Dictionary
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible -
Trachonitis
TRACHONITIS . Mentioned in Luke 3:1 as the name of the tetrarchy of Philip. It is to be identified with the lava region S.E. of Damascus, known to the Greeks as Trachon , and to modern Arabs as the Lejâ . An inscription discovered by Burckhardt in 1810 at Mismiyeh dispels all doubt as to the identity of this region with Trachon. It has ever been regarded as a refuge from invaders. Josephus frequently speaks of the inhabitants of these parts as predatory ( Ant. XVI. ix. 1, x. 1). Philip’s rule, on the other hand, he describes as just and gentle ( Ib . XVIII. iv. 6). Trajan in a.d. 106 transformed Trachonitis into a new province, which he called ‘Arabia,’ making Bosra its capital.
George L. Robinson.
Easton's Bible Dictionary -
Trachonitis
A rugged region, corresponds to the Heb. Argob (q.v.), the Greek name of a region on the east of Jordan (Luke 3:1 ); one of the five Roman provinces into which that district was divided. It was in the tetrarchy of Philip, and is now called the Lejah.
Bridgeway Bible Dictionary -
Trachonitis
The region of Trachonitis lay to the north-east of Palestine, between Lake Galilee and Damascus. It was on the northern edge of the territory known in Old Testament times as Bashan (Numbers 32:33; Deuteronomy 32:14; see BASHAN). At the time Jesus began his public ministry, the governor of Trachonitis was Philip, a son of Herod the Great (Luke 3:1). (For map and other details see HEROD.)
Fausset's Bible Dictionary -
Trachonitis
Luke 3:1. The Trachonite region (the old Bashan) included parrs of Auranitis, Gaulanitis, and Batanaea besides Trachonitis proper, which lay S. of Damascus and E. of Gaulanitis. (Josephus Ant. 17:8, section 1; 11, section 4). Philip was tetrarch of Trachonitis and Ituraea. (See PHILIP.) Trachonitis is the Greek for the Aramaic Αrgob ("heap of stones"), "the rugged region," abounding in caves, some of vast extent. Jerome places Trachonitis rightly between Damascus and Bostra; having Kenath among its chief towns. Trachonitis included el Lejah and part of the western slopes of jebel Hauran. (See ARGOB.)
On the northern border of Trachonitis are the large ruins of Musmeih, which an inscription on a temple door identifies with Phocus (Phoeno) the old capital (Burckhardt, Trav. Syriac 117). The Lejah is bounded on the E. by the mountains of Batanaea (jebel Ηauran ) whereon lie the ruins of Kenath, on the S. by Auranitis (Hauran) whereon are the ruins of Bostra, on the N. by Ituraea (Jedur) and Damascus. Josephus (Ant. 15:10, section 1) says "the inhabitants dwelt in caves that served as a refuge for themselves and their flocks; they had cisterns of water, and stored granaries, and so were able to defy their enemies. The cave doors are so narrow that but one can enter at a time, while within they are incredibly large; the ground above abounds in rugged rocks with many windings, and difficult of access except with a guide." From Josephus' time until the present day it has been the haunt and asylum of robbers.
Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament -
Trachonitis
TRACHONITIS.—A Roman province of Eastern Palestine over which Herod Philip held rule when John the Baptist entered upon his public ministry (Luke 3:1). The Greek word τραχωνῖτις or τράχων signifies a ‘rough or stony place,’ and its identification with the wild and rugged volcanic region within the limits of ancient Bashan, which the Arabs designate el-Lejâ (‘the refuge’), is unquestioned. This was the heart, as well as the most notable portion, of the province, and gave to it its distinctive name. The phrase τραχωνίτιδος χώρας (‘the Trachonite region,’ Luke 3:1) implies an extent of territory beyond the limits of the Trachon, or lava-bed section. The name does not occur elsewhere in the NT, but the boundaries of the province can be approximately defined, from statements concerning it in the works of Josephus, Ptolemy, Strabo, and other writers. Josephus informs us that its N.W. limit extended to the districts of Ulatha and Paneas, at the southern base of Mount Hermon; and also that it bordered on Auranitis (en-Nukra) and Batanaea (Ant. xv. x. 3, xvii. ii. 1; BJ i. xx. 4). The line of the western border is not definitely given, but it probably extended to the eastern limit of Gaulanitis (Jaulan), which is frequently alluded to as a separate district of Herod Philip’s dominion.
