Ashtaroth
Ashtaroth
(Heb. Ashtaroth’, , plur. of Ashtoreth, Jos 9:10; Jos 12:4; Jos 13:12; Jos 13:31; Sept. ; but Auth. Vers. “Astaroth,” in Deu 1:4; Sept, in 1Ch 6:71, v; r. and ), 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. SEE ASHTORETH. It is generally mentioned as a description or definition of Og, who “dwelt in Astaroth in Edrei” (Deu 1:4), “at Ashtaroth and at Edrei” (Jos 12:4; Jos 13:12), or “who was at Ashtaroth” (Jos 9:10). It fell into possession of the half tribe of Manasseh (Jos 13:31), and was given with its suburbs or surrounding pasture- lands () to the Gershonites (1Ch 6:71 [56]), the other Levitical city in this tribe being Golan. In the list in Jos 21:27, the name is given as BEESHTERAH (“house of Ashtoreth;” Reland, p. 621). Nothing more is heard of Ashtaroth, except that Uzziah, an Ashterathite, is named in 1Ch 11:44. It is not named in any of the lists, such as those in Chronicles, or of Jeremiah, in which so many of the trans-Jordanic places are enumerated; and hence it has usually been considered the same with the place elsewhere called SEE ASHTEROTH-KARNAIM (q.v.). Eusebius and Jerome, however (Onomast. s.v. Astaroth, ), mention it as situated 6 Roman miles from Adraa or Adar (Edrei), which again was 25 from Bostra; and the former adds that it lay on higher ground () than Ashteroth-karnaim, which: they farther distinguish by stating (in the next art.) that there were two villages (, castella) lying 9 miles apart, between Adara and Abila. One of these was probably that called Ashtaroth simply, and the other may have been Ashteroth- karnaim. The only trace of the name yet recovered in the region indicated is Tell-Ashterah or Asherah (Ritter, Erdk. 15:819; Porter, ii, 212); and as this is situated on a hill, it would seem to correspond to the Ashtaroth in question.
Fuente: Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature
Ashtaroth
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.”
Fuente: Easton’s Bible Dictionary
Ashtaroth
ASHTAROTH or ASTAROTH. A city N.E. of Jordan, called so from being a seat of Ashtoreth’s worship, “Og dwelt in Ashtaroth, in Edrei” (Deu 1:4; Jos 12:4; Jos 13:12-31; Jos 9:10). Allotted to Machir, son of Manasseh; and, out of Manasseh’s portion, then allotted to the sons of Gershom, their other Levitical city here being Golan (Jos 21:27), called Be-eshterah (i.e. Beth Ashterah, “the house of Ashtaroth.”) Between Adara and Abila (according to Eusebius and-Jerome) lay two villages, probably the one Ashtaroth, the other Ashteroth-Karnaim. There is still a Tel Ashterah in this region. One of David’s valiant men was Uzziah the Ashterathite (1Ch 11:44).
Fuente: Fausset’s Bible Dictionary
Ashtaroth
ASHTAROTH.This city (pl. of Ashtoreth [wh. see]), originally held by Og, king of Bashan (Deu 1:4, Jos 9:10; Jos 12:4; Jos 13:12; Jos 13:31), later captured by the Israelites and by them awarded to the Gershonites (Jos 21:27 Be-eshterah, dwelling [or temple] of Ashtoreth; cf. || 1Ch 6:56, which reads Ashtaroth), might, without contradicting Biblical records, be identified with Ashteroth-Karnaim (wh. see). However, a statement found in Eusebius Onomasticon favours the view that the names designate two localities. Eusebius relates that there were at his time two villages of the same name, separated by a distance of 9 miles, lying between Adara (Edrei) and Abila; viz., (1) Ashtaroth, the ancient city of Og, 6 miles from Abila, and (2) Karnaim Ashtaroth, a village in the corner of Bashan, where Jobs village is shown (cf. Book of Jubilees 29:10). Eusebius Karnaim Ashtaroth evidently lay in the corner or angle formed by the rivers Nahr er-Rukkad and Sharat el-Manadireh, in which vicinity tradition places Uz, Jobs fatherland. At long. 36 E., lat. 32 50 N., on the Bashan plateau, stands Tell (hill) Ashtar, whose strategical value, as shown by the ruins, was recognized in the Middle Ages. Its base is watered by the Moyet en-Neb Ayyb (stream of the prophet Job). Following this rivulets course for 21/2 miles N.N.E., passing through the Hammam Ayyb (Jobs bath), is found its source, a spring said to have welled forth when Job in his impatience stamped upon the ground. In the immediate vicinity towards the S., Jobs grave is shown. Furthermore, upon the hill at whose base these two places are situated lies the village of Sadyeh or Sheikh Sad, whose mosque contains the Sakhret Ayyb, a large basalt boulder against which Job is said to have leant while receiving his friends. Indeed, of a mile S. of Sa dyeh at el-Merkez, another grave (modern) of Job is shown, and a Der (monastery) Ayyb, according to tradition built by the Ghassanide Amr I., is known to have existed. Eusebius Ashtaroth must then have been in the proximity of Muzerib, 91/2 miles S. of Sadyeh, and 8 miles N.W. of Adara, almost the distance of the Onomasticon. Even Tell Ashar, 41/4 miles S. of Tell Ashtar, protected on the one side by the Yarmuk, on the second by a chasm, and showing evidences of having been fortified by a triple wall on the third, is admirably situated for a royal stronghold.
