In biblical contexts, the term "mound" often refers to a heap or raised area of earth or stones, which can serve various purposes, such as a memorial, a defensive structure, or a burial site. Mounds are mentioned in several instances throughout the Bible, reflecting their significance in ancient Near Eastern culture and practices.

Memorials and Altars

Mounds were sometimes constructed as memorials or altars to commemorate significant events or divine encounters. In Genesis 31:45-49, Jacob and Laban set up a mound of stones as a witness to their covenant. The Berean Standard Bible states: "So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar, and he said to his relatives, 'Gather some stones.' So they took stones and made a mound, and there by the mound they ate." This mound, called Galeed, served as a witness between Jacob and Laban, symbolizing their agreement and mutual understanding.

Defensive Structures

In ancient warfare, mounds were often used as defensive structures or siege works. The construction of mounds for military purposes is mentioned in several biblical accounts. For example, in 2 Samuel 20:15, Joab's forces besiege the city of Abel Beth Maacah: "And they came and besieged him in Abel Beth Maacah and built a siege ramp against the city, and it stood against the outer rampart." The use of a mound or siege ramp was a common military tactic to breach city walls or fortifications.

Burial Sites

Mounds also served as burial sites, marking the graves of significant individuals. In Joshua 7:26, after the execution of Achan for his sin, a large pile of stones was heaped over him: "And they raised over him a large pile of rocks that remains to this day. So the LORD turned from His fierce anger. Therefore that place has been called the Valley of Achor to this day." This mound of stones served as a somber reminder of the consequences of disobedience to God.

Symbolic and Prophetic Uses

Mounds can also carry symbolic or prophetic meanings in the biblical narrative. In Jeremiah 30:18, the restoration of Israel is described with imagery of rebuilding mounds: "This is what the LORD says: 'Behold, I will restore the fortunes of the tents of Jacob and have compassion on his dwellings; the city will be rebuilt on her ruins, and the palace will stand in its rightful place.'" Here, the rebuilding of mounds symbolizes the restoration and renewal of the nation.

Cultural and Historical Context

In the ancient Near East, mounds, often referred to as "tells," were common archaeological features. These artificial hills were formed by the accumulation of debris from successive human settlements built over centuries. The biblical references to mounds reflect this cultural and historical context, where such structures were integral to the landscape and societal practices.

Overall, mounds in the Bible serve as multifaceted symbols, representing memorials, military strategies, burial customs, and prophetic visions. They underscore the importance of remembrance, defense, and the hope of restoration in the biblical narrative.1. (n.) A ball or globe forming part of the regalia of an emperor or other sovereign. It is encircled with bands, enriched with precious stones, and surmounted with a cross; -- called also globe.

2. (n.) An artificial hill or elevation of earth; a raised bank; an embankment thrown up for defense; a bulwark; a rampart; also, a natural elevation appearing as if thrown up artificially; a regular and isolated hill, hillock, or knoll.

3. (v. t.) To fortify or enclose with a mound.

MOUND

mound.

See SIEGE, 4, (c).

5482. charax -- a pointed stake, a rampart
... a pointed stake, a rampart. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: charax
Phonetic Spelling: (khar'-ax) Short Definition: a mound for besieging ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5482.htm - 6k8510. tel -- a mound
... 8509, 8510. tel. 8511 . a mound. Transliteration: tel Phonetic Spelling: (tale)
Short Definition: heap. ... By contraction from talal; a mound -- heap, X strength ...
/hebrew/8510.htm - 6k

8521. Tel Charsha -- "mound of a craftsman," a city in Babylon
... Tel Charsha. 8522 . "mound of a craftsman," a city in Babylon. Transliteration:
Tel Charsha Phonetic Spelling: (tale khar-shaw') Short Definition: Tel-harsha. ...
/hebrew/8521.htm - 6k

5550. solelah -- a mound
solelah or solelah. 5549, 5550. solelah or solelah. 5551 . a mound.
Transliteration: solelah or solelah Phonetic Spelling: (so-lel-aw') Short Definition: ...
/hebrew/5550.htm - 6k

8528. Tel Melach -- "mound of salt," a place in Babylon
... Tel Melach. 8529 . "mound of salt," a place in Babylon. Transliteration: Tel Melach
Phonetic Spelling: (tale meh'-lakh) Short Definition: Tel-melah. ...
/hebrew/8528.htm - 6k

6076. ophel -- a mound, hill
... 6075b, 6076. ophel. 6076a . a mound, hill. Transliteration: ophel Phonetic
Spelling: (o'-fel) Short Definition: emerod. emerod, fort, strong hold, tower ...
/hebrew/6076.htm - 5k

6077. Ophel -- a fortified mound or hill in Jer.
... 6076b, 6077. Ophel. 6078 . a fortified mound or hill in Jer. ... Word Origin from
aphal Definition a fortified mound or hill in Jer. NASB Word Usage Ophel (5). ...
/hebrew/6077.htm - 6k

6076a. ophel -- a mound, hill
... ophel. 6076b . a mound, hill. Transliteration: ophel Short Definition: hill. Word
Origin from aphal Definition a mound, hill NASB Word Usage hill (3). ...
/hebrew/6076a.htm - 5k

