Syria

How Nave’s arranged it

• (The highlands lying between the Euphrates River and the Mediterranean Sea)
• Called ARAM, from the son of ShemGenesis 10:22Genesis 10:23Numbers 23:71 Chronicles 1:171 Chronicles 2:23
• During the time of Abraham it seems to have embraced the region between the Tigris River and the Euphrates River with 25:20Genesis 24:10
• Including Padan-aramGenesis 25:20Genesis 28:5
• Minor kingdoms within the region
• Aram-zobah, also called, ZOBAH and ZOBA1 Samuel 14:472 Samuel 8:32 Samuel 10:62 Samuel 10:81 Kings 11:231 Chronicles 18:51 Chronicles 18:91 Chronicles 19:6
• And in the title ofPsalms 60
• Geshur2 Samuel 15:8
• Aram-rehob, also called BETH-REHOB2 Samuel 10:62 Samuel 10:8
• Damascus2 Samuel 8:52 Samuel 8:61 Chronicles 18:51 Chronicles 18:6
• Hamath2 Samuel 8:92 Samuel 8:10
• Conquest of

The passages, in Bible order (47)

The same references, sorted Genesis to Revelation. The first 16 are quoted in full; the rest are one click beneath them, book by book.

1. Genesis 10:22

   The sons of Shem: Elam, Asshur, Arphaxad, Lud, and Aram.

   ›Commentary on Genesis 10:222 voices

   “(Verse 22.) The sons of Shem, Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram. These hold the part of Asia from the Euphrates River to the Indian Ocean. Now Elam, from whom the Elamite princes of Persia descend. Concerning Asshur, it has already been said that he founded the city of Nineveh. Arphaxad, from whom the Chaldeans descend. Lud, from whom the Lydians descend. Aram, from whom the Syrians descend, with Damascus as their metropolis.

   “Elam - From whom came the Elamites, near to the Medes, and whose chief city was Elymais. Asshur - Who gave his name to a vast province (afterwards a mighty empire) called Assyria. Arphaxad - From whom Arrapachitis in Assyria was named, according to some; or Artaxata in Armenia, on the frontiers of Media, according to others. Lud - The founder of the Lydians. In Asia Minor; or of the Ludim, who dwelt at the confluence of the Euphrates and Tigris, according to Arias Montanus. Aram - The father of the Arameans, afterwards called Syrians.

   Everything gathered on Genesis 10:22→

   Verse page →Original language →

2. Genesis 10:23

   The sons of Aram: Uz, Hul, Gether, and Mash.

   ›Commentary on Genesis 10:232 voices

   “(Verse 23.) The sons of Aram were Us, Ul, Gether, and Mes. Us founded Trachonitis and Damascus, and he held the principality between Palestine and Coele-Syria. From him, the Seventy Interpreters translated the land of Us, the region of Ausitis, as if it were Usitis, in the Book of Job where it is written in Hebrew. Ul is the ancestor of the Armenians; Gether is the ancestor of the Acarnanians, or the Carians. And Mes, whom the Seventy Interpreters called Mosoch, are now called Maeones.

   “Uz - Who peopled Caelosyria, and is supposed to have been the founder of Damascus. Hul - Who peopled a part of Armenia. Gether - Supposed by Calmet to have been the founder of the Itureans, who dwelt beyond the Jordan, having Arabia Desert on the east, and the Jordan on the west. Mash - Who inhabited mount Masius in Mesopotamia, and from whom the river Mazeca, which has its source in that mountain, takes its name.

   Everything gathered on Genesis 10:23→

   Verse page →Original language →

3. Genesis 24:10

   Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and departed with all manner of good things from his master in hand. And he set out for Nahor’s hometown in Aram-naharaim.

   ›Commentary on Genesis 24:102 voices

   “And the servant took ten camels, of the camels of his master, and departed,.... Camels were much in use in the eastern countries; where, as Pliny (o) says, they were brought up among their herds of cattle, and their riches much consisted in them. Arabia abounded with them; Job had three thousand of them, Job 1:3; how many Abraham had is not said, only ten of them his servant took, being sufficient for his present purpose, and which he took with his master's leave, and by his order.

   “Took ten camels - It appears that Abraham had left the whole management of this business to the discretion of his servant, to take with him what retinue and what dowry he pleased; for it is added, All the goods of his master were in his hand; and in those times it was customary to give a dowry for a wife, and not to receive one with her.

   Everything gathered on Genesis 24:10→

   Verse page →Original language →

4. Genesis 25:20

   and Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean from Paddan-aram and the sister of Laban the Aramean.

