Og

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

An Amorite king of Bashan, ruling 60 cities, including Ashteroth Karnaim and Edrei (Joshua 13:12; Joshua 12:4; Genesis 14:5). After conquering Sihon's land from the Arnon to the Jabbok, Israel marched by way of Bashan which is N. of the Jabbok. (See BASHAN; ARGOB.) Og met them and perished with all his people at Edrei, and Israel took his land (Numbers 21:33-35). Og was of a different race, namely, "of the remnant of the giants," the Rephaim before the Amorites came (Deuteronomy 3:13). The Amorites by intermarriage with the Rephaim were in "height like that of the cedars and strong as the oaks" (Amos 2:9). Og's bedstead was in Rabbath of Ammon when Moses wrote Deuteronomy 3:1-11.

Either the Ammonites, like the Bedouin, followed in the wake of Israel's armies as pillagers, and so got possession of it; or Israel sent it to Ammon as a pledge of their having no hostile intentions, the Lord having forbidden them to disturb Ammon, and as a visible token of Israel's power in having overcome such mighty kings as Sihon and Og. It was nine cubits long and four broad. "Of iron," perhaps the black basalt of the country, which is called by the Arabs "iron," having 20 percent of that metal. His body was of course shorter. Knobel thinks Og's "bier" is meant, a sarcophagus of black basalt. His corpse may have been carried, in this view, to the territory of the friendly Ammonites. So Dr. Geddes conjectures Og, after his defeat, fled to Rabbath where he died and was buried in this coffin.

After traversing the smooth pasture land, Israel suddenly came on the marvelous rock barrier of Argob, an oval basalt island, 60 miles by 20 miles, "all the girdle (Hebrew) of Argob" ("the stony country"), rising abruptly 30 ft. from the surrounding Bashan plains. The rocky fastnesses, on which Og's 60 cities were, almost impregnable, compensated by security for their inconveniences. Had Og remained in them, Israel could not have dislodged him. God therefore saw it needful to encourage Israel in facing such a foe, "fear him not"; and God sent hornets which, as well as infatuation, drove Og into the open field where he was overthrown (Joshua 24:12). God's special interposition for Israel against Og is the theme of praise (Psalms 135:11; Psalms 136:20).

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

OG . The king of Bashan, who, with his children and people, was defeated and destroyed by the Israelites at Edrei, directly after the defeat of Sihon. His rule extended over sixty cities, of which the two chief were Ashtaroth and Edrei ( Joshua 12:4 ). The whole of his kingdom was assigned to the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half-Manasseh ( Deuteronomy 3:1-13 , Numbers 32:33; see also Deuteronomy 1:4; Deuteronomy 4:47; Deuteronomy 31:4 , Joshua 2:10; Joshua 9:10; Joshua 13:12; Joshua 13:30 ). The conquest of this powerful giant king lingered long in the imagination of the Israelites as one of the chief exploits of the conquest ( Psalms 135:11; Psalms 136:20 ). The impression of the gigantic stature of Og is corroborated by the writer of Deuteronomy 3:11 , who speaks of the huge ‘iron bedstead’ (or sarcophagus) belonging to him. According to the measurements there given, this sarcophagus was nine cubits long and four cubits broad. It is, however, impossible to estimate his stature from these dimensions, owing to the tendency to build tombs unnecessarily large in order to leave an impression of superhuman stature. The ‘iron’ of which the sarcophagus was made, probably means black basalt. Many basaltic sarcophagi have been found on the east of the Jordan.

T. A. Moxon.

People's Dictionary of the Bible

Og (ŏg) long-necked? A king of Bashan, of gigantic stature, Deuteronomy 3:11, who opposed the passage of the Israelites through his territories. Deuteronomy 3:1. He was defeated in a pitched battle in Edrei, and, together with his sons, was slain. Deuteronomy 1:4; Numbers 21:33-34. His sixty fenced and walled cities were given with Bashan and all his kingdom to the half-tribe of Manasseh. Deuteronomy 3:8; Deuteronomy 3:4; Numbers 32:33. He was a giant. Joshua 13:12, and his long iron bedstead (?) (possibly sarcophagus of black basalt), was preserved as a memorial of his huge stature Deuteronomy 3:11.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

An Amoritish king of Bashan east of the Jordan, defeated and slain by the Israelites under Moses. He was a giant in stature, on e of the last of the Rephaim who had possessed that region; and his iron bedstead, fourteen feet long, was preserved after his death as a relic. Ashtaroth-carnaim and Edrei were his chief cities; but there were many other walled towns, and the land was rich in flocks and herds. It was assigned by Moses to the half-tribe of Manasseh, Numbers 21:33 32:33 Deuteronomy 1:4 3:1-13 4:47 31:4 Joshua 2:10 12:4 13:30 .