1405. Gibbethon -- "mound," a city in Dan
... 1404, 1405. Gibbethon. 1406 . "mound," a city in Dan. Transliteration: Gibbethon
Phonetic Spelling: (ghib-beth-one') Short Definition: Gibbethon. ...
/hebrew/1405.htm - 6k

8210. shaphak -- to pour out, pour
... A primitive root; to spill forth (blood, a libation, liquid metal; or even a solid,
ie To mound up); also (figuratively) to expend (life, soul, complaint, money ...
/hebrew/8210.htm - 6k

4694. metsurah -- siegeworks, rampart
... Or mtsurah {mets-oo-raw'}; feminine of matsowr; a hemming in, ie (objectively) a
mound (of siege), or (subjectively) a rampart (of protection), (abstractly ...
/hebrew/4694.htm - 6k

Mr. ...
... Mr. Raymond's house was called The Mound, because it stood upon a little steep knoll,
so smooth and symmetrical that it showed itself at once to be artificial. ...
/.../macdonald/at the back of the north wind/chapter 35 mr .htm

What Daniel Predicted Regarding the Persecution of Antichrist, the ...
... And many of them that sleep in the mound of earth shall arise, some to
everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting confusion. ...
/.../augustine/city of god/chapter 23 what daniel predicted regarding.htm

From the Flood to Abraham
... The exact location of this tower cannot be determined with certainty, but it has
been thought by some that a great mound on the east of the Euphrates, which ...
/.../tidwell/the bible period by period/chapter iii from the flood.htm

Chap. xxviii. How the Same St. Cuthbert, Living the Life of an ...
... When, after expelling the enemy, he had, with the help of the brethren, built himself
a narrow dwelling, with a mound about it, and the necessary cells in it ...
/.../bede/bedes ecclesiastical history of england/chap xxviii how the same.htm

Achan's Sin, Israel's Defeat
... its reduction. They had not spied the mound in the middle of Achan's tent,
or their note would have been changed. Three thousand ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/achans sin israels defeat.htm

Before the End of the Month, Ruby had Got Respectably Thin...
... and Nanny and Jim, by train to a certain station in the county of Kent, where they
found a cart waiting to carry them and their luggage to The Mound, which was ...
/.../macdonald/at the back of the north wind/chapter 34 before the end.htm

A Nation's Struggle for a Home and Freedom.
... The nearness of Egypt made its influence still more powerful, so that in nearly
every mound and Canaanite ruin the excavator finds hundreds of reminders of the ...
/.../kent/the making of a nation/study xii a nations struggle.htm

The Old Testament and Archeology
... At a later date excavations were begun and, like those of Babylon, are still continued,
on the mound covering the site of the ancient capital city of Assyria ...
/.../the christian view of the old testament/chapter iv the old testament.htm

The Invasion of Greece and the Battle of Marathon.
... plan of attack."Onset of the Greeks."Rout of the Persians."Results of the
battle."Numbers slain."The field of Marathon."The mound."Song of the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/abbott/darius the great/chapter xi the invasion of.htm

The Fulfilment
... The Christian overlooked this ferocious inundation and shook his head. On a mound
near him stood the spirit of the mob concentrated and personified. ...
/.../miller/the city of delight/chapter xxiii the fulfilment.htm

Mound (17 Occurrences)
... 3. (vt) To fortify or enclose with a mound. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia.
MOUND. mound. See SIEGE, 4, (c). Multi-Version Concordance ...
/m/mound.htm - 12k

Bank (28 Occurrences)
... 2. (n.) A mound, pile, or ridge of earth, raised above the surrounding level; hence,
anything shaped like a mound or ridge of earth; as, a bank of clouds; a ...
/b/bank.htm - 26k

Ramp (9 Occurrences)
... 2 Samuel 20:15 They came and besieged him in Abel of Beth Maacah, and they cast
up a mound against the city, and it stood against the rampart; and all the ...
/r/ramp.htm - 10k

Lachish (22 Occurrences)
... Umm Lakis, from the similarity of the name and because it was in the region that
the Biblical references to Lachish seem to indicate, but the mound called Tell ...
/l/lachish.htm - 22k

Jericho (59 Occurrences)
... Dr. Bliss has found in a hollow scooped out for some purpose or other near the foot
of the biggest mound above the Sultan's Spring specimens of Amorite or pre ...
/j/jericho.htm - 38k

Fortress (75 Occurrences)
... From the mound of Tell el-Hesy, now almost certainly identified with the site of
Lachish, eleven cities, one above the other have been disinterred, the ...
/f/fortress.htm - 60k

Fortification (5 Occurrences)
... From the mound of Tell el-Hesy, now almost certainly identified with the site of
Lachish, eleven cities, one above the other have been disinterred, the ...
/f/fortification.htm - 40k

Kadesh (30 Occurrences)
... Lake of Homs. It is identified with the great mound Tell Neby Mendeh, some
50 to 100 feet high, and 400 yards long. On the ruins ...
/k/kadesh.htm - 21k

Gabbatha (1 Occurrence)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary Gab Baitha, ie, "the ridge of the house" = "the
temple-mound," on a part of which the fortress of Antonia was built. ...
/g/gabbatha.htm - 8k

Forts (12 Occurrences)
... Ezekiel 4:2 and lay siege against it, and build forts against it, and cast up a
mound against it; set camps also against it, and plant battering rams against ...
/f/forts.htm - 10k

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