seems to be rather to the chief city, or the cities generally, of Edom. (Comp. Obad., Numbers 24:18…
Read Charles John Ellicott on Numbers 24 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 19. Out of Jacob shall come, c.] This is supposed to refer to Christ, because of what is said Genesis 49:10. It is exceedingly difficult to fix the true sense of this prophecy in all its particulars. Probably the star, Numbers 24:17, is only an emblem of kingly power. Among the Egyptians a star is said to have been the symbol of the Divine Being. The sceptre refers to the kingly power in exercise. The corners or outskirts may mean the petty Moabitish governments, as the Chaldee has understood the term. If karkar, which we translate utterly destroy, be not the name of a place here, as it is in Judges 8:10, (which is not very likely), it may be taken in one of those senses assigned to…
Read AdamClarke on Numbers 24 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges19. An obscure verse, which is perhaps a later addition to the song. It appears to look forward to a Messianic prospect of universal dominion. Some think that Numbers 24:18-19 are both entirely corrupt beyond restoration. shall one have dominion] This and the following verb are impersonal. ‘And dominion will be exercised out of Jacob, and the remnant (of Israel’s enemies) will be destroyed out of the city.’ If the text is right, ‘out of the city’ is parallel with ‘out of Jacob.’ It is therefore the city of the conquerors, i.e. Zion.
Read Cambridge on Numbers 24 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleDestroy him that remaineth of the city - i. e., shall destroy those of every city that had previously escaped.
Read Albert Barnes on Numbers 24 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
A ruler will come from Jacob and destroy the survivors of the city.”
Out of Jacob shall one have dominion, and shall destroy the remnant from the city.”
A ruler will come from Jacob and destroy the survivors of the city.”
A ruler will be established from Jacob; he will destroy the remains of the city.’”
Tyndale line
Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth of the city.
And out of Jacob shall one have dominion, And shall destroy the remnant from the city.
And out of Jacob shall one have dominion, And shall destroy the remnant from the city.
Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth of the city.
He also that shall haue dominion shall bee of Iaakob, and shall destroy the remnant of the citie.
Strictly literal
And one out of Jacob shall have dominion, and will destroy out of the city what remaineth.
And [one] doth rule out of Jacob, And hath destroyed a remnant from Ar.'
And [One] rules out of Jacob, || And has destroyed a remnant from the city.”
And there shall rule the one from Jacob, and he shall destroy whatever escapeth out of the city.
Out of Jacob a king will come who will have dominion, and he will destroy the survivors of their city.”
From the Latin
Out of Jacob shall he come that shall rule, and shall destroy the remains of the city.
Simplified
A ruler from Jacob will come and destroy those left in the city.”
And Israel will go on in strength, and Jacob will have rule over his haters.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Samaritan Pentateuch agree word for word in this verse, affirming the consistency of the prophecy across these traditions. The Septuagint also matches the Hebrew closely, maintaining the same key terms.
וְיֵ֖רְדְּ מִֽיַּעֲקֹ֑ב וְהֶֽאֱבִ֥יד שָׂרִ֖יד מֵעִֽיר׃
5 of the 5 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
וירד מיעקב והאביד שׂריד מעיר
Agrees with the Masoretic Text here, word for word.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Numbers 24:19
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
רָדָה (radah) is a Hebrew verb with two main meanings: to rule or have dominion, and to scrape out. It can refer to subjugating or dominating in the Qal form, while the Hiphil form indicates causing someone to dominate. The word encompasses both authority and a physical action of scraping.
[רָדָה] vb. have dominion, rule, dominate
Qal have dominion, rule, over
Hiph. and kings he causeth (him) to dominate
base
רָדָה vb. scrape out
base
H7287a רָדָה have dominion, rule, dominate H7287b רָדָה scrape out
7287 radah raw-daw'
a primitive root; to tread down, i.e. subjugate;
specifically, to crumble off:--(come to, make to) have
dominion, prevail against, reign, (bear, make to) rule,(-r,
over), take.
רָדָה (ra.dah) — to rule.
1) to rule, have dominion, dominate, tread down
1a) (Qal) to have dominion, rule, subjugate
1b) (Hiphil) to cause to dominate
רָדָה (ra.dah) — to scrape.
1) to scrape out
1a) (Qal) to scrape, scrape out
Conj | V-Qal-Juss-3ms — Conjunction · verb qal jussive third person masculine singularHC/Vqj3ms
יַעֲקֹב (i.e. *Ya`aqob*) refers to Jacob, a key figure in the Old Testament. The word is derived from a root meaning 'heel-catcher' or 'supplanter.' Jacob is the son of Isaac and Rebekah, brother of Esau, and father of the twelve tribes of Israel. He is also known as Israel, highlighting his significance in biblical history.
יַעֲקֹב 344, יַעֲקוֹב 6 n.pr.m. et gent. Jacob, son of Isaac and Rebekah, father of tribes of Isr.
as n.pr.m.
as n.pr.gent.
base
H3290 יַעֲקֹב, יַעֲקוֹב Jacob
3290 Ya`aqob yah-ak-obe'
from 6117; heel-catcher (i.e. supplanter); Jaakob, the
Israelitish patriarch:--Jacob.
see HEBREW for 06117
יַעֲקֹב (ya.a.qov) — Jacob.
