Topical Encyclopedia
Historical Context:Persia, known in the Bible as a significant empire, played a crucial role in the history of Israel and the Jewish people. The Persian Empire, under the leadership of Cyrus the Great, conquered Babylon in 539 BC, marking the end of the Babylonian captivity for the Jews. This event is pivotal in biblical history, as it allowed the exiled Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple.
Biblical References:The Bible mentions Persia in several books, highlighting its influence and interactions with the Jewish people. In the Book of Daniel, Persia is depicted as a dominant power following the fall of Babylon.
Daniel 10:13 refers to the "prince of the kingdom of Persia," indicating spiritual warfare involving angelic beings and the Persian realm.
In the Book of Ezra, the decree of Cyrus is recorded, allowing the Jews to return to their homeland.
Ezra 1:1-2 states, "In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken through Jeremiah, the LORD stirred the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia to send a proclamation throughout his kingdom and to put it in writing: 'This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and has appointed me to build a house for Him at Jerusalem in Judah.'"
The Book of Esther is set in the Persian Empire, during the reign of King Xerxes (Ahasuerus). This narrative highlights the providence of God in protecting His people through Esther, a Jewish queen, and Mordecai, her cousin.
Esther 1:1 introduces the setting: "This is what happened in the days of Xerxes, who reigned over 127 provinces from India to Cush."
Cultural and Religious Influence:Persia's influence extended beyond political power; it also impacted the cultural and religious landscape of the ancient Near East. The Persian policy of religious tolerance allowed the Jews to practice their faith freely and rebuild their Temple, as seen in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. This period of restoration was significant for the Jewish community, as it marked a renewal of religious and national identity.
Prophetic Significance:The prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah foretold the rise of Persia and its role in God's plan for His people.
Isaiah 45:1 speaks of Cyrus as the LORD's anointed: "This is what the LORD says to Cyrus His anointed, whose right hand I have grasped to subdue nations before him, to disarm kings, to open the doors before him so that the gates will not be shut." This prophecy underscores the divine orchestration of historical events, using Persia as an instrument for the fulfillment of God's promises.
Legacy:The legacy of Persia in biblical history is one of deliverance and restoration. The Persian Empire's policies facilitated the return of the Jewish exiles and the rebuilding of Jerusalem, setting the stage for subsequent developments in Jewish history. Persia's role in the biblical narrative exemplifies the sovereignty of God over nations and His faithfulness to His covenant people.
Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary
Persiathat cuts or divides; a nail; a gryphon; a horseman
Smith's Bible Dictionary
Persia(pure, splended),Per'sians. Persia proper was a tract of no very large dimensions on the Persian Gulf, which is still known asFars orFarsistan , a corruption of the ancient appellation. This tract was bounded on the west by Susiana or Elam, on the north by Media on the south by the Persian Gulf and on the east by Carmania. But the name is more commonly applied, both in Scripture and by profane authors to the entire tract which came by degrees to be included within the limits of the Persian empire. This empire extended at one time from India on the east to Egypt and Thrace on the west, and included. besides portions of Europe and Africa, the whole of western Asia between the Black Sea, the Caucasus, the Caspian and the Jaxartes on the north, the Arabian desert the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean on the south. The only passage in Scripture where Persia designates the tract which has been called above "Persia proper" is (Ezekiel 38:5) Elsewhere the empire is intended. The Persians were of the same race as the Medes, both being branches of the great Aryan stock.
- Character of the nation . --The Persians were a people of lively and impressible minds, brave and impetuous in war, witty, passionate, for Orientals truthful, not without some spirit of generosity: and of more intellectual capacity than the generality of Asiatics. In the times anterior to Cyrus they were noted for the simplicity of their habits, which offered a strong contrast to the luxuriousness of the Medes; but from the late of the Median overthrow this simplicity began to decline. Polygamy was commonly practiced among them. They were fond of the pleasures of the table. In war they fought bravely, but without discipline.
- Religion . --The religion which the Persians brought with there into Persia proper seems to have been of a very simple character, differing from natural religion in little except that it was deeply tainted with Dualism. Like the other Aryans, the Persians worshipped one supreme God. They had few temples, and no altars or images.
- Language . --The Persian language was closely akin to the Sanskrit, or ancient language of India. Modern Persian is its degenerate representative, being largely impregnated with Arabic.
