Greek word · G689

Ἀράμ

aram

Aram

Here, the Greek spelling of Hebrew Ram ('high, exalted'), son of Hezron. The same Greek spelling elsewhere stands for Aram, the land of the Arameans or Syria, and for Aram son of Shem (Gen 10:22).

Appears 2 times in 2 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

Ἀράμ indec. (Heb. רָם),

Aram: Matthew 1:3-4, Luke 3:33 (R, txt., WH, Ἀρνεί).†

(AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Matthew 1:3

Range of meaning

Here, the Greek spelling of Hebrew Ram ('high, exalted'), son of Hezron. The same Greek spelling elsewhere stands for Aram, the land of the Arameans or Syria, and for Aram son of Shem (Gen 10:22).

Against the English

KJV 'Aram' copies the Greek. BSB, WEB, YLT and most modern versions give 'Ram', the name in Ruth 4:19 and 1 Chr 2:9–10.

How it drifted

Copying the Greek spelling into English makes a Judahite ancestor look like a foreign nation or a different biblical figure.

Used elsewhere in the period

Ruth 4:19 and 1 Chr 2:9–10 in Hebrew: Ram. Greek Old Testament copies spell this name in more than one way. Luke's parallel list (Luke 3:33) is textually tangled at this point: many manuscripts read 'Aram', while the critical text reads 'Admin, Arni'.

From the study of Matthew 1:4

Range of meaning

The Greek spelling of the Hebrew name Rām, 'high, exalted' (from rûm, 'to be high'). The spelling Aram in place of Ram is found in Greek Old Testament manuscripts of 1 Chronicles 2 and Ruth 4.

Against the English

KJV 'Aram'. BSB, WEB, YLT, NIV, ESV and others 'Ram'.

How it drifted

KJV readers may confuse this man with Aram the son of Shem (Gen 10:22) or with Aram, the old name for Syria. The Hebrew form 'Ram' avoids that confusion.

Used elsewhere in the period

Ruth 4:19 and 1 Chronicles 2:9–10, where Ram is the son of Hezron and the father of Amminadab. Greek Old Testament manuscripts vary between Ram, Aram and Arran. Luke's genealogy (3:33) has different names at this point (see textual notes).

Where it appears

Matthew · 2

  1. Matthew 1:3 Ἀράμ· Ram;

    Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram.

    Here: The Greek spelling of the Hebrew name Ram, son of Hezron (Ruth 4:19; 1 Chr 2:9–10). He is not Aram the nation (Syria) and not Aram the son of Shem.

  2. Matthew 1:4 Ἀρὰμ Ram

    Ram was the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon.

    Here: The Greek spelling of the Hebrew name Ram (רָם, 'high, exalted'), son of Hezron (Ruth 4:19; 1 Chr 2:9–10). He is not the same as Aram, the son of Shem, or Aram the land of the Arameans (Syria). The Greek spelling comes from the Greek Old Testament.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.