Cows of Bashan illustration

Amos the prophet used a particularly distasteful illustration to describe the wealthy women of Samaria. He called them “cows of Bashan.” The women hearing Amos were in the heart of Samaria. Bashan was in the vicinity of the Golan Heights and Syria. With well-watered pastures, the cows of that region were, indeed, fat and healthy. Because of the seasonal rain patterns (or lack of them), green pastures and cattle are not common in most of Israel. Amos’ point? Some in Samaria had become wealthy at the expense of others. These images are from Mt. Arbel, a well-watered land that overlooks the Sea of Galilee.