Eze 47:16, was originally a small district south of Damascus, and east of the sea of Tiberias, but was afterwards extended to the south and east, and under the Romans was called Auranitis. It now includes the ancient Trachonitis, the Haouran, Ituraea, and part of Batanaea, and is very minutely described by Burckhardt. Many ruins of cities, with Greek inscriptions, are scattered over its rugged surface.

(1.) cave-land, mentioned only in Eze 47:16,18. It was one of the ancient divisions of Bashan (q.v.), and lay on the south-east of Gaulanitis or the Jaulan, and on the south of Lejah, extending from the Arnon to the Hieromax. It was the most fertile region in Syria, and to this day abounds in the ruins of towns, many of which have stone doors and massive walls. It retains its ancient name. It was known by the Greeks and Romans as "Auranitis."

Eze 47:16,18. Extending from near Damascus southward as far as the Jabbok. The Greek Auranitis. Derived from hur "a cave," as it abounds in cisterns excavated for storing water or else grain. With rugged Trachonitis (on the N.), mountainous Batanaea (on the E.), and Gaulanitis (on the W.), it formed ancient Bashan. It was N. of the plains of Moab (Jer 48:21). The country is level and among the richest in Syria, free from stones except on a few low volcanic tells here and there. It is still the granary of Damascus.

Ruins of Roman towns abound with buildings untenanted, though perfect with walls, roofs, and doors of black basalt rock, there being no timber in the Hauran. Besides the Roman architectural magnificence traceable in some buildings, each village has its tank and bridge. The style of building in Um er Ruman, in the extreme S., is not Roman but almost like that of Palmyra. El Lejah is a rocky plain N.W. of Hauran proper, and is full of deserted towns and villages. El Gebel is a mountainous region between Hauran and the eastern desert.

A man 'far gone in years and no less also in madness,' who endeavoured to suppress a tumult in Jerusalem provoked by the sacrileges of Lysimachus, brother of the apostate high priest Menelaus (2Ma 4:40).

Hau'ran

Province on the east of the Jordan forming part of the ancient kingdom of Bashan, lying to the south of Damascus. The half tribe of Manasseh occupied it. Afterwards it became the province, including Ituraea, ruled over by Philip. Lu 3:1. It is now called the Hauran. It is a fat and fertile plain, but with little natural supply of water. There are many sites of ruined cities and villages, with houses built of hard stone, some of which are in fairly good repair, but with few inhabitants. It is remarkable for its under-ground dwellings, even forming villages, which are difficult of access. The inhabitants are mostly Druzes and nomadic Arabs. When Israel in a future day are in full possession of Palestine, their territory will reach on the N.E. to the 'coast of Hauran.' Eze 47:16,18.

Hau'ran

(caverns), a province of Palestine twice mentioned by Ezekiel.

Eze 47:16-17

There can be little doubt that it is identical with the well-known Greek province of Auranitis and the modern Hauran east of the Sea of Galilee, on the borders of the desert, in the tetrarchy of Philip.

HAURAN. The tract of country of this name is mentioned only twice in Scripture, Eze 47:16,18. It was probably of small extent in the time of the Jews; but was enlarged under the Romans, by whom it was called Auranitis. 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. It is represented by Burckhardt as a volcanic region, consisting of a porous tufa, pumice, and basalt, with the remains of a crater on the Tel Shoba, on its eastern side. It produces, however, crops of corn, and has many patches of luxuriant herbage, which are frequented in the summer by the Arab tribes for pasturage. It abounds, also, with many interesting remains of cities, scattered over its surface, with Grecian inscriptions. The chief of these are Bozra, Ezra, Medjel, Shoba, Shakka, Souerda, Kanouat, Hebran, Zarle, Oerman, and Aatyl; with Messema, Berak, and Om Ezzeitoun, in the Ledja.