Places in the Bible Today:

Paddan-aram

Data

Translated NamesPadan, Padan-aram, Padan Aram, Paddan, Paddan-Aram, Paddan-aram, Paddan Aram
Typesregion or settlement
Geo Data KML (for Google Earth)
GeoJSON (for GIS applications)

3 Possible Identifications

  1. another name for Aram-naharaim (ancient): 60% confidence

    1. panorama of a river in Aram-naharaimAram-naharaim

  2. another name for Haran (ancient): less than 10% confidence

    1. beehive houses at HarranHarran

  3. Tell Feddan (modern): less than 10% confidence

    1. satellite view of the region around Tell FeddanTell Feddan

Verses (11)

Gen 25:20, 28:2, 28:5, 28:6, 28:7, 31:18, 33:18, 35:9, 35:26, 46:15, 48:7

Linked Data Identifiers

SourceIdentifier
Logos FactbookPaddan-Aram
OpenBible.info (2007)Paddan, Paddan-aram
OpenBible.infoa8ec7ba (Paddan-aram)
TIPNRPaddan-aram@Gen.25.20
UBS Names Databaseot ID_2367
WikidataQ1257454

Sources

  1. Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary (1992): Paddan-aram (place)
  2. Baker Illustrated Bible Dictionary (2013): Paddan Aram
  3. Baly, Atlas of the Biblical World (1971): Paddan-aram
  4. Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000): Paddan-Aram
  5. Grollenberg, Atlas of the Bible (1957): Paddan-aram
  6. HarperCollins Bible Dictionary (2011): Paddan-aram
  7. Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (2003)
  8. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1979): Paddan-Aram
  9. Lexham Bible Dictionary (2016): Paddan-aram
  10. Matthews, Genesis (1996, 2005): 25:20
  11. New Bible Dictionary (1996): Paddan, Paddan-aram
  12. Tyndale Bible Dictionary (2001): Paddan, Paddan-aram
  13. Waltke and Fredricks, Genesis (2001): 25:20
  14. Wenham, Genesis (1987, 1994): 25:20
  15. Westminster Historical Atlas to the Bible (1956): Paddan-aram
  16. Wycliffe Bible Encyclopedia (1975): Padan-aram
  17. Zondervan Encyclopedia of the Bible (2010)
  18. Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary (2009): Gen 28:2
  19. Zondervan Pictorial Bible Atlas (1972): page 103

Confidence Trends over Time

This chart indicates how confidence in the identifications is changing over time. Each dot (connected by a dotted line) reflects the confidence of an identification over the preceding ten years (e.g., the 2009 dot reflects scholarship from 2000 to 2009), and the corresponding solid line reflects a best-fit line for the identification. Confidences that cluster near or below 0% indicate low confidence. Because of the small dataset, it's best to use this chart for general trends; if one identification is trending much higher than the others (in this case, another name for Aram-naharaim), then you can probably have higher confidence in the identification. This chart only reflects the sources I consulted (listed above), not an exhaustive review of the literature.

Thumbnail Image Credits

Bertramz, Zhengan, Contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data 2019

About

This page attempts to identify all the possible locations where this biblical place could be. The confidence levels add up to less than 100%, indicating that the modern location is uncertain. It's best to think about the confidences in relative rather than absolute terms. Often they reflect different schools of thought, each confident in their identifications.

The isobands you see on the map (gray areas with dark borders) attempt to give you confidence where a region is. Because many ancient regions aren't precisely defined, I consulted atlases to determine where the biblical region is located and used that data to build the isobands. The smaller isobands reflect more confidence that the given isoband is in the region, while the larger isobands reflect less confidence. Isobands are a kind of contour line that here indicate confidence levels.