Topical Bible: Strongholds

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In biblical terminology, "strongholds" often refer to fortified places or defensive structures, both in a physical and metaphorical sense. The concept of strongholds is prevalent throughout Scripture, symbolizing both physical fortresses and spiritual or mental barriers that can impede one's relationship with God.

Old Testament Context

In the Old Testament, strongholds are frequently mentioned as physical fortresses or cities that provide protection against enemies. For example, David sought refuge in strongholds during his flight from King Saul. In 1 Samuel 23:14 , it is recorded, "David stayed in the strongholds of the wilderness and in the hill country of the wilderness of Ziph. Saul searched for him every day, but God did not deliver David into his hand."

Strongholds were often strategically located in high places, making them difficult to conquer. They served as places of safety and defense, as seen in the numerous accounts of battles and sieges throughout the historical books of the Bible.

Spiritual and Metaphorical Strongholds

Beyond their physical implications, strongholds also carry a significant metaphorical meaning in Scripture, particularly in the New Testament. The Apostle Paul uses the term to describe mental and spiritual barriers that oppose the knowledge of God. In 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 , Paul writes, "The weapons of our warfare are not the weapons of the world. Instead, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We tear down arguments and every presumption set up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."

Here, strongholds represent entrenched patterns of thinking or belief systems that are contrary to God's truth. These can include pride, fear, doubt, and any ideology that exalts itself above the knowledge of God. The passage emphasizes the spiritual nature of the battle and the divine power available to believers to overcome these barriers.

The Role of Faith and Obedience

In overcoming spiritual strongholds, faith and obedience to God's Word are crucial. The Bible encourages believers to renew their minds (Romans 12:2) and to stand firm in the truth of Scripture. Ephesians 6:10-18 describes the armor of God, which equips believers to stand against spiritual strongholds and the schemes of the devil. The passage highlights the importance of truth, righteousness, faith, salvation, and the Word of God as essential tools in spiritual warfare.

Practical Implications for Believers

For Christians, recognizing and addressing strongholds is an essential part of spiritual growth and maturity. This involves identifying areas in one's life where ungodly beliefs or habits have taken root and actively seeking God's help to dismantle them. Prayer, meditation on Scripture, and fellowship with other believers are vital practices in this process.

Strongholds can also manifest in societal or cultural systems that oppose biblical values. Believers are called to be salt and light in the world (Matthew 5:13-16), challenging these strongholds with the truth and love of Christ.

In summary, strongholds in the Bible encompass both physical and spiritual dimensions. They serve as a reminder of the ongoing battle between the forces of God and the forces of darkness, and the victory that is available through faith in Jesus Christ.

Strong's Hebrew

4679. metsad -- fastness, a stronghold
... fastness, a stronghold. Transliteration: metsad or metsad or metsadah Phonetic
Spelling: (mets-ad') Short Definition: strongholds. ...
/hebrew/4679.htm - 6k

4013. mibtsar -- fortification
... 1), fortifications (5), fortified (17), fortified cities (1), fortified city (1),
fortress (3), fortresses (1), strongest (1), strongholds (6), tester (1), well ...
/hebrew/4013.htm - 6k

4581. maoz -- a place or means of safety, protection
... Usage defense (4), fortress (4), fortresses (3), helmet (2), protection (2), refuge
(3), safety (2), strength (5), strong (1), stronghold (9), strongholds (1). ...
/hebrew/4581.htm - 6k

Library

My Children have Been Slain
... 2. The fowlers have taken, my doves out of my strongholds,"which quitted their
nests, and fled to the caves;"in the net have they taken them. ...
/.../ephraim/hymns and homilies of ephraim the syrian/hymn x my children have.htm

The Events which Preceded the Persecution in Our Times.
... anger. The Lord also overwhelmed all the beautiful things of Israel, and
threw down all his strongholds." [2498]. 9. And according ...
/.../pamphilius/church history/chapter i the events which preceded.htm

2 Cor. x. 1, 2
... For these strongholds besiege souls, not bodies. ... But by strongholds he means the
Grecian pride, and the strength of their sophisms and their syllogisms. ...
/.../homilies on the epistles of paul to the corinthians/homily xxi 2 cor x.htm

