Isaiah 17:2

The cities of Aroer are abandoned. ¹  They will be used for herds, which will lie down there in peace. ² 

The cities of Aroer will be deserted and left to flocks, which will lie down, with no-one to make them afraid.

"The cities of Aroer are forsaken; They will be for flocks to lie down in, And there will be no one to frighten them.

The cities of Aroer will be deserted. Sheep will graze in the streets and lie down unafraid. There will be no one to chase them away.

Her towns emptied of people. The sheep and goats will move in And take over the towns as if they owned them--which they will!

Her towns are unpeopled for ever; there the flocks take their rest in peace, without fear.

Her towns will be deserted forever; they will be places for flocks, which will lie down, and no one will make them afraid.

The cities of Aroer are forsaken; They will be for flocks Which lie down, and no one will make them afraid.

The cities of Aroer are abandoned. ¹  They will be used for herds, which will lie down there in peace. ² 

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].”