Difference between revisions of "Bashan"

<p> Now best known for the Golan Heights, it is a large district on the east of the Jordan, having Gilead on the south and extending northward to Mount Hermon; westward to the Jordan valley, and eastward nearly as far as 37 E. It is sometimes called the "land of Bashan," and it was the kingdom of Og the Amorite. It was conquered by Moses, and became, with part of Gilead, the portion of the half-tribe of Manasseh. Its principal cities were Ashtaroth (or Beeshterah) given to the Levites, Golan a 'city of refuge,' Edrei, and [[Salcah]] on its border. It was ravaged by Hazael in the time of Jehu, and is not often alluded to in the later history of the kings of Judah and Israel. &nbsp;Joshua 13:30,31; &nbsp;Joshua 21:27; &nbsp;2 Kings 10:33; &nbsp;1 Chronicles 5:11 . </p> <p> The district was in later days divided into </p> <p> 1. GAULANITIS on the west, now called <i> Jaulan </i> , a rich district with noble forests. </p> <p> 2. AURANITIS, in the centre, now called <i> Hauran </i> , a magnificent plain. </p> <p> 3. TRACHONITIS, on the north-east, also called ARGOB, <i> q.v.; </i> now called <i> El </i> <i> Lejah, </i> a wild district of basaltic rocks. </p> <p> 4. BATANAEA, on the south-east, now called <i> Ard el Bathanyeh. </i> The four districts have relics of a numerous population, with massive houses built of stone in some parts. </p> <p> [[The Oaks Of Bashan]]  are used symbolically for great strength and loftiness, which God in His judgement brings down. &nbsp;Isaiah 2:13; &nbsp;Ezekiel 27:6;&nbsp;Zechariah 11:2 . </p> <p> [[Bulls Of Bashan]]  are figurative of strong ruthless enemies, &nbsp;Amos 4:1 , whom God in the coming judgement on [[Gog]] will crush, and will call for the fowls and the beasts to come and feed upon their flesh and their blood, &nbsp;Ezekiel 39:18 : and lastly, when the blessed Lord was on the cross, His description of His vindictive enemies includes the strong bulls of Bashan which beset Him around, and gaped upon Him with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion. &nbsp;Psalm 22:12,13 . </p>

<p> <strong> BASHAN </strong> . The name of the territory east of the Sea of Tiberias. It was the kingdom of Og, the Rephaite opponent of Israel, and with his name the country is almost invariably associated (&nbsp; Numbers 21:33 , &nbsp; Deuteronomy 29:7 , &nbsp; Nehemiah 9:22 etc.). The territory was given to the half-tribe of Manasseh, with a reservation of two cities, Golan and Be-eshterah (Ashtaroth in &nbsp; 1 Chronicles 6:71 ), for the [[Gershonite]] [[Levites]] (&nbsp; Joshua 21:27 ). In the time of [[Jehu]] the country was smitten by Hazael (&nbsp; 2 Kings 10:33 ). It was noted for mountains (&nbsp; Psalms 68:15 ), lions (&nbsp; Deuteronomy 33:22 ), oak trees (&nbsp; Isaiah 2:13 , &nbsp; Ezekiel 27:6 , &nbsp; Zechariah 11:2 ), and especially cattle, both rams (&nbsp; Deuteronomy 32:14 ) and bullocks (&nbsp; Ezekiel 39:18 ); the bulls and kine of Bashan are typical of cruelty and oppression (&nbsp; Psalms 22:12 , &nbsp; Amos 4:1 ). The extent of the territory denoted by this name cannot be exactly defined till some important identifications can be established, such as the exact meaning of ‘the region of Argob’ (included in the kingdom of Og, &nbsp; Deuteronomy 3:4 etc.), where were threescore great cities with walls and brazen bars, administered for Solomon by Ben-geber of Ramoth-gilead (&nbsp; 1 Kings 4:13 ). It included [[Salecah]] ( <em> Salkhat </em> , on the borders of the desert), Edrei ( <em> ed-Der‘a </em> ?), Ashtaroth (perhaps <em> Tell Ashareh </em> ), and Golan, one of the cities of refuge, the name of which may be preserved in the <em> Jaulan </em> , the region immediately east of the Sea of Tiberias. </p> <p> [[R. A. S]]  Macalister. </p>