Ashtaroth, Astaroth

See also Ashtaroth

ASHTAROTH, ASTAROTH (ăsh'ta-rŏth). An ancient city in Bashan, where king Og lived. Probably so named because it had a temple to the goddess Ashtoreth. It is generally mentioned with Edrei, and the two were given to Machir of the tribe of Manasseh when Moses divided the territory east of the Jordan before his death (Deut.1.4; Josh.9.10; Josh.13.31). It was given in Joshua’s time to the children of Gershon of the tribe of Levi (Josh.21.27—here called “Be Eshterah”). Its site is now known as Tell-Ashtarah, in the fertile plain of Hauran south of Damascus and east of the Sea of Galilee. Uzzia (1Chr.11.44), one of David’s mighty men, came from this town.