The Rending of the Kingdom
... He "built cities for defense in Judah," and "fortified the strongholds, and put
captains in them, and store of victual, and of oil and wine." He was careful to ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 6 the rending of.htm

Disestablishment
... No distinction shall I make between Trojan and Tyrian. The Federal grip upon
Connecticut, one of the last strongholds of that party, was weakening. ...
/.../chapter xv disestablishment.htm

The Existence of Moral Evil, or Sin, Reconciled with the Holiness ...
... "If it be not an offensive weapon," says he, "with which we may beat down and demolish
the strongholds of the sceptic, it is, at least, an armour of defence ...
/.../a theodicy or vindication of the divine glory/chapter vi the existence of.htm

The Eighteenth Theban Dynasty --(Continued)
... He destroyed Arka in the Lebanon and the surrounding strongholds, which were the
haunts of robbers who lurked in the mountains; then turning to the northeast ...
/.../chapter ithe eighteenth theban dynastycontinued.htm

The Apocalypse of the Holy Mother of God Concerning the ...
... Father, hail dwelling of the Son, hail command of the Holy Spirit, hail firmament
of the seven heavens, hail firmament of the eleven strongholds, hail worship ...
/.../unknown/the apocalypse of the virgin/the apocalypse of the holy.htm

The Preacher as a Man of the Word.
... Another of them says, "The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through
God to the pulling down of strongholds, casting down imaginations and ...
/.../stalker/the preacher and his models/lecture iv the preacher as.htm

A Short-Lived Peace
... had taken deeper root. These were the strongholds of heresy, where the spirit
of Eusebius of Nicomedia still prevailed. Men of his ...
/.../forbes/saint athanasius/chapter 9 a short-lived peace.htm

Thesaurus

Strongholds (44 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Strongholds (44 Occurrences). 2 Corinthians
10:4 for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but ...
/s/strongholds.htm - 19k

Holds (67 Occurrences)
... 2 Corinthians 10:4 for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty
before God to the throwing down of strongholds, (Root in WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS ...
/h/holds.htm - 26k

Fortresses (45 Occurrences)
... 2 Chronicles 11:11 And he fortified the strongholds, and put captains in
them, and store of victual, and oil and wine. (See NAS RSV). ...
/f/fortresses.htm - 19k

Defenses (8 Occurrences)
... Defenses (8 Occurrences). 2 Chronicles 11:11 He fortified the strongholds, and put
captains in them, and stores of food, and oil and wine. (See NIV). ...
/d/defenses.htm - 8k

Caves (17 Occurrences)
... Midian prevailed against Israel; and because of Midian the children of Israel made
them the dens which are in the mountains, and the caves, and the strongholds...
/c/caves.htm - 11k

Ruins (84 Occurrences)
... They have laid Jerusalem in heaps. (See NAS RSV). Psalms 89:40 Thou hast broken
down all his fences; Thou hast brought his strongholds to ruin. (See RSV NIV). ...
/r/ruins.htm - 31k

Swallowed (43 Occurrences)
... Lamentations 2:2 The Lord has swallowed up all the habitations of Jacob, and has
not pitied: He has thrown down in his wrath the strongholds of the daughter of ...
/s/swallowed.htm - 20k

Strongly (15 Occurrences)

/s/strongly.htm - 11k

Asmoneans
... The next year was spent in the reduction of Idumaea, the Jordan territory, the
Ammonites, and several important strongholds of the enemy, whilst Simon marched ...
/a/asmoneans.htm - 27k

Dwellings (54 Occurrences)
... Jeremiah 51:30 The mighty men of Babylon have forborne to fight, they remain in
their strongholds; their might hath failed, they are become as women; her ...
/d/dwellings.htm - 25k

Resources

Spiritual strongholds - what is the biblical view? | GotQuestions.org

How can demonic strongholds be overcome? | GotQuestions.org

What does it mean to take every thought captive (2 Corinthians 10:5)? | GotQuestions.org