Literature.—Burckhardt, Travels in Syria, 110 ff.; Wetzstein, Reisebericht über Hauran, etc., 110 ff.; de Vogüé, Syrie Centrale, 89 ff.; Schumacher, Across the Jordan; Porter, Damascus, ii. 268–272, Giant Cities of Bashan, 24–97: Graham in Jour. Royal Geog. Soc. 1858, p. 256 ff.; Ewing in PEFSt [Note: EFSt Quarterly Statement of the same.] , pp. 41 ff., 60 ff., 131 ff., etc.; Merrill, East of the Jordan; Stewart, Land of Israel; G. A. Smith, HGHL [Note: GHL Historical Geog. of Holy Land.] ; Tristram, Topog. of the Holy Lund; Baedeker’s Pal. [Note: Palestine, Palestinian.] 5 [Note: designates the particular edition of the work referred] pp. 193–194; Hasting's Dictionary of the Bible , articles ‘Argob’ and ‘Trachonitis.’
R. L. Stewart.
Hitchcock's Bible Names -
Trachonitis
Stony
Morrish Bible Dictionary -
Trachonitis
A district forming part of the tetrarchy of Philip. Luke 3:1 . It was beyond the Jordan on the north-east, its centre being about 32 50' N, 36 30' E . The district is now called el Lejah.
People's Dictionary of the Bible -
Trachonitis
Trachonitis (trăk'o-nî'tis), a rugged region. One of the five Roman provinces into which the district northeast of the Jordan was divided in New Testament times. It lay to the east of Ituræa and Gaulonitis and to the south of Damascus, and included the remarkable region of the modern Lejah (see Argob) and part of the western slopes of Jebel Hauran. The emperor Augustus entrusted it to Herod the Great on the condition that he should clear it of robbers. Herod Philip succeeded to the tetrarchy. Luke 3:1. He died a.d. 33, and the emperor Caligula bestowed the province of Trachonitis upon Herod Agrippa I. Later it was part of the dominions of Herod Agrippa II., a.d. 63.
Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary -
Trachonitis
Luke 3:1 . This province had Arabia Deserta to the east, Batanea to the west, Iturea to the south, and the country of Damascus to the north. It belonged rather to Arabia than Palestine; was a rocky province, and served as a shelter for thieves and depredators.
American Tract Society Bible Dictionary -
Trachonitis
In the time of Christ, was, as its name imports, a rugged province, lying on the northeast border of Palestine, south of Damascus, between the mountains of Arabia Deserta on the east, and Iturea, Auranitis, and Batania on the west and south, Luke 3:1 . Herod the Great subdued the robbers that infested it; and after his death it was governed by Philip his son, and then by Herod Agrippa.
Sentence search
Ituraea - A district in the north-east of Palestine, forming, along with the adjacent territory of
Trachonitis, the tetrarchy of Philip (Luke 3:1 ). It is bounded on the east by
Trachonitis, on the south by Gaulanitis, on the west by Hermon, and on the north by the plain of Damascus
Trachonitis - The Trachonite region (the old Bashan) included parrs of Auranitis, Gaulanitis, and Batanaea besides
Trachonitis proper, which lay S. Philip was tetrarch of
Trachonitis and Ituraea. )
Trachonitis is the Greek for the Aramaic Αrgob ("heap of stones"), "the rugged region," abounding in caves, some of vast extent. Jerome places
Trachonitis rightly between Damascus and Bostra; having Kenath among its chief towns.
Trachonitis included el Lejah and part of the western slopes of jebel Hauran. )...
On the northern border of
Trachonitis are the large ruins of Musmeih, which an inscription on a temple door identifies with Phocus (Phoeno) the old capital (Burckhardt, Trav
Trachonitis - The region of
Trachonitis lay to the north-east of Palestine, between Lake Galilee and Damascus. At the time Jesus began his public ministry, the governor of
Trachonitis was Philip, a son of Herod the Great (Luke 3:1)
Ituraea - With
Trachonitis Ituraea formed the tetrarchy of Philip (Luke 3:1). , they added Ituraea to Bashan, Gaulonitis, and
Trachonitis, which they already possessed (1 Chronicles 5:19; 1 Chronicles 5:23).
