Lexical Summary
Edrei: Edrei
Original Word:אֶדְרֶעִי
Part of Speech:Proper Name Location
Transliteration:edre`iy
Pronunciation:ed-reh-ee
Phonetic Spelling:(ed-reh'-ee)
KJV: Edrei
NASB:Edrei
Word Origin:[from the equivalent ofH15 (אָבֶה - Willing)3]
1. mighty
2. Edrei, the name of two places in Israel
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
Edrei
From the equivalent ofedra'; mighty; Edrei, the name of two places in Palestine -- Edrei.
see HEBREWedra'
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom an unused word
Definitiona chief city of Bashan, also a place in Naphtali
NASB TranslationEdrei (8).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
Joshua 19:37;
Numbers 21:33 =
Deuteronomy 3:1,10;
Deuteronomy 1:4;
Joshua 12:4;
Joshua 13:12; compare
Joshua 13:31; — on identity of all these compare Di
Deuteronomy 3:10; modern
Der`ât, 7 2-Janhours west-northwest of Bosra; Euseb. (Lag
Onom. 213, 86 2nd ed. 235) compare Di
Numbers 21:33 Wetzst
Hauran 47, 77, 123 Bd
Pal 201.
Topical Lexicon
Geographical Setting and IdentityEdrei was one of the principal cities of Bashan east of the Jordan, situated in a fertile volcanic plateau renowned for its thick-walled basalt towns. Together with Ashtaroth, it served as a royal residence for Og, the last of the Rephaim. The site is commonly associated with modern-day Daraa in southern Syria. A second, smaller Edrei is named within the tribal inheritance of Naphtali (Joshua 19:37), probably a fortified frontier village in Upper Galilee. Both locations lay along strategic north-south routes that linked the Transjordan to the Lebanese–Syrian corridor, making them natural strongholds in any military campaign.
Biblical Occurrences
1.Numbers 21:33;Deuteronomy 1:4; 3:1 – Israel’s decisive victory over Og “at Edrei.”
2.Deuteronomy 3:10 – Edrei listed among “the cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan.”
3.Joshua 12:4; 13:12 – Edrei remembered in the catalog of defeated kings east of the Jordan.
4.Joshua 13:31 – Assigned to the half-tribe of Manasseh.
5.Joshua 19:37 – A distinct Edrei marked off for Naphtali.
Historical Context
Edrei’s prominence stems from the final stage of Israel’s wilderness trek. After Sihon of the Amorites fell, Og rallied his forces and “came out against them … to battle at Edrei” (Numbers 21:33). The confrontation was swift and total, demonstrating the LORD’s supremacy over even the tallest of foes (Deuteronomy 3:11). Moses commemorated the event in his farewell teachings, anchoring Israel’s confidence for the impending conquest of Canaan.
The basalt architecture of Bashan’s cities, many with monolithic door-stones still visible today, corroborates the biblical description of massive, well-fortified settlements (Deuteronomy 3:5). Edrei would have embodied that defensive strength, yet it fell in a single encounter, underscoring that “the battle is the LORD’s.”
Strategic Significance for Tribal Allotments
The half-tribe of Manasseh inherited Edrei along with the broader kingdom of Og. Its possession secured fertile pasturelands famed for “the bulls of Bashan” (Psalm 22:12) and supplied a defensive buffer along Israel’s northeastern frontier. Centuries later, prophetic oracles referencing Bashan’s pride (Amos 4:1;Zechariah 11:2) recall the abundance first granted at Edrei.
The Galilean Edrei of Naphtali added depth to that tribe’s northern defences. Though less celebrated, its mention inJoshua 19 indicates that the name had become synonymous with fortified boundaries—places where God’s people held ground once dominated by enemy powers.
Theological and Ministry Themes
1. Divine Conquest over Gigantic Opposition
The fall of Edrei pictures God’s ability to overthrow obstacles that loom beyond human capacity. Og’s stature (Deuteronomy 3:11) and Edrei’s walls magnify the miracle.
2. Covenant Fulfillment
From the promise to Abraham (Genesis 15:18-21) to the distribution of land in Joshua, Edrei stands as an evidential marker that “not one of all the good promises … failed” (Joshua 21:45).
3. Spiritual Boundaries
Believers are urged to occupy their “inheritance among the saints” (Ephesians 1:18) with the same boldness that enabled Israel to settle Edrei. The city’s name surfaces six times in conquest narratives and twice in allotment lists, linking victory with subsequent stewardship.
Lessons for Leadership
Moses recounts the Edrei victory immediately before charging Joshua to lead (Deuteronomy 3:21-22): “Your own eyes have seen everything that the LORD your God has done … do not be afraid of them.” Christian leaders likewise draw courage from past deliverances; history at Edrei fuels present obedience.
Prophetic Echoes
Isaiah 33:8 laments deserted highways and broken treaties in Bashan, whileEzekiel 39:18 speaks of the “mighty men of Bashan” whose downfall accompanies the LORD’s final vindication. Both passages echo Edrei’s earlier defeat, suggesting that God’s triumph there foreshadows His ultimate eschatological victory over the proud.
Christological Insights
Og’s overthrow prefigures Christ’s conquest of the “principalities and powers” (Colossians 2:15). As Edrei’s basalt gates could not withstand Israel’s advance, so “the gates of Hades will not prevail” against the church (Matthew 16:18). The geography of salvation history moves from literal fortified cities to spiritual strongholds demolished by the gospel.
Practical Application
• Remember and rehearse God’s past victories; they galvanize present faith.
• Guard inherited spiritual territory; Edrei was both won and then entrusted.
• Face oversized challenges with confidence: “Do not fear them, for I have delivered them into your hand” (Joshua 10:8).
• Teach successive generations the narratives of deliverance—Moses’ retelling of Edrei prepared Israel’s youth for warfare ahead.
Edrei, once a citadel of a giant king, now serves as a testament to the unassailable promises of God and an enduring encouragement for the people of faith to trust Him for battles yet to come.
Forms and Transliterations
אֶדְרֶֽעִי׃ אדרעי׃ בְּאֶדְרֶֽעִי׃ באדרעי׃ וְאֶדְרֶ֑עִי וְאֶדְרֶ֔עִי וְאֶדְרֶ֖עִי וּבְאֶדְרֶ֑עִי וּבְאֶדְרֶֽעִי׃ ואדרעי ובאדרעי ובאדרעי׃ ’eḏ·re·‘î ’eḏre‘î bə’eḏre‘î bə·’eḏ·re·‘î beedRei edRei ū·ḇə·’eḏ·re·‘î ūḇə’eḏre‘î uveedRei veedRei wə’eḏre‘î wə·’eḏ·re·‘î
Links
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