Lexical Definition

‎אֲרַם נַהֲרַיִם‎ ʼĂram Nahărayim (ar-am' nah-har-ah'-yim) Mesopotamia ^N:N--L
from ‎אֲרָם‎ and the dual of ‎נָהָר‎

Aham-naharaim, Mesopotamia.

• § Aram-naharaim = "Aram of the two rivers"
• Aram of (the) two rivers (Euphrates and Tigris) or Mesopotamia

1) Mesopotamia

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

Mesopotamia • The region between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers

Mesopotamia, the ancient region between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, where Abraham lived before being called to Canaan (Genesis 24:10; Acts 7:2) and where the Israelites were oppressed by Cushan-rishathaim (Judges 3:8, 10).

• A location first mentioned at Gen.24.10;
• referred to as Mesopotamia אֲרַם נַהֲרַיִם, or Mesopotamia (NIV= Aram) אֲרָם, or Mesopotamia Μεσοποταμία.
  

Mesopotamia, meaning "between the rivers," refers to the ancient region located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, in modern-day Iraq, Syria, and Turkey. It is first mentioned in the Bible as the place where Abraham lived before God called him to go to Canaan (Genesis 24:10; Acts 7:2). During the time of the judges, the Israelites were oppressed by Cushan-rishathaim, king of Mesopotamia, for eight years until Othniel, Caleb's younger brother, defeated him (Judges 3:8, 10). Mesopotamia was also the homeland of Balaam, the prophet hired by Balak, king of Moab, to curse Israel (Deuteronomy 23:4). In the New Testament, Mesopotamia is mentioned as one of the regions from which devout Jews had come to Jerusalem for the Feast of Pentecost (Acts 2:9). Throughout history, Mesopotamia was home to many powerful civilizations, including the Sumerians, Assyrians, and Babylonians, who played significant roles in biblical history.

All entries for Mesopotamia: אֲרַם נַהֲרַיִם ☩ אֲרָם ☩ Μεσοποταμία