   ›Commentary on Genesis 25:202 voices

   “And Isaac was forty years old - Not much is related concerning Isaac, but what had reference to his father, while he lived, and to his sons afterward; for Isaac seems not to have been a man of action, nor much tried, but to have spent his day, in quietness and silence.

   “And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah to wife,.... Which was three years after the death of his mother; Isaac was born when she was ninety, and therefore must be thirty seven when she died.

   Everything gathered on Genesis 25:20→

   Verse page →Original language →

5. Genesis 28:5

   So Isaac sent Jacob to Paddan-aram, to Laban son of Bethuel the Aramean, the brother of Rebekah, who was the mother of Jacob and Esau.

   ›Commentary on Genesis 28:52 voices

   “Bethuel the Syrian - Literally the Aramean, so called, not because he was of the race of Aram the son of Shem, but because he dwelt in that country which had been formerly possessed by the descendants of Aram.

   “Rebekah is here called Jacob's and Esau's mother - Jacob is named first, not only because he had always been his mother's darling, but because he was now made his father's heir, and Esau was postponed.

   Everything gathered on Genesis 28:5→

   Verse page →Original language →

6. Numbers 23:7

   And Balaam lifted up an oracle, saying: “Balak brought me from Aram, the king of Moab from the mountains of the east. ‘Come,’ he said, ‘put a curse on Jacob for me; come and denounce Israel!’

   ›Commentary on Numbers 23:71 voice

   “Aram - Or, “highland.” This term denotes the whole elevated region, from the northeastern frontier of Palestine to the Euphrates and the Tigris. The country between these streams was especially designated “Aram-naharaim,” or “Aram of the two rivers:” the Greeks called it Mesopotamia; and here, according to Deu 23:4, was Balaam’s home. Compare Num 22:5 note.

   Everything gathered on Numbers 23:7→

   Verse page →Original language →

7. 1 Samuel 14:47

   After Saul had assumed the kingship over Israel, he fought against all his enemies on every side—the Moabites, the Ammonites, the Edomites, the kings of Zobah, and the Philistines. Wherever he turned, he routed them.

   ›Commentary on 1 Samuel 14:472 voices

   “Took the kingdom - That is, resumed the administration of it, after he had in a manner lost it by the Philistines, who had almost turned him out of it.

   “Compare 2Sa 8:15. The preceding narrative shows that before this time Saul had been king in name only, since his country was occupied by the Philistines, and he could only muster 600 men, and those but half armed and pent up in a narrow stronghold.

   Everything gathered on 1 Samuel 14:47→

   Verse page →Original language →

8. 2 Samuel 8:3

   David also defeated Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah, who had marched out to restore his dominion along the Euphrates River.

   ›Commentary on 2 Samuel 8:31 voice

   “Hadadezer - Not (see the margin) Hadarezer. Hadadezer, is the true form, as seen in the names Benhadad, Hadad (1Ki 15:18, etc.; 1Ki 11:14, etc.). Hadad was the chief idol, or sun-god, of the Syrians. To recover his border - literally, to cause his hand to return. The phrase is used sometimes literally, as e. g. Exo 4:7; 1Ki 13:4; Pro 19:24; and sometimes figuratively, as Isa 1:25; Isa 14:27; Amo 1:8; Psa 74:11. The exact force of the metaphor must in each case be decided by the context.

   Everything gathered on 2 Samuel 8:3→

   Verse page →Original language →

9. 2 Samuel 8:5

   When the Arameans of Damascus came to help King Hadadezer of Zobah, David struck down twenty-two thousand men.

   ›Commentary on 2 Samuel 8:51 voice

   “Syrians of Damascus - The Syrians (Aram), whose capital was Damascus, were the best known and most powerful. Damascus (written Darmesek in marginal references, according to the late Aramean orthography) is first mentioned in Gen 15:2. According to Nicolaus of Damascus, cited by Josephus, the Syrian king’s name was Hadad.

   Everything gathered on 2 Samuel 8:5→

   Verse page →Original language →

10. 2 Samuel 8:6

    Then he placed garrisons in Aram of Damascus, and the Arameans became subject to David and brought him tribute. So the LORD made David victorious wherever he went.

    ›Commentary on 2 Samuel 8:62 voices

    “Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus,.... Which was Coele-Syria, and lay between Libanus and Antilibanus, the chief city of which was Damascus; which Curtius (q) calls Damascus of Syria, being the head of it, Isa 7:8; in the principal places of which he put garrisons of soldiers to keep the country in subjection to him; or he put commanders or governors, as the Targum, in the, chief cities, and so Ben Gersom and R.

    “Garrisons - The word is used for officers in 1Ki 4:5, 1Ki 4:19, and some think that that is its meaning here. Perhaps, however, it is best to take it with the King James Version in the same sense as in 1Sa 10:5; 1Sa 13:3. Brought gifts - Rather, “tribute” (and in 2Sa 8:2); meaning they became subject and tributary.

