Isaiah 17:2
Translations
King James Version (KJV)
The cities of Aroer are forsaken: they shall be for flocks, which shall lie down, and none shall make them afraid.
American King James Version (AKJV)
The cities of Aroer are forsaken: they shall be for flocks, which shall lie down, and none shall make them afraid.
American Standard Version (ASV)
The cities of Aroer are forsaken; they shall be for flocks, which shall lie down, and none shall make them afraid.
Basic English Translation (BBE)
Her towns are unpeopled for ever; there the flocks take their rest in peace, without fear.
Webster's Revision
The cities of Aroer are forsaken: they shall be for flocks, which shall lie down, and none shall make them afraid.
World English Bible
The cities of Aroer are forsaken. They will be for flocks, which shall lie down, and none shall make them afraid.
English Revised Version (ERV)
The cities of Aroer are forsaken: they shall be for flocks, which shall lie down, and none shall make them afraid.
Definitions for Isaiah 17:2
Clarke's Isaiah 17:2 Bible Commentary
The cities of Aroer are forsaken "The cities are deserted for ever" - What has Aroer on the river Arnon to do with Damascus? and if there be another Aroer on the northern border of the tribe of Gad, as Reland seems to think there might be, this is not much more to the purpose. Besides, the cities of Aroer, if Aroer itself is a city, makes no good sense. The Septuagint, for ערער aroer, read עדי עד adey ad, εις τον αιωνα, for ever, or for a long duration. The Chaldee takes the word for a verb from ערה arah, translating it חרבו cherebu, devastabuntur, "they shall be wasted." The Syriac read עדועיר adoeir. So that the reading is very doubtful. I follow the Septuagint as making the plainest sense.
Barnes's Isaiah 17:2 Bible Commentary
The cities of Aroer - By "Aroer" here seems to be meant a tract or region of country pertaining to Damascus, in which were situated several cities. Grotius supposes that it was a tract of country in Syria which is called by Ptolemy "Aueira" - Αὔειρα Aueira. Vitringa supposes that one part of Damascus is meant by this, as Damascus was divided by the river in the same manner that Babylon was. There were several cities of the name of "Aroer." One was on the river Arnon in the land of Moab Deuteronomy 2:36; Deuteronomy 3:12; Joshua 12:3. Burckhardt found this city under the name of Aroer. There was another city of this name further north, over against Rabbath-Ammon Joshua 13:25. There was a third city of this name in the tribe of Judah 1 Samuel 30:28. Of the city of Araayr which Burckhardt visited, nothing is now remarkable but its entire desolation. Gesenius supposes ("Commentary in loc.") that the phrase 'the cities of Aroer' means the cities round about Aroer, and that were connected with it, similar to the phrase 'daughters of a city.' This city he supposes was near the river Arnon, within the limits of Moab, and that the prediction here was fufilled by Tiglath-pileser, when he carried away the inhabitants of Galilee, Gilead, and other places mentioned in 2 Kings 15:29. There can be no doubt that it was under the jurisdiction of Damascus.
Are forsaken - Are desolate, and the inhabitants have fled.
They shall be for flocks ... - (See the note at Isaiah 5:17.)
Wesley's Isaiah 17:2 Bible Commentary
17:2 Aroer - Of that part of Syria, called Aroer, from a great city of that name. These cities were possessed by the Reubenites and Gadites, whom Tiglath - pilneser carried into captivity, 1 Chronicles 5:26 .These he mentions here, as he doth Ephraim in the next verse, because they were confederate with Syria against Judah. Afraid - Because the land shall be desolate, and destitute of men who might disturb them.