H5867a H5867a
Elam — ancient civilization and territory east of Mesopotamia (modern SW Iran), a people descended from Shem and subject of prophetic oracles.
A proper noun identifying both the people and the territory of Elam, the ancient civilization centered in what is now southwestern Iran, east of the Tigris lowlands. Genesis 10:22 lists Elam as a 'son of Shem,' placing it within the Semitic genealogical framework despite its non-Semitic language. In Genesis 14, Chedorlaomer king of Elam leads a coalition of eastern kings against Canaan — one of the earliest references to international warfare in Scripture. The prophets pronounce judgment on Elam (Jeremiah 49:34-39) while also envisioning its future restoration. All translations uniformly render the name as 'Elam,' confirming its fixed geographic-ethnic identity.
Senses
1. Elam (nation/region) — The proper name of the ancient nation and region east of Mesopotamia, encompassing the area around Susa in modern southwestern Iran. Listed among the sons of Shem in Genesis 10:22 and 1 Chronicles 1:17, it appears in historical narrative as a military power (Gen 14:1, 9), in prophetic oracles of judgment (Jer 49:34-39; Ezek 32:24), and as a land of Israelite dispersion (Isa 11:11). Daniel 8:2 identifies it specifically as 'the province of Elam.' English, Spanish, French, and German all transliterate uniformly as 'Elam,' with no semantic variation. 17×
AR["[عَولَم]", "عيلام", "عِيلَامَ", "عِيلَامُ", "فِي-عِيلَامَ", "وَ-مِنْ-عِيلَامَ", "وَعِيلَامُ", "يَا-عِيلَامَ"]·ben["এলম", "এলমের", "ঐলমকে", "ঐলমে", "ঐলমের", "ও-এলম-থেকে", "ও-যেলাম", "য়েলাম", "ীলামের", "ৈলামে"]·DE["Elam", "[בעילם]", "[עילם]", "in-Elam", "und-Elam", "und-von-Elam", "von-Elam"]·EN["Elam", "Eylam", "[ketiv:forever]", "and-Elam", "and-from-Elam", "in-Elam", "in-Eylam"]·FR["Elam", "dans-Élam", "et-de-Élam", "et-Élam", "Élam"]·heb["ב-עילם", "ו-מ-עילם", "ו-עילם", "עולם", "עילם"]·HI["एइलाम", "एलम-क", "एलाम", "एलाम-की", "एलाम-के", "और-एलाम-ने", "और-एलाम-से", "में-एलाम"]·ID["Dan-Elam", "Elam", "[selama-lamanya]", "dan-dari-Elam", "di-Elam"]·IT["Elam", "[בעילם]", "[עילם]", "e-Elam", "e-da-Elam", "in-Elam"]·jav["Elam", "[k]", "ing-Elam", "ing-Élam", "lan-Elam", "lan-saking-Elam", "Èlam", "Élam"]·KO["[영원한]", "그리고-엘람이", "엘람", "엘람-에", "엘람-에서", "엘람에", "엘람에게", "엘람을", "엘람의", "엘람이-있다", "엘람이여"]·PT["'Eilam", "E-Elam", "Elam", "[eternidade]", "de-Elam", "e-de-'Elam", "em-Elam"]·RU["[века]", "Елам", "Елама", "Эйлам", "Эйлама", "Эйламе", "Элам", "Элама", "в-Эйламе", "в-Эламе", "и-Эйлам", "и-из-Эйлама"]·ES["Elam", "Y-Elam", "[kethiv]", "en-Elam", "y-de-Elam"]·SW["Elamu", "Na-Elamu", "[milele]", "katika-Elamu", "na-kutoka-Elamu"]·TR["-de-Elam'da", "Elam", "Elam'a", "Elam'da", "Elam'ı", "Elam'ın", "Ve-Elam", "[’vlm]", "ve-den-Elam'dan"]·urd["[عیلام]", "اور-عیلام-سے", "اور-عیلام-نے", "عیلام", "عیلام-میں", "عیلام-کا", "عیلام-کی", "عیلام-کے", "عیلام-ہے"]
Related Senses
G3588 1. definite article (18298×)H0853 1. definite direct object marker (10915×)G2532 1. (8312×)H3068 1. YHWH (the divine name) (6522×)H0834a 1. relative pronoun (who/which/that) (4839×)H3588a 1. causal: because, for (3498×)G1161 1. and (2806×)H3478 1. Israel (proper name and nation) (2507×)G4771 1. you (plural address) (1853×)H1931 1. personal pronoun he/she/it (1431×)G3739 1. relative pronoun who/which/that (1149×)H1732 1. David (proper name) (1075×)H2088 1. this, this one (demonstrative) (1059×)G1063 1. (1047×)G3778 1. this thing, these things (1003×)H???? 2. (1002×)G2424 1. (924×)G3754 1. that (content clause) (881×)H2009 1. presentative particle: behold, look (881×)H0589 1. I (first person singular pronoun) (874×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† I. עֵילָם n.pr.gent. et terr. Elam, ��ιλαμ, Ἐλαμεῖται, well-known country and people NE. of Lower Tigris (Assyrian Elamtu DlPa 320 ff. COT Gn 10:22);—as early invaders of Palestin Gn 14:1, 9, allies of Assyrian Is 22:6; foe of Babylon 21:2; abode of dispersed Israelites 11:11; prophesied against Je 49:34, 35, 36(×2) (Qr, Kt עולם), v 37, 38, 39 Ez 32:24, cf. כָּל־מַלְכֵי ע׳ Je 25:25; called ‘son’ of Shem Gn 10:22 (P) = 1 Ch 1:17; purely local designation ע׳ הַמְּדִינָה Dn 8:2.