Aroer

From BibleEncyclopedia.Net

Ruins.

(1.) A town on the north bank of the Arnon (Deu_4:48; Jdg_11:26; 2Ki_10:33), the southern boundary of the kingdom of Sihon (Jos_12:2). It is now called Arair, 13 miles west of the Dead Sea.

(2.) One of the towns built by the tribe of Gad (Num_32:34) “before Rabbah” (Jos_13:25), the Ammonite capital. It was famous in the history of Jephthah (Jdg_11:33) and of David (2Sa_24:5). (Compare Isa_17:2; 2Ki_15:29.)

(3.) A city in the south of Judah, 12 miles south-east of Beersheba, to which David sent presents after recovering the spoil from the Amalekites at Ziklag (1Sa_30:26, 1Sa_30:28). It was the native city of two of David's warriors (1Ch_11:44). It is now called Ararah.

a-rō´ẽr (ערוער, ‛ărō‛ēr; Ἀροήρ, Aroḗr):

(1) A city of the Amorites which stood on the northern edge of the Arnon (Deu_2:36, etc.). Taken by Israel, it shared the vicissitudes of the country north of the river, and when last named (Jer_48:19) is again in the hands of Moab. It is one of the cities which Mesha claims to have built, i.e. fortified. It was within the territory allotted to Reuben, yet its building (fortification) is attributed to Gad (Num_32:34). Thus far came the Syrian, Hazael, in his raid upon Israel (2Ki_10:33). The Roman road across the valley lay about an hour to the West of Khirbet ‛Arā‛ir.

(2) A city in Gilead described as “before Rabbah,” on the boundary between Gad and the Ammonites (Jos_13:25). No name resembling this has yet been recovered in the district indicated.

(3) A city in the territory of Judah named only in 1Sa_30:28. Probably however in Jos_15:22 we should read ‛ar‛ārāh instead of ‛adh‛ādhāh, which may be the same city, and may be identical with ‛Ar‛āra, a site with cisterns and some remains of ancient buildings about 14 miles Southeast of Beersheba.