Joshua 13:31
And 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.
Original Language Analysis
Historical Context
Bashan was renowned for its fertile soil, oak forests, and excellent pasture land, producing cattle that became proverbially famous (Amos 4:1, Ezekiel 39:18). The region stretched from the Jabbok River to Mount Hermon, including the Golan Heights. Og ruled from Ashtaroth and Edrei, cities that became part of Manasseh's inheritance. Archaeological evidence confirms substantial Bronze Age settlement in this region, supporting the biblical account of numerous cities.
Questions for Reflection
- How does the defeat of Og the giant encourage believers facing overwhelming obstacles in fulfilling God's calling?
- What does Jair's naming of sixty conquered cities teach about how faithful actions can establish lasting legacy?
- How might the fertile, prosperous land of Bashan illustrate that God often gives His people more abundant blessings than they initially envisioned?
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Analysis & Commentary
And their coast was from Mahanaim, all Bashan, all the kingdom of Og king of Bashan—The eastern half of Manasseh received the most northern territory, extending from Mahanaim (מַחֲנַיִם) northward through all of Bashan (בָּשָׁן). Og (עוֹג) was the last of the Rephaim giants (Deuteronomy 3:11), making his defeat particularly significant. His iron bedstead measured 13.5 feet long (Deuteronomy 3:11), indicating extraordinary size. The conquest of giants demonstrated that no enemy, however formidable, can stand against God's purposes.
And all the towns of Jair the son of Manasseh, which are in Bashan, threescore cities—Jair (יָאִיר, "he enlightens") was a descendant of Manasseh who conquered sixty cities in Bashan, called Havoth-jair (חַוֹּת יָאִיר, "villages of Jair") in his honor (Numbers 32:41, Deuteronomy 3:14). This personal naming of cities acknowledges individual valor within corporate victory. Jair's sixty cities demonstrate that faithfulness multiplies blessing—what began as conquest became generational inheritance, perpetuating his name throughout Israel's history.