2 Samuel 24:5

5 After crossing the Jordan, they camped near Aroer, south of the town in the gorge, and then went through Gad and on to Jazer.

2 Samuel 24:5 in Other Translations

KJV
5 And they passed over Jordan, and pitched in Aroer, on the right side of the city that lieth in the midst of the river of Gad, and toward Jazer:
ESV
5 They crossed the Jordan and began from Aroer, and from the city that is in the middle of the valley, toward Gad and on to Jazer.
NLT
5 First they crossed the Jordan and camped at Aroer, south of the town in the valley, in the direction of Gad. Then they went on to Jazer,
MSG
5 They crossed the Jordan and began with Aroer and the town in the canyon of the Gadites near Jazer,
CSB
5 They crossed the Jordan and camped in Aroer, south of the town in the middle of the valley, and then [proceeded] toward Gad and Jazer.

2 Samuel 24:5 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 24:5

And they passed over Jordan
To take the number of the tribes of Reuben and Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh first:

and pitched in Aroer;
for it seems that Joab and the captains had the army with them, and the several captains under their command, partly to assist in numbering the people, and partly to keep them in awe, lest they should oppose them, not knowing what was the design of all this Aroer was a city given to the tribe of Gad, and rebuilt by them, ( Numbers 32:34 ) ;

on the right side of the city;
that is, of Aroer, the south side of it, as the Targum, did Joab and his army pitch:

that [lieth] in the midst of the river of Gad;
which was the river Arnon, so called now from the tribe of Gad, which possessed it, and so the Targum, in the midst of the river of the tribe of Gad; for in the midst of the river Arnon Aroer lay, see ( Joshua 13:9 ) ;

and toward Jazer;
another city given to the Gadites, ( Numbers 32:3 Numbers 32:35 ) ; and, according to Bunting F21, was sixteen miles from Aroer.


FOOTNOTES:

F21 Travels p. 147.

2 Samuel 24:5 In-Context

3 But Joab replied to the king, “May the LORD your God multiply the troops a hundred times over, and may the eyes of my lord the king see it. But why does my lord the king want to do such a thing?”
4 The king’s word, however, overruled Joab and the army commanders; so they left the presence of the king to enroll the fighting men of Israel.
5 After crossing the Jordan, they camped near Aroer, south of the town in the gorge, and then went through Gad and on to Jazer.
6 They went to Gilead and the region of Tahtim Hodshi, and on to Dan Jaan and around toward Sidon.
7 Then they went toward the fortress of Tyre and all the towns of the Hivites and Canaanites. Finally, they went on to Beersheba in the Negev of Judah.

Cross References 2

  • 1. Deuteronomy 2:36; S Joshua 13:9
  • 2. S Numbers 21:32
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