The Golan Heights is an basalt plateau that runs from Mt. Hermon in the north to the Yarmuk River on the south and is bounded on the western mainly by the Sea of Galilee and the Jordan Valley and on the east by Syria. It measures almost 700 square miles most of which is in the state of Israel. It rises to an average height of about 3000 feet above sea level. Biblically, it is referred to as Bashan or Geshur and there was a city in the Old Testament specifically named Golan which belonged to the tribe of Manasseh. One of David's ancestors ruled several cities in the Golan and David marries Talmai, a daughter of the king of Geshur.

The area was and is still known for its cattle production and since Israel captured the area in 1967, vineyards have flourished in the region. Politically, the region is very strategic and is often referred to in political negotiations in the region.




Deuteronomy 4:43 - city of refuge
41: Then Moses severed three cities on this side Jordan toward the sunrising;
42: That the slayer might flee thither, which should kill his neighbour unawares, and hated him not in times past; and that fleeing unto one of these cities he might live:
43: Namely, Bezer in the wilderness, in the plain country, of the Reubenites; and Ramoth in Gilead, of the Gadites; and Golan in Bashan, of the Manassites.

Joshua 20 - city of refuge
1: The LORD also spake unto Joshua, saying,
2: Speak to the children of Israel, saying, Appoint out for you cities of refuge, whereof I spake unto you by the hand of Moses:
3: That the slayer that killeth any person unawares and unwittingly may flee thither: and they shall be your refuge from the avenger of blood.
4: And when he that doth flee unto one of those cities shall stand at the entering of the gate of the city, and shall declare his cause in the ears of the elders of that city, they shall take him into the city unto them, and give him a place, that he may dwell among them.
5: And if the avenger of blood pursue after him, then they shall not deliver the slayer up into his hand; because he smote his neighbour unwittingly, and hated him not beforetime.
6: And he shall dwell in that city, until he stand before the congregation for judgment, and until the death of the high priest that shall be in those days: then shall the slayer return, and come unto his own city, and unto his own house, unto the city from whence he fled.
7: And they appointed Kedesh in Galilee in mount Naphtali, and Shechem in mount Ephraim, and Kirjath-arba, which is Hebron, in the mountain of Judah.
8: And on the other side Jordan by Jericho eastward, they assigned Bezer in the wilderness upon the plain out of the tribe of Reuben, and Ramoth in Gilead out of the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan out of the tribe of Manasseh.
9: These were the cities appointed for all the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them, that whosoever killeth any person at unawares might flee thither, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood, until he stood before the congregation.

Joshua 21:27
27: And unto the children of Gershon, of the families of the Levites, out of the other half tribe of Manasseh they gave Golan in Bashan with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Beesh-terah with her suburbs; two cities.

II Samuel 13:37-38
37: But Absalom fled, and went to Talmai, the son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son every day.
38: So Absalom fled, and went to Geshur, and was there three years.

II Samuel 14:32
32: And Absalom answered Joab, Behold, I sent unto thee, saying, Come hither, that I may send thee to the king, to say, Wherefore am I come from Geshur? it had been good for me to have been there still: now therefore let me see the king's face; and if there be any iniquity in me, let him kill me.

II Samuel 15:1-9
1: And it came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared him chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him.
2: And Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate: and it was so, that when any man that had a controversy came to the king for judgment, then Absalom called unto him, and said, Of what city art thou? And he said, Thy servant is of one of the tribes of Israel.
3: And Absalom said unto him, See, thy matters are good and right; but there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee.
4: Absalom said moreover, Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man which hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice!
5: And it was so, that when any man came nigh to him to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took him, and kissed him.
6: And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.
7: And it came to pass after forty years, that Absalom said unto the king, I pray thee, let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed unto the LORD, in Hebron.
8: For thy servant vowed a vow while I abode at Geshur in Syria, saying, If the LORD shall bring me again indeed to Jerusalem, then I will serve the LORD.
9: And the king said unto him, Go in peace. So he arose, and went to Hebron.

