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Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary

IntroIndex©

ARAM-NAHARAIM

Hebrew word meaning “Aram of the two rivers”; it refers to the area bounded by the upper Euphrates and the Habur Rivers. It is sometimes translated “Mesopotamia” (Dt 23:4, rsv). The major city of that area was Haran, where Terah and Abram stopped and where Terah died (Gn 11:31-32). A servant of Abraham (Abram) returned to the same region to seek a wife for Abraham’s son Isaac (Gn 24:1-10). Isaac’s son Jacob also returned to Haran to seek a wife (Gn 28:1-5; Paddan-aram is a synonym of Aram-naharaim). Aram-naharaim was the home of Balaam, the pagan prophet (Dt 23:4). One oppressor of Israel during the period of the judges was Cushan-rishathaim, king of Aram-naharaim (Jgs 3:8-11). Later, in King David’s wars with Ammon, he had to confront mercenary charioteers hired from the Aramean centers of Aram-naharaim, Aram-maacah, and Zobah (1 Chr 19:6; cf. Ps 60 title). See Syria, Syrians.