or אַרְנֹןlemma אַרְנן missing vowel, corrected to אַרְנֹן; from רָנַן; a brawling stream; the Arnon, a river east of the Jordan, also its territory; Arnon.
### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **ʼArnôwn**, represented by `{{H769}}`, literally means "a brawling stream." It appears 25 times across 23 unique verses. In scripture, it refers specifically to the **Arnon**, a river and its surrounding territory located east of the Jordan River. It functions as a significant geographical landmark and boundary throughout the biblical narrative.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The Arnon is primarily depicted as a crucial border. It is established as the boundary between Moab and the Amorites [[Numbers 21:13]] and is later identified as the border of Moab itself [[Judges 11:18]]. Following Israel's conquest of the Amorite king Sihon, the Arnon became the southern border of the territory possessed by the Israelite tribes east of the Jordan [[Numbers 21:24]]. The land given by the LORD began at the river Arnon [[Deuteronomy 2:24]], and the territory captured from the two Amorite kings extended "from the river of Arnon unto mount Hermon" [[Deuteronomy 3:8]]. The river is also mentioned in the "book of the wars of the LORD" [[Numbers 21:14]], highlighting its importance in Israel's early military history.
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words help define the Arnon's geographical and political context:
* `{{H5158}}` **nachal** (river, stream): The Arnon is almost always referred to as the "river (nachal) Arnon," emphasizing its nature as a major watercourse and valley ([[Deuteronomy 2:36]], [[Joshua 12:1]]).
* `{{H1366}}` **gᵉbûwl** (border): This term is frequently used with Arnon to define its role as a territorial dividing line. For example, it is called "the border of Moab" [[Numbers 21:13]] and the border of the children of Ammon [[Deuteronomy 3:16]].
* `{{H6177}}` **ʻĂrôwʻêr** (Aroer): This city is consistently located "by the brink of the river of Arnon" [[Deuteronomy 2:36]] or "on the bank of the river Arnon" [[Joshua 13:16]], physically tying a specific settlement to this important river.
* `{{H5511}}` **Çîychôwn** (Sihon): The kingdom of Sihon, king of the Amorites, is geographically defined by the Arnon. His rule extended from Aroer on the Arnon [[Joshua 12:2]], and Israel's divinely-sanctioned campaign to possess his land began by crossing the river [[Deuteronomy 2:24]].
### Theological Significance
The geographical importance of the Arnon is interwoven with its historical and spiritual significance in the narrative of Israel.
* **A Boundary of Divine Conquest:** The LORD explicitly commands Israel to "pass over the river Arnon" to begin possessing the land of Sihon, king of Heshbon, signifying the river as the starting line for a God-ordained conquest [[Deuteronomy 2:24]].
* **A Landmark of Tribal Inheritance:** The Arnon serves as a key marker in the distribution of land to the Israelite tribes. The territory given to the Reubenites and Gadites is described as extending from Aroer by the river Arnon ([[Deuteronomy 3:12]], [[Deuteronomy 3:16]]).
* **A Point of Conflict and Spoils:** For centuries, the Arnon marked a contested region. Jephthah cites Israel's long-term settlement along the coasts of Arnon in his dispute with the Ammonites [[Judges 11:26]]. In prophetic judgment, Moab is told to "howl and cry" because it is spoiled, a message to be declared "in Arnon" [[Jeremiah 48:20]].
* **A Symbol of Dispersion:** In a prophecy against Moab, Isaiah portrays the "daughters of Moab" as being like a "wandering bird cast out of the nest" at the fords of the Arnon, using the river as a setting for their displacement and vulnerability [[Isaiah 16:2]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H769}}` **ʼArnôwn** is far more than a simple geographical name. It is a critical landmark in the Old Testament, functioning as a political border, a boundary of conquest, and a marker for tribal inheritance. The "brawling stream" serves as a constant backdrop for historic military campaigns, land disputes, and prophetic declarations, anchoring key events in Israel's story to a tangible place on the earth.
TRV