Bible Dictionaries
City

Bridgeway Bible Dictionary

In the language of the Bible any organized human settlement may be called a city. This applies whether the settlement was large or small (Genesis 4:17; Genesis 13:12; Deuteronomy 21:3; Jonah 1:2).

Larger cities were walled, with a central fortress to provide the citizens with defence against attack (Numbers 13:28; Joshua 6:5; Judges 9:51; 2 Samuel 5:7; 1 Kings 4:13; 2 Kings 14:13). During an attack, people living in the farming villages around the city took refuge inside the city walls (Numbers 35:2; Joshua 17:11; 1 Samuel 6:18). In some cases farmers had their fields outside the city and their homes inside. They worked in the fields during the day, but returned to the city before nightfall, when the gates were shut (Joshua 2:5; Judges 9:43-44; see also WAR).

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Bibliography Information
Fleming, Don. Entry for 'City'. Bridgeway Bible Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/​dictionaries/​eng/​bbd/​c/city.html. 2004.