Arameans

The Arameans belonged to a family of peoples who descended from Noah's son Shem (Genesis 10:22–23; compare Genesis 22:20–21). Bethuel and Laban were known as Arameans (Genesis 25:20; 28:1–7). Jacob lived with them in Aramean territory for about twenty years (Genesis 28–31; Hosea 12:12), and the people of Israel remembered that their ancestors were culturally Arameans (Deuteronomy 26:5).

The Arameans appeared in history around Abraham's time. They lived near the central Euphrates and spread east, west, and north. By about 1100 BC, Aramean tribes were throughout Syria and northern Transjordan (the land east of the Jordan River). They established strong city-states like Zobah and Damascus, which conflicted with the Israelites starting with David's time (see 2 Samuel 8:3–8; 10:6–19).

After Solomon died, Israel split into northern and southern kingdoms. During this time, the Aramean city of Damascus became very powerful. The rulers of Damascus often took advantage of the fighting between the two kingdoms of Israel. During the war between Israel and Judah from 890 to 880 BC, King Asa of Israel asked Ben-hadad I of Damascus for help (1 Kings 15:18–19).

About thirty years later, in the early 850s BC, Ben-hadad invaded Israel, but Ahab defeated him at Samaria (1 Kings 20:1–21) and again at Aphek the next year (20:22–34). After three years of peace, Israel and Damascus fought again in 853 BC, and Ahab was killed in battle (1 Kings 22:29–37). Aramean Damascus continued to cause losses for Israel over the next several decades (see 2 Kings 8:28–29; 12:17–18; 13:1–7).

During this time, the Aramean city-states began to feel pressure from Assyria. Assyria first defeated Damascus around 838 BC and forced it to pay tribute in 803 BC. This weakened Damascus, allowing Jehoash, the king of Israel from 798 to 782 BC, to defeat the Arameans and drive them out of Israel's territory around 795 BC (2 Kings 13:14–25). Later, Jeroboam II, who ruled from 793 to 753 BC, made Damascus pay tribute to him (see 2 Kings 14:28).

Around 738 BC, the Arameans of Damascus allied with Israel to conquer Judah. They captured much land, but their siege of Jerusalem failed (2 Kings 16:5; see also 2 Chronicles 28:5). During this apparent success for Damascus, the prophets Isaiah and Amos predicted the city's destruction (Isaiah 8:4; 17:1; Amos 1:3–5). Instead of trusting God, King Ahaz of Judah sought protection from the Assyrians. The Assyrians responded to his gifts by attacking Damascus and exiling its people in 733 and 732 BC (2 Kings 16:7–11). Damascus ceased to be an independent city-state.

The Arameans' language, Aramaic, became the main language for diplomacy and administration across the Near East (see, for example, 2 Kings 18:26). During the exile in Babylon, the Jews started using Aramaic; parts of Ezra and Daniel are in Aramaic. Aramaic was the common language from Egypt to India during the Persian period and was widely spoken in Palestine during the time of Jesus (see Mark 5:41; 1 Corinthians 16:22).

Passages for Further Study

Genesis 10:22–23; 22:20–21; 25:20; 28:1–7; Deuteronomy 26:5; 2 Samuel 8:3–4; 10:17–19; 1 Kings 15:18; 1 Kings 20:1–34; 22:29–37; 2 Kings 13:25; 16:9–13; 17:24–34; Hosea 12:12; Amos 1:5