Bashan
    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, (1.) Gaulonitis,
    or Jaulan, the most western; (2.) Auranitis, the Hauran (Ezek.
    47:16); (3.) Argob or Trachonitis, now the Lejah; and (4.)
    Batanaea, now Ard-el-Bathanyeh, on the east of the Lejah, with
    many deserted towns almost as perfect as when they were
    inhabited. (See HAURAN.)



 Bashan, in the tooth, in ivory