The cities of Aroer are forsaken: they shall be for flocks, which shall lie down, and none shall make them afraid.

ISAIAH 17:2KJV
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Isaiah 17:2 (KJV)

What does Isaiah 17:2 mean?

Isaiah 17:2 says that the cities of Aroer will be abandoned and left empty, becoming places where flocks of animals will rest without fear of disturbance. The verse uses this image to show total desolation—once-inhabited towns will be so empty that only animals will live there in peace.

Isaiah is speaking a prophecy from God about judgment coming to certain regions, including Aroer, which was a city east of the Jordan River. The verse paints a vivid picture of the aftermath: when people are gone, even sheep can safely lie down because there is no one left to threaten or disturb them. This is part of a larger message about the downfall of Damascus and its surrounding areas.

The Hebrew behind Isaiah 17:2

  • "forsaken" (עָזַב, ʿazav): This word means to leave behind or abandon. Its use here emphasizes that the cities are not just empty by chance but have been deliberately deserted.
  • "flocks" (צֹאן, tson): This word refers to groups of sheep or goats. The mention of flocks lying down highlights the complete absence of people, since livestock are usually watched over and protected by shepherds.
  • "down" (רָבַץ, ravats): This verb means to lie down, often used for animals resting. It suggests a sense of calm and safety, reinforcing the idea that the area is so deserted that even animals feel secure.
  • "afraid" (חָתַת, chatat): This word means to be frightened or terrified. Its use here underlines that there is no danger left in these abandoned places.

Why Isaiah 17:2 matters

  • Isaiah 17:2 clarifies that the judgment is not just about military defeat but about total abandonment, where even animals sense the lack of human presence.
  • The verse connects to the broader prophecy against Damascus and its allies, showing the thoroughness of the coming devastation.
  • Understanding the imagery helps readers see the seriousness of the warning: a city so empty that only animals remain is a powerful sign of complete ruin.

Where else these words appear

“Aroer” Hebrew H6177 · used in 16 verses

  • Numbers 32:34 And the children of Gad built Dibon, and Ataroth, and Aroer,
  • Joshua 13:9 From Aroer, that is upon the bank of the river Arnon, and the city that is in the midst of the river, and all the plain of Medeba unto Dibon;
  • 1 Samuel 30:28 And to them which were in Aroer, and to them which were in Siphmoth, and to them which were in Eshtemoa,

“down” Hebrew H7257 · used in 30 verses

  • Genesis 4:7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
  • Deuteronomy 33:13 And of Joseph he said, Blessed of the LORD be his land, for the precious things of heaven, for the dew, and for the deep that coucheth beneath,
  • Isaiah 27:10 Yet the defenced city shall be desolate, and the habitation forsaken, and left like a wilderness: there shall the calf feed, and there shall he lie down, and consume the branches thereof.

“flocks” Hebrew H5739 · used in 34 verses

  • Genesis 29:2 And he looked, and behold a well in the field, and, lo, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks: and a great stone was upon the well's mouth.
  • Proverbs 27:23 Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds.
  • Jeremiah 31:10 Hear the word of the LORD, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock.

“afraid” Hebrew H2729 · used in 39 verses

  • Genesis 27:33 And Isaac trembled very exceedingly, and said, Who? where is he that hath taken venison, and brought it me, and I have eaten of all before thou camest, and have blessed him? yea, and he shall be blessed.
  • 1 Samuel 28:5 And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart greatly trembled.
  • Ezekiel 26:16 Then all the princes of the sea shall come down from their thrones, and lay away their robes, and put off their broidered garments: they shall clothe themselves with trembling; they shall sit upon the ground, and shall tremble at every moment, and be astonished at thee.