Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

ARAM-NAHARAIM

(Heb. ʾăram nahărāyim)

The geographical area located around the great bend of the Euphrates River in northern Syria. Egyptian texts from the last half of the 2nd millennium b.c.e. refer to this land as Nḫrn, and the Amarna Letters as na-aḫ-rí-ma and na-rí-ma. The exact boundaries of the land cannot be determined, but it included territory on both banks of the Euphrates, as well as cities such as Harran, Nahor, Pethor, and Tunip.

Following the LXX, the term is frequently translated “Mesopotamia” in English versions. In Gen. 24:10 it refers to the homeland of Abraham’s family. Both Balaam, the son of Beor (Deut. 23:4), and King Cushan-rishathaim, who was the first to oppress Israel in the time of the Judges (Judg. 3:8), were natives of Aram-naharaim. David fought mercenary troops from the area hired by Hanun and the Ammonites (1 Chr. 19:6; cf. Ps. 60 superscription[MT 1]).

Bibliography. J. J. Finkelstein, “ ‘Mesopotamia,’ ” JNES 21 (1962): 73-92; R. T. O’Callaghan, Aram Naharaim. AnOr 26 (Rome, 1948).

Stephen J. Andrews

Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

ARAM-NAHARAIM

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)