The word Aram designates both a person (son of Shem, grandson of Noah) and the vast region and people bearing his name — broadly corresponding to ancient Syria and Mesopotamia. The Arameans spoke a Semitic language closely related to Hebrew.
Aram holds extraordinary theological significance: (1) Aramaic became the lingua franca of the ancient Near East and is one of the languages of the Bible itself (Daniel 2–7, Ezra 4–7); (2) Israel's patriarchs came from Aram — 'A wandering Aramean was my father' (Deuteronomy 26:5); (3) Naaman the Aramean's healing (2 Kings 5) previews the gospel's reach to all nations; (4) The Aramean wars with Israel throughout the monarchic period test and refine Israel's faith. In Christ, the dividing wall between peoples — including Jew and Aramean — is broken down.