Jump to: Hitchcock's • ATS • ISBE • Easton's • Concordance • Thesaurus • Greek • Hebrew • Library • Subtopics • Terms Topical Encyclopedia Overview:Shushan, also known as Susa, was an ancient city of significant historical and biblical importance. It served as the capital of Elam and later became one of the principal cities of the Persian Empire. Shushan is prominently mentioned in the Bible, particularly in the books of Esther, Nehemiah, and Daniel. The city is located in present-day Iran, near the modern city of Shush. Biblical References: 1. Book of Esther: Shushan is most famously associated with the account of Esther, a Jewish woman who became queen of Persia. The events of the Book of Esther unfold in the royal palace of Shushan. King Ahasuerus (Xerxes I) reigned from this city, and it was here that Esther bravely intervened to save her people from the wicked plot of Haman. The narrative highlights the providence of God in protecting the Jewish people. Esther 1:2 states, "In those days King Xerxes sat on his royal throne in the citadel of Susa." 2. Book of Nehemiah: Nehemiah, a Jewish cupbearer to King Artaxerxes I, received news of Jerusalem's desolation while in Shushan. This prompted his heartfelt prayer and subsequent journey to Jerusalem to rebuild its walls. Nehemiah 1:1 records, "The words of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah: In the month of Kislev, in the twentieth year, while I was in the citadel of Susa." 3. Book of Daniel: Daniel, a prophet during the Babylonian exile, had a vision while in Shushan. This vision, recorded in Daniel 8, involved a ram and a goat, symbolizing future empires and events. Daniel 8:2 notes, "In the vision I saw myself in the citadel of Susa, in the province of Elam; in the vision I was beside the Ulai Canal." Historical and Archaeological Context: Shushan was a major center of political and cultural activity in the ancient Near East. It was strategically located and served as a hub for trade and administration. The city is known for its impressive architecture, including the palace complex where the events of Esther took place. Archaeological excavations have uncovered significant artifacts, including the Code of Hammurabi, which was discovered in the vicinity of Susa. Theological Significance: Shushan's role in biblical history underscores the sovereignty of God in the affairs of nations and individuals. The narratives associated with Shushan demonstrate God's faithfulness to His covenant people, even when they are in foreign lands. The account of Esther, in particular, is a testament to divine providence and the courage of individuals who stand for righteousness. Cultural and Religious Influence: The events in Shushan have had a lasting impact on Jewish culture and religious observance. The festival of Purim, which commemorates the deliverance of the Jewish people as recounted in the Book of Esther, is celebrated annually with great joy and festivity. This celebration serves as a reminder of God's deliverance and the importance of faith and courage in the face of adversity. Shushan remains a symbol of God's intervention in history and His ability to use individuals and circumstances to fulfill His purposes. The city's mention in the Bible continues to inspire faith and trust in God's providential care. Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary ShushanATS Bible Dictionary Shushan1. Psalm 60:1-12, title; plural SHOSHANNIM, Psalm 45:1-14 69:1-36, titles; the name of a musical instrument. The word signifies a lily, or lilies; and if the instrument were so named from its similarity to this flower, we might understand the cymbal. Or it may denote a melody, so named for its pleasantness of the subject matter of the song, as in the title to Psalm 45:1-14. 2. The capital city of Elam, or Persia, Genesis 14:1 Daniel 8:2, on the river Ulai. It was the winter residence of the Persian kings, after Cyrus, Esther 1:5; and is deeply interesting as the scene of the wonderful events narrated in the book of Esther. Here Daniel had the vision of the ram and he-goat, in the third year of Belshazzar, Daniel 8:1-27. Nehemiah was also at Shushan, when he obtained from Artaxerxes permission to return into Judea, and to repair the walls of Jerusalem, Nehemiah 1:1. The present Shouster, the capital of Khusistan, in long. 49 East, lat. 32 North, of the river Karun, a branch of the Shat-el-Arab, has been generally believed to be the ancient Shushan, the Susa of the Greeks; but Mr. Kinneir rather thinks the ruins about thirty-five miles west of Shouster are those of that ancient residence of royalty, "stretching not less, perhaps, then twelve miles from one extremity to the other. They occupy an immense space between the rivers Kerah and Abzal; and like the ruins of Ctesiphon, Babylon, and Kufa, consist of hillocks of earth and rubbish, covered with broken pieces of brick and colored tile. The largest