Aram (land)

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In ancient times, Aram ( Aramäa ) was the name of an area in the Middle East with different regions.

Kingdoms in the Levant 830 BC Chr .; turquoise: Aramaic Kingdom of Aram of Damascus
JC Harenbergi : Periculum geographicum de Regione Aram , in Acta Eruditorum , 1740

Aram as land in extra-biblical mentions

The oldest evidence of Aram as a name for a region or place can be found in an inscription by the Akkadian king Naram-Sin in the 23rd century BC. The further development of the country of Aram was always accompanied by the founding of small Aramaic city-states that were geographically separated from each other. Therefore one cannot speak of a land of Aram per se. The different assignments of other states are to be understood accordingly. The description of the land of Aram is therefore more appropriate as satellite city-states that represent the settlement area of ​​Aram as a unit.

  • Egyptian name for the area in and around Syria . The Egyptian king Kamose called the Hyksos the wretched Aremu / Aramu . In the spelling up to the New Kingdom, the Ajin or the Aleph was used as a substitute for R; Egyptian original spelling A³mu . This expression often mistakenly appears under Aamu .
  • Assyrian land name for the union of minor kingdoms in the Damascus area. In the inscriptions this region was also referred to as donkey driving country .
  • Local name of the Aramaic king Hasaël around 840 BC For the region around Damascus.

Aram as land in biblical mentions

In the Bible , Aram became a name for various Aramaic empires. In the table of peoples of Genesis , these are derived from an eponymous progenitor Aram .

The Bible knows the following Aramaic kingdoms:

Paddan-Aram

The word Paddan is interpreted as “plow” or “field”, so the name is believed to refer to fertile land, perhaps Mesopotamia .

Aram Maacha

Maacha is in the 1st book of Moses a descendant of Nahor , the brother of Abraham ( Gen. 22.24  EU ). In I Chronicles 7:14 a Machaa appears as Manasseh's daughter of an Aramaic concubine, perhaps an attempt to genealogically integrate this small Aramaic tribe into the people of Israel.

The area of ​​Aram Maacha was located south of Damascus within the Israelite settlement area (Manasseh tribe). During the division of land, the Geschurites and Maachites were not expelled ( Jos 13,13  EU ).

At the time of King David , the Ammonites recruited chariot fighters from Aram Maacha against the Israelites ( 1 Chr 19.6  EU ), but the allies are defeated by Joab and Abishai . Samuel ( 2 Sam 10.6  EU ) also lists Aram Zoba , Aram Rehob and the men of Tob among the allies and reports that the king of Maacha has advanced with 1,000 men. After the defeat of the allies at Helam , the area of ​​Maacha was subjugated ( 2 Sam 10.19  EU ).

Aram Geschur

The area of ​​Aram Geschur was, like the neighboring Aram Maacha, within the Israelite settlement area ( Jos 13,13  EU ). Its capital was probably Bethsaida on the north bank of the Sea of ​​Galilee . It was founded in the 9th century and archaeologically possessed an Aramaic culture. In the 8th century, under the influence of the northern kingdom of Israel, it gradually lost its Aramaic character.

Of Jair , a descendant of Judah , is reported ( 1 Chr 2.23  EU ) that he Aram and Geshur tent villages in Gilead and Kenath and its towns took away a total of 60 cities, without giving further details.

King David was married to Maacha, the daughter of Talmai , the king of Geschur , among others , their son was Absalom ( 2 Sam 3,3  EU ). He fled to Geshur, which was considered an ally of David ( 2 Sam 3,3  EU ) after his half brother Amnon had killed ( 2 Sam 13,38  EU ) and made a vow here ( 2 Sam 15.8  EU ), YHWH to serve when he may return to Jerusalem . In preparation for his revolt against David, in the course of which he was killed, he pretended to want to move to Geschur.

Aram Rehob

Aram Rehob is mentioned among the allies of the Ammonites against David ( 2 Sam 10.6  EU ).

Aram Zoba

Aram-Zoba was believed to be near Hama , but other researchers identify it with Chalkis or Subiti (Jewish Encyclopedia). 2 Samuel 8: 8 names the cities of Betach and Berotai as part of the kingdom.

Aram Zoba is mentioned in 1 Samuel 14:47 among the enemies of Saul against whom he fought after he became king of Israel, along with the Ammonites , the Philistines and the Edomites .

2 Samuel 8: 3 names Hadad-Eser , the son of Rehob , as king of Zoba, whom David struck when he went against the Euphrates . According to the report, David took 1,700 horsemen and 20,000 foot soldiers and had all but 100 of the chariot horses cut through their fetters. When Damascus came to Hadad-eser's aid, it was defeated and submitted to the rule of David.

Aram Zoba under Hadad-Eser and his general Schobach is named among the allies of the Ammonites against David in the battle of Helam ( 2 Sam 10.6  EU ), they provided 20,000 foot soldiers. Hadad-Eser appears to have been the leader of the Aramaic coalition. He is mentioned again in 1 Kings 11:23, that is, at the time of Solomon.

Aram (Damascus)

In the book of Judges ( Ri 3,7-10  EU ) it is mentioned that the sons of Israel, because of their sins, were given under the rule of the Kushan-Rishatajims, the king of Aram (also known as the king of Mesopotamia) for eight years until him Otniel killed.

Under King Jehoahaz of Israel ( 2 Kings 13  EU ), the son of Jehu , Hasaël , the king of Aram (Damascus) and his son Ben Hadad conquered parts of Samaria . It must have been a devastating defeat, allegedly only “fifty charioteers, ten wagons and ten thousand foot soldiers remained of Jehoahaz's army. The king of Aram had destroyed everything else and made it like the dust one treads on. ”( 2 Kings 13.7  EU ). An unnamed helper freed Israel from the power of Aram, whereupon they “lived in their tents as before”.

The prophet Elisha prophesied king Joasch , son of Joahaz of Israel, a victory over the Arameans at Afek and three more victories before his death ( 2 Kings 13,14  EU ). After Hazael's death, Joasch can beat his son Ben Hadad and take away the cities that his father had conquered ( 2 Kings 13.25  EU ). Jeroboam , the son of Joasch even managed to take Hama and Damascus ( 2 Kings 14.28  EU ).

King Pekach of Israel then allied himself with Rezin , the king of Aram and besieged Jerusalem, which was under the rule of Ahaz ( 2 Kings 16  EU ), but unsuccessfully. But Rezin took Eilat , drove out the Israelites who lived there and settled Edomites. Allegedly at the request of Ahaz, accompanied by silver and gold from the royal treasuries and the temple of YHWH, Tiglath-pileser III then advanced . of Assyria against Damascus, took it, killed King Rezin and deported the population to Kir ( 2 Kings 16.9  EU ). King Ahaz then moved to Damascus to pay homage to Tiglat-Pilesar.

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Notes and individual references

  1. ↑ Thomas Schneider : Introduction. in: Lexicon of the Pharaohs. Düsseldorf / Zurich 2002, ISBN 3-491-96053-3
  2. ^ Israel Finkelstein , Neil A. Silbermann: David and Solomon. CH Beck, Munich 2006, ISBN 3-406-54676-5 , p. 100