A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.25.26;
son of: Isaac (H3327) and Rebekah (H7259);
brother of: Esau (H6215); married to Rachel (H7354), Leah (H3812), Zilpah (H2153) and Bilhah (H1090A);
father of: Reuben (H7205), Simeon (H8095), Levi (H3878), Judah (H3063), Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Gad (H1410), Asher (H0836), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074), Dinah (H1783), Joseph (H3130) and Benjamin (H1144); also called Jacob frequently
Another name of yis.ra.el (יִשְׂרָאֵל "Israel" H3478)
§ Jacob = "heel holder" or "supplanter"
son of Isaac, grandson of Abraham, and father of the 12 patriarchs of the tribes of Israel
Prep | N-proper — Preposition · noun proper masculineHR/Npm
Jacob
One who follows on another’s heels; supplanter, (Gen. 25:26; 27:36; Hos. 12:2-4), the second born of the twin sons of Isaac by Rebekah. He was born probably at Lahai-roi, when his father was fifty-nine and Abraham one hundred and fifty-nine years old. Like his father, he was of a quiet and gentle disposition, and when he grew up followed the life of a shepherd, while his brother Esau became an enterprising hunter. His dealing with Esau, however, showed much mean selfishness and cunning (Gen. 25:29-34).
When Isaac was about 160 years of age, Jacob and his mother conspired to deceive the aged patriarch (Gen. 27), with the view of procuring the transfer of the birthright to himself. The birthright secured to him who…
(supplanter), the second son of Isaac and Rebekah. He was born with Esau, probably at the well of Lahai-roi, about B.C. 1837. His history is related in the latter half of the book of Genesis. He bought the birthright from his brother Esau, and afterward acquired the blessing intended for Esau, by practicing a well-known deceit on Isaac. (Jacob did not obtain the blessing because of his deceit, but in spite of it. That which was promised he would have received in some good way; but Jacob and his mother, distrusting God’s promise, sought the promised blessing in a wrong way, and received with it trouble and sorrow. --ED.) Jacob, in his 78th year, was sent from the family home to avoid his brother, and to seek a wife among his kindred in Padan-aram. As he passed through Bethel, God appeared to him. After the lapse of twenty-one years he returned from Padan-aram with two wives, two…
Son of Isaac and Rebekah, and twin-brother to Esau. As at his birth he held his brother’s heel, he was called Jacob, that is, the heelholder, one who comes behind and catches the heel of his adversary, a supplanter, Ge 25:26. This was a king of predictive intimation of his future conduct in life. Jacob was meek and peaceable, living a shepherd life at home. Esau was more turbulent and fierce, and passionately fond of hunting. Isaac was partial to Esau, Rebekah to Jacob. Jacob having taken advantage of his brother’s absence and his father’s infirmity to obtain the blessing of the birthright, or primogeniture, was compelled to fly into Mesopotamia to avoid the consequences of his brother’s wrath, Ge 27:1-28:22. On his journey the Lord appeared to him in a dream, (see LADDER,)…
that supplants, undermines; the heel
אָבַד (abad) is a Hebrew verb meaning to perish or be lost. It encompasses a range of meanings, including dying, vanishing, and destruction, often in a moral or judgment context. The word appears in various forms in the Old Testament, with uses related to individuals, nations, and inanimate objects. The lexicons indicate that it can also imply causing something to perish or stray.
אָבַד vb. perish (M I אבד, As. abâtu Dl W 184 Aram אֲבַד, Syriac).—
Qal Pf. א׳ Nu 21:30 +; אָבְדוּ ψ 10:16 + (+ Ez 6:3 𝔊 Co) etc.; Impf. יֹאבַד Jb 3:3 Je 4:9; יֹאבֵ֑ד Jb 20:7 + 2t.; 3fs. תֹּאבַד Dt 22:3 + 4t.; תֹּאבֵ֑ד Jb 8:13 + 3t.; יֹאבְדוּ Ju 5:31 + 3t.; יֹאבֵ֑דוּ Jb 4:9 +; 3fpl. וַתֹּאבַדְנָה֙ I S 9:3; תֹּאבֵדוּן Dt 4:26 +; נֹאבֵ֑ד Jon 1:6…
Read the full entry →H6 אָבַד perish .. perish, die, of individuals
. fig. perish, vanish, subj. memory
. be lost, strayed
. . cause to perish, destroy, kill
. fig. cause to vanish, blot out, do away with
. cause to stray, lose
. . destroy, put to death, in judgment
. fig. obj. name of kings; hope; voice of mirth etc.
6 'abad aw-bad'
a primitive root; properly, to wander away, i.e. lose
oneself; by implication to perish (causative,
destroy):--break, destroy(- uction), + not escape, fail,
lose, (cause to, make) perish, spend, X and surely, take, be
undone, X utterly, be void of, have no way to flee.
