Bashan

Lore & Background

Bashan is first mentioned as the territory of Og, a king of the Amorites, who came out with all his people to fight Israel at Edrei (Numbers 21:33; Deuteronomy 3:1). The Lord delivered Og and his people into Israel's hands, and they smote him until none remained (Deuteronomy 3:3). The Israelites took all sixty cities of the region of Argob, the kingdom of Og in Bashan (Deuteronomy 3:4). Og is described as the last of the remnant of giants, and his iron bedstead—nine cubits long and four cubits wide—was kept as a relic in Rabbath of the children of Ammon (Deuteronomy 3:11). The land of Bashan was called the land of giants (Deuteronomy 3:13). Moses gave the kingdom of Og to the half-tribe of Manasseh, along with the cities and surrounding country (Numbers 32:33; Deuteronomy 3:13). Bashan is also noted for its fertile livestock, with 'rams of the breed of Bashan' mentioned in a poetic blessing (Deuteronomy 32:14). The tribe of Dan is prophesied to 'leap from Bashan' (Deuteronomy 33:22). The cities of Golan in Bashan were designated as a city of refuge for the Manassites (Deuteronomy 4:43).

Reader's Guide

The passages portray Bashan primarily as a conquered kingdom, emphasizing the complete victory over its giant king Og. The narrative in Numbers and Deuteronomy consistently pairs Bashan with the kingdom of Sihon, highlighting the two Amorite kings defeated east of the Jordan (Deuteronomy 4:47; Deuteronomy 29:7). The conquest is presented as a divine act: 'the LORD our God delivered into our hands Og' (Deuteronomy 3:3). The detailed description of Og's iron bedstead and his status as a remnant of giants underscores the extraordinary nature of the victory (Deuteronomy 3:11). The land's allocation to the half-tribe of Manasseh (Numbers 32:33; Deuteronomy 3:13) and the mention of its cities, including Golan as a refuge (Deuteronomy 4:43), show its integration into Israel's inheritance. Bashan's fertility is hinted at by the reference to its rams (Deuteronomy 32:14), and the poetic blessing of Dan associates the tribe with leaping from Bashan (Deuteronomy 33:22). The passages do not provide a detailed geography beyond naming Edrei, Salchah, and the region of Argob (Deuteronomy 3:4, 3:10).

Did You Know?

• Og's bedstead was made of iron and measured nine cubits by four cubits (Deuteronomy 3:11).
• Bashan was called 'the land of giants' (Deuteronomy 3:13).
• The Israelites captured sixty cities in Bashan (Deuteronomy 3:4).
• Bashan was known for its breed of rams (Deuteronomy 32:14).