Ar, the capital of Moab, mentioned in the context of Israel's journey and prophecies.
Ar was the capital city of Moab, a kingdom located east of the Dead Sea in what is now modern-day Jordan. The city is mentioned several times in the Old Testament, particularly in the context of Israel's journey through the wilderness and in prophetic messages concerning Moab.
During the Israelites' journey from Egypt to the Promised Land, they passed through the territory of Moab. God instructed them not to harass or provoke the Moabites, as He had given Ar to the descendants of Lot as a possession (Deu.2.9). The Israelites bypassed Ar and continued their journey (Deu.2.18).
In Numbers 21, the Israelites' journey is described, mentioning the valleys that extend to the site of Ar and lie along the border of Moab (Numbers 21:15). Later in the chapter, a poetic passage refers to a fire that came out of Heshbon and consumed Ar of Moab (Numbers 21:28), likely alluding to a past military conquest.
The prophet Isaiah also mentions Ar in his prophecy against Moab, declaring that Ar is laid waste and destroyed in a night (Isaiah 15:1). This prophecy foretells the coming judgment on Moab and its capital city.
The exact location of Ar is uncertain, but it is generally associated with the modern city of Rabba, about 15 miles (24 km) south of the Arnon River. As the capital of Moab, Ar would have been a significant political and economic center in the region.
Approximate location: 31.450, 35.594 · view on a map · on the Bible atlas
(a city), or Ar of Moab, one of the chief places of Moab. (Numbers 21:28; Isaiah 15:1) In later times the place known as Areopolis and Rabbath-Moab. The site still called Rabba . It lies about halfway between Kerak and the Wady Mojeb, 10 or 11 miles from each, the Roman road passing through it.
AR, and AR OF MO'AB. Num 21:28. The chief city of Moab, on the east of the Salt Sea; called also Aroer, Deut 2:36; sometimes used for the whole land of Moab, Deut 2:29; burned by Sihon. Num 21:26-30. It has been placed at Rabbah or Rabbath, but good authorities regard it as a different city, and fix Ar on the Arnon, 10 or 12 miles north of Rabbah, at the Wady Lejum. See Rabbah.
AR, and AR OF MO'AB. Num 21:28. The chief city of Moab, on the east of the Salt Sea; called also Aroer, Deut 2:36; sometimes used for the whole land of Moab, Deut 2:29; burned by Sihon. Num 21:26-30. It has been placed at Rabbah or Rabbath, but good authorities regard it as a different city, and fix Ar on the Arnon, 10 or 12 miles north of Rabbah, at the Wady Lejum. See Rabbah.
Easton (1897), Smith (1863), Hitchcock (1869), Hastings (1898) and Schaff are in the public domain. Parsed text: neuu-org/bible-dictionary-dataset (CC BY 4.0). Headwords and whitespace normalised for this site.
6 verses in 3 books · English text: BSB (change it from the menu at the top) · Strong’s H6144
even the slopes of the wadis that extend to the site of Ar and lie along the border of Moab.”
For a fire went out from Heshbon, a blaze from the city of Sihon. It consumed Ar of Moab, the rulers of Arnonʼs heights.
Then the LORD said to me, “Do not harass the Moabites or provoke them to war, for I will not give you any of their land, because I have given Ar to the descendants of Lot as their possession.”
“Today you are going to cross the border of Moab at Ar.
just as the descendants of Esau who live in Seir and the Moabites who live in Ar did for us, until we cross the Jordan into the land that the LORD our God is giving us.”
This is the burden against Moab: Ar in Moab is ruined, destroyed in a night! Kir in Moab is devastated, destroyed in a night!
Names, family links and references: STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Short descriptions were drafted with AI assistance by STEPBible. Family links follow STEPBible’s scholarly decisions where genealogies are ambiguous.