אָבַד (a.vad) — to perish.
1) perish, vanish, go astray, be destroyed
1a) (Qal)
1a1) perish, die, be exterminated
1a2) perish, vanish (fig.)
1a3) be lost, strayed
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to destroy, kill, cause to perish, to give up (as lost), exterminate
1b2) to blot out, do away with, cause to vanish, (fig.)
1b3) cause to stray, lose
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to destroy, put to death
1c1a) of divine judgment
1c2) object name of kings (fig.)
Aramaic equivalent: a.vad (אֲבַד "to destroy" H0007)
Conj | V-Hiphil-3ms — Verb · Hiphil · sequential perfect third person masculine singularHc/Vhq3ms
שָׂרִיד (sariyd) means 'survivor' or 'remnant,' referring to what remains after a defeat. It is derived from the root word meaning 'to remain.' The entries consistently emphasize its use in contexts of survival and what is left over.
שָׂרִיד n.m. survivor (from a defeat, etc.)
base
H8300 שָׂרִיד survivor (from a defeat, etc.)
8300 sariyd saw-reed'
from 8277; a survivor:--X alive, left, remain(- ing),
remnant, rest.
see HEBREW for 08277
שָׂרִיד (sa.rid) — survivor.
1) survivor, remnant, that which is left
1a) survivor
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
The Hebrew word עִיר (*'iyr*) has meanings related to both excitement and city. It can denote excitement, particularly of terror or rage, as well as refer to a city or town, indicating a place that is guarded or inhabited. The entries suggest a broad application, from fortified cities to simple encampments. There is a specific mention of a man named Ir in 1 Chronicles 4:12.
עִיר n.[m.] excitement;—of terror; of rage
base
עִיר 1092 n.f. city, town
city, town, abode of men
of fortress in a city
appar. fortified place, of any size
base
H5892a עִיר excitement;—of terror; of rage H5892b עִיר city, town . city, town, abode of men
. of fortress in a city
. appar. fortified place, of any size
5892 `iyr eer
or (in the plural) par {awr}; or ayar (Judges 10:4)
{aw-yar'}; from 5782 a city (a place guarded by waking or a
watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or
post):--Ai (from margin), city, court (from margin), town.
see HEBREW for 05782
עִיר (ir) — excitement.
1) excitement, anguish
1a) of terror
עִיר (ir) — city.
1) city, town (a place of waking, guarded)
1a) city, town (a place of waking, guarded)
1a) city, town
עִיר (ir) — City (of On).
Combined with on (אֹן "On" H0204)
This name means city, town
Another name of on (אֹן "On" H0204)
עִיר (ir) — Ir-.
#A man of the tribe of Judah living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.4.12;
son of: Tehinnah (H8468)
Prep | N-fs — Preposition · noun common feminine singular absoluteHR/Ncfsa
sit'-i (`ir, qiryah; polis):
I. THE CANAANITE CITY
1. Origin
2. Extent
3. Villages
4. Sites
5. External Appearance
6. General
II. THE CITY OF THE JEWISH OCCUPATION
1. Tower or Stronghold
2. High Place
3. Broad Place
4. Streets
5. General Characteristics
III. STORE CITIES
IV. LEVITICAL CITIES
LITERATURE
I. The Canaanite City.
1. Origin:
The development of the Canaanite city has been traced by Macalister in his report on the excavation at Gezer (Palestine Exploration Fund Statement, 1904, 108 ff). It originated on the slopes of a bare rocky spur, in which the Neolithic Troglodytes quarried their habitations out of the solid rock, the stones therefrom being used to form a casing to the earthen ramparts, with which the site was afterwards surrounded and which served as a protection against the intrusion of enemies. Later Semitic intruders occupied the site, stone houses were built, and high stone defense…
City
The earliest mention of city-building is that of Enoch, which was built by Cain (Gen. 4:17). After the confusion of tongues, the descendants of Nimrod founded several cities (10:10-12). Next, we have a record of the cities of the Canaanites, Sidon, Gaza, Sodom, etc. (10:12, 19; 11:3, 9; 36:31-39). The earliest description of a city is that of Sodom (19:1-22). Damascus is said to be the oldest existing city in the world. Before the time of Abraham there were cities in Egypt (Num. 13:22). The Israelites in Egypt were employed in building the “treasure cities” of Pithom and Raamses (Ex. 1:11); but it does not seem that they had any cities of their own in Goshen (Gen.…
The towns and cities of Palestine were commonly built on heights, for better security against robbers or invaders. These heights, surrounded by walls, sometimes formed the entire city. In other cases, the citadel alone crowned the hill, around and at the base of which the town was built; and in time of danger the surrounding population all took refuge in the fortified place. Larger towns and cities were often not only defended by strong outer walls, with towers and gates, but by a citadel or castle within these limits-a last resort when the rest of the city was taken, Jud 9:46,51. The "fenced cities" of the Jews, De 3:5, were of various sizes and degrees of strength; some being surrounded by high and thick stone walls, and others by feebler ramparts, often of clay or sun-dried…