Bashan

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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 (Josh. 13:30-3130And their coast was from Mahanaim, all Bashan, all the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, and all the towns of Jair, which are in Bashan, threescore cities: 31And half Gilead, and Ashtaroth, and Edrei, cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan, were pertaining unto the children of Machir the son of Manasseh, even to the one half of the children of Machir by their families. (Joshua 13:30‑31); Josh. 21:2727And unto the children of Gershon, of the families of the Levites, out of the other half tribe of Manasseh they gave Golan in Bashan with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Beesh-terah with her suburbs; two cities. (Joshua 21:27); 2 Kings 10:3333From Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites, and the Manassites, from Aroer, which is by the river Arnon, even Gilead and Bashan. (2 Kings 10:33); 1 Chron. 5:1111And the children of Gad dwelt over against them, in the land of Bashan unto Salchah: (1 Chronicles 5:11)).
The district was in later days divided into:
1. GAULANITIS on the west, now called Jaulan, a rich district with noble forests, which is now almost deserted.
2. AURANITIS, in the center, now called Hauran, a magnificent plain, partly inhabited.1
3. TRACHONITIS, on the north-east, also called ARGOB; now called El Lejah, a wild district of basaltic rocks.
4. BATANAEA, on the south-east, now called Ard el Bathanyeh. The four districts have relics of a numerous population, with massive houses built of stone in some parts.
BULLS OF BASHAN are figurative of strong ruthless enemies, (Amos 4:11Hear this word, ye kine of Bashan, that are in the mountain of Samaria, which oppress the poor, which crush the needy, which say to their masters, Bring, and let us drink. (Amos 4:1)), whom God in the coming judgment on Gog will crush, and will call for the fowls and the beasts to come and feed upon their flesh and their blood, (Ezek. 39:1818Ye shall eat the flesh of the mighty, and drink the blood of the princes of the earth, of rams, of lambs, and of goats, of bullocks, all of them fatlings of Bashan. (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 (Psa. 22:12-1312Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round. 13They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion. (Psalm 22:12‑13)).
 
 
1. It has long been held that this district, if properly cultivated, would well support its population; and it is reported that recently (1894) a rich Jew has purchased about 45 square miles.