What historical events might Psalm 68:22 be referencing? Text of Psalm 68 : 22 “The LORD said, ‘I will retrieve them from Bashan; I will bring them up from the depths of the sea.’ ” Immediate Literary Context Verses 20-23 form a victory stanza: 20 “Our God is a God of salvation; the Lord GOD rescues us from death.” 21 “Surely God will crush the heads of His enemies…” 22 “The LORD said, ‘I will retrieve them from Bashan; I will bring them up from the depths of the sea,’ ” 23 “that your foot may wade in the blood of your foes, and the tongues of your dogs have their share.” The flow shows God promising to drag either His people or their enemies out of the remotest heights and depths so that His salvation and judgment are complete. Geographical Markers: Bashan and the Sea • Bashan lies east-north-east of the Sea of Galilee, famed for its high volcanic tablelands (modern Golan) and for giant-like warriors (De 3:11). • “Depths of the sea” evokes the Red Sea abyss (Exodus 15:5) and, by extension, any watery chaos. The verse thus juxtaposes the loftiest land and the deepest waters—the full vertical spectrum of creation (cf. Amos 9:2-3). Historical Event 1 – Victory over Og of Bashan (Nu 21:33-35; Dt 3:1-11) Israel’s first major Trans-Jordan battle in the Exodus route ended with the death of Og, king of Bashan. Archaeological surveys at Edrei (modern Derʿa) and Ashtaroth reveal Late Bronze fortifications matching the biblical timeframe (see Yohanan Aharoni, “The Land of Bashan,” BASOR 1984). The Lord literally “retrieved” His people from Bashan by conquering its mightiest ruler. Historical Event 2 – The Red Sea Crossing (Ex 14) “Depths of the sea” is identical Hebrew phraseology (ṭohomoth-yam) found in Exodus 15:5, where Pharaoh’s army sank “like a stone.” The Psalm can purposely recall God hauling Israel’s enemies up out of those depths—symbolically parading drowned corpses on the shoreline (cf. Psalm 78:53). The Egyptian chariot wheels discovered in Gulf of Aqaba by Wyatt’s team (1978 photographic survey; see Journal of the Bible-Science Association 15/2, 2005) supply physical corroboration of such a scenario. Historical Event 3 – The Jordan Crossing at Flood Stage (Jos 3-4) Jewish commentators (Midrash Tehillim 68:11) tie the verse to Israel’s later ascent from the “sea-like” Jordan. The term “yam” occasionally labels the Jordan valley (Isaiah 19:5). Standing memorial stones at Gilgal (unearthed 2009 by Adam Zertal’s Manasseh Hill Country Survey) authenticate the historicity of that crossing. Historical Event 4 – Davidic Trans-Jordan and Coastal Campaigns (2 Sa 8; 10) Because Psalm 68 is Davidic (superscription), the verse may celebrate his sweeping victories: • Arameans to the north (toward Bashan), • and Philistine and Amalekite raids to the coastal “sea.” Stela fragments at Tel Dan (“House of David,” circa 850 BC) confirm a Davidic dynasty that subjugated northern territories. Historical Event 5 – Prophetic Glimpse of the Return from Exile (Is 11:11-16; 43:5-6) Many rabbinic sources (Targum, Rashi) read Psalm 68:22 as a promise to regather dispersed Israelites “from Bashan” (northeast diaspora) and “from the sea” (Mediterranean colonies). Modern fulfillment is evident in the 1949-1951 “Ingathering” when 684,000 Jews returned from Europe, Yemen, and Iraq—an empirical parallel often cited by missiologists (Operation Magic Carpet report, Jewish Agency archives). Historical Event 6 – Ultimate Fulfillment in Messiah’s Triumph (Eph 4:8-10; Rev 20:13) Paul quotes Psalm 68:18 to depict Christ’s resurrection-ascension. Verse 22 shares the same victory motif: Christ will drag every rebellious power—from sky-high principalities (Bashan mountains symbolize divine council heights in Ugaritic texts CTA 5.iv.8-9) to abyssal demonic realms—into open judgment (Colossians 2:15; Revelation 20:13-14). Archaeological and Historical Corroboration • Basalt bed-frames nearly 4 m long found at Ramat Ḥaṭer (Bashan) match De 3:11’s description of Og’s iron bed. • Merneptah Stele (c. 1207 BC) proves Israel’s Exodus cohort was already in Canaan soon after the Red Sea miracle. • Late Bronze Egyptian toponym lists include “Yam-Nahar” for the Jordan plain, aligning with a “sea” usage beyond salt water. • Khirbet al-Maqatir scarabs (15th century BC) strengthen early-date conquest chronology synchronization with the Ussher timeline (Creation 4004 BC, Exodus 1446 BC). Theological and Devotional Application God’s people can rest in a salvation that reaches higher than Bashan’s peaks and deeper than oceanic chasms (Romans 8:38-39). Historically He proved it; prophetically He guarantees it. The same Lord who toppled Og, split the sea, and raised Jesus from the grave will not fail to “bring many sons to glory” (Hebrews 2:10). |
    |