Lexical Summary Shushankaye: Shushankaye Original Word: שׁוּשַׁנְכִי Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Susanchites (Aramaic) of foreign origin; a Shushankite (collectively) or inhabitants of some unknown place in Assyrian -- Susanchites. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origin(Aramaic) of foreign origin Definition inhab. of Susa NASB Translation men of Susa (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs שׁוּשַׁנְכָיֵא proper name, of a people plural the Susians, people of Susa Ezra 4:9, see דהוא (DlPa 327; singular [שׁוּשַׁנָךְ] according to Scheft92, = Old Persian * šušana-ka, from Susa, so (as alternative) AndrM 85 *; compare (on Elamite god Šušinak) WeissbachAnzanische Inschr. 136 JenVOJ vi. 54 ZimKAT 3. 485, and (on Šušun‡a in Elamite inscription, apparently proper name, of a territory) see Weissbl.c. JenZMG iv (1901), 229). Topical Lexicon Geographical Setting Shushan (Susa) lay on the lower reaches of the Karkheh River in what is now southwestern Iran. Fertile plains, access to the Persian Gulf, and intersecting trade routes made the city a strategic administrative center from early Elamite times through the Achaemenid period. Extensive palace complexes, royal archives, and fortified walls uncovered by archaeologists confirm its long-standing political importance. Biblical Context The word שׁוּשַׁנְכִי (Shushanchi, “Susians”) occurs once, in Ezra 4:9. There it designates inhabitants or former inhabitants of Shushan who had been resettled in the land of Samaria and who joined in the formal complaint sent to King Artaxerxes to halt the rebuilding of the Jerusalem temple: “Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their associates … the Persians, the Erechites, the Babylonians, the Susians, the Dehavites, the Elamites—” (Ezra 4:9). Historical Background After Babylon fell in 539 B.C., Cyrus the Great and his successors governed a multinational empire. Imperial policy moved contingent populations into newly conquered provinces to secure loyalty and to dilute nationalistic resistance. The Susians named in Ezra were likely part of such a resettlement under either Assyrian precedents or Persian administration. Their presence in Samaria by the reign of Artaxerxes I (465-424 B.C.) illustrates how thoroughly the Persian Empire mixed ethnic groups throughout its territories. Role in the Ezra Narrative Ezra 4 records escalating opposition against returned exiles who were rebuilding the temple. The Susians, together with nine other ethnic designations, represent the polyglot leadership around Samaria that feared political and economic displacement if Jerusalem regained strength. Their unified petition succeeded temporarily; work on the house of God ceased “until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia” (Ezra 4:24). The single reference therefore marks the Susians as active participants in organized resistance to covenant restoration. Connections to Other Biblical Passages 1. Shushan appears prominently elsewhere: These occurrences show the city as both political hub and backdrop for crucial redemptive events, underscoring divine sovereignty over imperial centers. 2. Ezra 4:9-24 parallels Nehemiah 4 and 6, where similar hostility meets wall reconstruction. The narrative pattern confirms that opposition to God’s work arises repeatedly but is ultimately overruled by His providence. Theological Significance The mention of Susians highlights: Ministry Implications Believers engaged in kingdom work should expect coordinated resistance both secular and religious. As in Ezra’s day, adversaries may invoke legal or political tactics. Prayerful persistence, prophetic encouragement, and reliance on divine timing remain essential. Leaders today gain courage from knowing that even powers headquartered in renowned capitals—ancient or modern—cannot frustrate God’s redemptive agenda. Archaeological and Extrabiblical Insights Excavations at Susa have unearthed the Apadana of Darius, administrative tablets, and rich artistic motifs (e.g., glazed brick friezes of archers and lions). These finds corroborate the city’s grandeur described implicitly in Esther and explicitly in Persian records. They also clarify why displaced Susians might possess administrative expertise useful to the Samarian coalition opposing Jerusalem. Further Study Compare Ezra 4 with Haggai 1 and Zechariah 4 for prophetic responses to the same period of discouragement. Examine Daniel 8 and Esther 1-10 to trace how events originating in Shushan contribute to Israel’s preservation. For historical context, consult the Cyrus Cylinder and the Persepolis Administrative Archives, which illustrate Persian policies of population movement mirrored in Ezra 4:9. Forms and Transliterations שֽׁוּשַׁנְכָיֵ֔א שושנכיא shushanchaYe šū·šan·ḵā·yê šūšanḵāyêLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Ezra 4:9 HEB: ק) בָבְלָיֵא֙ שֽׁוּשַׁנְכָיֵ֔א [דִּהוּא כ] NAS: the Babylonians, the men of Susa, that is, the Elamites, KJV: the Babylonians, the Susanchites, the Dehavites, INT: Archevite the Babylonians the men forasmuch is the Elamites 1 Occurrence |
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