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus

Concordance

Strongholds (44 Occurrences)

2 Corinthians 10:4
for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the throwing down of strongholds,
(WEB ASV DBY YLT RSV NIV)

Numbers 13:19
and what the land is that they dwell in, whether it is good or bad; and what cities they are that they dwell in, whether in camps, or in strongholds;
(WEB JPS ASV DBY RSV)

Judges 6:2
The hand of Midian prevailed against Israel; and because of Midian the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and the caves, and the strongholds.
(WEB JPS ASV DBY YLT NAS RSV NIV)

1 Samuel 13:6
And the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait (for the people were distressed); and the people hid themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in cliffs, and in strongholds, and in pits.
(DBY)

1 Samuel 23:14
David stayed in the wilderness in the strongholds, and remained in the hill country in the wilderness of Ziph. Saul sought him every day, but God didn't deliver him into his hand.
(WEB JPS ASV DBY NAS RSV NIV)

1 Samuel 23:19
Then the Ziphites came up to Saul to Gibeah, saying, "Doesn't David hide himself with us in the strongholds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of the desert?
(WEB JPS ASV DBY NAS RSV NIV)

1 Samuel 23:29
David went up from there, and lived in the strongholds of En Gedi.
(WEB JPS ASV DBY NAS RSV NIV)

2 Samuel 22:46
The sons of the stranger fade away, and come halting out of their close places.
(See NIV)

2 Kings 8:12
Hazael said, "Why do you weep, my lord?" He answered, "Because I know the evil that you will do to the children of Israel. You will set their strongholds on fire, and you will their young men with the sword, and will dash in pieces their little ones, and rip up their women with child."
(WEB JPS ASV DBY NAS)

2 Chronicles 11:11
He fortified the strongholds, and put captains in them, and stores of food, and oil and wine.
(WEB JPS ASV DBY)

Psalms 18:45
The sons of the stranger fade away, and come trembling out of their close places.
(See NIV)

Psalms 89:40
You have broken down all his hedges. You have brought his strongholds to ruin.
(WEB JPS ASV DBY NAS RSV NIV)

Isaiah 13:22
And wolves will be answering one another in their towers, and jackals in their houses of pleasure: her time is near, and her days of power will quickly be ended.
(See NIV)

Isaiah 23:11
He has stretched out his hand over the sea. He has shaken the kingdoms. Yahweh has ordered the destruction of Canaan's strongholds.
(WEB JPS ASV DBY NAS RSV)

Isaiah 33:16
He high places doth inhabit, Strongholds of rock 'are' his high tower, His bread hath been given, his waters stedfast.
(YLT)

Isaiah 34:13
And thorns shall come up in her palaces, nettles and thistles in the fortresses thereof; and it shall be a habitation of wild-dogs, an enclosure for ostriches.
(See RSV NIV)

Jeremiah 48:7
For because you have put your faith in your strong places, you, even you, will be taken: and Chemosh will go out as a prisoner, his priests and his rulers together.
(See RSV)

Jeremiah 48:18
You daughter who dwells in Dibon, come down from your glory, and sit in thirst; for the destroyer of Moab has come up against you, he has destroyed your strongholds.
(WEB JPS ASV DBY NAS RSV)

Jeremiah 48:41
Kerioth is taken, and the strongholds are seized, and the heart of the mighty men of Moab at that day shall be as the heart of a woman in her pangs.
(WEB JPS ASV DBY YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Jeremiah 49:27
I will kindle a fire in the wall of Damascus, and it shall devour the palaces of Ben Hadad.
(See RSV)

Jeremiah 51:30
The mighty men of Babylon have forborne to fight, they remain in their strongholds; their might has failed; they are become as women: her dwelling places are set on fire; her bars are broken.
(WEB JPS ASV YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Lamentations 2:2
The Lord has swallowed up all the habitations of Jacob, and has not pitied: He has thrown down in his wrath the strongholds of the daughter of Judah; He has brought them down to the ground; he has profaned the kingdom and its princes.
(WEB JPS ASV DBY NAS RSV NIV)

