Citadel — Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary

A city’s stronghold, tower, or fortification of last resort where people sought safety during an attack. The citadel of Penuel was destroyed by Gideon after he captured two Midianite kings (Jgs 8:17). The citadel of El-berith at Shechem was burned to the ground by Abimelech and his men (9:46-49). Abimelech was killed shortly thereafter when a woman in the citadel at Thebez dropped a millstone on his head and crushed his skull (vv 50-54). David conquered Jerusalem by capturing its citadel (2 Sm 5:7-9; 1 Chr 11:5-8).

Show passage in OET: JDG 8:17

OET-RV JDG 8:17

17 then they went to Penuel and tore down the tower and executed the city leaders.

OET-LV JDG 8:17

17 And_DOM the _tower _of Pənū^ʼēl he _tore _down and_he _killed DOM the _men _of the_city.

Show passage in OET: JDG 9:46–49

OET-RV JDG 9:46

46 When all the lords of the tower of Shekem heard, they went into the citadel of the temple for El-Berit,

OET-RV JDG 9:47

47 but it was reported to Avimelek that all the lords of the Shekem tower had gathered there.

OET-RV JDG 9:48

48 So Avimelek and all the people with him, went up to Mt. Tsalmon. He took axes and cut a branch down from the trees, then lifted it onto his shoulder and said to the people who were with him, “What I just did, you all quickly do the same.”

OET-RV JDG 9:49

49 So all the people also each cut off a branch and then followed Avimelek. They piled them on top of the underground chamber, and that’s how they burnt out the underground chamber. As a result, all the distinguished people in the tower of Shekem also died—about a thousand men and women.

OET-LV JDG 9:46

46 And_ all _of the _citizens _of the _tower _of Shəkem _they _heard and_they _came into the _underground _chamber _of the _house _of ʼĒl- Berith.

OET-LV JDG 9:47

47 And_it _was _told to_ʼAⱱīmelek if/because _that all _of the _citizens _of the _tower _of Shəkem they _had _gathered _together.

OET-LV JDG 9:48

48 And_he/it _ascended ʼAⱱīmelek the _mountain _of Tsalmōn/(Zalmon) he and_all the_people which with_him/it and_ ʼAⱱīmelek _he/it _took DOM the_axes in_his/its_hand and_he _cut _off a _branch _of wood(s) and_he_lifted _it _up and_he/it _assigned on shoulder _of_his and_he/it _said to the_people which with_him/it whatever you(pl)_have _seen I _have _done hurry do like_me.

OET-LV JDG 9:49

49 And_ also all _of the_people _they _cut _off everyone branch _of_his _own and_they _went after ʼAⱱīmelek and_they _put_them over the _underground_chamber and_they _set _on _fire over_them DOM the _underground_chamber with_fire and_ also all _of the _men _of the _tower _of Shəkem _they _died about_a _thousand man and_woman.

Show passage in OET: JDG 9:50–54

OET-RV JDG 9:50

50 Then Avimelek went to Tevets and set up camp around the city and captured it.

OET-RV JDG 9:51

51 But there was a strong tower in the middle of the city, so all of the men and the women and all the prominent citizens fled to it. Once they were all in, they barricaded it up and they went up onto the tower roof.

OET-RV JDG 9:52

52 Then Avimelek and his men approached the tower and fought against it, and he came in as close as the tower entrance in order to set fire to it,

OET-RV JDG 9:53

53 but a woman threw an upper millstone down onto Avimelek’s head and it crushed his skull.

OET-RV JDG 9:54

54 Then he cried out hurriedly to the young man bearing his armour, “Draw out your sword and put me to death, because I don’t want it to be said afterwards that I was killed by a woman.” So his young man stabbed him so that he died.

OET-LV JDG 9:50

50 And_ ʼAⱱīmelek _he/it _went to Tēⱱēʦ and_he _encamped at_Tēⱱēʦ and_he_captured _it.

OET-LV JDG 9:51

51 And_a _tower _of strength it _was in_the _middle _of the_city and_they _fled to_(to) all _of the_men and_the_women and_all/each/any/every the _citizens _of the_city and_they _shut _the _door behind_them and_they _went _up on the _roof the_tower.