I Chronicles 3:1-4
1: Now these were the sons of David, which were born unto him in Hebron; the firstborn Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; the second Daniel, of Abigail the Carmelitess:
2: The third, Absalom the son of Maachah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur: the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith:
3: The fifth, Shephatiah of Abital: the sixth, Ithream by Eglah his wife.
4: These six were born unto him in Hebron; and there he reigned seven years and six months: and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years.

I Chronicles 6:71
71: Unto the sons of Gershom were given out of the family of the half tribe of Manasseh, Golan in Bashan with her suburbs, and Ashtaroth with her suburbs:

Psalm 68:15
15: The hill of God is as the hill of Bashan; an high hill as the hill of Bashan.

Isaiah 2:12-17
12: For the day of the LORD of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low:
13: And upon all the cedars of Lebanon, that are high and lifted up, and upon all the oaks of Bashan,
14: And upon all the high mountains, and upon all the hills that are lifted up,
15: And upon every high tower, and upon every fenced wall,
16: And upon all the ships of Tarshish, and upon all pleasant pictures.
17: And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be made low: and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day.

Isaiah 33:5-10
5: The LORD is exalted; for he dwelleth on high: he hath filled Zion with judgment and righteousness.
6: And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation: the fear of the LORD is his treasure.
7: Behold, their valiant ones shall cry without: the ambassadors of peace shall weep bitterly.
8: The highways lie waste, the wayfaring man ceaseth: he hath broken the covenant, he hath despised the cities, he regardeth no man.
9: The earth mourneth and languisheth: Lebanon is ashamed and hewn down: Sharon is like a wilderness; and Bashan and Carmel shake off their fruits.
10: Now will I rise, saith the LORD; now will I be exalted; now will I lift up myself.

Jeremiah 50:19
19: And I will bring Israel again to his habitation, and he shall feed on Carmel and Bashan, and his soul shall be satisfied upon mount Ephraim and Gilead.

Ezekial 27:1-6
1: The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying,
2: Now, thou son of man, take up a lamentation for Tyrus;
3: And say unto Tyrus, O thou that art situate at the entry of the sea, which art a merchant of the people for many isles, Thus saith the Lord GOD; O Tyrus, thou hast said, I am of perfect beauty.
4: Thy borders are in the midst of the seas, thy builders have perfected thy beauty.
5: They have made all thy ship boards of fir trees of Senir: they have taken cedars from Lebanon to make masts for thee.
6: Of the oaks of Bashan have they made thine oars; the company of the Ashurites have made thy benches of ivory, brought out of the isles of Chittim.

Micah 7:14
14: Feed thy people with thy rod, the flock of thine heritage, which dwell solitarily in the wood, in the midst of Carmel: let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old.

Nahum 1:1-5
1: The burden of Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.
2: God is jealous, and the LORD revengeth; the LORD revengeth, and is furious; the LORD will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies.
3: The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.
4: He rebuketh the sea, and maketh it dry, and drieth up all the rivers: Bashan languisheth, and Carmel, and the flower of Lebanon languisheth.
5: The mountains quake at him, and the hills melt, and the earth is burned at his presence, yea, the world, and all that dwell therein.

Zechariah 11:1-3
1: Open thy doors, O Lebanon, that the fire may devour thy cedars.
2: Howl, fir tree; for the cedar is fallen; because the mighty are spoiled: howl, O ye oaks of Bashan; for the forest of the vintage is come down.
3: There is a voice of the howling of the shepherds; for their glory is spoiled: a voice of the roaring of young lions; for the pride of Jordan is spoiled.

Golan Heights - the vastness of God

Many EO pilgrims have viewed the Golan Heights through a hotel window on the other side of the Sea of Galilee. From that vantage point, the Golan Heights seem so imposing. So much more is the vastness of God. Consider the following passages:

Deuteronomy 33:27-29
27: The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.
28: Israel then shall dwell in safety alone: the fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine; also his heavens shall drop down dew.
29: Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the LORD, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency! and thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee; and thou shalt tread upon their high places.

Job 36:26
26: Behold, God is great, and we know him not, neither can the number of his years be searched out.

Psalm 147:5
5: Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.

Psalm 90:2
2: Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.