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Persia

Original Hebrew / Aramaic / Greek connected to this term

How to read this: there is rarely one magic “true meaning” hidden behind an English word. A lexicon records a word’s semantic range. The intended meaning is narrowed by grammar, sentence, author, historical usage and context.

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H6539

פָּרַס

pa.ras — Persia

§ Persia = "pure" or "splendid" the empire Persia; encompassed the territory from India on the east to Egypt and Thrace on the west, and included, besides portions of Europe and Africa, the whole of western Asia between the Black Sea, the Caucasus, the Caspian and the Jaxartes on the north, the Arabian desert, the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean on the south Persia proper was bounded on the west by Susiana or Elam, on the north by Media, on the south by the Persian Gulf and on the east by Carmania Persian, of Persia "pure" or "splendid"

22 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H6540

פָּרַס

pa.ras — Persia

Aramaic of pa.ras (פָּרַס "Persia" H6539) § Persia = "pure" or "splendid" the empire Persia; encompassed the territory from India on the east to Egypt and Thrace on the west, and included, besides portions of Europe and Africa, the whole of western Asia between the Black Sea, the Caucasus, the Caspian and the Jaxartes on the north, the Arabian desert, the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean on the south 1a) Persia proper was bounded on the west by Susiana or Elam, on the north by Media, on the south by the Persian Gulf and on the east by Carmania Persian, of Persia "pure" or "splendid"

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H670

אֲפָֽרְסָיֵא

a.pha.re.say — Persia

Persia or Apharsite = "causers of division (?)" (CLBL) an unknown office (TWOT) perhaps a title of an official Another spelling of pa.ras (פָּרַס "Persia" H6539)

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H3778

כַּשְׂדִּים

kas.di — Chaldea

§ Chaldea or Chaldeans = "clod-breakers" 1) a territory in lower Mesopotamia bordering on the Persian Gulf 2) the inhabitants of Chaldea, living on the lower Euphrates and Tigris 3) those persons considered the wisest in the land (by extension)

72 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H1841

דָּנִיֵּאל, דָּנִאֵל

da.niy.yel — Daniel

A man living at the time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at Ezr.8.2 § Daniel = "God is my judge" 1) the 4th of the greater prophets, taken as hostage in the first deportation to Babylon, because of the gift of God of the interpretation of dreams, he became the 2nd in command of the Babylon empire and lasted through the end of the Babylonian empire and into the Persian empire. His prophecies are the key to the understanding of end time events. Noted for his purity and holiness by contemporary prophet, Ezekiel 1a) also, 'Belteshazzar' (H01095 or H01096)

45 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H635

אֶסְתֵּר

es.ter — Esther

A woman living at the time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at Est.2.7; daughter of: Abihail (H0032K); also called Hadassah at Est.2.7; Also named: ha.das.sah (הֲדַסָּה "Hadassah" H1919) § Esther = "star" the queen of Persia, heroine of the book of Esther-daughter of Abihail, cousin and adopted daughter of Mordecai, of the tribe of Benjamin, made queen by king Ahasuerus to replace divorced queen, Vashti.

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H325

אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ

a.chash.ve.rosh — Ahasuerus

A man living at the time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at Ezr.4.6; married to Vashti (H2060); father of: Darius (H1868H) § Ahasuerus = "I will be silent and poor" title of the king of Persia, probably Xerxes

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H623

אָסָף

a.saph — Asaph

A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 2Ki.18.18; father of: Joah (H3098) § Asaph = "gatherer" 1) the father of Hezekiah's secretary 2) a son of Berechiah, chief Levite musician under David 3) a Persian officer over the royal forest

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H1840

דָּנִיֵּאל, דָּנִאֵל

da.niy.yel — Daniel

A prophet living at the time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at Ezk.14.14; also called Belteshazzar at Dan.1.7; 2.26; 4.8,9,18,19; 5.12; 10.1; § Daniel = "God is my judge" 1) the 2nd son of David, by Abigail the Carmelitess 2) the 4th of the greater prophets, taken as hostage in the first deportation to Babylon, because of the gift of God of the interpretation of dreams, he became the 2nd in command of the Babylon empire and lasted through the end of the Babylonian empire and into the Persian empire. His prophecies are the key to the understanding of end time events. Noted for his purity and holiness by contemporary prophet, Ezekiel 2a) also, 'Belteshazzar' (H1095 or H1096) 3) a priest of the line of Ithamar who sealed the covenant with Nehemiah

