Argob

Argob (Hebrew: ארגוב Argov‎ / Arabic: أرجوب‎), a region located east of the Jordan River, on an island of rock which was approximately 20 miles (32 km) by 30 miles (48 km), and rose 20 or 30 feet (9.1 m) above the table-land of Bashan. An extremely rugged region, sixty walled cities were on the island, which was ruled over by Og. In the New Testament, it is called Trachonitis ("the rugged region") (Luke 3:1). These cities were conquered by the Israelites (Deuteronomy 3:4; 1 Kings 4:13). Argob, in Bashan, was one of Solomon's commissariat districts (1 Kings 4:13).

Here "sixty walled cities are still traceable in a space of 308 square miles. The architecture is ponderous and massive. Solid walls 4 feet thick, and stones on one another without cement; the roofs enormous slabs of basaltic rock, like iron; the doors and gates are of stone 18 inches thick, secured by ponderous bars. The land bears still the appearance of having been called the 'land of giants' under the giant Og."

"I have more than once entered a deserted city in the evening, taken possession of a comfortable house, and spent the night in peace. Many of the houses in the ancient cities of Bashan are perfect, as if only finished yesterday. The walls are sound, the roofs unbroken, and even the window-shutters in their places. These ancient cities of Bashan probably contain the very oldest specimens of domestic architecture in the world" (Porter, 1867).

It is now called the Lejah.

References

This article incorporates text from Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897), a publication now in the public domain.

• Porter, J. L. The Giant Cities of Bashan and Syria's Holy Places, New York: T. Nelson, 1867. [1]

• Ewing, W. "Definition for ARGOB (2)", International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, 1915.