307. Achmetha

Lexical Summary

Achmetha: Achmetha

Original Word: אַחְמְתָא
Part of Speech: Proper Name Location
Transliteration: Achmtha'
Pronunciation: akh-meh-thah
Phonetic Spelling: (akh-me-thaw')
KJV: Achmetha
NASB: Ecbatana
Word Origin: [of Persian derivation]

1. Achmetha (i.e. Ecbatana), the summer capital of Persia

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

Achmetha

Of Persian derivation; Achmetha (i.e. Ecbatana), the summer capital of Persia -- Achmetha.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
(Aramaic) of foreign origin
Definition
the capital of Media
NASB Translation
Ecbatana (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

אַחְמְתָא (originally תָן#NAME?תָנָא#NAME?^{ZA 15, 368})

proper name, of a location Ecbatana, Ezra 6:2; capital of Media, captured by Cyrus ( B.C. 550), and then summer residence of Persian kings; modern „amadân, Spieg²⁴⁴ Margoliouth^{Hast. DB ACHMETHA,} especially Brugsch^{Reise n. Persien (1862), i. 360-392} (Old Median Agmatana Dl^{Calwer Bib. Lex}.; Old Persian Hangamata§na (=place of assembling) Spieg^l.c., Babylonian Agam(a)tanu Beh⁶⁰, Bez^{p. 26, etc}.; Ἀγβάτανα Herod^{i. 98}; ᵐ5 Ἐκβατανα2Mace Ezra 9:3 +; Mey^{Geschichte. d. Alt. i. § 485} Streck^{l.c. 367 f}.

Topical Lexicon

Geographical setting

Achmetha is the Hebrew form of the well-known city of Ecbatana, situated in the Zagros Mountains of ancient Media (modern Hamadan, Iran). Lying on the main caravan route that linked Mesopotamia with the Iranian plateau, the city enjoyed a temperate summer climate and formidable natural defenses. Its high elevation made it an ideal royal retreat and strategic archive center for successive Median and Persian monarchs.

Historical background

Founded by the Median king Deioces in the late eighth or early seventh century B.C., Ecbatana became the capital of the Median Empire and later one of the principal residences of the Achaemenid kings. Herodotus describes its seven concentric, color-coded walls, reflecting the wealth of the empire. Persian rulers used the city as a summer capital, transferring treasures and administrative records there for safekeeping. The royal road system, later improved by Darius I, connected Achmetha with Babylon, Susa, and Persepolis, facilitating swift communication across the empire.

Biblical context and significance

The only canonical mention occurs in Ezra 6:2, where a search of the “archives stored in the treasury at Ecbatana in the province of Media” produced Cyrus’s decree permitting the rebuilding of the Jerusalem temple. This discovery proved decisive:

• It authenticated the return and building project initiated under Cyrus (Ezra 1:1-4) and silenced local opposition (Ezra 5:3-17; 6:6-12).
• It demonstrated the enduring sovereignty of God over imperial authorities, fulfilling Isaiah 44:28—45:13, in which the Lord calls Cyrus by name to rebuild the temple more than a century before Cyrus’s birth.
• It validated the chronicler’s historical accuracy, confirming that royal edicts were indeed preserved beyond Babylon, a point sometimes questioned by critics.

Theological themes

1. Divine providence and historiography: The preservation of Cyrus’s decree in Achmetha underscores that “the plans of the LORD stand firm forever” (Psalm 33:11). What foreign kings record for administrative purposes God uses to advance redemptive history.
2. Scripture’s reliability: Ezra’s narrative aligns with Persian archival practices, reinforcing confidence in the biblical record.
3. God’s sovereignty over nations: Just as “The king’s heart is a watercourse in the hand of the LORD” (Proverbs 21:1), Darius’s appeal to Achmetha’s records shows that imperial power ultimately serves divine purposes.

Archaeological and extra-biblical data

Excavations at modern Hamadan have uncovered Median-Achaemenid remains, including stone foundations compatible with a substantial citadel and administrative compound. Greek, Babylonian, and Persian texts (e.g., the Behistun Inscription) corroborate Ecbatana’s role as an archive center. While the specific scroll mentioned in Ezra has not survived, thousands of contemporary tablets reveal a well-organized record-keeping system that accords with the biblical description.

Ministry implications today

• Encouragement in opposition: The Judean community faced intense pressure, yet the decree found in Achmetha reversed the situation in a single day (Ezra 6:13-15). Believers can trust that God can similarly overturn hostility through unexpected means.
• Importance of documentation: Ezra’s example highlights wise stewardship of legal and historical records within God’s people. Sound administration aids the advance of ministry and defends against false accusation.
• Global scope of God’s mission: Achmetha, a distant Gentile city, became instrumental in Israel’s restoration, reminding the Church that God employs people and places far beyond visible covenant boundaries to accomplish His work.

Summary

Though mentioned only once, Achmetha stands as a testament to God’s meticulous governance over history. A mountain stronghold of pagan empires became the vault that preserved a decree crucial to Israel’s restoration and ultimately to the unfolding of salvation history leading to Messiah.

Forms and Transliterations

בְּאַחְמְתָ֗א באחמתא bə’aḥməṯā bə·’aḥ·mə·ṯā beachmeTa

Englishman's Concordance

Ezra 6:2
HEB: וְהִשְׁתְּכַ֣ח בְּאַחְמְתָ֗א בְּבִֽירְתָ֛א דִּ֛י
NAS: In Ecbatana in the fortress, which
KJV: And there was found at Achmetha, in the palace
INT: was found Ecbatana the palace which

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 307
1 Occurrence

bə·’aḥ·mə·ṯā — 1 Occ.