◄ 798. Ashdoth Happisgah ►
Lexical Summary
Ashdoth Happisgah: Slopes of Pisgah

Original Word: אַשְׁדּוֹת הַפִּסְגָּה
Part of Speech: Proper Name Location
Transliteration: Ashdowth hap-Picgah
Pronunciation: ash-DOTH hap-PIS-gah
Phonetic Spelling: (ash-doth' hap-pis-gaw')
KJV: Ashdoth-pisgah
Word Origin: [from the plural of H794 (אֲשֵׁדָה - slopes) and H6449 (פִּסגָּה - Pisgah) with the article interposed]

1. ravines of the Pisgah
2. Ashdoth- Pisgah, a place east of the Jordan

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
Ashdoth-pisgah

From the plural of 'ashedah and Picgah with the article interposed; ravines of the Pisgah; Ashdoth- Pisgah, a place east of the Jordan -- Ashdoth-pisgah.

see HEBREW 'ashedah

see HEBREW Picgah

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
see ashedah and Pisgah.

Topical Lexicon
Geographical Identity

Ashdot ha-Pisgah designates the descending ridges or foothills that extend eastward from the summit of Mount Pisgah, a promontory on the north-eastern edge of the plateau of Moab overlooking the northern Dead Sea and lower Jordan Valley. From this vantage one commands an expansive view of Canaan to the west and the Arnon gorge to the south. The location lies within the biblical territory once held by Sihon king of the Amorites and afterward allotted to the tribe of Reuben (compare Joshua 13:15–21). The descriptive phrase “slopes of Pisgah” links the lower elevations to the more prominent peak of the Pisgah range, the place where Moses later viewed the Promised Land (Deuteronomy 34:1).

Scriptural Context

The phrase occurs in border notices that frame Israel’s eastern conquests.
• Deuteronomy 3:17 situates it at the eastern extremity of the Arabah: “the Arabah also, with the Jordan as its border, from Chinnereth down to the Sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea), under the slopes of Pisgah on the east.”
• Deuteronomy 4:49 repeats the marker when delineating the land Moses set apart for the eastern tribes: “and all the Arabah across the Jordan on the east, extending to the Sea of the Arabah below the slopes of Pisgah.”

No specific narrative events are recorded as taking place at Ashdot ha-Pisgah; rather, the name functions in Scripture as a boundary term anchoring the region Israel secured before crossing the Jordan.

Historical Significance

1. Strategic Boundary: The slopes formed a natural eastern limit to the Jordan valley basin. By capturing territory up to this line, Israel controlled the approaches from both the high tableland of Moab and the river corridor.
2. Tribal Inheritance: In Joshua 13 the district falls within Reuben’s inheritance. The mention underscores the Lord’s faithfulness in granting tangible possession to tribes that chose to settle east of the Jordan while still participating in the western campaigns.
3. Memory of Moses: Because the peak of Pisgah is tied to Moses’ final view of Canaan, the adjoining slopes quietly evoke the completion of his earthly ministry and the passing of leadership to Joshua. Thus, every border proclamation that cites Ashdot ha-Pisgah reminds later generations of the transition from promise to possession.

Theological and Ministry Insights

• Certainty of God’s Promises: Border lists, though easily skimmed, testify that covenant land promises were fulfilled with precise geographic detail. Ashdot ha-Pisgah illustrates that God’s faithfulness encompasses even the “slopes” and “valleys” often overlooked by men.
• Vision and Limitation: Moses stood on the heights, yet Israel would live on the slopes. Spiritual leadership often involves seeing farther than one will personally go, preparing ground others will occupy.
• Boundary Markers as Spiritual Disciplines: Just as physical markers defined Israel’s territory, clear boundaries in doctrine and practice safeguard the church’s inheritance today (2 Timothy 1:13–14).

Archaeological and Topographical Observations

Modern scholarship generally places the Pisgah range within the elevated ridge east of the Dead Sea, with Jebel Siaghah or Jebel Nebo identified as primary peaks. Survey work notes steep wadis descending toward the Jordan—terrain that fits the biblical description of descending “slopes.” No definitive site for Ashdot ha-Pisgah has been excavated, yet the convergence of plateau, escarpment, and watercourses corroborates the biblical geography.

Key Takeaways for Contemporary Readers

• God gives boundaries for blessing; knowing them fosters gratitude and stewardship.
• Even seemingly minor place names root faith in real space and time, inviting confidence that the larger account of redemption is likewise anchored in history.
• Leadership involves both vision from the summit and care for those who dwell on the everyday slopes—holding promise and practice together until final inheritance is secured.

Links
Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts
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