Armenia

(land of Aram) is nowhere mentioned under that name in the original Hebrew, though it occurs in the English version, (2 Kings 19:37) for Ararat. Description.—Armenia is that lofty plateau whence the rivers Euphrates, Tigris, Araxes and Acampsis pour down their waters in different directions; the first two to the Persian Gulf, the last two respectively to the Caspian and Euxine seas. It may be termed the nucleus of the mountain system of western Asia. From the centre of the plateau rise two lofty chains of mountains, which run from east to west. Divisions.—Three districts are mentioned in the Bible. (1) ARARAT is mentioned as the place whither the sons of Sennacherib fled. (Isaiah 37:38) It was the central district, surrounding the mountain of that name. (2) Minni only occurs in (Jeremiah 51:27) It is probably identical with the district Minyas, in the upper valley of the Murad-su branch of the Euphrates. (3) Togarmah is noticed in two passages of (Ezekiel 27:14; 38:6) both of which are in favor of its identity with Armenia. Present condition.—The Armenians, numbering about two millions, are nominally Christians. About half of them live in Armenia. Their favorite pursuit is commerce. The country is divided, as to government, between Russia, Turkey and Persia.—ED.