Hauran
Hauran is a region mentioned in the Old Testament, located in the region of Bashan in modern-day Jordan. It appears across 2 verses in Scripture.
Biblical History
Hauran is a broad volcanic plateau region east of the Jordan River and south of Damascus, mentioned in the Old Testament in two significant prophetic contexts. In Ezekiel's visionary description of the boundaries of restored Israel (Ezekiel 47:16, 18), Hauran appears as part of the northeastern boundary demarcation, alongside Damascus and Gilead, marking the ideal extent of the land to be allocated among the twelve tribes in the eschatological future. This vision, delivered to the exiles in Babylon, held forth the promise of a restored and expanded homeland beyond the diminished territory of the late monarchy. In the New Testament era, the region of Hauran corresponds to the Decapolis district and the territory of Philip the tetrarch. The Hauran's rich basalt soil made it one of the most agriculturally productive regions of the ancient Levant, known for its wheat production and export. Its inclusion in Ezekiel's boundary vision reflects the breadth of God's promise of restoration and the comprehensiveness of the anticipated new settlement of the land under divine blessing.
Archaeological & Historical Notes
The Hauran plateau, located in modern southwestern Syria and extending into northern Jordan, is characterized by dark basalt rock and remarkably fertile agricultural land fed by seasonal rainfall and the volcanic soil's water-retention capacity. Archaeological survey and excavation have revealed continuous occupation from the Chalcolithic period through the Byzantine and Islamic eras. The region was densely urbanized under Roman rule, with cities such as Bosra (ancient Bostra) serving as the capital of the Roman province of Arabia. Numerous well-preserved temples, theaters, and civic buildings from the Roman period survive in the Hauran, and the region's basalt architecture is distinctive in the ancient Levantine landscape.
Verse Appearances (2)
Sources: ISBE Encyclopedia · OpenBible Geocoding (CC BY) · Pleiades Gazetteer View all →