If these events in Deuteronomy 3 truly happened, why are there no reliable external historical records affirming them?

Historical and Cultural Context

Deuteronomy 3 describes Israel’s victories east of the Jordan River, specifically over King Og of Bashan. According to the text, these events occurred during Israel’s wilderness journey before entering the Promised Land. The broader period falls within the Late Bronze Age, a time when many small city-states rose, fell, and left behind limited written records. Beyond major empires (e.g., Egyptian, Hittite, or Mesopotamian), local polities in Canaan and Transjordan would seldom produce extensive archives. As a result, the absence of external documents verifying a specific battle is not unusual for smaller nations of this era.

Absence of Evidence vs. Evidence of Absence

Many claim that if an event as momentous as the defeat of Og truly occurred, some external source should mention it. However, ancient record-keeping was neither uniform nor comprehensive. It tended to focus on grand imperial conquests, religious texts, or royal inscriptions glorifying rulers. Regional conflicts involving smaller kingdoms often did not make it into official annals of major empires (Egyptian or Mesopotamian). Thus, no known external text referencing events in Deuteronomy 3 does not constitute proof that these events did not happen. It simply reflects the incomplete nature of the ancient historical record.

Archaeological Realities of the Transjordan Region

Excavations in the area historically known as Bashan have yielded artifacts indicating settled communities and fortifications. However, archaeological remains from the Late Bronze Age in this region can be spotty due to centuries of upheaval, climate shifts, and rebuilding over ancient ruins. In some cases, potential evidence may remain undiscovered or be too fragmentary to tie directly to the biblical text.

In other instances, destruction layers or fortifications that match a biblical timeline have been observed in neighboring regions. For example, while not directly linked to Deuteronomy 3, excavations at sites like Hazor and Jericho have revealed upheavals consistent with biblical chronology for the overall Conquest period—though debates continue regarding precise dating. Such debates highlight the challenges of pinpointing one specific biblical event in the context of far-reaching archaeological puzzle pieces.

Nature of Ancient Inscriptions

Civilizations such as Egypt, Assyria, and Babylon often erected steles or left inscribed tablets to commemorate victories. In Deuteronomy 3, Israel is depicted as a people coming out of a nomadic existence. They were not yet a centralized monarchy that might customarily produce official inscriptions. Conversely, Bashan was a regional kingdom and arguably not large enough or inclined to preserve every clash or defeat on stone or clay tablets. Moreover, any mention King Og may have made of military successes (or defeats) could have been destroyed when other regimes took over.

Archaeological records show that smaller principalities often lacked the extensive inscriptional culture found among superpowers. For this reason, the non-survival of texts memorializing the battles in Deuteronomy 3 is unsurprising. Even larger events, like the Bronze Age collapse of extensive cultures in the eastern Mediterranean, left limited documentary evidence.

Scriptural Assertions of Historicity

Despite the lack of external verification, Deuteronomy 3 is presented in Scripture as a genuine historical account. Scripture itself treats these battles as part of Israel’s unfolding narrative. A reference from Deuteronomy 3:1–2 says: “Then we turned and went up the road to Bashan, and Og king of Bashan came out against us with his whole army to fight at Edrei. But the LORD said to me, ‘Do not fear him, for I have delivered him into your hand…’” Within the narrative, the decisive factor is divine intervention rather than human might.

Throughout the biblical record, these events are referenced as signs of divine deliverance. In Joshua 12:4 and Psalm 135:10–11, King Og’s defeat reappears as part of Israel’s memory. Such consistent references within the canon indicate that Israel viewed these conflicts as essential moments in their history, commemorating and transmitting them through generations.

Reliability of the Biblical Text

Manuscript evidence for the Hebrew Scriptures is both voluminous and consistent when compared to other ancient literature. The Dead Sea Scrolls (discovered in the mid-20th century) confirm the remarkable preservation of portions of the Old Testament. Other manuscript traditions, such as the Masoretic Text, the Samaritan Pentateuch, and early translations like the Septuagint, offer further evidence of the Bible’s consistent textual transmission.

While these manuscripts do not provide extra-biblical corroboration, they do illustrate that the biblical account was faithfully preserved and regarded as authentic history by the communities that safeguarded it. Such internal consistency bolsters the text’s historical claims, even when external records are scarce.

Possible Future Discoveries

Archaeology is continually uncovering new finds. For example, the Tel Dan Stele (circa 9th century BC) provided external reference to the “House of David,” a discovery that many believed would never emerge from outside the Scriptures. Likewise, the Moabite Stone (Mesha Stele) references other biblical kingdoms and events. While neither addresses Deuteronomy 3’s episode in particular, they demonstrate how seemingly “lost” historical data can eventually come to light.

Given this pattern, there remains the potential for inscriptions or artifacts that further illuminate the events east of the Jordan. Many regions of the ancient Near East are still under-explored, due in part to political, geographical, or financial hurdles.

Divine Purposes and Trust in the Scriptural Record

From a faith perspective, the central question focuses on the trustworthiness of the biblical record. The text underscores that Yahweh’s purposes are fulfilled through these histories—from Moses leading the Israelites, to encounters with formidable regional kings. This message of God’s protection and faithfulness is reiterated throughout Scripture, providing theological grounds for accepting Deuteronomy 3’s authenticity even when external references remain elusive.

Moreover, the overarching unity across Genesis, Deuteronomy, Biblical poetry, the writings of the Prophets, and ultimately the New Testament forms a coherent testimony. This coherence affirms that the Scriptural narrative rests on a consistent foundation, rather than requiring outside documentation for validation.

Concluding Thoughts

The events described in Deuteronomy 3 focus on the defeat of Og, king of Bashan, during Israel’s journey toward the Promised Land. Ancient record-keeping practices, the specific cultural context, archaeological realities, and the pattern of limited inscriptions from smaller kingdoms all explain why we do not have direct external evidence for this event.

However, the absence of explicit non-biblical documentation does not negate the historical reliability of Scripture, which is corroborated by other archaeological confirmations, manuscript consistency, and a long tradition that preserved these accounts as genuine history. Ongoing research, excavations, and unforeseen discoveries may one day unearth additional confirmation. In the meantime, the Scriptural record itself provides a coherent portrait of these events within the broader biblical storyline—one that believers and scholars alike continue to investigate with the expectation that further light will continue to emerge.