- History . --The history of Persia begins with the revolt from the Medes and the accession of Cyrus the Great, B.C. 558. Cyrus defeated Croesus, and added the Lydian empire to his dominions. This conquest was followed closely by the submission of the Greek settlements on the Asiatic coast, and by the reduction of Caria and Lycia The empire was soon afterward extended greatly toward the northeast and east. In B.C. 539 or 538, Babylon was attacked, and after a stout defence fell into the hands of Cyrus. This victory first brought the Persians into contact with the Jews. The conquerors found in Babylon an oppressed race--like themselves, abhorrers of idols, and professors of a religion in which to a great extent they could sympathize. This race Cyrus determined to restore to their own country: which he did by the remarkable edict recorded in the first chapter of Ezra. (Ezra 1:2-4) He was slain in an expedition against the Massagetae or the Derbices, after a reign of twenty-nine years. Under his son and successor, Cambyses, the conquest of Egypt took place, B.C. 525. This prince appears to be the Ahasuerus of (Ezra 4:6) Gomates, Cambyses' successor, reversed the policy of Cyrus with respect to the Jews, and forbade by an edict the further building of the temple. (Ezra 4:17-22) He reigned but seven months, and was succeeded by Darius. Appealed to, in his second year, by the Jews, who wished to resume the construction of their temple, Darius not only granted them this privilege, but assisted the work by grants from his own revenues, whereby the Jews were able to complete the temple as early as his sixth year. (Ezra 6:1-15) Darius was succeeded by Xerxes, probably the Ahasuerus of Esther. Artaxerxes, the son of Xerxes, reigned for forty years after his death and is beyond doubt the king of that name who stood in such a friendly relation toward Ezra, (Ezra 7:11-28) and Nehemiah. (Nehemiah 2:1-9) etc. He is the last of the Persian kings who had any special connection with the Jews, and the last but one mentioned in Scripture. His successors were Xerxes II., Sogdianus Darius Nothus, Artaxerxes Mnemon, Artaxerxes Ochus, and Darius Codomannus, who is probably the "Darius the Persian" of Nehemiah (Nehemiah 12:22) These monarchs reigned from B.C. 424 to B.C. 330. The collapse of the empire under the attack of Alexander the Great took place B.C. 330.
ATS Bible Dictionary
PersiaIn Hebrew Paras,Ezekiel 27:10, a vast region in Asia, the southwestern province of which lying between ancient media on the north and the Persian Gulf on the south, appears to have been the ancient Persia, and is still called Pharsistan, or Fars. The Persians, who became so famous after Cyrus, the founder of their more extended monarchy, were anciently called Elamites; and later, in the time of the Roman emperors, Parthians. See PARTHIA.
The early history of the Persians, like that of most of the oriental nations, is involved in doubt and perplexity. Their descent is traced to Shem, through his son Elam, after whom they were originally named. It is probable that they enjoyed their independence for several ages, with a monarchical succession of their own; until they were subdued by the Assyrians and their country attached as a province to that empire. From this period, both sacred and profane writers distinguish the kingdom of the Medes from that of the Persians. It is not improbable that, during this period, petty revolutions might have occasioned temporary disjunctions of Persia from Assyria, and that the Persian king was quickly again made sensible of his true allegiance. When Media became independent, under Dejoes and then Phraortes, Persia became also subject to its sway, as a tributary kingdom. Media having vanquished her great rival Assyria enjoyed a long interval of peace, during the reign of Astyages, son of Cyaxares. But his successor, Cyaxares the Second, united with the Persians against the Babylonians, and gave the command of the combined armies to Cyrus, who took the city of Babylon, killed Belshazzar, the terminated that kingdom 538 B. C.
Cyrus succeeded to the thrones of Media and Persia, and completed the union between those countries, which appear to have been in reality but two nations of he same race, having the same religion (See MAGI and MEDIA,) and using languages near akin to each other and to the ancient Sanscrit. Previously to their union under Cyrus, Daniel speaks of the law of the Medes and Persians as being the same.
The union was effected B. C. 536. The principal events relating to Scripture, which occurred during the reign of Cyrus, were the restoration of the Jews, the rebuilding of the city and temple, and the capture of Babylon, B. C. 539,Ezra 1:2. His dominion extended from the Mediterranean to the region of the Indus. Cambyses his successor, B. C. 529, added Egypt to the Persian realm, and the supremacy of Egypt and Syria was often in contest during subsequent reigns,Ezra 4:6. He was followed by Smerdis the Magian, B. C. 522,Ezra 4:7; Darius Hystapis, B. C. 521,Ezra 5:6; Xerxes, the Ahasuerus of the book of Esther, B. C. 485, Artabanus, B. C. 465; Artaxerxes Longimanus, B. C. 464,Nehemiah 2:1; Xerxes 2., B. C. 424; Sogdianus and Darius Nothus, B. C. 424; Artaxerxes Mnemon, B. C. 404; Artaxerxes Ochus, B. C. 364; Arses, B. C. 338; and Darius Codomanus, B. C. 335, who was subdued and slain by Alexander of Macedon, B. C. 330. In the seventh century Persia fell under the power of the Saracens, in the thirteenth it was conquered by Genghis Khan, and in the fourteenth by Tamerlane. Modern Persia is bounded north by Georgia, the Caspian sea, and Tartary; east by Afghanistan and Beloochistan; south by Ormus; and west by the dominions of Turkey. Its inhabitants retain to a remarkable extent the manners and custom of ancient Persia, of which we have so vivid a picture in Esther, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Daniel.
