Lexical Summary Ashshuwr: Assyria Original Word: אַשּׁוּר Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Asshur, Assur, Assyria, Assyrians Or iashshur {ash-shoor'}; apparently from 'ashar (in the sense of successful); Ashshur, the second son of Shem; also his descendants and the country occupied by them (i.e. Assyria), its region and its empire -- Asshur, Assur, Assyria, Assyrians. See 'ashur. see HEBREW 'ashar see HEBREW 'ashur Brown-Driver-Briggs אַשּׁוּר proper name, of a people & territory Asshur, Assyria (Assyrian Aššur, land & city DlPa 252 COT on Genesis 2:14; Persian Athura, Syriac  ; on the connection with name of god Ašur, & with √ אשׁר = ישׁר good, gracious, compare COTl.c.; see also JenZA, 1886, 1 f. Schrib. 209 f. Nöib. 268 f.) 1 Asshur as person, 2nd son of Shem Genesis 10:22 (P, in table of nations) 1 Chronicles 1:17. 2 people of Asshur (often as invading army & even world-power) Numbers 24:22,24 (poem of Balaam) Hosea 12:2; Hosea 14:4; Isaiah 10:5; Isaiah 14:25; Isaiah 19:23 (twice in verse); Isaiah 19:24,25; Isaiah 23:13; Isaiah 30:31; Isaiah 31:8; Isaiah 52:4; Lamentations 5:6; Ezekiel 23:5; Ezekiel 27:23; Ezekiel 32:22 (here feminine) Zechariah 10:11; Psalm 83:9 perhaps read גְּשׁוּר, compare 2 Samuel 2:9 below אֲשׁוּרִי; or (if Psalm 83 be late) regard אַשּׁוּר (like עֲמָלֵק ib.) as used because of ancient significance; sometimes personified as one Isaiah 10:5; Ezekiel 31:3 (but strike out Co q. v.), compare also Micah 5:4; Micah 5:5; Zephaniah 2:13; ׳מַחֲנֵה א 2 Kings 19:32 = Isaiah 37:36; ׳בְּנֵי א Ezekiel 16:28; Ezekiel 23:7,9,12,23. 3 land of Assyria Genesis 2:14; Genesis 10:11; Hosea 5:13; Hosea 7:11; Hosea 8:9; Hosea 9:3; Hosea 10:6; Isaiah 11:11,16; Isaiah 19:23; Jeremiah 2:18,36; Micah 7:12; Zechariah 10:10; אַשּׁ֫וּרָה Genesis 25:18; Isaiah 19:23; 2 Kings 15:29; 2 Kings 17:6,23; 2 Kings 18:11; אֶרֶץ אַשּׁוּר Isaiah 7:18; Isaiah 27:13; Hosea 11:11; Micah 5:5. 4 especially מֶלֶךְ אַשּׁוּר Isaiah 8:4; Isaiah 10:12; Isaiah 20:1,4,6 (probably gloss Isaiah 7:17,20; Isaiah 8:7) 2 Kings 15:19 41t. 2Kings; 14t. Isaiah 36-38; 1 Chronicles 5:6 (אַשֻּׁר) + 13 t. Chronicles; also Jeremiah 50:17,18; Nahum 3:18; Ezra 4:2; (only Ezra 6:22 of Persian or any king not strictly Assyrian); note also ׳הַמֶּלֶךְ א Isaiah 36:8,16 (׳א perhaps gloss, compare Di who holds same view as to 2 Kings 18:23,31); ׳מַלְכֵי א 2 Kings 19:11,17 = Isaiah 37:11,18; 2Chronicles 28:16; 30:6; Nehemiah 9:32. Topical Lexicon Identity and Scope אַשּׁוּר refers to (1) the patriarch Asshur, son of Shem (Genesis 10:22); (2) the land of Asshur, developing into the nation and empire of Assyria; and (3) the people, kings, and armies of that empire. The name thereby spans personal genealogy, geography, and geo-political power across roughly two millennia of Old Testament history. Centers and Borders Assyria’s earliest capital was Aššur on the west bank of the Tigris; later seats of power included Calah (Nimrud), Dur-Sharrukin (Khorsabad), and Nineveh. Biblical writers treat “Asshur” as stretching from the mountains of Ararat in the north to the Euphrates in the west and to Elam and Media in the east (2 Kings 19:12; Isaiah 37:12; Nahum 1:1). Control over the Fertile Crescent made Assyria a determining force in the destinies of Israel, Judah, and surrounding nations. Earliest Biblical Notices 1. Genealogical: “The sons of Shem: Elam, Asshur, Arpachshad, Lud, and Aram” (1 Chronicles 1:17). Royal Encounters • Pul (Tiglath-Pileser III) exacts tribute from Menahem of Israel (2 Kings 15:19–20). Assyria as the LORD’s Rod of Judgment Isaiah 10:5–6: “Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger… I send him against a godless nation.” Though motivated by pride, Assyria fulfilled divine purpose by disciplining a covenant people who had forsaken the LORD. Comparable statements appear in Hosea 11:5–6 and Micah 5:5–6. Prophetic Oracles Against Assyria • Isaiah 10:12–19 and 14:24–27 predict downfall for exalted arrogance. Assyria in Salvation History Remarkably, prophetic hope extends even to Assyria: Isaiah 19:23-25 envisions “a highway from Egypt to Assyria… Israel will be a third partner… ‘Blessed be Egypt My people, and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel My inheritance.’” The passage anticipates a multi-national worshiping community, fulfilled ultimately in Messiah’s reign and foreshadowed at Pentecost when “visitors from Rome, both Jews and converts, Cretans and Arabs” heard the Gospel (Acts 2:10–11). Early church history records vibrant Assyrian-speaking Christian communities (the Church of the East), illustrating the ongoing fruit of this promise. Theological Themes 1. Sovereign Use of Nations: Assyria demonstrates that world powers rise and fall at the LORD’s decree (Daniel 2:21). Key Passages for Study and Teaching Genesis 10:11; 2 Kings 15:19-20; 2 Kings 17:3-6; 2 Kings 19:35; Isaiah 7:18-20; Isaiah 10:5-19; Isaiah 19:23-25; Isaiah 36–37; Hosea 11:5-11; Micah 5:5-6; Nahum 1–3; Zephaniah 2:13-15; Jonah 1–4 (Assyria’s capital as object of mercy). Practical Ministry Lessons • National security, economic might, and cultural prestige cannot shield a society from divine accountability. Summary אַשּׁוּר (Asshur/Assyria) embodies both the terror of divine judgment and the hope of universal blessing. From its emergence in Genesis to its fall announced by Nahum, Assyria moves across the biblical stage as a protagonist in God’s larger drama of holiness, justice, and mercy. Its account therefore admonishes, warns, and encourages the Church to trust the LORD of history, preach repentance, and anticipate the day when nations—including Assyria—will “beat their swords into plowshares” under Messiah’s peaceful reign (Isaiah 2:4). Forms and Transliterations אַ֠שּׁוּר אַ֭שּׁוּר אַשֻּׁ֑ר אַשּֽׁוּרָה׃ אַשּֽׁוּר׃ אַשּׁ֑וּר אַשּׁ֑וּרָה אַשּׁ֔וּר אַשּׁ֔וּרָה אַשּׁ֖וּר אַשּׁ֗וּר אַשּׁ֛וּר אַשּׁ֜וּר אַשּׁ֡וּר אַשּׁ֣וּר אַשּׁ֣וּר ׀ אַשּׁ֤וּר אַשּׁ֤וּר ׀ אַשּׁ֥וּר אַשּׁ֨וּר אַשּׁוּר֒ אַשּׁוּר֙ אַשּׁוּר֩ ׀ אַשּׁוּר֮ אשור אשור׃ אשורה אשורה׃ אשר בְּאַשּׁ֑וּר באשור וְאַשּׁ֑וּר וְאַשּׁ֔וּר וְאַשּׁ֖וּר וּבְאַשּׁ֖וּר וּלְאַשּׁ֑וּר וּמֵֽאַשּׁ֖וּר ואשור ובאשור ולאשור ומאשור לְאַשּׁ֣וּר לאשור מֵֽאַשּׁ֑וּר מֵֽאַשּׁ֔וּר מֵאַשּֽׁוּר׃ מֵאַשּׁ֨וּר מאשור מאשור׃ ’aš·šū·rāh ’aš·šur ’aš·šūr ’aššur ’aššūr ’aššūrāh ashShur ashShurah bə’aššūr bə·’aš·šūr beashShur lə’aššūr lə·’aš·šūr leashShur mê’aššūr mê·’aš·šūr meashShur ū·ḇə·’aš·šūr ū·lə·’aš·šūr ū·mê·’aš·šūr ūḇə’aššūr ūlə’aššūr uleashShur ūmê’aššūr umeashShur uveashShur veashShur wə’aššūr wə·’aš·šūrLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 2:14 HEB: הַֽהֹלֵ֖ךְ קִדְמַ֣ת אַשּׁ֑וּר וְהַנָּהָ֥ר הָֽרְבִיעִ֖י NAS: east of Assyria. And the fourth KJV: the east of Assyria. And the fourth INT: flows east of Assyria river and the fourth Genesis 10:11 Genesis 10:22 Genesis 25:18 Numbers 24:22 Numbers 24:24 2 Kings 15:19 2 Kings 15:20 2 Kings 15:20 2 Kings 15:29 2 Kings 15:29 2 Kings 16:7 2 Kings 16:8 2 Kings 16:9 2 Kings 16:9 2 Kings 16:10 2 Kings 16:18 2 Kings 17:3 2 Kings 17:4 2 Kings 17:4 2 Kings 17:4 2 Kings 17:5 2 Kings 17:6 2 Kings 17:6 2 Kings 17:23 151 Occurrences |
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