Home › Glossary › Letter P

Padan-aram

Historical Location
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A region in Mesopotamia where Abraham’s servant found Rebekah and Jacob worked for Laban

Detailed Definition
Padan-aram (“field of Aram”) is where Jacob married Leah and Rachel and tended flocks for twenty years. It represents exile, labor, and the forging of covenant lineage. In poetry, it evokes themes of displacement, perseverance, and love won through toil—often as a necessary detour on the path to divine promise.
Example
Example in poetry:
In Genesis 28, Padan-aram is where Jacob serves Laban and dreams of angels; The prophet Hosea (12:12) poetically references Jacob’s exile in Padan-aram; Modern Syrian and Mesopotamian poets reclaim Padan-aram as ancestral crossroads; In liturgical verse, Padan-aram symbolizes testing, labor, and covenant growth; Contemporary poetry uses Padan-aram to explore diaspora, love, and divine timing.
Additional Notes
Padan-aram (“field of Aram”) is where Jacob served Laban (Genesis 28–31). In poetry, it symbolizes exile, labor, and covenant growth. Modern Syrian poets reclaim it as ancestral crossroads. Students should note its location in Harran and its contrast with Canaan as a place of testing.
Also Known As
Field of Aram Mesopotamian Crossroads Haran’s Plains Jacob’s Exile
Skip to main content