This city was snatched from the Amorites (Num. 21:32), and given to Gad upon his request (Num. 32:1, 2). Later the place became a Levitical city (ch. 21:39). The town was in Ammon, or on its border, a short distance north or northwest of Rabbath-ammon, the modern Amman. The region was excellent for grazing.

 That is, the cities of the southern part of Gilead, as far as the Jabbok. The other half of Gilead, which belonged to the king of Bashan rather than Sihon, fell, as we learn from v. 31, to the half tribe of Manasseh (see ch. 12:2). The border of Gad extended farther east than did that of Reuben. The northern border of Gad was the river Jabbok west to the Arabah and then north to the Sea of Chinnereth (Deut. 3:16, 17). Gad evidently was given the plain of Jordan north of the Jabbok and east of the river Jordan.

 The children of Israel had already been expressly forbidden to meddle with the country of Ammon (Deut. 2:19).

 This Aroer is not to be confused with Aroer of Reuben on the northern bank of the Arnon (chs. 12:2; 13:9, 16). It is “before” Rabbah, Rabbath-ammon. Some taking “before” in the sense of “east of,” place Aroer east of Rabbah; others, taking it in its time sense, see it as a place reached earlier by one coming from the Jordan, hence west of Rabbah.