Lexical Summary Golan: Golan Original Word: גּוֹלָן Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Golan From gowlah; captive; Golan, a place east of the Jordan -- Golan. see HEBREW gowlah NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof uncertain derivation Definition a city and a region E. of the Jordan in Manasseh NASB Translation Golan (4). Brown-Driver-Briggs גּוֺלָן proper name, of a location (? connected with √ גול Arabic  go about, around;  circuit; compare Phoenician גול proper name insul.; also גָּלִיל, גְּלִילָה) city of Manasseh in Bashan, named as a city of refuge Deuteronomy 4:43 compare Joshua 20:9; Joshua 21:27 both Qr (Kt גלון); given to sons of Gershom son of Levi according to 1 Chronicles 6:56; Euseb. knew it as a very large village Γαυλὼν ἢ Γωλάν LagOnom. 242, 2nd ed. 253; district of same name ib., JosephusAnt. viii. 2, 3 etc Gaulanitis, modern Jaulân RobBR ii, 432 BdPal 270 SchumacherZPV 1886 = Jaulân 1888, according to most, name applied first to city, thence to district, but perhaps otherwise if above derivatives be correct. גּון (meaning dubious, compare perhaps Aramaic גַּוֵּן tinge, Topical Lexicon Biblical References Deuteronomy 4:43; Joshua 20:8; Joshua 21:27; 1 Chronicles 6:71 Geographic Setting Golan stood in the fertile uplands of Bashan, east of the Jordan River and north of the Yarmuk Valley. The basalt plateau provided rich pastureland and natural fortification. Surrounded by highlands that later became known as the Golan Heights, the city commanded travel routes between Damascus and the Sea of Galilee, making it strategically important for commerce and defense. Function as a City of Refuge Golan was one of the three asylum cities designated east of the Jordan. Deuteronomy 4:43 places it alongside Bezer and Ramoth as havens “for the Manassites.” Joshua 20:8 records its formal commissioning: “And beyond the Jordan east of Jericho, they appointed … Golan in Bashan from the tribe of Manasseh.” The cities of refuge illustrate God’s concern for both justice and mercy. An unintentional manslayer could flee to Golan, find immediate protection from revenge, and await fair trial (Numbers 35:9-28). The requirement that the refugee remain until the death of the high priest prefigures the believer’s safety in the priestly work of Christ, in whom one finds permanent asylum (Hebrews 6:18). Levitical Inheritance Joshua 21:27 identifies Golan as a Levitical town allotted to the Gershonites: “They gave Golan in Bashan, a city of refuge for the manslayer … together with its pasturelands.” Levitical possession ensured a priestly presence to administer God’s statutes and teach His law (Deuteronomy 33:10). Thus legal protection and spiritual instruction converged in Golan, modeling a community where righteousness and peace met (Psalm 85:10). Theological Themes 1. Sanctuary and Substitution: Golan typifies the principle that innocent blood must not be shed, yet the guilty must answer for wrongdoing. This tension finds ultimate resolution at Calvary, where justice and mercy embrace. Historical Development Beyond the Old Testament Extra-biblical texts speak of Golan under the Hellenistic name “Gaulanitis.” By the first century, it lay within the tetrarchy of Philip (Luke 3:1). Early church fathers refer to Christian communities in the region. While modern conflicts highlight the plateau’s strategic value, Scripture’s record anchors its lasting significance in God’s redemptive plan rather than geopolitical claims. Lessons for Ministry Today • Proclaim Christ as the ultimate refuge, inviting the weary and guilty to safety (Matthew 11:28). In reflecting on Golan, the believer sees a tangible portrait of mercy in motion—an ancient city pointing forward to an eternal Savior who receives all who run to Him for life. Forms and Transliterations גֹּולָ֤ן גֹּולָ֥ן גּוֹלָ֥ן גולן gō·w·lān goLan gōwlānLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Deuteronomy 4:43 HEB: לַגָּדִ֔י וְאֶת־ גּוֹלָ֥ן בַּבָּשָׁ֖ן לַֽמְנַשִּֽׁי׃ NAS: for the Gadites, and Golan in Bashan KJV: of the Gadites; and Golan in Bashan, INT: Gilead the Gadites and Golan Bashan the Manassites Joshua 20:8 Joshua 21:27 1 Chronicles 6:71 4 Occurrences |
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reddish black, compare HomSäugethiere 64).