Trachonitis was on its E
Trachonitis -
Trachonitis (trăk'o-nî'tis), a rugged region. 33, and the emperor Caligula bestowed the province of
Trachonitis upon Herod Agrippa I
Trachonitis -
Trachonitis . 106 transformed
Trachonitis into a new province, which he called ‘Arabia,’ making Bosra its capital
ar'Gob - In later times it was called
Trachonitis, and it is now apparently identified with the Leiah, a very remarkable district south of Damascus and east of the Sea of Galilee
ar'Gob - In later times it was called
Trachonitis, and it is now apparently identified with the Leiah, a very remarkable district south of Damascus and east of the Sea of Galilee
Tetrarch - in reference to Herod Antipas, tetrarch of Galilee and Peraea; Philip, tetrarch of Ituraea and
Trachonitis; and Lysanias, tetrarch of Abilene
Herod Philip ii. - He was "tetrarch" of Batanea, Iturea,
Trachonitis, and Auranitis
Hauran - It now includes the ancient
Trachonitis, the Haouran, Ituraea, and part of Batanaea, and is very minutely described by Burckhardt
Nobah - The old name is revived in Kenawat in the Lejah or
Trachonitis
Hauran - At present it extends from about twenty miles south of Damascus to a little below Bozra, including the rocky district of El Ledja, the ancient
Trachonitis, and the mountainous one of the Djebel Haouran. Within its limits are also included, beside
Trachonitis, Ituraea or Ittur, now called Djedour, and part of Batanaea or Bashan
Iturae'a - (Genesis 25:15,16 ) It adjoined
Trachonitis, and lay along the base of Libanus between Tiberias and Damascus
Tetrarch - ) As Archelaus was "ethnarch" over half of Herod the Great's whole kingdom, so Philip and Antipus had divided between them the remaining half, and were each "tetrarch" over the fourth; Herod over Galilee; Philip over Ituraea and
Trachonitis; Lysanias over Abilene
Salo'me - (Matthew 14:6 ) She married in the first the tetrarch of
Trachonitis her paternal uncle, sad secondly Aristobulus, the king of Chalcis
Ituraea - ITURÃA [the name is probably derived from Jetur , who is mentioned in Genesis 25:15 and 1 Chronicles 1:31 as a son of Ishmael], with
Trachonitis, constituted the tetrarchy of Philip ( Luke 3:1 ). Whether Ituræa and
Trachonitis overlapped (as Ramsay thinks), or were two distinct districts (as Strabo), is uncertain; G
Gilead - The mountains of Gilead were part of that ridge of mountains which extend from Mount Lebanon southward, on the east of the Holy land; they gave their name to the whole country which lies on the east of the sea of Galilee, and included the mountainous region called in the New Testament
Trachonitis
Trachonitis -
Trachonitis. 193–194; Hasting's Dictionary of the Bible , articles ‘Argob’ and ‘
Trachonitis
Golan - Og or his predecessors united principalities that were before distinct; after the Babylonian captivity the four provinces of Bashan became distinct; Gaulanitis,
Trachonitis, Auranitis, and Batanaea
Salome - She became wife of her uncle Philip, tetrarch of
Trachonitis, and afterwards of Aristobulus the king of Chalcis, Mark 6:22-28 , etc
Argob - Later it was called
Trachonitis, and is now known as el-Lejah
Salome - (See HEROD ANTIPAS; JOHN THE BAPTIST Salome married first Philip, tetrarch of
Trachonitis, her paternal uncle; then Aristobulus, king of Chalcis
Caesarea-Philippi - It was enlarged and embellished by Philip the tetrarch of
Trachonitis, and called Caesarea in honor of Tiberius Caesar; and the name Philippi was added to distinguish it from Caesarea on the Mediterranean
Jair - His brilliant exploit was, he took Argob or
Trachonitis, the Lejah, and called from his own name certain villages or groups of tents ("kraals "), 23 originally, Havoth Jair (Numbers 32:41), afterward increased to 30 (Judges 10:4)
Argob (2) -
Trachonitis, "the rugged region," was its later Greek name. (See
Trachonitis
Hauran - With rugged
Trachonitis (on the N
Caesara Philippi - This town was afterwards enlarged and embellished by Herod Philip, the tetrarch of
Trachonitis, of whose territory it formed a part, and was called by him Caesarea Philippi, partly after his own name, and partly after that of the emperor Tiberius Caesar
Agrippa ii - At the age of 21Claudius gave him the tetrarchies of
Trachonitis, Abilene, and other parts of the North East of Palestine
Bashan - The ancient Bashan covered the Roman provinces named Gaulonitis,
Trachonitis, Auranitis, Batanaea, and Ituraea
Edrei - It has been identified with the modern Edr'a, which stands on a rocky promontory on the south-west edge of the Lejah (the Argob of the Hebrews, and
Trachonitis of the Greeks)
Argob - It is called
Trachonitis ("the rugged region") in the New Testament (Luke 3:1 )
Philip - Tetrarch of Itaraea and
Trachonitis (Luke 3:1 )
Philip - A tetrarch of
Trachonitis, and Ituræa
Salome - But he had not anticipated for his guests the rare luxury of seeing a princess, his own niece, a grand-daughter of Herod the Great and of Mariamne, a descendant, therefore, of Simon the high priest and the great line of Maccabean princes, a princess who afterwards became the wife of a tetrarch [Philip, tetrarch of
Trachonitis] and the mother of a king, honouring them by degrading herself into a scenic dancer
Bashan - After the Exile, Bashan was divided into four districts,
Gaulonitis, or Jaulan, the most western; ...
