H0769 H0769
Arnon; river (modern Wadi Mujib) forming the boundary between Moab and Amorite territory in Transjordan
The Arnon (אַרְנוֹן) is a river and deep wadi — modern Wadi Mujib in Jordan — that served as a critical boundary marker in ancient Transjordan. Numbers 21:13 identifies it as the border between Moab and the Amorites, and it recurs throughout the conquest and settlement narratives (Deut 2:24, 36; Josh 12:1–2; Judg 11:18–22). The name possibly derives from ranan ('to rush, roar'), describing the sound of water in its steep gorge. The phrase nachal Arnon ('wadi of Arnon') emphasizes its character as a seasonal torrent cutting through deep ravines. The Moabite Stone (Mesha Inscription) also references it as ארנן.
Senses
1. Arnon (river/place name) — The proper name of the river and wadi (modern Wadi Mujib) that marked the northern boundary of Moab and the southern limit of Amorite and later Israelite Transjordanian territory. Frequently paired with nachal ('wadi/torrent-valley') in Deut 2:24, 36 and Josh 12:1, emphasizing the deep gorge. The Moabite Stone confirms its significance as a territorial marker. Translations uniformly transliterate: Spanish 'Arnón,' French 'Arnon,' German 'Arnon.' 25×
AR["أَرنونَ", "أَرْنونَ", "أَرْنُونَ"]·ben["অর্ণোন", "অর্ণোনের", "অর্নোনের"]·DE["Arnon"]·EN["Arnon"]·FR["Arnon"]·heb["ארנון", "ארנן"]·HI["अरनोन", "अरनोन-के", "अर्नोन", "अर्नोन-की", "अर्नोन-के", "और-तक", "और-नगर", "पुत्रों-की"]·ID["Arnon"]·IT["Arnon"]·jav["Arnon"]·KO["아르논", "아르논-은", "아르논-의", "아르논의", "아르논이"]·PT["'Arnon", "Arnom", "Arnon"]·RU["Арнон", "Арнона", "Арноном"]·ES["Arnón"]·SW["Arnoni", "pa-Arnoni", "ya-Arnoni"]·TR["Arnon", "Arnon'a", "Arnon'un", "Arnon-un"]·urd["ارنون", "ارنون-کی", "ارنون-کے", "ہیں"]
Related Senses
H8033 1. There (locative adverb) (835×)H7760a 1. put, place, set physically (444×)H8064 1. heavens / sky (329×)H5439 1. around, all around (spatial) (319×)H4057b 1. wilderness, desert region (270×)H3220 1. sea, body of water (269×)H0520a 1. cubit (unit of length) (246×)H0127 1. ground, land (territory) (210×)H3383 1. Jordan River (proper noun) (183×)G1093 1. earth, the world (176×)H5800a 1. forsake, abandon (Qal active) (166×)H8121 1. sun (celestial body) (133×)H7126 1. offer, present sacrificially (122×)H6828 1. north, cardinal direction (120×)H2351 1. outside, exterior space (119×)H5104 1. river, stream (119×)H7341 1. width, breadth (101×)G1563 1. there (95×)H7126 2. draw near, approach (95×)G2281 1. sea, large body of water (91×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† אַרְנוֹן, אַרְנֹן n.pr.fl. Arnon, wady & stream in Moab (MI ארנן, Thes Add Rob Ges MV der. from רנן, i.e. the rushing, roaring stream)—אַרְנוֹן Nu 21:13(×2), 14 + 12 times, אַרְנֹן Nu 21:28 + 10 times—called boundary between Moab & Amorites Nu 21:13 Ju 11:18, 22 cf. גְּבוּל אַרְנֹן Nu 22:36; often נַחַל אַרְנֹן Dt 2:24, 36; 3:8, 12, 16; 4:48; 2 K 10:33; נ׳ אַרְנוֹן Jos 12:1, 2; 13:9, 16;…