Easton's Bible Dictionary
An ancient empire, extending from the Indus to Thrace, and from the Caspian Sea to the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf. The Persians were originally a Medic tribe which settled in Persia, on the eastern side of the Persian Gulf. They were Aryans, their language belonging to the eastern division of the Indo-European group. One of their chiefs, Teispes, conquered Elam in the time of the decay of the Assyrian Empire, and established himself in the district of Anzan. His descendants branched off into two lines, one line ruling in Anzan, while the other remained in Persia. Cyrus II., king of Anzan, finally united the divided power, conquered Media, Lydia, and Babylonia, and carried his arms into the far East. His son, Cambyses, added Egypt to the empire, which, however, fell to pieces after his death. It was reconquered and thoroughly organized by Darius, the son of Hystaspes, whose dominions extended from India to the Danube.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
PERSIApur'-sha, (parats; Persia; in Assyrian Parsu, Parsua; in Achemenian Persian Parsa, modern Fars): In the Bible (2 Chronicles 36:20, 22, 23Ezra 1:1, 8Esther 1:3, 14, 18;Esther 10:2Ezekiel 27:10;Ezekiel 38:5Daniel 8:20;Daniel 10:1;Daniel 11:2) this name denotes properly the modern province of Fars, not the whole Persian empire. The latter was by its people called Airyaria, the present Iran (from the Sanskrit word arya, "noble"); and even now the Persians never call their country anything but Iran, never "Persia." The province of Persis lay to the East of Elam (Susiana), and stretched from the Persian Gulf to the Great Salt Desert, having Carmania on the Southeast. Its chief cities were Persepolis and Pasargadae. Along the Persian Gulf the land is low, hot and unhealthy, but it soon begins to rise as one travels inland. Most of the province consists of high and steep mountains and plateaus, with fertile valleys. The table-lands in which lie the modern city of Shiraz and the ruins of Persepolis and Pasargadae are well watered and productive. Nearer the desert, however, cultivation grows scanty for want of water. Persia was doubtless in early times included in Elam, and its population was then either Semitic or allied to the Accadians, who founded more than one state in the Babylonian plain. The Aryan Persians seem to have occupied the country in the 8th or 9th century B.C.
W. St. Clair Tisdall
Greek
1639. Elamites -- an Elamite, an inhabitant of Elam... el-am-ee'-tace) Short Definition: an Elamite Definition: an Elamite, one of a people
living to the north of the Persian Gulf in the southern part of
Persia.
...Strong's Hebrew
783b. Artachshast -- a son and successor of Xerxes, king ofPersia... 783a, 783b. Artachshast. 784 . a son and successor of Xerxes, king of
Persia.
Transliteration: Artachshast Short Definition: Artaxerxes.
...6542. Parsi -- inhab. ofPersia
... Parsi. 6543 . inhab. ofPersia. Transliteration: Parsi Phonetic Spelling:
(par-see') Short Definition: Persian.... ofPersia NASB Word Usage Persian (1). Persian....
6543. Parsay -- inhab. ofPersia
... Parsay. 6544 . inhab. ofPersia. Transliteration: Parsay Phonetic Spelling:
(par-see') Short Definition: Persian.... ofPersia NASB Word Usage Persian (1). Persian...
783a. Artachshasta -- a son and successor of Xerxes, king of...
... 783, 783a. Artachshasta. 783b . a son and successor of Xerxes, king ofPersia.
Transliteration: Artachshasta Short Definition: Artaxerxes....
4462. Memukan -- a prince ofPersia and Media
... Memukan or Momukan. 4463 . a prince ofPersia and Media. Transliteration: Memukan
or Momukan Phonetic Spelling: (mem-oo-kawn') Short Definition: Memucan....
325. Achashverosh -- king ofPersia
... 324, 325. Achashverosh. 326 . king ofPersia. Transliteration: Achashverosh
Phonetic Spelling: (akh-ash-vay-rosh') Short Definition: Ahasuerus....
783. Artachshashta' -- a son and successor of Xerxes, king of...
... a son and successor of Xerxes, king ofPersia. Transliteration: Artachshashta' Phonetic
Spelling: (ar-takh-shash-taw') Short Definition: Artaxerxes. Artaxerxes...
6539. Paras -- a country in W. Asia which conquered Bab.
... a country in W. Asia which conquered Bab. Transliteration: Paras Phonetic Spelling:
(paw-ras') Short Definition:Persia.... NASB Word UsagePersia (28)....