Auranitis, the Hauran (Ezekiel 47:16 ); ...
Argob or
Trachonitis, now the Lejah; and ...
Batanaea, now Ard-el-Bathanyeh, on the east of the Lejah, with many deserted towns almost as perfect as when they were inhabited
Abila - At his death the southern part was added to
Trachonitis and Ituraea, as a tetrarchy for his son Philip
Philip - In the division of Herod's kingdom, he was made tetrarch of Batanea,
Trachonitis, and Auranitis, Luke 3:1
Bashan - In New Testament times the regions of Iturea and
Trachonitis fell within the territory of ancient Bashan (Luke 3:1)
Bashan -
Trachonitis, on the north-east, also called ARGOB, q
Philip - Another son of Herod the Great: he was tetrarch of Ituraea and
Trachonitis
Herod - After the death of Herod, half of his kingdom, including Judea, Ideumaea, and Samaria, was given to his son Archelaus, with the title of Ethnarch; while the remaining half was divided between two of his other sons, Herod Antipas and Philip, with the title of Tetrarchs; the former having the regions of Galilee and Perea, and the latter Batanea,
Trachonitis, and Auranitis. 53) from Chalcis, with the title of king, to the government of those provinces which his father at first possessed, namely, Batanea,
Trachonitis, Auranitis, and Abilene, to which several other cities were afterwards added
Caves - "Beyond Damascus," says Strabo, "are two mountains, called Trachones, from which the country has the name of
Trachonitis; and from hence, toward Arabia and Iturea, are certain rugged mountains, in which there are deep caverns; one of which will hold four thousand men
Uz - 1 with Damascus and
Trachonitis
Agrippa - Soon after this, Tiberius dying, and Caius Caligula succeeding him, the new emperor heaped many favours and much wealth upon Agrippa, changed his iron fetters into a chain of gold, set a royal diadem on his head, and gave him the tetrarchy which Philip, the son of Herod the Great, had been possessed of, that is, Batanaea and
Trachonitis. 53; when, Claudius taking from him the kingdom of Chalcis, gave him the provinces of Gaulonitis,
Trachonitis, Batanaea, Paneas, and Abylene, which formerly had been in the possession of Lysanias
Philippus, the Arabian - Philippus (5) , "the Arabian," emperor, a native of Bostra in
Trachonitis and a man of low birth
Bashan - ...
