Ashtaroth or Beeshterah, a city in Bashan, ruled by King Og and later allotted to the Levites.
Also known as Astaroth · Beeshterah · Be Eshterah · Beesh–terah · Ashterathite
Ashtaroth, also known as Beeshterah, was a city located in the region of Bashan, east of the Jordan River. It is mentioned several times in the Bible, particularly in connection with Og, the king of Bashan, who ruled over the city.
In Deu.1.4, Ashtaroth is named as one of the cities defeated by the Israelites, along with Edrei, after they had conquered Sihon, king of the Amorites. Joshua 9:10 and 12:4 also mention Ashtaroth as part of the territory ruled by Og, who was one of the last remnants of the Rephaim, a race of giants.
After the conquest of Bashan, Ashtaroth was allotted to the half-tribe of Manasseh (Joshua 13:31). However, the city was later designated as a Levitical city, given to the descendants of Gershon (Joshua 21:27; 1Ch.6.71). This indicates that Ashtaroth was one of the cities set apart for the Levites to dwell in and perform their sacred duties.
In 1Ch.11.44, Ashtaroth is mentioned as the hometown of Uzzia, one of David's mighty men, suggesting that the city had Israelite inhabitants during the time of David's reign.
The name Ashtaroth is also associated with the Canaanite goddess Astarte, and it is possible that the city was a center of her worship before the Israelite conquest. The biblical writers often used the name Ashtaroth to refer to the goddess herself or to the plural form of Astarte, representing multiple goddesses or idols.
The city of Ashtaroth was strategically located in the fertile region of Bashan, known for its rich pastures and livestock. Its mention in the Bible highlights the Israelites' victories over the powerful kings of the region and the allotment of the conquered territories to the tribes of Israel, including the Levites.
Approximate location: 32.833, 36.017 · view on a map · on the Bible atlas
A city of Bashan, in the kingdom of Og (Deut. 1:4; Josh. 12:4; 13:12; 9:10). It was in the half-tribe of Manasseh (Josh. 13:12), and as a Levitical city was given to the Gershonites (1 Chr. 6:71). Uzzia, one of David’s valiant men (1 Chr. 11:44), is named as of this city. It is identified with Tell Ashterah, in the Hauran, and is noticed on monuments B.C. 1700-1500. The name Beesh-terah (Josh. 21:27) is a contraction for Beth-eshterah, i.e., “the house of Ashtaroth.”
and once As’taroth (a star), a city on the east of Jordan in Bashan, in the kingdom of Og, doubtless so called from being a seat of the worship of the goddess of the same name. (1:4; Joshua 9:10; 12:4; 13:12)
Ashtoreth, flocks; sheep; riches
ASH'TAROTH, AS'TAROTH. 1. A city of Bashan, east of the Jordan, Deut 1:4; Josh 9:10; Josh 13:31; the same as Beesh-terah, Josh 21:27; probably Tell-Ashterah, in Jaulan. Figure of Astarte. (Rawlinson's "Herodotus.") three hundred priests were constantly employed in its service at Hierapolis, in Syria, many centuries after Jezebel's time. - The worship of Ashtoreth was suppressed by Josiah. It was simply licentiousness under the guise of religion. The goddess was called the "queen of heaven," and the worship was said to be paid to the ''host of heaven." It is usually mentioned in connection with Baal. Baal and Ashtoreth are taken by many scholars as standing for the sun and the moon respectively; by others as representing the male and female powers of reproduction. Asherah, which is translated in the Authorized Version "grove," was an idol-symbol of the goddess, probably a wooden pillar.
Easton (1897), Smith (1863), Hitchcock (1869), Hastings (1898) and Schaff are in the public domain. Parsed text: neuu-org/bible-dictionary-dataset (CC BY 4.0). Headwords and whitespace normalised for this site.
8 verses in 3 books · English text: BSB (change it from the menu at the top) · Strong’s H6252
This was after he had defeated Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon, and then at Edrei had defeated Og king of Bashan, who lived in Ashtaroth.
and all that He did to the two kings of the Amorites beyond the Jordan—Sihon king of Heshbon and Og king of Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth.
And Og king of Bashan, one of the remnant of the Rephaim, who lived in Ashtaroth and Edrei.
the whole kingdom of Og in Bashan, who had reigned in Ashtaroth and Edrei and had remained as a remnant of the Rephaim. Moses had struck them down and dispossessed them,
half of Gilead; and Ashtaroth and Edrei, the royal cities of Og in Bashan. All this was for the clans of the descendants of Machir son of Manasseh, that is, half of the descendants of Machir.
This is what the Levite clans of the Gershonites were given: From the half-tribe of Manasseh they were given Golan in Bashan, a city of refuge for the manslayer, and Beeshterah—two cities, together with their pasturelands.
The Gershomites received the following: From the clan of the half-tribe of Manasseh they were given Golan in Bashan and also Ashtaroth, together with their pasturelands.
Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jeiel the sons of Hotham the Aroerite,
Names, family links and references: STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Short descriptions were drafted with AI assistance by STEPBible. Family links follow STEPBible’s scholarly decisions where genealogies are ambiguous.