Discovery BoxIsaiah 17:2 
Context17:2 The cities of Aroer are abandoned. 1
They will be used for herds,
which will lie down there in peace. 2
Isaiah 19:2
Context19:2 “I will provoke civil strife in Egypt, 3
brothers will fight with each other,
as will neighbors,
cities, and kingdoms. 4
Isaiah 64:10
Context64:10 Your chosen 5 cities have become a desert;
Zion has become a desert,
Jerusalem 6 is a desolate ruin.
1 tn Three cities are known by this name in the OT: (1) an Aroer located near the Arnon, (2) an Aroer in Ammon, and (3) an Aroer of Judah. (See BDB 792-93 s.v. עֲרֹעֵר, and HALOT 883 s.v. II עֲרוֹעֵר.) There is no mention of an Aroer in Syrian territory. For this reason some want to emend the text here to עֲזֻבוֹת עָרַיהָ עֲדֵי עַד (’azuvot ’arayha ’adey ’ad, “her cities are permanently abandoned”). However, Aroer near the Arnon was taken by Israel and later conquered by the Syrians. (See Josh 12:2; 13:9, 16; Judg 11:26; 2 Kgs 10:33). This oracle pertains to Israel as well as Syria (note v. 3), so it is possible that this is a reference to Israelite and/or Syrian losses in Transjordan.
2 tn Heb “and they lie down and there is no one scaring [them].”
3 tn Heb I will provoke Egypt against Egypt” (NAB similar).
4 tn Heb “and they will fight, a man against his brother, and a man against his neighbor, city against city, kingdom against kingdom.” Civil strife will extend all the way from the domestic level to the provincial arena.
5 tn Heb “holy” (so KJV, NASB, NRSV, NLT); NIV “sacred.”
6 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