(3)
Trachonitis ("rugged"): Argob, now the Lejah, rocky and intricate, in contrast to the rich level of the Hauran and Jaulan
Caesarea - ) Herod's son Philip, tetrarch of
Trachonitis, enlarged and called it from himself, as well as Caesar, Caesarea Philippi
Herod - He received as his own government Batanea,
Trachonitis, Auranitis (Gaulanitis), and some parts about Jamnia, with the title of tetrarch
Jordan - The Jewish historian, Josephus, on the contrary, places its source at Phiala, a fountain which rises about fifteen miles from Caesarea Philippi, a little on the right hand, and not much out of the way to
Trachonitis. The secret of its subterranean course was first discovered by Philip, the tetrarch of
Trachonitis, who cast straws into the fountain of Phiala, which came out again at Panion
Anitipas - To Antipas, Augustus gave Galilee and Peraea; and to Philip, Herod's other son, the Batanaea,
Trachonitis, and Auranitis, with some other places
Lysanias - Luke’s text, or that it should be connected with Φιλίππου, making Philip the ‘tetrareh of Ituraea,
Trachonitis, and the Abilene of Lysanias,’ i
Field - χώρα denotes generally a region, or district of country, as ‘the region of
Trachonitis’ (Luke 3:1), ‘the country of the Gadarenes’ (Mark 5:1); χωρίον is more distinctly locative, as ‘a place called Gethsemane’ (Matthew 26:36), ‘the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to Joseph’ (John 4:5), etc
Jews - They divided the land, which now began to be called Palestine, into five provinces, three of which were on the west side of the Jordan, namely, Galilee, Samaria, and Judea, and two on the east side, namely,
Trachonitis and Persia; but they suffered them to be governed by their own laws, under the high priest and council of the nation. Herod Antipas, called Herod the Tetrarch, who afterward beheaded John the Baptist, succeeded to Galilee and Peraea; and Philip, to
Trachonitis, and to the neighbouring region of Iturea. Philip continued tetrarch of
Trachonitis thirty-seven years, and died in the twentieth year of the reign of Tiberius. Fadus was soon succeeded by Tiberius, and he was followed by Alexander Cumanus, Felix, and Festus; but Claudius afterward gave
Trachonitis and Abilene to Agrippa, and Nero added a part of Galilee and some other cities
Caesar - To Archelaus were assigned Judaea, Samaria, and Idumaea—not as king, but as ethnarch; to Antipas, Galilee and Peraea as tetrarch; Batanaea,
Trachonitis, Auranitis, Gaulanitis, and Paneas to Philip, also as tetrarch (Josephus Ant
Herod - He built Caesarea Philippi and was governor of the Northeastern districts of Iturea, Gaulinitis,
Trachonitis, and Decapolis
Palestine - This province was subdivided into these districts, (1) Peraea proper, lying between the rivers Arnon and Jabbok; (2) Galaaditis (Gilead); (3) Batanaea; (4) Gaulonitis (Jaulan); (5) Ituraea or Auranitis, the ancient Bashan; (6)
Trachonitis; (7) Abilene; (8) Decapolis, i
Claudius - received, in place of his district Chalcis, the former tetrarchy of
Trachonitis, Batanaea, Gaulanitis, and Abilene as his kingdom
Herod - A year before his death, Claudius allowed Agrippa to exchange the meagre principality of Chalcis for those parts of his father’s dominions, east and north-east of the Sea of Galilee, which had formerly been the tetrarchies of Philip and Lysanias (Batanaea, Gaulonitis,
Trachonitis, and Abila)
Canaan - Peraea was again divided into seven cantons; Abilene,
Trachonitis, Iturea, Gaulonitis, Batanaea, Peraea, and Decapolis
Herod - After the battle of Actium he gained, by a mixture of humility and boldness at Rhodes, the favor of Octavian the conqueror, who confirmed him in the kingdom, and added several cities along with the province of
Trachonitis and district of Paneas. His own kingdom was Batanaea,
Trachonitis, Auranitis, and some parts about Jamnia, with the title "tetrarch
Herod - His sons were set up in power, Archelaus over Judæa and Idumæa, Antipas over Galilee and Peræa, Philip over Batanæa,
Trachonitis, and Auranitis
Nation (2) - For Herod’s kingdom was divided among three sons: Philip having the newly added territories of
Trachonitis, Ituraea (Luke 3:1), etc
Galatians, Epistle to the - ] text (following inferior MSS) has it, have been made by a citation of Luke 3:1 , but this appears to be a mistake; the word translated there ‘Ituræa’ is really an adjective ‘Ituræan,’ and the meaning probably is ‘the Ituræan region which is also called
Trachonitis
Judea - Auranitis, or Ituraea, a mountainous and barren tract north of Batantaea, and bounded on the west by a branch of Mount Hermon, contained Bostra, or Bozra, about fifty miles east from the sea of Tiberias, bordering on Arabia Petraea, afterward enlarged by Trajan, and named Trajana Bostra; and
Trachonitis, in 33 15' north latitude, between Hermon and Antilibanus, eastward from the sources of Jordan, and containing Baal-gad, Mispah, Paneas, or Caesarea Philippi, and AEnos, nearly twenty-five miles east of Panaeas, and as far south south-west of Damascus
Roman Law in the nt - Herod Philip was tetrarch of Ituraea and
Trachonitis, and Lysanias of Abilene (Luke 3:1)
Palestine - The Lejah, anciently Argob or
Trachonitis, has scarcely anything exactly like it on the earth
Dates (2) - (2) Herod Philip died in the 20th year of Tiberius, having been tetrarch of
Trachonitis and Gaulanitis 37 years (Ant