    Everything gathered on 2 Samuel 8:6→

    Verse page →Original language →

11. 2 Samuel 8:9

    When King Toi of Hamath heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer,

    ›Commentary on 2 Samuel 8:91 voice

    “Hamath - This appears as an independent kingdom so late as the time of Senacherib Isa 37:13. But in the time of Nebuchadnezzar, both Hamath and Arpad appear to have been incorporated in the kingdom of Damascus Jer 49:23.

    Everything gathered on 2 Samuel 8:9→

    Verse page →Original language →

12. 2 Samuel 8:10

    he sent his son Joram to greet King David and bless him for fighting and defeating Hadadezer, who had been at war with Toi. Joram brought with him articles of silver and gold and bronze,

    Verse page →Original language →

13. 2 Samuel 10:6

    When the Ammonites realized that they had become a stench to David, they hired twenty thousand Aramean foot soldiers from Beth-rehob and Zoba, as well as a thousand men from the king of Maacah and twelve thousand men from Tob.

    ›Commentary on 2 Samuel 10:61 voice

    “The children of Ammon saw that they stank - That is, that their conduct rendered them abominable. This is the Hebrew mode of expressing such a feeling. See Gen 34:30. The Syrians of Bethrehob - This place was situated at the extremity of the valley between Libanus and Anti-libanus. The Syrians of Zoba were subject to Hadadezer. Maacah was in the vicinity of Mount Hermon, beyond Jordan, in the Trachonitis. Ish-tob - This was probably the same with Tob, to which Jephthah fled from the cruelty of his brethren. It was situated in the land of Gilead.

    Everything gathered on 2 Samuel 10:6→

    Verse page →Original language →

14. 2 Samuel 10:8

    The Ammonites marched out and arrayed themselves for battle at the entrance of the city gate, while the Arameans of Zobah and Rehob and the men of Tob and Maacah were by themselves in the open country.

    ›Commentary on 2 Samuel 10:81 voice

    “Came out - From their city, Rabbah Deu 3:11, Deu 3:15 or 20 miles from Medeba, where 1Ch 19:7 the Syrian army was encamped. Medeba (modern Madeba) was taken from Sihon Num 21:30, and fell to Reuben Jos 13:9, Jos 13:16; in the reign of Ahaz it seems to have returned to Moab Isa 15:2, and in the time of the Maccabees to the Amorites (1 Macc. 9:36, 37). In church history it was a bishop’s see. In the field - i. e. in the plain below the round rocky hill on which the city stood.

    Everything gathered on 2 Samuel 10:8→

    Verse page →Original language →

15. 2 Samuel 15:8

    For your servant made a vow while dwelling in Geshur of Aram, saying: ‘If indeed the LORD brings me back to Jerusalem, I will worship the LORD in Hebron.’”

    ›Commentary on 2 Samuel 15:82 voices

    “For thy servant vowed a vow while I abode at Geshur in Syria,.... When at his grandfather's court there: saying, if the Lord will bring me again indeed to Jerusalem; which he might be sincerely desirous of: then I will serve the Lord; but it is a question whether he ever made a vow to this purpose, or concerned himself about serving the Lord; but it rather may be, this was a lie of his, now framed in order to get leave of the king to go to Hebron.

    “While I abode at Geshur in Syria - Geshur, the country of Talmai, was certainly not in Syria, but lay on the south of Canaan, in or near Edom, as is evident from Jdg 1:10; 1Sa 27:8; 2Sa 13:37. Hence it is probable that ארם Aram, Syria, is a mistake for אדם Edom; ד daleth and ר resh being easily interchangeable. Edom is the reading both of the Syriac and Arabic.

    Everything gathered on 2 Samuel 15:8→

    Verse page →Original language →

16. 1 Kings 11:23

    And God raised up against Solomon another adversary, Rezon the son of Eliada, who had fled from his master, Hadadezer king of Zobah,

    ›Commentary on 1 Kings 11:232 voices

    “Then, having acquired great power, he at length became king in Damascus, threw off the yoke, and was "the adversary of Israel all the days of Solomon." He was succeeded by Hadad, whose successors took the official title of Ben-hadad from him, the illustrious founder of the powerful kingdom of Damascene-Syria.

    “And God stirred him up another adversary,.... One from the north, as the other was from the south: Rezon, the son of Eliadah, which fled from his lord Hadadezer king of Zobah: when David fought with him; and this man seeing the battle go against his master, and that he was like to be worsted, deserted him and fled, see 2Sa 8:3.

    Everything gathered on 1 Kings 11:23→

    Verse page →Original language →