The Arnon, a river and valley that marked the boundary between Moab and the Amorites, later serving as Israel's southern border.
The Arnon is a river and its accompanying valley, located east of the Dead Sea, in what is now modern-day Jordan. It is mentioned numerous times in the Old Testament, primarily in the context of Israel's journey to the Promised Land and the subsequent division of the territory.
During the Israelites' wilderness wanderings, the Arnon served as a boundary between the Moabites and the Amorites (Numbers 21:13). The Amorites, led by King Sihon, had previously conquered the land north of the Arnon from the Moabites (Numbers 21:26). When the Israelites requested passage through Sihon's territory, he refused and engaged them in battle. Israel defeated Sihon and took possession of the land from the Arnon to the Jabbok (Numbers 21:24).
The Arnon later served as the southern border of the territory assigned to the tribes of Reuben and Gad (Deu.3.12, 16; Joshua 13:9, 16). It also marked the southern limit of the region controlled by King Sihon (Deu.2.36; Joshua 12:2) and, in later years, the extent of Jephthah's victories over the Ammonites (Judges 11:18, 22).
During the reign of Jehu, king of Israel, the territory east of the Jordan, including the area from the Arnon, was lost to Hazael, king of Aram (2Ki.10.33). The prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah also mention the Arnon in their prophecies concerning Moab (Isaiah 16:2; Jeremiah 48:20).
The Arnon's significance in the Bible lies in its role as a geographical boundary, marking the limits of territorial control for various nations and tribes throughout Israel's history. Its frequent mention in the context of military campaigns and territorial allotments underscores its importance as a strategic landmark in the region.
Approximate location: 31.429, 35.677 · view on a map · on the Bible atlas
Swift, the southern boundary of the territory of Israel beyond Jordan, separating it from the land of Moab (Deut. 3:8, 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.
(roaring), the river or torrent which formed the boundary between Moab and the Amorites, on the north of Moab, (Numbers 21:13,14,24,26; Judges 11:22) and afterwards between Moab and Israel (Reuben). (2:24,36; 3:8,12,16; 4:48; Joshua 12:1,2; 13:9,16; Judges 11:13,26) 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.
AR'NON (noisy), a stream running into the Dead Sea from the east, and which divided Moab from the Ambrites. Num 21:13; Jud 11:18. The Arnon is about 50 miles long; 90 feet wide, and from 4 to 10 feet deep at its mouth; full in winter, but nearly dry in summer; had several fords, Isa 16:2, and "high places," Num 21:28; Isa 15:2; is referred to 24 times in the Bible. Its modern name is el-Mejib. It runs through a deep ravine with precipitous limestone cliffs on either side, in some places over 2000 feet high. Ruins of forts, bridges, and buildings abound on its banks, and fish in its waters; oleanders and almond trees bloom in its valley, and griffons and buzzards may be seen hovering over its cliff's.
AR'NON (noisy), a stream running into the Dead Sea from the east, and which divided Moab from the Ambrites. Num 21:13; Jud 11:18. The Arnon is about 50 miles long; 90 feet wide, and from 4 to 10 feet deep at its mouth; full in winter, but nearly dry in summer; had several fords, Isa 16:2, and "high places," Num 21:28; Isa 15:2; is referred to 24 times in the Bible. Its modern name is el-Mejib. It runs through a deep ravine with precipitous limestone cliffs on either side, in some places over 2000 feet high. Ruins of forts, bridges, and buildings abound on its banks, and fish in its waters; oleanders and almond trees bloom in its valley, and griffons and buzzards may be seen hovering over its cliff's.
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.
23 verses in 7 books · English text: BSB (change it from the menu at the top) · Strong’s H0769
From there they moved on and camped on the other side of the Arnon, in the wilderness that extends into the Amorite territory. Now the Arnon is the border between the Moabites and the Amorites.
Therefore it is stated in the Book of the Wars of the LORD: “Waheb in Suphah and the wadis of the Arnon,
And Israel put him to the sword and took possession of his land, from the Arnon to the Jabbok—but only up to the border of the Ammonites, because it was fortified.
Heshbon was the city of Sihon king of the Amorites, who had fought against the former king of Moab and taken all his land as far as the Arnon.
For a fire went out from Heshbon, a blaze from the city of Sihon. It consumed Ar of Moab, the rulers of Arnonʼs heights.
When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at the Moabite city on the Arnon border, at the edge of his territory.
“Arise, set out, and cross the Arnon Valley. See, I have delivered into your hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land. Begin to take possession of it and engage him in battle.
From Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Valley, along with the city in the valley, even as far as Gilead, not one city had walls too high for us. The LORD our God gave us all of them.
At that time we took from the two kings of the Amorites the land across the Jordan, from the Arnon Valley as far as Mount Hermon—
So at that time we took possession of this land. To the Reubenites and Gadites I gave the land beyond Aroer along the Arnon Valley, and half the hill country of Gilead, along with its cities.
and to the Reubenites and Gadites I gave the territory from Gilead to the Arnon Valley (the middle of the valley was the border) and up to the Jabbok River, the border of the Ammonites.
extending from Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Valley as far as Mount Siyon (that is, Hermon),
Now these are the kings of the land whom the Israelites struck down and whose lands they took beyond the Jordan to the east, from the Arnon Valley to Mount Hermon, including all the Arabah eastward:
Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon. He ruled from Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Valley, along the middle of the valley, up to the Jabbok River (the border of the Ammonites), that is, half of Gilead,
The area from Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Valley, along with the city in the middle of the valley, the whole plateau of Medeba as far as Dibon,
The territory from Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Valley, along with the city in the middle of the valley, to the whole plateau beyond Medeba,
The king of the Ammonites answered Jephthahʼs messengers, “When Israel came up out of Egypt, they seized my land, from the Arnon to the Jabbok and all the way to the Jordan. Now, therefore, restore it peaceably.”
Then Israel traveled through the wilderness and bypassed the lands of Edom and Moab. They came to the east side of the land of Moab and camped on the other side of the Arnon. But they did not enter the territory of Moab, since the Arnon was its border.
seizing all the land from the Arnon to the Jabbok and from the wilderness to the Jordan.
For three hundred years Israel has lived in Heshbon, Aroer, and their villages, as well as all the cities along the banks of the Arnon. Why did you not take them back during that time?
from the Jordan eastward through all the land of Gilead (the region of Gad, Reuben, and Manasseh), and from Aroer by the Arnon Valley through Gilead to Bashan.
Like fluttering birds pushed out of the nest, so are the daughters of Moab at the fords of the Arnon:
Moab is put to shame, for it has been shattered. Wail and cry out! Declare by the Arnon that Moab is destroyed.
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.