None of these modern place-names, with the exception of Tell Ashtar, is linguistically related to the Ashtaroth and Ashteroth-karnaim of the Bible and the Onomasticon. The description of Ashteroth-karnaim (2Ma 12:21 f., cf. 1Ma 5:43) as a place hard to besiege and difficult of access because of numerous passes leading to it, in whose territory a temple was situated, is applicable to Sadyeh or to Tell Ashtar or even to Tell Ashar, whose double peak at the S. summit is partly responsible for the translation of the name Ashtaroth of (near) the double peak (see Ashtoreth). The similarity of name between Tell Ashtar and Ashteroth-karnaim, even though Tell Ashtar does not lie directly between Adara and Abila, and lacks, with the other places, narrow passes, would favour the identification of Ashteroth-karnaim with Tell Ashtar, and hence, according to the distances of Eusebius, the location of Ashtaroth near Muzerib. However, until the ancient name of Muzerib is known, and the various sites excavated, a definite determination of the location of these cities, and even of the difference between them, must remain impossible.
N. Koenig.
Fuente: Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible
Ashtaroth
Plural of Ashtoreth. See ASHTORETH.
Fuente: International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
Ashtaroth
Ashtaroth and Ashtaroth-Carnaim, a town of Bashan (Deu 1:4; Jos 9:10) which was included in the territory of the half-tribe of Manasseh (Jos 13:31), and was assigned to the Levites (1Ch 6:71). It is placed by Eusebius 6 miles from Edrei, the other principal town of Bashan, and 25 miles from Bostra. The town existed in the time of Abraham (Gen 14:5); and as its name of Ashtaroth appears to be derived from the worship of the moon under that name [ASHTORETH], there is little need to look farther than the crescent of that luminary and its symbolical image for an explanation of the addition Carnaim, or rather Karnaim, ‘horned.’ Astaroth-Carnaim is now usually identified with Mezareib, the situation of which corresponds accurately enough with the distances given by Eusebius. Here is the first castle on the great pilgrim road from Damascus to Mecca, which was built about 340 years ago by the Sultan Selim. There are no dwellings beyond the castle, and within it only a few mud huts upon the flat roofs of the warehouses, occupied by the peasants who cultivate the neighboring grounds.
Fuente: Popular Cyclopedia Biblical Literature
Ashtaroth
H6252
1. Plural form of Ashtoreth
Ashtoreth
2. A city
– The capital city of Bashan
Deu 1:4; Jos 9:10
– Giants dwell at
Jos 12:4
– Allotted to Manasseh
Jos 13:31; 1Ch 6:71
– Possibly identical with Ashteroth Karnaim
Gen 14:5
Fuente: Nave’s Topical Bible
Ashtaroth
Ashtaroth (sh’ta-rth), Astaroth (s’-t-rth). 1. A city of Bashan, east of the Jordan, Deu 1:4; Jos 9:10; Jos 13:31; the same as Beesh-terah, Jos 21:27; probably Tell-Ashterah, in Jaulan. 2. Ashtoreth, sing.; Ashtaroth, plur. and more usual. An idol called the goddess of the Sidonians, Jdg 2:13, much worshipped in Syria and Phnicia. Solomon introduced the worship of it. 1Ki 11:33. The Greeks and Romans called it Astarte. The 400 prophets of the Asherah which ate at Jezebel’s table, mentioned 1Ki 18:19, R. V., were probably employed in the service of Asherah, the female deity. The worship of Ashtoreth was suppressed by Josiah. The goddess was called the “queen of heaven,” and the worship was said to be paid to the “host of heaven.” Her name is usually mentioned in connection with Baal. Baal and Ashtoreth are taken by many scholars as standing for the sun and the moon respectively.
Fuente: People’s Dictionary of the Bible
Ashtaroth
Ash’taroth. Ash’taroth 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. Deu 1:4; Jos 9:10; Jos 12:4; Jos 13:12.
Fuente: Smith’s Bible Dictionary
ASHTAROTH
(1) A city Bashan
Deu 1:4; Jos 9:10; Jos 12:4
(2) Or, Ashtoreth, a heathen goddess
–SEE 3935
Fuente: Thompson Chain-Reference Bible
Ashtaroth
or ASTARTE, a goddess of the Zidonians. The word Ashtaroth properly signifies flocks of sheep, or goats; and sometimes the grove, or woods, because she was goddess of woods, and groves were her temples. In groves consecrated to her, such lasciviousness was committed as rendered her worship infamous. She was also called the queen of heaven; and sometimes her worship is said to be that of the host of heaven. She was certainly represented in the same manner as Isis, with cows’ horns on her head, to denote the increase and decrease of the moon. Cicero calls her the fourth Venus of the Syrians. She is almost always joined with Baal, and is called a god, the Scriptures having no particular word to express a goddess. It is believed that the moon was adored in this idol. Her temples generally accompanied those of the sun; and while bloody sacrifices of human victims were offered to Baal, bread, liquors, and perfumes were presented to Astarte. For her, tables were prepared upon the flat terrace roofs of houses, near gates, in porches, and at cross- ways, on the first day of every month; and this was called by the Greeks, Hecate’s supper.
Solomon, seduced by his foreign wives, introduced the worship of Ashtaroth into Israel; but Jezebel, daughter of the king of Tyre, and wife to Ahab, principally established her worship. She caused altars to be erected to this idol in every part of Israel; and at one time four hundred priests attended the worship of Ashtaroth, 1Ki 18:7.