Lexical Summary Ulay: Perhaps, maybe, possibly, if Original Word: אוּלַי Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Ulai Of Persian derivation; the Ulai (or Eulaeus), a river of Persia -- Ulai. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof foreign origin Definition a river of Elam NASB Translation Ulai (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs I. [אוּלַי] proper name, of a river Ulai, Eulaeus (Assyrian Ulâi, compare DlPa 329 Greek Εὐλαιος) only אוּלָ֑י, river of Elam Daniel 8:2,16; = (at least in lower part) modern Karûn (old Pasitigris) see DlPa 177. 189. 329; in upper part perhaps also = modern Kerkhah (= Choaspes), which. was formerly connected with Karûn not far from Susa (LoftusTrav. & Researches, 423 ff Schaff-Herzogiii. 2178,art.Shushan). אֻלַיִ Genesis 24:39 see אוּלַי. Topical Lexicon Geographical Setting Ulai designates a watercourse adjacent to the fortress city of Susa (Shushan) in the ancient province of Elam, east of the Tigris River in what is today southwestern Iran. Classical sources such as Strabo and Ptolemy speak of two rivers near Susa—the Choaspes and the Eulaeus (Ulai). Modern scholarship identifies Ulai most plausibly with the Karun River or with a royal canal linking the Karun to the Karkheh. Fed by the Zagros Mountains, the stream provided a navigable artery for trade, irrigation for the fertile Susiana plain, and a natural moat guarding the Persian administrative center. Its banks were lined with palaces, storehouses, and fortified walls that made Susa a strategic capital for both Elamite and Achaemenid rulers. Scriptural Occurrences 1. Daniel 8:2—“In the vision I saw myself in the citadel of Susa in the province of Elam; and in the vision I was beside the Ulai Canal.” These two verses comprise the entirety of direct biblical reference to the river, yet they frame a pivotal apocalyptic revelation that stretches from the Medo-Persian Empire to the final triumph of God’s kingdom. Historical Context Daniel received the vision in the “third year of the reign of King Belshazzar” (Daniel 8:1), around 551 B.C. Though Daniel physically remained in Babylon, the Spirit transported him in the vision to Susa, at that time a growing administrative hub within the Neo-Babylonian realm and soon to become a principal capital of the Persians (cf. Nehemiah 1:1; Esther 1:2). The location is therefore prophetic as well as geographic: God granted Daniel foresight from the very seat that would later house the empire symbolized by the ram in the same vision (Daniel 8:3-4, 20). Prophetic Significance 1. Authenticity of Setting. By situating Daniel on the banks of Ulai decades before Persia rose to dominance, Scripture demonstrates its foreknowledge of geopolitical shifts. Archaeology has confirmed the existence and importance of Susa and its waterways, corroborating the biblical record. Theological Implications • Sovereignty of God over Nations. Ulai, though merely a canal, becomes a stage where divine authority over future empires is declared. Lessons for Faith and Ministry 1. Context Matters. Daniel’s vision reminds believers to read prophecy in its historical and geographical setting; doing so reveals the depth and precision of God’s word. Summary Ulai, though mentioned only twice, serves as a geographical anchor for one of Scripture’s most far-reaching prophecies. Its banks witness the shifting tides of ancient empires, the unveiling of God’s sovereign plan, and the intersection of earthly history with celestial announcement. For the modern reader, Ulai stands as a quiet yet powerful testimony that the God who guides rivers also directs nations and speaks personally to His faithful servants. Forms and Transliterations אוּלָ֑י אוּלָֽי׃ אולי אולי׃ ’ū·lāy ’ūlāy uLaiLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Daniel 8:2 HEB: עַל־ אוּבַ֥ל אוּלָֽי׃ NAS: was beside the Ulai Canal. KJV: and I was by the river of Ulai. INT: was beside Canal the Ulai Daniel 8:16 2 Occurrences |
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