The term "sacked" in a biblical context often refers to the act of plundering or destroying a city, typically as a result of warfare or divine judgment. This concept is prevalent throughout the Old Testament, where cities and nations are frequently sacked as a consequence of their actions, particularly their disobedience to God.

Old Testament Context

1. Destruction of Cities: The sacking of cities is a recurring theme in the Old Testament, often serving as a manifestation of God's judgment against sin and idolatry. For instance, the city of Jericho was sacked by the Israelites under Joshua's leadership as part of God's command to take possession of the Promised Land (Joshua 6:20-21). The fall of Jericho is a prime example of divine intervention leading to the sacking of a city.

2. Prophetic Warnings: Prophets frequently warned of impending destruction and sacking as a result of the people's unfaithfulness. The prophet Isaiah foretold the sacking of Babylon, emphasizing that it was a divine act of retribution: "Babylon, the jewel of kingdoms, the glory of the pride of the Chaldeans, will be overthrown by God like Sodom and Gomorrah" (Isaiah 13:19).

3. Historical Accounts: The historical books of the Old Testament, such as Kings and Chronicles, document numerous instances of cities being sacked. The fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians in 586 BC is a significant event, marking the destruction of the city and the temple, as well as the beginning of the Babylonian exile (2 Kings 25:8-10).

Theological Implications

The sacking of cities in the Bible is often portrayed as a direct consequence of the people's covenantal unfaithfulness. It serves as a stark reminder of the seriousness of sin and the holiness of God. The destruction of cities is not merely a historical event but a theological statement about the justice and sovereignty of God.

Moral and Ethical Lessons

From a moral and ethical standpoint, the sacking of cities in the Bible underscores the importance of obedience to God's commandments. It serves as a warning to individuals and nations about the consequences of turning away from God. The narratives encourage believers to remain faithful and to seek God's guidance in all aspects of life.

New Testament Perspective

While the New Testament does not focus on the sacking of cities in the same way as the Old Testament, the theme of divine judgment remains. Jesus speaks of the destruction of Jerusalem as a future event, which occurred in AD 70 when the Romans sacked the city (Luke 21:20-24). This event is seen as a fulfillment of Jesus' prophecy and a continuation of the theme of judgment for unfaithfulness.

In summary, the concept of being "sacked" in the Bible is deeply intertwined with themes of divine judgment, covenantal faithfulness, and the consequences of sin. It serves as a powerful reminder of the need for obedience and reverence towards God.(imp. & p. p.) of Sack.

Rome Taken and Sacked by Alaric.
... Book VII. Chapter X."Rome taken and sacked by Alaric. About this same time
[931] it happened that Rome was taken by the barbarians ...
/.../the ecclesiastical history of scholasticus/chapter x rome taken and sacked.htm

Debate on the Proposed Invasion of Greece.
... He who has sacked a city stands very high in the estimation of his fellows.
He yields precedence only to him whose grandfather sacked one. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/abbott/xerxes/chapter iii debate on the.htm

Translator's Preface.
... "Rome having been stormed and sacked by the Goths under ... After more than eleven hundred
years of steady and triumphant progress, Rome had been taken and sacked. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/augustine/city of god/translators preface.htm

On the Government of God
... Rome, circus in, 173; problems of decline, 3, 21; sacked by Goths, 178; sacked by
Vandals, 18, 197n. Rostovtzeff, 23. Rudolph and Kenterich, 170n. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/salvian/on the government of god/index 2.htm

Knox's Intrigues, and his Account of Them, 1559
... In Edinburgh Knox says that the poor sacked the monasteries "before our coming."
The contemporary Diurnal of Occurrents attributes the feat to Glencairn ...
/.../lang/john knox and the reformation/chapter xi knoxs intrigues and.htm

Peace in the Soul
... Yet the second course of war continues. The dogs fight for the crumbs under the
peace-table. Ignorant armies clash by night. Cities are bombarded and sacked. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/van dyke/what peace means/i peace in the soul.htm

He Restoreth My Soul.
... And when these deceivers"Ambition, Pride, Pleasure, and the like"have plundered
and sacked their victim's goods, when these painted idols of a passing ...
/.../callan/the shepherd of my soul/v he restoreth my soul.htm

Petty Dishonesty.
... valley of the Jordan, and made a sudden onslaught on the towns there; they carried
away all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and thoroughly sacked the cities. ...
/.../the village pulpit volume ii trinity to advent/xlvi petty dishonesty.htm

Comenius and the Hidden Seed, 1627-1672.
... The new throne did not stand very long. The troops of Ferdinand appeared at
Fulneck. The village was sacked. Comenius reeled with horror. ...
/.../hutton/history of the moravian church/chapter xvi comenius and the.htm

Decay of Charles the Great's Empire (Ad 814-887)
... They often sacked the wealthy trading cities which lay open to their attacks; they
sailed on to Spain, plundered Lisbon, passed the Straits of Gibraltar, and ...
/.../chapter v decay of charles.htm

Sacked (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (imp. & pp) of Sack. Multi-Version Concordance
Sacked (1 Occurrence). 2 Kings 15:16 Then Menahem struck ...
/s/sacked.htm - 6k

Sacks (12 Occurrences)

/s/sacks.htm - 10k

Joram (26 Occurrences)
... After the allies had been miraculousl y delivered from perishing for lack of water,
they devastated the land and sacked the cities, and finally they succeeded ...
/j/joram.htm - 27k

Empire (8 Occurrences)
... his Goths spared Rome in 408 for a ransom; in 409 he appeared again and set up Attalus
as king of the Romans, and finally in 410 he captured and sacked the city ...
/e/empire.htm - 80k

Jehoram (27 Occurrences)
... After the allies had been miraculousl y delivered from perishing for lack of water,
they devastated the land and sacked the cities, and finally they succeeded ...
/j/jehoram.htm - 30k

Joppa (14 Occurrences)
... "Scarcely any other town has been so often overthrown, sacked, pillaged, burned,
and rebuilt." Its present population is said to be about 16,000. ...
/j/joppa.htm - 17k

Lod (4 Occurrences)
... It was rebuilt by the Crusaders; but was destroyed by Saladin after the battle of
ChaTTin, 1191 AD It was again restored; but in 1271 it was sacked by the ...
/l/lod.htm - 11k

Loot (15 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (v.) To plunder; to steal; to pillage. 2. (n.) Plunder;
booty; especially, the boot taken in a conquered or sacked city. ...
/l/loot.htm - 11k

Lydda (3 Occurrences)
... It was rebuilt by the Crusaders; but was destroyed by Saladin after the battle of
ChaTTin, 1191 AD It was again restored; but in 1271 it was sacked by the ...
/l/lydda.htm - 11k

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