Bible Locations

Mesopotamia, Greek for "between the rivers," is the land between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, mostly in modern Iraq, with parts of Syria and Turkey. It was home to Sumer, Akkad, Babylon and Assyria, some of the world's first cities. In the Old Testament, the Hebrew name is Aram-naharaim, "Aram of the two rivers," referring especially to the northern part around Haran. Abraham's servant went there to find Rebekah (Genesis 24:10). Balaam came from Pethor in Mesopotamia (Deuteronomy 23:4). Cushan-rishathaim, king of Mesopotamia, oppressed Israel until Othniel defeated him (Judges 3:8-10). The Ammonites hired chariots from Mesopotamia against David. In Acts 2:9, "residents of Mesopotamia" were in Jerusalem at Pentecost, and Stephen said God appeared to Abraham "while he was still in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Harran" (Acts 7:2).