Jazer

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.