Morrish Bible Dictionary

The Amorite king of Bashan, one of the giant warriors who ruled over sixty cities, inhabited by a hardy and warlike race. He came against Israel, but was smitten by Moses, and his land was possessed by the half-tribe of Manasseh. His bedstead is spoken of as measuring 9 cubits by 4 cubits, about 13 feet 6 inches in length by 6 feet wide. Numbers 21:33; Deuteronomy 3:1-13; Nehemiah 9:22; Psalm 135:11; Psalm 136:20 . See BASHAN.

Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary

King of Bashan. (Deuteronomy 3:11) We have an account of this wonderful man; and his size must have been enormous, if we judge of it by his bedstead of iron. Nine cubits long, by four wide, makes in English measure, fifteen feet four inches long, and six feet ten in breadth. But what is length or strength in man, when opposed to those who fight in the strength of the Lord? Og proves to be in such a case, as his name is, "a cake baked in ashes." (See Numbers 21:33)

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Deuteronomy 1:4Numbers 21:32-35Deuteronomy 3:1-13Psalm 135:11136:20Sihon

Holman Bible Dictionary

Numbers 21:33-35Deuteronomy 1:4Deuteronomy 3:1-13Deuteronomy 3:11Job 7:13Amos 3:12

Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary

a king of Bashan; being a giant of the race of the Rephaim. Moses records the conquest of Og, and his destruction. After which his country was given to the tribe of Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh, Numbers 21:33 . See GIANTS .

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Gog. (mountain). A Reubenite, 1 Chronicles 5:4, son of Shemaiah.

Webster's Dictionary

(n.) Haste; ardent desire to go.

King James Dictionary

OG. See Ogee.

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

(Heb. id. עוֹג , probabsly a shortened form of עֹנֶג . i.e. עֹנֶק, giant, lit. long- necked [but from a statement of Manetho that Hyk (Lsc) in the word Hyksos is the Rephaite name for King, it has been inferred that Og (עֹג ) is but an attempt to represent the same in Hebrew letters (see Jour. Sac. Lit. Jan. 1852, p. 363); some, but without any probability, would connect the name with the Greek Ogyges (Ewald, Gesch. 1:306; 2:269)1; Sept. ῎Ωγ; Joseph. ῎Ωγυς . Ant. 4:5, 3), an Amoritish king of Bashan (Numbers 21:33; Numbers 32:33; Deuteronomy 4:47; Deuteronomy 31:4), reigning over sixty cities, of which the chief were Ashtaroth and Edrei (Joshua 13:12), in the time of the entrance into Canaan, B.C. 1618. (See Amorite).

We find from Scripture that he was, with his children and his people, defeated and exterminated by the Israelites under Moses at Edrei (Numbers 21:33; Deuteronomy 1:4; Deuteronomy 3:3; Deuteronomy 29:7; Joshua 2:10), immediately after the conquest of Sihon, who is represented by Josephus as his friend and ally (Joseph. Ant. 4:5,3). His many walled cities were taken (Deuteronomy 3:4-10), and his kingdom assigned, with its capital Ashtaroth, to the transjordanic tribes, especially the half-tribe of Manasseh (Deuteronomy 3:1-13; Joshua 9:10; Joshua 13:12; Joshua 13:30). (See Bashan). "In form he was a giant, so that his bedstead was preserved as a memorial of his huge stature — (Deuteronomy 3:11; Joshua 13:12.) (See Giant).

