Lexical Definition

‎אֲרָם‎ ʼĂrâm (arawm') Aram ^N:N-M-P
from the same as ‎אַרְמוֹן‎; the highland

Aram, Mesopotamia, Syria, Syrians.

• § Aram = "exalted"
• Aram or Syria, and its inhabitants
• also the name of the son of Shem, a grandson of Nahor, and of an Israelite

n pr m
1) Aram or Syriathe nation
2) the Syrian or Aramean people
n m
3) fifth son of Shem
4) a grandson of Nahor
5) a descendant of Asher

Extended Information

• A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.10.22
• son of: Shem (שֵׁם)
• brother of: Asshur (אַשּׁוּר), Elam (עֵילָם), Arpachshad (אַרְפַּכְשַׁד) and Lud (לוּד)
• father of: Uz (עוּץ), Hul (חוּל), Gether (גֶּתֶר) and Mash (מַשׁ)
• Aram = "exalted"
• n m

Brown-Driver-Briggs

‎אֲרָם‎₁₄₉ proper name, masculine Aram (Assyrian Aramu, etc., see Dl^{Pa 257}; Thes and others propose √ ‎ארם‎ = ‎רום‎ but compare Nö as below) —

1. 5th son of Shem Gen 10:22; Gen 10:23; 1Chr 1:17.

2. grandson of Nahor Gen 22:21.

3. 1Chr 2:23.

4. a descendant of Asher 1Chr 7:34. — Elsewhere only of AramÊan people & land (= 1 above), feminine^{2Sam 8:5} masculine^{2Sam 10:14}.
a. people, singular collective = the Aramoeans, a leading branch of the Shemitic stock inhabiting Mesopotamia & northern Syria, in many tribes & settlements; 2Sam 8:5 (twice in verse); 2Sam 8:6 + 1Kgs 20:20; 1Kgs 20:21 + 1Chr 19:10; 1Chr 19:12 + (64 t. Samuel Kings Chronicles) Amos 9:7; Isa 7:2; Isa 7:4; Isa 7:5; Isa 7:8; Isa 9:11*; Isa 17:3; so Ezek 16:57; Ezek 27:16, but Co in both ‎אדום‎ ‎עַם אֲרָם‎ Amos 1:5 of particular divisions of Aram, ‎בית רְחוֺב‎ ‎׳‎‎א‎ 2Sam 10:6, ‎צוֺבָא‎ ‎׳‎‎א‎ 2Sam 10:6; 2Sam 10:8; Ps 60:2* (title), ‎דַּמֶּשֶׂק‎ ‎׳‎‎א‎ 2Sam 8:5 compare 1Chr 18:5, even ‎נַהֲרַיִם‎ ‎׳‎‎א‎ Ps 60:2* (title); (note that Assyrian never gives name Aramu to people west of Euphrates, but Chatti instead, with other particular names, COT Gen 10:22, also Dl^l.c.); on 2Sam 8:12; 2Sam 8:13; 1Chr 18:11 see ‎אֱדוֺם‎.
b. less often clearly of land, Aram Num 23:7; 2Sam 15:8 + 2Chr 20:2 (read however here ‎אדום‎ Thes Add and others), ‎׳‎‎שְׂדֵה א‎ Hos 12:13* also of particular divisions of the territory ‎נַהֲרַיִם‎ ‎׳‎‎א‎ 'Mesopotamia,' i.e. probably land between Euphrates & Chaboras, so Di after Kiep, Gen 24:10; Deut 23:5*; Judg 3:8 (compare Ps 60:2* above); compare ‎׳‎‎פַּדַּן א‎ Paddan-Aram Gen 25:20; Gen 31:18; Gen 33:18; Gen 35:9; Gen 35:26; Gen 46:15, ‎׳‎‎פַּדֶּ֫נָה א‎ Gen 28:2; Gen 28:5; Gen 28:6; Gen 28:7 see ‎פדן‎; ‎דַּמֶּשֶׂק‎ ‎׳‎‎א‎ 2Sam 8:6 compare 1Chr 18:6.
c. often indeterminate, especially in ‎׳‎‎מֶלֶךְ א‎ etc., perhaps primarily land but often including people: so Judg 2:11; Judg 10:6 (‎׳‎‎אֱלֹהֵי א‎) 1Kgs 10:29 + 2Chr 1:17 + (41 t. Kings & Chronicles) Isa 7:1. — (compare especially Nö^{Sehenkel BL, ZMG 1871, 113; Hermes see 3, 443 f.} Dl^{Pa 257}.)

Brown-Driver-Briggs References

Profile

Male • Son of Shem • Son of Shem, ancestor of the Arameans

Man living at the time of the Patriarchs

Aram, a son of Shem and ancestor of the Aramean people.

• A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.10.22;
• only referred to as Aram אֲרָם;
• son of Shem שֵׁם;
• a brother of Asshur אַשּׁוּר, Elam עֵילָם, Arpachshad אַרְפַּכְשַׁד and Lud לוּד;
• father of Uz עוּץ, Hul חוּל, Gether גֶּתֶר and Mash מַשׁ.

Aram is mentioned in Genesis 10:22,23 and 1 Chronicles 1:17 as one of the sons of Shem, the son of Noah. He is listed among the descendants of Shem and is identified as the ancestor of the Arameans, a Semitic people who inhabited the regions of Syria and Mesopotamia. The Arameans played a significant role in the history of the ancient Near East, and their language, Aramaic, became a common language of trade and diplomacy. Aram's descendants spread throughout the region, establishing various Aramean kingdoms and city-states.

All entries for Aram: אֲרָם

Related Profiles:

• Shem (father)
• Asshur (sibling)
• Elam (sibling)
• Arpachshad (sibling)
• Lud (sibling)
• Uz (child)
• Hul (child)
• Gether (child)
• Mash (child)