The name Og stands in the historic archives of the wilderness wanderings as a chilling monument to the literal giants who once occupied the land of Canaan. Translating from the ancient tongues to signify “giant,” “long-necked,” or “furrow,” Og was an absolute titan of antiquity whose massive physical stature was matched only by his fierce geopolitical defiance of the Living God. As the pagan king of Bashan, he ruled over a heavily fortified territory that stood as the final terrifying obstacle before the children of Israel could cross the Jordan into their promised inheritance.
Og is explicitly identified across the Scriptures as the last surviving remnant of the Rephaim, a prehistoric race of giants known for their immense physical stature and fierce martial capabilities. The perfect inspiration of the text preserves a shocking, concrete proof of his terrifying proportions in Deuteronomy 3:11, which details his massive iron bedstead: “Is not his bedstead a bedstead of iron? is it not in Rabbath of the children of Ammon? nine cubits was the length thereof, and four cubits the breadth of it, after the cubit of a man.” Measuring roughly thirteen and a half feet long and six feet wide, this monumental piece of furniture stood for generations as a stark, historical warning of the raw physical power that Israel’s military forces had to confront in the open field.
From his royal capitals at Ashtaroth and Edrei, King Og commanded a formidable empire consisting of sixty fortified cities, all protected with high walls, gates, and iron bars. When Israel approached his borders after utterly defeating Sihon king of the Amorites, Og did not retreat or seek terms. He marched his entire army out to Edrei to engage the advancing Hebrew tribes in a decisive battle. Seeing the sheer scale of the giant and his formidable armies, a wave of human fear naturally threatened to paralyze the camp of Israel. The Lord immediately spoke to the heart of Moses in Numbers 21:34, commanding, “Fear him not: for I have delivered him into thy hand, and all his people, and his land; and thou shalt do to him as thou didst unto Sihon king of the Amorites, which dwelt at Heshbon.”
The subsequent military campaign was an absolute and uncompromised victory. Through physical obedience and unwavering faith in the promise of the Almighty, the men of Israel smote Og, his sons, and all his people, until there was none left alive, taking total possession of his entire fortified kingdom. This monumental triumph over the last of the giants resonated so deeply through the history of Israel that centuries later, the authors of the Psalms were still composing liturgical songs of praise to commemorate the victory, celebrating the Lord who smote great kings, “And Og the king of Bashan: for his mercy endureth for ever.” The utter destruction of this giant king remains a timeless testimony that no human system, no matter how heavily fortified, physically dominant, or culturally imposing, can withstand the sovereign decree of the Lord of Hosts.
“So they smote him, and his sons, and all his people, until there was none left him alive: and they possessed his land.” — Numbers 21:35