Bible Location
Meaning: in the tooth · 52 cross references · Modern-day map available
Bashan is the fertile highland region east of the Jordan and north of Gilead, stretching toward Mount Hermon. It is important in the Bible as the kingdom of Og defeated by Israel, as a valuable and productive territory later allotted to Manasseh, and as a region remembered for strength, cattle, and rich pasture. First appears in Num 21:33.1
Place meaning
in the tooth
Coordinates
32.80, 35.94
First appears
Num 21:33
AI summary: Bashan appears in Scripture as a region of strength, abundance, and strategic importance. Israel's defeat of Og king of Bashan marks a major victory east of the Jordan and helps define the transjordanian inheritance before the crossing into Canaan proper. Later references continue to treat Bashan as a substantial northern territory with significant cities and resources. Poets and prophets also use Bashan symbolically, especially its cattle, forests, and reputation for richness, to evoke both prosperity and pride. The cross references therefore present Bashan as both a conquered kingdom in Israel's history and a lasting image of fertile power.1
Place meaning
in the tooth
Latitude
32.80
Longitude
35.94
Bible references
52
Light soil, first mentioned in Gen. 14:5, where it is said that Chedorlaomer and his confederates “smote the Rephaim in Ashteroth,” where Og the king of Bashan had his residence. At the time of Israel’s entrance into the Promised Land, Og came out against them, but was utterly routed (Num. 21:33-35; Deut. 3:1-7). This country extended from Gilead in the south to Hermon in the north, and from the Jordan on the west to Salcah on the east. Along with the half of Gilead it was given to the half-tribe of Manasseh (Josh. 13:29-31). Golan, one of its cities, became a “city of refuge” (Josh. 21:27). Argob, in Bashan, was one of Solomon’s commissariat districts (1 Kings 4:13). The cities of Bashan were taken by Hazael (2 Kings 10:33), but were soon after reconquered by Jehoash (2 Kings 13:25), who overcame the Syrians in three battles, according to the word of Elisha (19). From this time Bashan almost disappears from history, although we read of the wild cattle of its rich pastures (Ezek. 39:18; Ps. 22:12), the oaks of its forests (Isa. 2:13; Ezek. 27:6; Zech. 11:2), and the beauty of its extensive plains (Amos 4:1; Jer. 50:19). Soon after the conquest, the name “Gilead” was given to the whole country beyond Jordan. After the Exile, Bashan was divided into four districts, 3
Source note: this 1893 dictionary language reflects its period and may be culturally insensitive or outdated. It is presented as historical source material, not as ai-BIBLE’s language, interpretation, or endorsement.
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Figure1: A table of cross references between the selected passage and other passages (Data from Robert Rouse, “Theographic Bible Information,” Theographic-Bible-Metadata, 2020, https://github.com/robertrouse/theographic-bible-metadata.)
AI-assisted summary prepared for ai-BIBLE and stored as page content, based on dictionary material, place metadata, and linked Bible cross references.
Alistair de Blacquiere-Clarkson, “ai-BIBLE Bible Names JSON Factsheet Aggregating Material from Smith’s Bible Dictionary & Hitcocks’s New and Complete Analysis of the Bible.” ai-BIBLE electronic edition, version 1.0.
M.G.Easton, Illustrated Bible Dictionary, ai-BIBLE electronic edition, version 1.0.
Robert Rouse, “Theographic Bible Information,” Theographic-Bible-Metadata, 2020, https://github.com/robertrouse/theographic-bible-metadata.