Og, king of the ancient realm of Bashan, formed up his army and marched against the Israelite nation. Strategic mistake. Completely destroyed, Og faded into history.

Except for his bed.

Og possessed a bed the was decorated with iron and was more than nine cubits long and four cubits wide (14 feet by 6 feet). That’s twice as long as a California king (7 feet long and 6 feet wide).

Why would this king need such a long bed? And why include such a bizarre detail in the chronicles of Israel?

Og descended from the Rephaim, which means giants, so Og might have been a really big guy who needed a really big bed. Many of my tall friends sleep with their feet hanging off the bed, and Og moved to mitigate this annoyance.

Perhaps this giant bed represented Og’s rule as king. He took whoever he wanted, and his bed pointed to his power and virility. Or maybe “bed” referred to a sarcophagus, Og’s future place of burial. No matter what, the bed stood out. Designed to impress, it begged for attention and awe.

I believe the author included this odd detail for a simple reason. Although big and powerful and rich and virile and smart and talented, Og crumbled before the Lord. The message to Israel was clear—trust in the Lord your God—not in the kings of this world. The bed stood for years as a sort of tourist attraction, a symbol of the foolishness of standing against the Lord.

Which makes me wonder—as silly as it sounds—what are the giant beds in my life? What do I consider wonderful or powerful or important, but moves my eyes from the Almighty? Our days fill with vain symbols of prestige. Do I pause to consider that all will soon crumble?

Some men build giant towers in their honor—this man built a bed. No matter the token, only the Lord remains worthy of our ultimate trust.

Deuteronomy 3 in reading the Bible cover to cover in 2022

Photo by Zulian Firmansyah