עַשְׁתְּרֹת קַרְנַיִם
Ashteroth-Karnaim, a place East of the Jordan
Definition
Ashteroth-Karnaim is a place name meaning 'Ashtaroth of the two horns.' It refers to a city east of the Jordan River, likely named for a sanctuary dedicated to the Canaanite goddess Ashtaroth (Astarte), whose symbol was a double horn, representing power or a crescent moon. In the Bible, it is mentioned as the site of a significant defeat of the Rephaim, a race of giants, by Chedorlaomer and his allies (Genesis 14:5). This location is associated with the region of Bashan and appears to be linked to the later city of Ashtaroth, a Levitical city and a capital of Og, king of Bashan (Deuteronomy 1:4, Joshua 9:10).
Biblical Usage
This proper noun is used only once in the Old Testament, in Genesis 14:5, within a historical narrative listing the conquests of eastern kings. It identifies a specific location where the Rephaim were defeated. While the name itself is singular, its components ('Ashtaroth' and 'Karnaim') connect it thematically to other references: 'Ashtaroth' appears as a city name elsewhere (e.g., Deuteronomy 1:4, Joshua 9:10), and 'Karnaim' (horns) as a separate place (Amos 6:13), suggesting a known cultic site or region.
Etymology
The name is a compound of two Hebrew elements: 'Ashtᵉrôth' (H6252), the plural form of 'Ashtoreth,' the Canaanite fertility goddess (Astarte), and 'Qarnayim,' the dual form of 'qeren' (H7161), meaning 'horn.' Thus, it literally means 'Ashtaroth of the two horns.' The horns were a common ancient Near Eastern symbol of power and divinity, often associated with bull imagery or the crescent moon, indicating this was a major cult center for the worship of this deity.
Semantic Range
This place name is theologically significant as it highlights the pervasive presence of Canaanite idolatry in the Promised Land, which Israel was commanded to eradicate. Its mention in Genesis 14:5, a chapter detailing war among kings that leads to Abram's rescue of Lot, subtly sets the stage for the later spiritual conflict between the worship of Yahweh and the gods of the land. Understanding the name reveals the deep-seated pagan context into which God's people were called, emphasizing the radical nature of God's claim on the territory and the necessity of exclusive devotion to Him.
In its original setting, 'Ashteroth-Karnaim' would have been immediately recognized as a major cultic center for the worship of the goddess Ashtaroth (Astarte). The 'horns' in the name were a potent symbol of strength, fertility, and divine power in the ancient Near East, often linked to bull worship or lunar deities. This contrasts with a modern, purely geographic understanding; for ancient readers, the name conveyed religious and political significance, marking a stronghold of a rival deity to Yahweh.
Ashtaroth (H6252) — The name of the goddess and a related city, without the 'horns' element. Karnaim (H7165) — A separate place name meaning 'two horns,' mentioned in Amos 6:13.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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