Jazer

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Or JAAZER, Numbers 21:32 , a city of the Amorites, in Gilead; afterwards a Levitical city in Gad. It lay some fifteen miles north of Heshbon, near a small stream, Numbers 1:1-36:13 32:1 Joshua 21:39 1 Chronicles 26:31 Jeremiah 48:32 .

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

(See JAAZER.)

Holman Bible Dictionary

Numbers 21:32Numbers 32:35Joshua 13:25Joshua 21:39Isaiah 16:8-9Jeremiah 48:321 Chronicles 26:321 Chronicles 5:8

Interpreters debate Jazer's exact location. German archaeologists appear to favor tell el-Areme, while Israelis point to khirbet es-Sar about eight miles west of Amman. Others point to khirbet Jazzir about two miles south of es-Salt.

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

JAZER . An Amorite town N. of Heshbon, taken by Israel ( Numbers 21:32 ), allotted to Gad ( Joshua 13:25 etc.), and fortified by it ( Numbers 32:35 ). It lay in a district rich in vines ( Isaiah 16:8 etc., Jeremiah 48:32 ). It is probably represented by Khirbet Sâr , about 7 miles W. of ‘Ammân , a mile E. of Wâdy Sîr . Judas Maccabæus took the city, which was then in the hands of the Ammonites ( 1Ma 5:9; Jos. [Note: Josephus.] Ant. XII. viii. 1).

W. Ewing.

Morrish Bible Dictionary

See JAAZER.

People's Dictionary of the Bible

Jazer, Joshua 21:39, or Jaazer (jâ'zer,jâ'a-zer or ja-â'zer). Numbers 21:32, A. V., a city of the Ammonites, near the river Jabbok. Its ruins are at Sar, about 15 miles from Hesbân.

Sea of. Jeremiah 48:32. May be a lake existing in ancient times near the city of Jazer. But scholars are not agreed what the Sea of Jazer refers to.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Ja'zer. (Jehovah helps). See Jaazer.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

jā´zẽr ( יעזר , ya‛zēr or יעזיר , ya‛zēyr  ; Septuagint Ἰαζήν , Iazḗn in Codex Alexandrinus; Iazḗr ): In some cases, e.g. Numbers 21:32 , the King James Version reads "Jaazer." This was a city of the Amorites east of the Jordan taken, along with its towns, by Moses, and occupied by the tribe of Gad (Numbers 21:32; Numbers 32:35 ). The country was very fertile, and its spacious pasture-lands attracted the flock-masters of Gad (Numbers 32:1 ), the southern border of whose territory it marked (Joshua 13:25 ). It was assigned to the Merarite Levites (Joshua 21:39; 1 Chronicles 6:81 ). The place was reached by Joab when taking the census (2 Samuel 24:5 ). In the 40th year of King David mighty men of valor were found here to whom he entrusted the oversight in Reuben and Gad "for every matter pertaining to God, and run the affairs of the king" (1 Chronicles 26:32 f). The fruitfulness of the country is alluded to in Isaiah 16:8 f; Jeremiah 48:32 . (Note: "Sea of" Jazer in this verse has arisen through accidental repetition of yām , "sea," from the preceding clause.) The city was taken from the Ammonites by Judas Maccabeus, and burned (1 Macc 5:7, 8; Ant , Xii , viii, 1).

Onomasticon places Jazer 10 Roman miles West of Philadelphia ( ‛Ammān ), and about 15 miles from Heshbon, where a great stream rises, which flows into the Jordan. Many would identify it with Khirbet Ṣar , on the South of Wādy Ṣir , about 5 miles West of ‛Ammān . The perennial stream from Wādy Ṣir reaches the Jordan by Wādy el - Kefrein . Cheyne ( Eb , under the word) suggests Yajūz on Wādy Zorby , tributary of the Jabbok, with extensive Roman remains. It lies a little way to the East of el Jubeihāt ("Jogbehah," Numbers 32:35 ). It is situated, however, to the North and not to the West of ‛Ammān , where Eusebius, Onomasticon , places it. Neither identification is certain.

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

(Numbers 32:1; Numbers 32:3; Joshua 21:39; 2 Samuel 24:5; 1 Chronicles 6:81; 1 Chronicles 26:31; Isaiah 16:8-9; Jeremiah 48:32). (See Jaazer).