OET-LV JDG 9:52

52 And_ ʼAⱱīmelek _he _came to the_tower and_he _fought in/on/over_him/it and_he _drew _near to the _entrance _of the_tower to_burn_it with_fire.

OET-LV JDG 9:53

53 And_ a _woman one _she _threw a _mill-stone _of an _upper _mill-stone on the _head _of ʼAⱱīmelek and_she _crushed DOM skull _of_his.

OET-LV JDG 9:54

54 And_he/it _called quickly to the _young_man the _bearer _of his _armour(s)_of_his and_he/it _said to_him/it draw sword _of_your and_kill_me lest people _should _say to_me a _woman she_killed _him and_he_pierced _him _through man _of_his _young and_he/it _died.

Show passage in OET: SA2 5:7–9

OET-RV SA2 5:7

7 But David did capture that Tsiyon (Zion) fortress that then became known as David’s city.

OET-RV SA2 5:8

8 He’d told his men that day, “Anyone wanting to strike the Yevusim should use the water tunnel to reach the lame people and the blind people—the ones who are hated by David.” (That’s why they say that blind and crippled people shouldn’t enter the house.)

OET-RV SA2 5:9

9 So David lived in that fortress and called it ‘David’s city’—expanding it on all sides.

OET-LV SA2 5:7

7 And_ Dāvid _he _captured DOM the _stronghold _of Tsiyyōn/(Zion) that is_the _city _of Dāvid.

OET-LV SA2 5:8

8 And_ Dāvid _he/it _said in _the_day (the)_that any _of one _who_attacks _of (of)_a _Yəⱱūşī and_let _him _approach by_tunnel and_DOM the _lame_people and_DOM the _blind_people who_are_hated _of of _the _self _of of _Dāvid therefore yes/correct/thus/so people _say a _blind_person and_a _lame_person not he _will _go into the_house.

OET-LV SA2 5:9

9 And_ Dāvid _he/it _sat _down//remained//lived in_stronghold and_he/it _called to/for_her/it the _city _of Dāvid and_ Dāvid _he/it _built round _about from the_Millōʼ and_to_the_inside.

Show passage in OET: CH1 11:5–8

OET-RV CH1 11:5

5 The inhabitants inside Yevus said to David, “You won’t be entering this place.” But David captured what became known as the Tsiyon (Zion) fortress, that is, the city of David.

OET-RV CH1 11:6

6 He’d said, “The one who strikes down the Yevusim first will become my army commander.” Tseruyah’s son Yoav (Joab) went up over the wall first, and he became head of the army.

OET-RV CH1 11:7

7 David started living in that fortress, so then they called it the city of David.

OET-RV CH1 11:8

8 He built the city up all around, from the terrace to the surrounding walls, and Yoav restored the rest of the city.

OET-LV CH1 11:5

5 And_ the _inhabitants _of Yəⱱūş/(Jebus) _they _said to_Dāvid not you _will _come here and_ Dāvid _he _captured DOM the _stronghold _of Tsiyyōn/(Zion) that is_the _city _of Dāvid.

OET-LV CH1 11:6

6 And_ Dāvid _he/it _said any _of one _who_attacks _of (of)_a _Yəⱱūşī/(Jebusite) at_first he _will _become (into)_a_chief and _(into)_a_commander and_he/it _ascended at_first Yōʼāⱱ/(Joab) the _son _of Tsərū^yāh/(Zeruiah) and_he/it _was (into)_a_chief.

OET-LV CH1 11:7

7 And_ Dāvid _he/it _sat _down//remained//lived in_stronghold therefore yes/correct/thus/so people _called to_him/it the _city _of Dāvid.

OET-LV CH1 11:8

8 And_he/it _built the_city from_round _about from the_Millōʼ and_unto the_surroundings and_Yōʼāⱱ he _restored DOM the _remainder _of the_city.

Jump to OET JDG 8:17 section.

Jump to OET JDG 9:46–49 section.

Jump to OET JDG 9:50–54 section.

Jump to OET SA2 5:7–9 section.

Jump to OET CH1 11:5–8 section.

During the Maccabees’ struggle for independence in the second century BC, the citadel in Jerusalem often aided the party in power (1 Macc 1:29-33; 11:41-42; 13:49-51). The Fortress of Antonia, the Jerusalem citadel in the day of Jesus, fell to the Romans in AD 70.