Overview
The Bible addresses towers across 40 verses, drawn from both the Old and New Testaments. These passages cluster most in Judges, 2 Chronicles and Isaiah. Closely related themes include Tower, Kings, Walls and Privileges of Saints. Figures whose stories touch this theme include Abimelech, David, Jehu and Uzziah.
Key Bible verses about towers
Old Testament
Genesis
And 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.
Therefore 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. Babel: that is, Confusion
And Israel journeyed, and spread his tent beyond the tower of Edar.
Judges
And he beat down the tower of Penuel, and slew the men of the city.
And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard that, they entered into an hold of the house of the god Berith.
And 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.
Then went Abimelech to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez, and took it.
But 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.
2 Samuel
The 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.
He is the tower of salvation for his king: and sheweth mercy to his anointed, unto David, and to his seed for evermore.
2 Chronicles
Therefore 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.
Moreover Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the corner gate, and at the valley gate, and at the turning of the wall, and fortified them. fortified: or, repaired
Also 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. digged: or, cut out many cisterns Carmel: or, fruitful fields husbandry: Heb. ground
Moreover he built cities in the mountains of Judah, and in the forests he built castles and towers.
Nehemiah
Malchijah the son of Harim, and Hashub the son of Pahathmoab, repaired the other piece, and the tower of the furnaces. other: Heb. second measure
And 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.
Psalms
The 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. my strength: Heb. my rock
Walk about Zion, and go round about her: tell the towers thereof.
For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy.
Song of Solomon
Thy neck is like the tower of David builded for an armoury, whereon there hang a thousand bucklers, all shields of mighty men.
Thy neck is as a tower of ivory; thine eyes like the fishpools in Heshbon, by the gate of Bathrabbim: thy nose is as the tower of Lebanon which looketh toward Damascus.
I am a wall, and my breasts like towers: then was I in his eyes as one that found favour. favour: Heb. peace
Isaiah
And upon every high tower, and upon every fenced wall,
And 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. fenced: or, made a wall about made: Heb. hewed
And 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. high hill: Heb. lifted up, etc
Because 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; forts: or, clifts and watchtowers
Jeremiah
Ezekiel
And 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.
The 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.
Behold, 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. utterly: Heb. wastes of waste from: or, from Migdol to Syene Syene: Heb. Seveneh
Thus 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. from: or, from Migdol to Syene
New Testament
People in the Bible and towers
Biblical figures whose stories intersect with this theme.
In the Bible dictionary
Studying towers for yourself
- Begin with Genesis 11:4, then read the passages below in canonical order.
- Compare how Judges, 2 Chronicles and Isaiah each treat the theme.
- Consider the lives of Abimelech, David and Jehu and how their stories intersect with it.
- Widen the study to related themes: Tower, Kings, Walls and Privileges of Saints.
Frequently asked questions
What does the Bible say about towers?
The Bible addresses towers across 40 verses, drawn from both the Old and New Testaments. These passages cluster most in Judges, 2 Chronicles and Isaiah. Closely related themes include Tower, Kings, Walls and Privileges of Saints. Figures whose stories touch this theme include Abimelech, David, Jehu and Uzziah.
How many Bible verses are about towers?
The Bible references towers in 40 verses (King James Version).
Where does the Bible first mention towers?
In canonical order, the first of these passages is Genesis 11:4: “And 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.”
Which people in the Bible are associated with towers?
Abimelech, David, Jehu and Uzziah.
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