Towers (original) (raw)

Watchtowers were built to protect towns before people invented writing. Jesus taught a parable about a landowner who established a vineyard with a watchtower used to guard against grape thieves and hungry animals. The tenants renting from him turned out to be thieves and tried to steal the entire vineyard. This area was currently being used for olive production. The Palestinians did some small scale growing of grapes on patio arbors and small trellises. These terraces are not longer used to produce grapes for wine as Muslims inhabit the area and they do not drink alcohol.

Isaiah 5:1-4 (WEB) Let me sing for my well beloved a song of my beloved about his vineyard. My beloved had a vineyard on a very fruitful hill. 2 He dug it up, gathered out its stones, planted it with the choicest vine, built a tower in the middle of it, and also cut out a wine press therein. He looked for it to yield grapes, but it yielded wild grapes. 3 �Now, inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah, please judge between me and my vineyard. 4 What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? Why, when I looked for it to yield grapes, did it yield wild grapes?

Isaiah 5:7 (WEB) For the vineyard of Yahweh of Armies is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for justice, but, behold, oppression; for righteousness, but, behold, a cry of distress.

The basic shape of a tower was known 9,000 years ago in Jericho. There are ruins of terraces and towers in the hills if Israel from before the times of Jesus and similar features exist to this day.

Neolthic Tower -- Jericho 2005