The name Argob (Hebrew: אֶרְגֹב, ’Argōb) is primarily a geographical and political designation, not a personal name. It refers to a large, fertile region of the Transjordan, specifically a section of the territory of Bashan conquered by the Israelites under Moses. The name itself is believed to mean “clod of earth,” suggesting a rich, arable plain.
The Conquest of the Region
Argob was a part of the vast kingdom ruled by Og, the King of Bashan, one of the last and most formidable adversaries Israel faced before entering Canaan. After defeating Og and taking his territory, the region was assigned to the half-tribe of Manasseh.
Moses explicitly references the entire territory, including Argob, when recounting the conquest:
“And the rest of Gilead, and all Bashan, being the kingdom of Og, gave I unto the half tribe of Manasseh; all the region of Argob, with all Bashan, which was called the land of giants.” — Deuteronomy 3:13 (KJV)
This verse is highly significant because it connects Argob to the famous giants, the Rephaims, whose great size was associated with the land of Bashan. This connection solidifies Argob’s reputation as a particularly formidable and noteworthy piece of conquered territory.
The Sixty Cities
The territory of Argob was renowned not only for its fertility but also for its defense. It was characterized by an incredible number of fortified settlements:
“All the kingdom of Og in Bashan, which reigned in Ashtaroth and in Edrei, who remained of the remnant of the giants: for these did Moses smite, and cast them out. And the children of Israel took not their lands: save the cattle, and the spoil of the cities, which they divided among themselves. And all the cities of this plain, and all the region of Argob, kings’ cities, all threescore cities [sixty cities] were his…” — 1 Kings 4:13 (KJV, with reference to the description in Deuteronomy 3:4)
These sixty fortified cities were later known by the collective name Havoth-Jair (“the villages of Jair”) after the Manassite chieftain who took control of them. This shows that the region of Argob was not a desolate area, but a highly developed, densely populated, and strongly fortified center that fell under the banner of Israel’s God-granted conquest.
Later Historical Context
The name Argob appears much later during the reign of Solomon, specifically in the listing of the twelve commissaries responsible for provisioning the royal house. One of Solomon’s officers was put in charge of this specific region:
“The son of Geber, in Ramoth-gilead; to him pertained the towns of Jair the son of Manasseh, which are in Gilead; to him also pertained the region of Argob, which is in Bashan, threescore great cities with walls and brasen bars:” — 1 Kings 4:13 (KJV)
This final reference confirms that centuries after the conquest, Argob retained its identity as a powerful, productive region of sixty cities—a testament to the monumental achievement of Moses and the early Israelites.