The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

Title

Creator

Umair Mirza

Date

1915-06-01 AD

Description

The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia states the following:

- Arameans (ארמים) are equated with Syriacs – The entry explicitly mentions that Arameans are often translated as Syriacs in both the Authorized Version (AV) and Revised Version (RV) of the Bible. The text directs the reader to Syria for further clarification.

- Aramaic (ארמית) is equated with Syrian/Syriac – The encyclopedia lists Aramaic as equivalent to Syrian/Syriac in biblical translations. In the AV, it appears as Syrian, while in the RV, it is Syriac.

- Biblical references confirm this equivalence – Passages like 2 Kings 18:26 and Isaiah 36:11 describe Aramaic as the "Syriac language," reinforcing that in biblical contexts, the terms Aramean and Syriac, as well as Aramaic and Syriac, are used interchangeably.

- Aram-Dammesek (ארם דמשק) is Syria of Damascus, conquered by David (2 Samuel 8:5-6), reinforcing the identification of Aram with Syria.

- Aram (ארם) and its people, the Arameans, are equated to Syriacs. The term Aramitess (ארמית) refers to an Aramean woman, equated to a Syriac woman (1 Chronicles 7:14), showing that some inhabitants of Gilead were Arameans, equated to Syriacs, by descent.

- Aram-Naharaim (ארם נהרים) refers to Mesopotamia, also called Syria of the Two Rivers, identifying it with the region between the Tigris and Euphrates and reinforcing the connection between Aram and Syria.

- Aramean regions such as Aram-Maacah (ארם מעכה), Aram-Rehob (ארם רחוב), and Aram-Zobah (ארם צובה) are equated to Syrian territories, as they are all listed under Syria in the encyclopedia.

The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia equates Arameans (ארמים) with Syriacs and Aramaic (ארמית) with Syrian/Syriac, as seen in Biblical translations where "Syrian" (AV) and "Syriac" (RV) are used interchangeably. It identifies Aram (ארם) with Syria, including regions like Aram-Dammesek, Aram-Naharaim, and Aram-Zobah, and states that an Aramean woman (ארמית) is equated to a Syriac woman (1 Chronicles 7:14).

Language

English

Publisher

The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Volume 1, p. 222 & 224

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