23 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H7800

שׁוּשַׁן

shu.shan — Susa

Shushan or Susa = "lily" the winter residence of the Persian kings; located on the river Ulai or Choaspes Also named: shu.shan.khi (שׁוּשַׁנְכָיֵא "Susa" H7801)

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H6578

פְּרָת

pe.rat — Euphrates

§ Euphrates = "fruitfulness" the largest and longest river of western Asia; rises from two chief sources in the Armenian mountains and flows into the Persian Gulf

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H4074

מָדַי

ma.day — Madai

A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.10.2; son of: Japheth (H3315); brother of: Gomer (H1586), Magog (H4031), Javan (H3120), Tubal (H8422), Meshech (H4902) and Tiras (H8494) § Media or Medes or Madai = "middle land" 1) a people descended from the son of Japheth and who inhabited the territory of Media 2) land inhabited by the descendants of Japheth; located northwest of Persia proper, south and southwest of the Caspian Sea, east of Armenia and Assyria, and west and northwest of the great salt desert of Iram

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H1868

דָּֽרְיָ֫וֶשׁ

dar.ya.vesh — Darius

A man living at the time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at Ezr.4.5 Aramaic of dar.ya.vesh (דָּֽרְיָ֫וֶשׁ "Darius" H1867H) § Darius = "lord" 1) Darius the Mede, the son of Ahasuerus, king of the Chaldeans, who succeeded to the Babylonian kingdom on the death of Belshazzar; probably the same as "Astyages" the last king of the Medes (538 BC) (same as dar.ya.vesh (דָּֽרְיָ֫וֶשׁ "Darius" H1867) (1)) 2) Darius, the son of Hystaspes, the founder of the Perso-Arian dynasty (521 BC) (same as (2)) 3) Darius II or Darius III 3a) Darius II, Nothus (Ochus) was king of Persia during the time of Nehemiah (424/3-405/4 BC). Darius II is the most probable because he is mentioned by Nehemiah and ruled during the time of Nehemiah 3b) Darius III, Codomannus was king of Persia during its last years at the time of Alexander the Great and was his opponent (336-330 BC)

15 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H783

אַרְתַּחְשַׁשְׂתָּא

ar.tach.shash.ta — Artaxerxes

A man living at the time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at Ezr.6.14 Also named: ar.tach.shash.ta (אַרְתַּחְשַׁשְׂתְּא "Artaxerxes" H0783) § Artaxerxes = "I will make the spoiled to boil: I will stir myself (in) winter" son and successor of Xerxes as emperor of Persia, 465-424 BC

14 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H3566

כּ֫וֹרֶשׁ

ko.resh — Cyrus

A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 2Ch.36.22; son of: Gedaliah (H1436H) Also named: ko.resh (כּ֫וֹרֶשׁ "Cyrus" H3567) § Cyrus = "posses thou the furnace" the king of Persia and conqueror of Babylon; first ruler of Persia to make a decree allowing the Israelite exiles to return to Jerusalem

13 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H1867

דָּֽרְיָ֫וֶשׁ

dar.ya.vesh — Darius

A man living at the time of Exile and Return, only mentioned at Neh.12.22 § Darius = "lord" 1) Darius the Mede, the son of Ahasuerus, king of the Chaldeans, who succeeded to the Babylonian kingdom on the death of Belshazzar; probably the same as "Astyages" the last king of the Medes (538 BC) 2) Darius, the son of Hystaspes, the founder of the Perso-Arian dynasty (521 BC) 3) Darius II or Darius III 3a) Darius II, Nothus (Ochus) was king of Persia during the time of Nehemiah (424/3-405/4 BC). Darius II is the most probable because he is mentioned by Nehemiah and ruled during the time of Nehemiah 3b) Darius III, Codomannus was king of Persia during its last years at the time of Alexander the Great and was his opponent (336-330 BC)

