The Greek Aretas (Ἀρέτας) refers to Aretas IV, king of the Nabataean Arabs (ca. 9 BC – AD 40), whose governor controlled Damascus at the time of Paul's escape. In 2 Corinthians 11:32, Paul lists his escape from Damascus under Aretas as one of his many sufferings — a lowering in a basket through a window in the city wall.
Paul's escape from Damascus — lowered in a basket to flee the governor of King Aretas (2 Cor 11:32-33; Acts 9:23-25) — is part of what he calls his 'weakness' catalog. In the upside-down logic of the kingdom, the Apostle's credentials are his escapes and beatings, not his credentials and status. Immediately before this account, Paul boasts in 'the things that show my weakness' (2 Cor 11:30). The great Aretas IV commanded an empire; Paul escaped in a basket. Yet the basket-passenger went on to write half the New Testament and plant churches across the Roman world. God's greatest instruments are often those who look most like failures.