Lamentations 2:5
The Lord is become as an enemy, he has swallowed up Israel; He has swallowed up all her palaces, he has destroyed his strongholds; He has multiplied in the daughter of Judah mourning and lamentation.
(WEB JPS ASV DBY NAS RSV NIV)

Ezekiel 19:7
And he sent destruction on their widows and made waste their towns; and the land and everything in it became waste because of the loud sound of his voice.
(See RSV NIV)

Ezekiel 19:9
They put him in a cage with hooks, and brought him to the king of Babylon; they brought him into strongholds, that his voice should no more be heard on the mountains of Israel.
(WEB JPS ASV DBY)

Ezekiel 33:27
You shall tell them, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: As I live, surely those who are in the waste places shall fall by the sword; and him who is in the open field will I give to the animals to be devoured; and those who are in the strongholds and in the caves shall die of the pestilence.
(WEB JPS ASV DBY YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Daniel 11:19
Then he shall turn his face toward the fortresses of his own land; but he shall stumble and fall, and shall not be found.
(See JPS YLT)

Daniel 11:38
But in his place shall he honor the god of fortresses; and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honor with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things.
(See JPS YLT)

Daniel 11:39
And he will practise in the strongholds of fortresses with a strange +god: whoso acknowledgeth him will he increase with glory; and he shall cause them to rule over the many, and shall divide the land to them for a reward.
(DBY YLT)

Hosea 8:14
For Israel has forgotten his Maker and built palaces; and Judah has multiplied fortified cities; but I will send a fire on his cities, and it will devour its fortresses." Zechariah
(See RSV)

Amos 1:4
but I will send a fire into the house of Hazael, and it will devour the palaces of Ben Hadad.
(See RSV)

Amos 1:7
but I will send a fire on the wall of Gaza, and it will devour its palaces.
(See RSV)

Amos 1:10
but I will send a fire on the wall of Tyre, and it will devour its palaces."
(See RSV)

Amos 1:12
but I will send a fire on Teman, and it will devour the palaces of Bozrah."
(See RSV)

Amos 1:14
But I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah, and it will devour its palaces, with shouting in the day of battle, with a storm in the day of the whirlwind;
(See RSV)

Amos 2:2
but I will send a fire on Moab, and it will devour the palaces of Kerioth; and Moab will die with tumult, with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet;
(See RSV)

Amos 2:5
But I will send a fire on Judah, and it will devour the palaces of Jerusalem."
(See RSV)

Amos 3:10
And they have not known to act straightforwardly, An affirmation of Jehovah, Who are treasuring up violence and spoil in their palaces.
(See RSV)

Amos 3:11
Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: "An adversary will overrun the land; and he will pull down your strongholds, and your fortresses will be plundered."
(WEB RSV NIV)

Amos 6:8
"The Lord Yahweh has sworn by himself," says Yahweh, the God of Armies: "I abhor the pride of Jacob, and detest his fortresses. Therefore I will deliver up the city with all that is in it.
(See RSV)

Micah 5:11
I will cut off the cities of your land, and will tear down all your strongholds.
(WEB JPS ASV DBY RSV NIV)

Micah 7:17
They will lick the dust like a serpent. Like crawling things of the earth they shall come trembling out of their dens. They will come with fear to Yahweh our God, and will be afraid because of you.
(See RSV)

Nahum 3:12
All thy strongholds are like fig-trees with the first-ripe figs: if they be shaken, they even fall into the mouth of the eater.
(DBY)

Zephaniah 3:6
I have cut off nations, Desolated have been their chief ones, I have laid waste their out-places without any passing by, Destroyed have been their cities, Without man, without inhabitant.
(See NIV)

Subtopics

Strongholds

Related Terms

Envy (56 Occurrences)

Ambitious (6 Occurrences)

Philippi (8 Occurrences)

Strove (25 Occurrences)

Preacher (27 Occurrences)

Thessalonians (6 Occurrences)

Ecclesiastes (1 Occurrence)

Jude (4 Occurrences)

Strongholds (44 Occurrences)