Lexical Definition

‎עֲרוֹעֵר‎ ʻĂrôwʻêr (ar-o-ayr') Aroer ^N:N--L
or עֲרֹעֵר ʻĂrôʻêr (ar-o-ayr'); or עַרְעוֹר ʻArʻôwr (ar-ore'); the same as ‎עֲרוֹעֵר‎; nudity of situation

Aroer.

• § Aroer = "ruins"
• Aroer, the name of three places in or near Palestine

1) a city on the north bank of the river Arnon, the southern point of the territory of Sihon the king of the Amorites and later of Reuben; modern 'Arair'
2) a city in Ammon near the Jabbok belonging to Gad
3) a town in southern Judah

Brown-Driver-Briggs

II. ‎עֲרֹעֵר‎₁₀, ‎עֲרוֺעֵר‎₅, ‎עַרְעֹר‎₁ proper name, of a location Αροηρ, MI²⁶ ‎ערער‎; —

1. city on north bank of Arnon, southern limit of east Jordan Israel, ‎עֲרֹעֵר‎ Num 32:34 (JE), Deut 2:36; Deut 3:12; Deut 4:48; Josh 12:2 (D) 2Kgs 10:33; 1Chr 5:8 ‎עֲרוֺעֵר‎ Josh 13:9 (D), vJosh 13:16 (P), 2Sam 24:5 Moabitish Jer 48:19 (compare MI²⁶); once ‎עַרְעֹר‎ Judg 11:26 modern `Ar`âir Buhl Geogr. 269, Tristr^{Moab 129 ff.}

2. city near Rabbah in Ammon, ‎עֲרֹעֵר‎ Judg 11:33, ‎׳‎‎עֲרוֺ‎ Josh 13:25 (P), site unknown.

3. city in southern Judah, ‎עֲרֹעֵר‎ 1Sam 30:28 (ᵐ5 Αροηρ + Αμμαδει, latter originally according to We, indicating form ‎ערערה‎; ᵐ5^L Παγουηλ); + Josh 15:22 reading ‎׳‎‎ע‎ (or ‎עַרְעָרָה‎) for ᵑ0 ‎עַדְעָרָה‎, ᵐ5^B Αρουηλ, We^{1Sam 30:28} (compare Dr HPS), Di^{on the passage} Benn Steuern; possibly `Ar`âra approximately 9 miles south of east from Beersheba, but compare Buhl^{Geogr. 183. — Isa 17:2} read ‎עָרֶיהָ עֲדֵי עַד‎ ᵐ5 Lo Lag^{Semitic i. 30} Che Buhl^Lex and others (for ᵑ0 ‎עָרֵי עֲרֹעֵר‎). — See also Che^{Ency. Bib. 317}.

Brown-Driver-Briggs References

Profile

Aroer_1 • A city on the edge of the Arnon Valley.

Aroer, a city situated on the edge of the Arnon Valley, near the border between Israel and Moab.

• A location first mentioned at Deu.2.36;
• only referred to as Aroer עֲרוֹעֵר.
  

Aroer was a city located on the northern edge of the Arnon Valley, in what is now modern-day Jordan. It is mentioned several times in the Old Testament, often in the context of defining territorial boundaries and military campaigns.

In Deuteronomy 2:36, Aroer is described as being on the edge of the Arnon Valley, marking the southern limit of the territory conquered by the Israelites from King Sihon of the Amorites. This area was later allotted to the tribe of Reuben (Deuteronomy 3:12; Joshua 13:9, 16).

Aroer is also mentioned in the description of the extent of King Sihon's territory, which stretched from the Arnon to the Jabbok (Joshua 12:2). During the time of the judges, Jephthah reminded the Ammonites that Israel had possessed the land from Aroer to the Jabbok for three hundred years (Judges 11:26).

In the reign of Jehu, king of Israel, the territory from Aroer was lost to Hazael, king of Aram (2 Kings 10:33). The prophet Jeremiah also mentions Aroer in his prophecy concerning Moab, calling upon the inhabitants of Aroer to ask about the destruction that has come upon them (Jeremiah 48:19).

Aroer's significance in the Bible lies in its strategic location along the Arnon Valley, serving as a boundary marker and a point of reference in territorial descriptions. Its frequent mention in the context of military campaigns and territorial allotments underscores its importance as a key city in the region.

All entries for Aroer: עֲרוֹעֵר