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Arameans

Oromoyo w-Armoyo

"From ܐܪܡ, 'Syria,' we say ܐܳܪܳܡܳܝܳܐ, 'Syrian,' with Zqopho at Olaph, Rish, and Mim. However, from ܐܪܡ, which refers to the city of the pagans, ancient Harran, it is ܐܰܪܡܳܝܳܐ, meaning “pagan,” with Ftoho at Olaph and an unvocalized Rish. The East Syrians are unfamiliar with the former and read in (2 Kings 18:26) ܡܠܠ ܥܡ ܥܒ̈ܕܝܟ ܐܰܪܡܳܐܝܬ, "Speak with your servants in Aramaic,” with Ftoho at Olaph and an unvocalized Rish. It is evident that the script here demands 'Syrian' and not 'pagan.'

And in Paul (Galatians 2:14), they read ܐܢ ܐܢܬ ܕܝܘܕܝܐ ܐܢܬ ܐܰܪܡܐܝܬ ܚܝܐ ܐܢܬ, "If you, who are a Jew, live as a pagan," again with Ftoho at Olaph and an unvocalized Rish. It is clear that the script here demands 'pagan' and not 'Syrian.' But this is not the case with the West Syrians, who, by using Zqopho, make a distinction between the pagan and the Syrian."

Here, Bar Hebraeus differentiates between pagans/heathens and Arameans regarding the terms 'Armoyo' and 'Oromoyo,' showing that they are not synonymous. While some modern arguments claim that 'Aramean' means 'pagan,' this text refutes that. Bar Hebraeus provides a striking explanation here that clearly separates the two concepts.