is a mile in circumference, and nearly one hundred feet in height; another, not quite so high, is double the circuit. They are formed of clay and pieces of tile, with irregular layers of brick and mortar, five or six feet in thickness, to serve, as it should seem, as a kind of prop to the mass. Large blocks of marble, covered with hieroglyphics, are not unfrequently here discovered by the Arabs, when digging in search of hidden treasure; and at the foot of the most elevated of the pyramids (ruins) stands the tomb of Daniel, a small and apparently a modern building, erected on the spot where the relics of that prophet are believed to rest." Major Rennell coincides in the opinion that these ruins represent the ancient Susa. The desolation of the place, abandoned to beasts of prey, agrees with the prediction in Ezekiel 32:24. The preceding statements are confirmed by Loftus, who with Col. Williams visited and in part explored these ruins in 1851-2. Shush, we say, abounds in lions, wolves, lynxes, jackals, boars, etc. During nine months of the year the country is burnt up by the most intense heat, though exceedingly rich and beautiful in the rainy season. His excavations in the great mound disclosed the ruins of a vast palace, commenced apparently by Darius, carried on by Xerxes, and finished by Artaxerxes Mnemon. It is altogether probable that this was the scene of the festival described in Esther 1:1-22. The "pillars of marble" may perhaps be even now traced in the ruined colonnade forming a great central court; the huge columns were fluted and highly ornamented, and one of the capitals measured was twenty-eight feet high. Easton's Bible Dictionary A lily, the Susa of Greek and Roman writers, once the capital of Elam. It lay in the uplands of Susiana, on the east of the Tigris, about 150 miles to the north of the head of the Persian Gulf. It is the modern Shush, on the northwest of Shuster. Once a magnificent city, it is now an immense mass of ruins. Here Daniel saw one of his visions (Dan. 8); and here also Nehemiah (Nehemiah 1) began his public life. Most of the events recorded in the Book of Esther took place here. Modern explorers have brought to light numerous relics, and the ground-plan of the splendid palace of Shushan, one of the residences of the great king, together with numerous specimens of ancient art, which illustrate the statements of Scripture regarding it (Dan. 8:2). The great hall of this palace (Esther 1) "consisted of several magnificent groups of columns, together with a frontage of 343 feet 9 inches, and a depth of 244 feet. These groups were arranged into a central phalanx of thirty-six columns (six rows of six each), flanked on the west, north, and east by an equal number, disposed in double rows of six each, and distant from them 64 feet 2 inches." The inscriptions on the ruins represent that the palace was founded by Darius and completed by Artaxerxes.International Standard Bible Encyclopedia SHUSHANshoo'-shan (shushan; Sousan, Sousa): SHUSHAN EDUTH shoo'-shan e'-duth. Greek 4677. Sousanna -- "lily," Susanna, one of the women accompanying ... ... Word Origin of Hebrew origin shushan Definition "lily," Susanna, one of the women accompanying Jesus on His journeys NASB Word Usage Susanna (1). Susanna. ... //strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4677.htm - 6k Strong's Hebrew 7802. Shushan Eduth -- Shoshannim-Eduth, Shushan-eduthShushan Eduth or Shoshannim Eduth. 7801, 7802. Shushan Eduth or Shoshannim Eduth. 7803 . Shoshannim-Eduth, Shushan-eduth. Transliteration ... /hebrew/7802.htm - 6k 7800. Shushan -- residence of Pers. kings 7799. shushan -- probably lily (or any lily-like flower) Library A Reformer's Schooling Esther, the Queen. The Kingdom Restored The Court of the Gentiles. The Mountain of the House, in the ... The Church and Social Evils Concerning Esther and Mordecai and Haman; and How in the Reign of ... The Later Hebrew Histories. Hebrew Captives; Or, Mordecai and Esther. Appendix 1 Massecheth Middoth Title and Position. Thesaurus Shushan (19 Occurrences)... Modern explorers have brought to light numerous relics, and the ground-plan of the splendid palace of Shushan, one of the residences of the great king ...SHUSHAN. ... /s/shushan.htm - 21k Shushan-eduth (1 Occurrence) Susa (20 Occurrences) Castle (26 Occurrences) Eduth (3 Occurrences) Citadel (20 Occurrences) Edict (22 Occurrences) Capital (29 Occurrences) Fourteenth (25 Occurrences) Runners (21 Occurrences) Resources Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible ThesuarusConcordance Shushan (19 Occurrences)Nehemiah 1:1 Esther 1:2 Esther 1:5 Esther 2:5 Esther 2:8 Esther 3:15 Esther 4:8 Esther 4:16 Esther 8:14 Esther 8:15 Esther 9:6 Esther 9:11 Esther 9:12 Esther 9:13 Esther 9:14 Esther 9:15 Esther 9:18 Psalms 59:17 Daniel 8:2 Subtopics Shushan (Susa): Capitol of the Medo-Persian Empire Shushan (Susa): King's Palace At Related Terms |