KJV dictionary & concordance
To surround a city, place, or people with hostile forces, cutting off escape or relief in order to take or subdue them.
Definition sources
Some verses contain the word more than once.
First occurrence: Deuteronomy 20:12
Complete exact-word concordance
And if it will make no peace with thee, but will make war against thee, then thou shalt besiege it:
And if it will make no peace with thee, but will make warre against thee, then thou shalt besiege it.
¶ When thou shalt besiege a city a long time, in making war against it to take it, thou shalt not destroy the trees thereof by forcing an axe against them: for thou mayest eat of them, and thou shalt not cut them down (for the tree of the field is man’s life) to employ them in the siege:
¶ When thou shalt besiege a citie a long time, in making warre against it to take it, thou shalt not destroy the trees thereof, by forcing an axe against them: for thou mayest eate of them, and thou shalt not cut them downe ( for the tree of the field is mans life) to employ them in the siege.
1611 marginal noteOr, for, O man the tree of the field is to be employed in the siege.
1611 marginal noteHeb. to goe from before thee.
And he shall besiege thee in all thy gates, until thy high and fenced walls come down, wherein thou trustedst, throughout all thy land: and he shall besiege thee in all thy gates throughout all thy land, which the Lord thy God hath given thee.
And he shall besiege thee in all thy gates, vntill thy high and fenced walles come downe wherein thou trustedst throughout all thy land: and hee shall besiege thee in all thy gates, throughout all thy land which the LORD thy God hath giuen thee.
And Saul called all the people together to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men.
And Saul called all the people together to warre, to goe downe to Keilah, to besiege Dauid, and his men.
¶ If there be in the land famine, if there be pestilence, blasting, mildew, locust, or if there be caterpiller; if their enemy besiege them in the land of their cities; whatsoever plague, whatsoever sickness there be;
¶ If there be in the land famine, if there be pestilence, blasting, mildew, locust, or if there be caterpiller: if their enemy besiege them in the land of their cities, whatsoeuer plague, whatsoeuer sicknes there be;
1611 marginal noteOr, iurisdiction.
And Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came against the city, and his servants did besiege it.
And Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came against the citie, and his seruants did besiege it.
¶ If there be dearth in the land, if there be pestilence, if there be blasting, or mildew, locusts, or caterpillers; if their enemies besiege them in the cities of their land; whatsoever sore or whatsoever sickness there be:
¶ If there be dearth in the land, if there be pestilence, if there be blasting, or mil-dew, locusts or caterpillers; if their enemies besiege them in the cities of their land: whatsoeuer sore, or whatsoeuer sicknesse there be:
1611 marginal noteHebr. in the land of their gates.
1611 marginal noteChap. 20.9.
A grievous vision is declared unto me; the treacherous dealer dealeth treacherously, and the spoiler spoileth. Go up, O Elam: besiege, O Media; all the sighing thereof have I made to cease.
A grieuous vision is declared vnto me; The treacherous dealer dealeth treacherously, and the spoiler spoileth: Goe, vp O Elam: besiege, O Media: all the sighing thereof haue I made to cease.
1611 marginal noteHeb. hard.
Thus saith the Lord God of Israel; Behold, I will turn back the weapons of war that are in your hands, wherewith ye fight against the king of Babylon, and against the Chaldeans, which besiege you without the walls, and I will assemble them into the midst of this city.
Thus saith the LORD God of Israel; Behold, I will turne backe the weapons of warre that are in your hands, wherewith yee fight against the king of Babylon, and against the Caldeans, which besiege you without the walles, and I will assemble them into the middest of this citie.
He that abideth in this city shall die by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence: but he that goeth out, and falleth to the Chaldeans that besiege you, he shall live, and his life shall be unto him for a prey.
He that abideth in this citie, shall die by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence: but he that goeth out, and falleth to the Caldeans, that besiege you, he shall liue, and his life shall be vnto him, for a pray.
1611 marginal noteChap. 38.2.
1611 marginal noteChap. 39.18. and 45.5.
Source order
Historical English dictionary sources
To lay siege to; to beleaguer; to beset, or surround with armed forces, for the purpose of compelling to surrender, either by famine or by violent attacks.