6540. Paras -- a country in W. Asia which conquered Bab.
... NASB Word UsagePersia (2), Persians (4).Persia, Persians. (Aramaic) corresponding
to Parac --Persia, Persians. see HEBREW Parac. 6539, 6540. Paras. 6541 >...
307. Achmetha -- the capital of Media
... Achmetha. Of Persian derivation; Achmetha (ie Ecbatana), the summer capital ofPersia --
Achmetha. 306, 307. Achmetha. 308 . Strong's Numbers.
Library
Of the Persecutions inPersia and of them that were Martyred There...
... Book V. Chapter XXXVIII."Of the persecutions inPersia and of them that were
martyred there.... In Soc. vii. 8 he is "bishop ofPersia."....
The Return of Xerxes toPersia.
... CHAPTER XII. THE RETURN OF XERXES TOPERSIA.... Xerxes immediately determined on returning
toPersia himself, and leaving Mardonius to complete the conquest....
Expedition of Julian intoPersia; He was Worsted and Broke
... Book VI. Chapter I."Expedition of Julian intoPersia; he was worsted and broke.
off his Life Miserably. Letter written by Libanius, describing his Death....
The Emperor's Invasion ofPersia, and Death.
... Book III. Chapter XXI."The Emperor's Invasion ofPersia, and Death. The
emperor meanwhile invaded the country of the Persians...
Sapor King ofPersia is Excited against the Christians. Symeon...
... Chapter IX."Sapor King ofPersia is Excited against the Christians. Symeon, Bishop
ofPersia, and Usthazanes, a Eunuch, Suffer the Agony of Martyrdom....
Monks of Syria andPersia: Battheus, Eusebius, Barges, Halas, Abbo...
... Chapter XXXIII."Monks of Syria andPersia: Battheus, Eusebius, Barges, Halas, Abbo,
Lazarus, Abdaleus, Zeno, Heliodorus, Eusebius of Carr??, Protogenes, and...
Truce withPersia. Honorius and Stilicho. Transactions in Rome and...
... Book IX. Chapter IV."Truce withPersia. Honorius and Stilicho. Transactions
in Rome and Dalmatia. Although the Persians had prepared...
Christians Slain by Sapor inPersia.
... Book II. Chapter X."Christians slain by Sapor inPersia. In this manner
the honorable life of Usthazanes was terminated, and when...
Life inPersia.
Life of Henry Martyn, Missionary to India andPersia. <.... LIFE INPERSIA.
From this time a change comes over Mr. Martyn's varied life....
Life of Henry Martyn, Missionary to India andPersia
Life of Henry Martyn, Missionary to India andPersia. <.... (A SERIES.). LIFE
OF HENRY MARTYN, MISSIONARY TO INDIA ANDPERSIA, 1781 to 1812....
Thesaurus
Persia (30 Occurrences)... The Persians were originally a Medic tribe which settled in
Persia, on the eastern
side of the Persian Gulf.
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia.
PERSIA.
...Media (14 Occurrences)
... Esther 1:3 in the third year of his reign, he made a feast for all his princes and
his servants; the power ofPersia and Media, the nobles and princes of the...
Realm (23 Occurrences)
... 2 Chronicles 36:22 Now in the first year of Cyrus king ofPersia, that the word
of Yahweh by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, Yahweh stirred up the...
Waked (13 Occurrences)
... 2 Chronicles 36:22 And in the first year of Cyrus king ofPersia, at the completion
of the word of Jehovah in the mouth of Jeremiah, hath Jehovah waked up the...
Intimation (4 Occurrences)
... 2 Chronicles 36:22 And in the first year of Cyrus king ofPersia, at the completion
of the word of Jehovah in the mouth of Jeremiah, hath Jehovah waked up the...
Cambyses
... CAMBYSES. kam-bi'-sez (Aram., cnbnzy; Persian, Kambujiya; Assyrian, Kambuzia; Egyptian,
Kambythet; Susian, Kanpuziya): The older son of Cyrus, king ofPersia....
Proclamation (31 Occurrences)
... 2 Chronicles 36:22 Now in the first year of Cyrus king ofPersia, that the word
of Yahweh by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, Yahweh stirred up the...
Darius (26 Occurrences)
... (2.) Darius, king ofPersia, was the son of Hystaspes, of the royal family of the
Achaemenidae. He did not immediately succeed Cyrus on the throne....
Nehemiah (9 Occurrences)
... At the close of this important period of his public life, he returned toPersia
to the service of his royal master at Shushan or Ecbatana....
Medes (15 Occurrences)
... Though of Persian descent, Cyrus did not, apparently, begin to reign inPersia till
546 BC Henceforth there was no Median empire distinguished from the Persian...
Resources
What is the significance of the Medo-Persian Empire in biblical history? | GotQuestions.orgWhy didn't all the Jews want to return to Jerusalem (Ezra 1:5-6)? | GotQuestions.orgWho was Esther in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgBible Concordance •
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