How it got in ‘ Rabbath of the children of Ammon' we are not told; perhaps the Ammonites had taken it in some victory over Og. The verse itself has the air of a later edition (Dathe), although it is of course possible that the Hebrews may have heard of so curious a relic as this long before they conquered the city where it was treasured. Rabbath was first subdued in the reign of David (2 Samuel 12:26); but it does not therefore follow that Deuteronomy 3:11 was not written till that time (Havernick. ad loc.). Some have supposed that this was one of the common flat beds, (See Bed), sometimes used on the housetops of Eastern cities, but made of iron instead of palm-branches, which would not have supported the giant's weight. It has been conjectured by some (Michaelis, Vater, and others) that the words עֶרֶשׂ בִּרְזֶל, eires barzel, mean a ‘ sarcophagus of black basalt'- a rendering of which they, however, hardly admit. The Arabs still regard black basalt as iron, because it is a stone ‘ ferrei coloris atque duritia'. (Pliny, 36:11), and ‘ contains a large percentage of iron.' (See Iron).

It is most abundant in the Hauran; and indeed is probably the cause of the name Argob (the stony) given to a part of Og's kingdom. This receptacle was 9 cubits long and 4 cubits broad. It does not of course follow that Og was 15½ feet high. Maimonides (More Nebochim, 2:48) sensibly remarks that a bed (supposing ‘ a bed' to be intended) is usually one third longer than the sleeper; and Sir J. Chardin, as well as other travelers, have observed the ancient tendency to make mummies and tombs far larger than the natural size of men, in order to leave an impression of wonder." The giant stature of Og. and the power and bravery of his people, excited a dread which God himself alleviated by his encouragement to Moses before the battle; and the impression of this victory lingered long in the national memory (Psalms 135:11; Psalms 136:20). He was one of the last representatives of the giant-race of Rephaim. According to Eastern traditions, he escaped the Deluge by wading beside the ark (Sale, Koran, ch. v, p. 86). He was supposed to be the largest of the sons of Anak, and a descendant of Ad. He is said to have lived no less than 3000 years, and to have refused the warnings of Jethro (Shoaib), who was sent as a prophet to him and his people (D'Herbelot, s.v. Falasthin, Anak). Soiuthi wrote a long book about him and his race, chiefly taken from Rabbinic traditions, and called Aug fi khaber Aug (ib. s.v. Aug). See, too, the Journal Asiatique for 1841, and Chronique de Tabari, trad. du Persan par Dubeux, 1:48, f. Other legends about'Og may be found in Ben-Uzziel on Numbers 21:33; Midrash Jalkft, fol. 13 (quoted by Ewald), and in Mohammedan writers: as that one of his bones long served for a bridge over a river; that he roasted at the sun a fish freshly caught, etc. An apocryphal book of king Og, which probably contained these and other traditions, was condemned by pope Gelasius (Decref. 6:13; Sixt. Senensis, Bibl. Sanct. p. 86). (See Rephaim).

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

( עוג , ‛ōgh  ; Ὤψ , Ṓg ): King of Bashan, whose territory, embracing 60 cities, was conquered by Moses and the Israelites immediately after the conquest of Sihon, king of the Amorites ( Numbers 21:33-35; Deuteronomy 3:1-12 ). The defeat took place at Edrei, one of the chief of these cities (Numbers 21:33; Joshua 12:4 ), and Og and his people were "utterly destroyed" (Deuteronomy 3:6 ). Og is described as the last of the Rephaim (which see), or giant-race of that district, and his giant stature is borne out by what is told in Deuteronomy 3:11 of the dimensions of his "bedstead of iron" ( 'eres barzel ), 9 cubits long and 4 broad (13 1/2 ft. by 6 ft.), said to be still preserved at Rabbath of Ammon when the verse describing it was written. It is not, of course, necessary to conclude that Og's own height, though immense, was as great as this. Some, however, prefer to suppose that what is intended is "a sarcophagus of black basalt," which iron-like substance abounds in the Hauran. The conquered territory was subsequently bestowed on the Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh (Numbers 32:33; Deuteronomy 3:12 , Deuteronomy 3:13 ). Other references to Og are Deuteronomy 1:4; Deuteronomy 4:47; Deuteronomy 31:4; Joshua 2:10; Joshua 9:10; Joshua 13:12 , Joshua 13:30 ). The memory of this great conquest lingered all through the national history (Psalm 135:11; Psalm 136:20 ). On the conquest, compare Stanley, Lectures on the History of the Jewish Church , I, 185-87. See Argob; Bashan .

Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature

Og (giant), an Amoritish king of Bashan . In form he was a giant, so that his bedstead was preserved as a memorial of his huge stature [BEDS]. He was defeated by the Israelites under Moses (;; ); and his country, which contained many walled cities was assigned to the tribe of Manasseh .