Ashtaroth; Ashteroth-karnaim; Beeshterah
The Names and Their Connections
These three names likely refer to the same ancient city or closely related settlements in Bashan. "Ashtaroth" is the plural form of Ashtoreth, the Canaanite fertility goddess, indicating that the city was a center of her worship. "Ashteroth-karnaim" adds the element "karnaim" meaning "two horns" or "two peaks," possibly referring to the horned imagery associated with the goddess or to the geography of the site. "Beeshterah" appears to be a contraction meaning "house (or temple) of Ashtoreth" and is used interchangeably with Ashtaroth in the lists of Levitical cities (Joshua 21:27; 1 Chronicles 6:71).
Ashteroth-karnaim in the Patriarchal Period
The earliest biblical reference places Ashteroth-karnaim in the time of Abraham. When the four kings from the east, led by Chedorlaomer, invaded the region east of the Jordan, they defeated the Rephaim at Ashteroth-karnaim (Genesis 14:5). The Rephaim were an ancient people of great stature who inhabited the Transjordan region before the Israelite conquest. This early mention establishes the city's great antiquity and its association with powerful pre-Israelite inhabitants.
The City of King Og
Ashtaroth gained its primary significance as the royal city of Og, king of Bashan, who was the last of the Rephaim (Deuteronomy 1:4; Joshua 9:10; 12:4; 13:12). Og ruled from both Ashtaroth and Edrei, suggesting a dual-capital arrangement common in ancient Near Eastern kingdoms. Moses and the Israelites defeated Og at Edrei during the conquest of the Transjordan (Numbers 21:33-35; Deuteronomy 3:1-3). Og's legendary size, his iron bedstead reportedly measuring nine cubits long (Deuteronomy 3:11), contributed to Ashtaroth's fame as the seat of a formidable ruler.
A Levitical City in Manasseh
After the conquest, the territory of Bashan was assigned to the half-tribe of Manasseh. Ashtaroth (under the name Beeshterah) was designated as one of the Levitical cities given to the Gershonite clan (Joshua 21:27). This reassignment of a former center of pagan worship to the service of Israel's Levites represents the transformation of the religious landscape that followed the conquest.
Archaeological and Historical Evidence
The site is generally identified with Tell Ashtara, a hill rising about 80 feet above the surrounding plain, located approximately two miles south of the administrative center of the Hauran region. Egyptian records confirm the city's antiquity: the name appears in the campaign lists of Pharaoh Thutmose III (15th century BC) as "Astertu" and in the Tell el-Amarna Letters (14th century BC) as "Ashtarti." Later traditions associated the area with Job, and several local landmarks bear his name, including a spring, a stone, and a monastery. An inscription of Ramesses II found at the site further confirms its importance as a major urban center in the Late Bronze Age.
Biblical Context
Ashteroth-karnaim first appears in Genesis 14:5 in connection with the battle of the kings. Ashtaroth is mentioned as Og's royal city in Deuteronomy 1:4, Joshua 9:10, 12:4, and 13:12. Beeshterah appears as a Levitical city in Joshua 21:27 (parallel to Ashtaroth in 1 Chronicles 6:71). The worship of Ashtoreth, the deity behind the city's name, is condemned throughout the Old Testament (Judges 2:13; 10:6; 1 Samuel 7:3-4; 1 Kings 11:5).
Theological Significance
The story of Ashtaroth illustrates a pattern repeated throughout Israel's history: the transformation of pagan religious centers into sites devoted to the worship of the LORD. The defeat of Og and the reassignment of his capital to the Levites demonstrated God's sovereignty over the powers that opposed His people. The city's very name, rooted in the worship of a false goddess, served as a constant reminder of the religious dangers Israel faced in the promised land and the importance of exclusive devotion to the LORD.
Historical Background
Egyptian records from Thutmose III's campaigns (c. 1457 BC) mention 'Astertu,' confirming Ashtaroth's existence as a significant city in the Late Bronze Age. The Tell el-Amarna Letters (c. 1350 BC) reference 'Ashtarti' in diplomatic correspondence. Archaeological surveys at Tell Ashtara have revealed remains from multiple periods, including the Bronze and Iron Ages. The Maccabean books mention Carnion (Karnaim) as a fortified city in Gilead with a temple of Atargatis, the later form of the Ashtoreth cult (1 Maccabees 5:43-44; 2 Maccabees 12:21-26).