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H3779

כַּשְׂדַּי

kas.day — Chaldean

Group of kas.di (כַּשְׂדִּים "Chaldea" H3778) § Chaldean = "clod breakers" 1) a territory in lower Mesopotamia bordering on the Persian Gulf 2) the inhabitants of Chaldea, living on the lower Euphrates and Tigris 3) those persons considered the wisest in the land (by extension)

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H1096

בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּר

be.le.te.shats.tsar — Belteshazzar

A man living at the time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at Ezk.14.14; also called Belteshazzar at Dan.1.7; 2.26; 4.8,9,18,19; 5.12; 10.1; Aramaic of da.niy.yel (דָּנִיֵּאל, דָּנִאֵל "Daniel" H1840) § Belteshazzar = "lord of the straitened's treasure" 1) the 4th of the greater prophets, taken as hostage in the first deportation to Babylon; because of the gift of God of the interpretation of dreams, he became the 2nd in command of the Babylon empire and lasted through the end of the Babylonian empire and into the Persian empire. His prophecies are the key to the understanding of end time events. Noted for his purity and holiness by contemporary prophet, Ezekiel 1a) also, 'Daniel' (H1840 or H1841)

6 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H3567

כּ֫וֹרֶשׁ

ko.resh — Cyrus

A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 2Ch.36.22; son of: Gedaliah (H1436H) Aramaic of ko.resh (כּ֫וֹרֶשׁ "Cyrus" H3566) § Cyrus = "posses thou the furnace" the king of Persia and conqueror of Babylon; first ruler of Persia to make a decree allowing the Israelite exiles to return to Jerusalem

6 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

GREEK · G3097

μάγος

magos — sage

μάγος, -ου, ὁ [in LXX for אַשָּׁף, Dan LXX TH Dan.2:2, 10, al. (cf. chief magian, Jer.39:3, 13) ;] 1. one of the Μάγοι, a Median tribe (Hat). 2. a Magian, one of a sacred caste, originally Median, who seem to have conformed to the Persian religion, while retaining some of their old beliefs (see DB, I vol., 565 f.; DB, iii, 203 ff.): Mat.2:1, 7 2:16 3. a wizard, sorcerer: Act.13:6, 8 (cf. Wis.17:7, Act.8:9; ?Act.8:1).† (AS)

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GREEK · G915

βάρβαρος

barbaros — barbarian

βάρβαρος, -ον (prob. onomatop., descriptive of unintelligible sounds), [in LXX: Ps 113 (114):1 (לעז), Eze.21:31 (36) (בּער), 2Ma.2:21 4:25 10:4, 3Ma.3:24 * ;] barbarous, barbarian, strange to Greek language and culture (and also, after the Persian war, with the added sense of brutal, rude): Act.28:2, 4 Rom.1:14, 1Co.14:11, Col.3:11 (see Lft., in l., and Notes, 249).† (AS)

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H4076

מָדַי

ma.day — Mede

also called Mede frequently Aramaic of me.dan (מְדָן "Medan" H4091) § Medes = "middle land" 1) the territory inhabited by the Medes 2a) located northwest of Persia proper, south and southwest of the Caspian Sea, east of Armenia and Assyria, and west and northwest of the great salt desert of Iram

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Historical dictionary entry

An ancient empire, extending from the Indus to Thrace, and from the Caspian Sea to the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf. The Persians were originally a Medic tribe which settled in Persia, on the eastern side of the Persian Gulf. They were Aryans, their language belonging to the eastern division of the Indo-European group. One of their chiefs, Teispes, conquered Elam in the time of the decay of the Assyrian Empire, and established himself in the district of Anzan. His descendants branched off into two lines, one line ruling in Anzan, while the other remained in Persia. Cyrus II., king of Anzan, finally united the divided power, conquered Media, Lydia, and Babylonia, and carried his arms into the far East. His son, Cambyses, added Egypt to the empire, which, however, fell to pieces after his death. It was reconquered and thoroughly organized by Darius, the son of Hystaspes, whose dominions extended from India to the Danube.

Scripture references

Source: Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897). Historical dictionary wording reflects the scholarship and language of its era.

Compare other reference traditions

Look up Persia in Smith’s Bible Dictionary and ISBE →