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

Aram-naharaim • A region mentioned in the title of Psalm 60.

Aram-naharaim, a region David fought against, as referenced in Psalm 60's title.

• A location only mentioned at Psa.60.1;
• only referred to as Aram-naharaim אֲרַם נַהֲרַיִם.
  

Aram-naharaim, meaning "Aram of the two rivers," is mentioned in the title of Psalm 60. This region, located in Mesopotamia between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, was the homeland of the Arameans, a Semitic people group. The title of the psalm indicates that David fought against Aram-naharaim, likely referring to a military campaign during his reign.

The Arameans of this region were among the enemies Israel faced during the time of the united monarchy. David's confrontation with Aram-naharaim demonstrates the ongoing conflicts between Israel and the surrounding nations as the Israelite kingdom expanded and sought to establish its dominance in the region.

Apart from this single reference in the psalm title, no other details about David's specific battle against Aram-naharaim are provided in the Bible. However, the mention of this region highlights the geographical scope of David's military activities and the challenges he faced as king of Israel.

All entries for Aram-naharaim: אֲרַם נַהֲרַיִם