Arnon

swift, the southern boundary of the territory of Israel beyond Jordan, separating it from the land of Moab ( Deuteronomy 3:8 Deuteronomy 3:16 ). This river (referred to twenty-four times in the Bible) rises in the mountains of Gilead, and after a circuitous course of about 80 miles through a deep ravine it falls into the Dead Sea nearly opposite Engedi. The stream is almost dry in summer. It is now called el-Mujeb. The territory of the Amorites extended from the Arnon to the Jabbok.

rejoicing; sunlight

(roaring ), the river or torrent which formed the boundary between Moab and the Amorites, on the north of Moab, ( Numbers 21:13 Numbers 21:14 Numbers 21:24 Numbers 21:26 ; Judges 11:22 ) and afterwards between Moab and Israel (Reuben). ( deuteronomy 2:24 deuteronomy 2:36 ; deuteronomy 3:8 deuteronomy 3:12 deuteronomy 3:16 ; 4:48 ; Joshua 12:1 Joshua 12:2 ; Joshua 13:9 Joshua 13:16 ; Judges 11:13 Judges 11:26 ) There can be no doubt that the Wady el-Mojeb of the present day is the Arnon. Its principal source is near Katrane , on the Haj route.

ARNON

ar'-non ('arnon; Arnon):

Is first mentioned in Numbers 21:24 as the border between Moab and the Amorites. "The valleys of Arnon" in the next verse undoubtedly indicate the numerous wadies contributary to the main stream. It formed the southern boundary of the land assigned to Reuben (Deuteronomy 3:12). The city of Aroer stood on the northern edge of the valley (Deuteronomy 2:36; Judges 12:2, etc.). Arnon was claimed by the Ammonites as having marked the southern limit of their territory when Israel invaded the land (Judges 11:13). They, however, had already been driven out by the Amorites, and the region north of Arnon was held by Sihon. From the inscription of Mesha on the Moabite Stone we gather that Moab had established herself on the north of the Arnon before the time of Omri. Under Omri and Ahab she was confined to the south of the river. A rebellion under Mesha was put down by Jehoram son of Ahab (2 Kings 3), and the expedition of Hazael against Israel reached the valley of the Arnon (2 Kings 10:33). But according to Mesha he regained for Moab the lost land; and this agrees with Isaiah 16:2) were doubtless crossed by Mesha's highway which he claims to have built in Arnon; and may be marked by the traces of the old Roman road and bridge immediately to the West of where, on the northern edge of the Wady, stands `Ara`ir, the ancient Aroer.

W. Ewing