751. Erek

Lexical Summary

Erek: Length, long-suffering, patience

Original Word: אֶרֶךְ
Part of Speech: Proper Name Location
Transliteration: Erek
Pronunciation: eh'-rek
Phonetic Spelling: (eh'-rek)
KJV: Erech
NASB: Erech
Word Origin: [from H748 (אָרַך - prolong)]

1. length
2. Erek, a place in Babylon

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

Erech

From 'arak; length; Erek, a place in Babylon -- Erech.

see HEBREW 'arak

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
of foreign origin
Definition
a city in Bab.
NASB Translation
Erech (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

אֶ֫רֶךְ proper name, of a location city in Babylonia (Babylonian Urûk see Dl below) on left bank of Euphrates,approximately 40 miles northwest from Ur (אוּר) toward Babylon; modern Warka; compare Loftus^{CS 152 f.} Dl^{Pa 221 f}.

Topical Lexicon

Biblical Occurrence

Genesis 10:10 records the city of Erech (אֶרֶךְ) as part of the first listed kingdom on earth, ruled by Nimrod: “The beginning of his kingdom was Babel, Erech, Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar” (Berean Standard Bible).

Geographical Setting

Erech is generally identified with the ancient Sumerian city of Uruk, located on the lower Euphrates in what is today southern Iraq. Its proximity to Babel (Babylon) and position within Shinar connect it with the cradle of early post-Flood civilization. Fertile floodplains, access to waterways, and burgeoning trade routes enabled Erech to become a regional hub long before the rise of later empires.

Historical Background

1. Early Urbanization: Archaeological strata at Uruk reveal monumental architecture, ziggurats, and administrative tablets, confirming Genesis’ portrayal of early city-states exercising organized governance.
2. Association with Nimrod: Genesis presents Nimrod as a “mighty hunter before the LORD” who consolidated cities into a kingdom. Erech’s inclusion underscores the swift progression from family groups (Genesis 10:1-9) to centralized urban power.
3. Sumerian Legacy: Uruk lends its name to the “Uruk Period” (circa 4000–3100 BC), a time of technological innovation (cuneiform writing, cylinder seals) that shaped Mesopotamian culture long after Erech’s solitary biblical mention.

Archaeological Correlation

• The Eanna precinct at Uruk showcases temples covered in clay cones set in mosaic patterns—a reminder of humanity’s early architectural ambition paralleling the broader Tower of Babel narrative (Genesis 11:1-9).
• Epic literature from Uruk, especially tales of Gilgamesh, testifies to a worldview steeped in the quest for fame and immortality, themes Scripture reveals as inadequate substitutes for reliance on the living God (compare Ecclesiastes 1:2-11).

Theological Significance

1. Human Achievement vs. Divine Authority: Erech illustrates how swiftly society pursued power after the Flood. The mention of cities in Genesis 10 prepares the reader to see, in Genesis 11, that human unity without submission to God results in judgment and scattering.
2. Continuity of the Biblical Narrative: By placing Erech inside a verifiable historical setting, Scripture demonstrates its reliability. The genealogy of nations is not myth but an inspired record anchoring redemptive history in time and space.
3. Foreshadowing of Babylon: The inclusion of Erech beside Babel hints at an enduring spiritual motif—city systems marked by pride and self-exaltation that reappear from Babylon to “Babylon the Great” in Revelation 18.

Lessons for Ministry Today

• Engage Culture with Discernment: Like Uruk’s advanced society, modern culture wields impressive achievements. Ministry must affirm creativity while warning against godless self-reliance.
• Ground Evangelism in History: The factual basis of Genesis 10:10 encourages believers to present the gospel within the real events of human history, countering claims that Scripture is merely allegorical.
• Prioritize God’s Kingdom over Earthly Cities: Erech’s vanished splendor contrasts with the eternal city “whose architect and builder is God” (Hebrews 11:10). Believers are called to invest in that enduring kingdom rather than temporal structures.

Related Scriptures

Genesis 10:8-12; Genesis 11:1-9; Hebrews 11:8-16; Revelation 18:1-24

Forms and Transliterations

וְאֶ֖רֶךְ וארך veErech

Englishman's Concordance

Genesis 10:10
HEB: מַמְלַכְתּוֹ֙ בָּבֶ֔ל וְאֶ֖רֶךְ וְאַכַּ֣ד וְכַלְנֵ֑ה
NAS: was Babel and Erech and Accad
KJV: was Babel, and Erech, and Accad,
INT: of his kingdom was Babel and Erech and Accad and Calneh

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 751
1 Occurrence

wə·’e·reḵ — 1 Occ.