Genesis 8:4 (which records the coming to rest of No'ach's Ark) locates it in central Aramaea, between the Araxes river and lakes Van and Urum-Yah (Sevan and Urmia today). Significantly it is precisely that area of land, lying between the Black and Caspian Seas, through which the Beney Chet (Hittites) travelled on their journey south; there is thus every justification for identifying the Av-Rahamic Aramaeans with the first Beney Chet, culturally and linguistically if not tribally. The purchase of the Cave of Machpelah and the marriage of Esav and others to Hittite women should be re-examined in this regard.
2 Kings 19:37 has San-Cheriv (Sennacherib) murdered by his sons who fled to the land of Ararat. This entire story is repeated verbatim in Isaiah 37.
Jeremiah 51:27 speaks of the kingdom of Ararat, by which he intends Armenia; the name Armenia is taken from Aram, as is the name of the Aramaeans and the Aramaic language, though for some reason many contemporary Armenians choose to deny this rather obvious etymology.
Ararat is the Yehudit form of Urartu (Armenian), and Urashtu (Babylonian). In terms of religion, culture, belief system and gods, it is one of the few areas of the ancient Middle East that appears to have no connections whatsoever with the broader Hittite culture that dominated almost everywhere else; which statement does not conflict with the opening paragraph of this page.
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The Argaman Press
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