Aroer, Aroir
Archimandrite Nikifor’s Biblical Encyclopedia
(bare, poor) — the name of two cities: a) (Deut. 2:36; 4:48) a city on the northern bank of the stream Arnon, now called Araeer. The expression “the city that is in the midst of the river” (Josh. 13:9) is explained by the fact that the city stood partly on an islet formed by the river; b) Aroer, that is before Rabbah (of the Ammonites) (Josh. 13:25) — a city, it is thought, situated in the middle of the valley of Gad, near Jazer, and given by Moses to the tribe of Gad. At present this may be Kalat ez-Zerka; c) (1 Sam. 30:28) a city of the tribe of Judah, to which David sent gifts from the spoil taken from the Amalekites.
This may be the present-day Ar-Arah, standing on the road from Petra to Gaza. In Isaiah (17:2), under “the cities of Aroer” is generally meant the whole land beyond the Jordan, with its cities, which, by his prophecy, would one day be abandoned by their inhabitants and remain only a resting place for flocks and their shepherds.