Elam; Elamites

ē ́lam, ē ́lam-īts (עילם, ‛ēlām; Αἰλάμ, Ailám; Jeremiah 49:36. Codex Sinaiticus (the original scribe) reads Ἐλάμ

A well-known tract, partly mountainous, whose western boundary, starting on the Northeast side of the Persian Gulf, practically followed the course of the lower Tigris. it was bounded on the North by Media, on the East by Persia and on the West by Babylonia. The Assyro-Babylonians called the tract Êlamtu, expressed ideographically by the Sumerian characters for Nimma or Numma, which seems to have been its name in that language. As Numma or Elam apparently means “height,” or the like, these names were probably applied to it on account of its mountainous nature. Another name by which it was known in early times was Ashshan, for Anshan or Anzan (Anzhan), one of its ancient cities. The great capital of the tract, however, was Susa (Shushan), whence its Greek name of Susiana, interchanging with Elymais, from the Semitic Elam.

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Author: International Std. Bible Encyclopedia

Keywords: Elam, Elamites, Media, Persia, Babylonia

Source: James Orr (editor), The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, 5 volume set.

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