Topical Encyclopedia
Geographical and Historical Context:Mesopotamia, often referred to as the "Cradle of Civilization," is a historical region located in the eastern Mediterranean, bounded by the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. This area corresponds to present-day Iraq, parts of Iran, Syria, and Turkey. The name "Mesopotamia" is derived from the Greek words "mesos" (middle) and "potamos" (river), meaning "land between the rivers." It is renowned for being one of the earliest centers of human civilization, where writing, agriculture, and urbanization first emerged.
Biblical Significance:Mesopotamia holds significant importance in the biblical narrative. It is often associated with the early chapters of Genesis and the origins of humanity. The region is traditionally identified with the location of the Garden of Eden, as described in
Genesis 2:10-14, where a river flowed out of Eden to water the garden and divided into four headwaters, including the Tigris and Euphrates.
Patriarchal Connections:The patriarch Abraham, a central figure in the Bible, hailed from Ur of the Chaldeans, a city located in southern Mesopotamia (
Genesis 11:31). God called Abraham to leave his homeland and journey to the land of Canaan, marking the beginning of the covenant relationship between God and the people of Israel. This call is recorded in
Genesis 12:1-3, where the Lord said to Abram, "Go from your country, your people and your father's household to the land I will show you."
Cultural and Religious Influence:Mesopotamia was a melting pot of cultures and religions, influencing the surrounding regions, including the biblical lands. The Mesopotamian civilization contributed significantly to the development of writing, law, and governance, which had indirect impacts on the biblical world. The Code of Hammurabi, for instance, is one of the earliest known sets of laws and reflects the legal traditions that would later influence Israelite law.
Exile and Prophecy:The Neo-Assyrian and Neo-Babylonian empires, both centered in Mesopotamia, played pivotal roles in the history of Israel and Judah. The Assyrians conquered the northern kingdom of Israel in 722 BC, leading to the dispersion of the ten tribes. Later, the Babylonians, under King Nebuchadnezzar II, captured Jerusalem in 586 BC, resulting in the Babylonian Exile of the Judeans. This period of exile is a significant theme in the prophetic books, where prophets like Jeremiah and Ezekiel ministered to the exiled community, offering hope and calling for repentance.
New Testament References:In the New Testament, Mesopotamia is mentioned in the context of the Day of Pentecost.
Acts 2:9 lists "Parthians, Medes, and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia" among those present in Jerusalem who heard the apostles speaking in their own languages, signifying the widespread reach of the early Christian message.
Conclusion:Mesopotamia's rich history and its interactions with the biblical narrative underscore its importance as a backdrop for many significant events in Scripture. Its influence is seen in the lives of the patriarchs, the legal and cultural developments of the ancient Near East, and the prophetic messages that shaped the faith and identity of the Israelite people.
Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary
Mesopotamiabetween two rivers
Smith's Bible Dictionary
Mesopotamia(between the rivers), the entire country between the two rivers, the Tigris and the Euphrates. This is a tract nearly 700 miles long and from 20 to 250 miles broad, extending in a southeasterly direction fromTelek toKurnah . The Arabian geographers term it "the Island," a name which is almost literally correct, since a few miles only intervene between the source of the Tigris and the Euphrates atTelek . But the region which bears the name of Mesopotamia,par excellence , both in Scripture and in the classical writers, is the northwestern portion of this tract, or the country between the great bend of the Euphrates, lat. 35 degrees to 37 degrees 30, and the upper Tigris. We first hear of Mesopotamia in Scripture as the country where Nahor and his family settled after quitting Ur of the Chaldees. (Genesis 24:10) Here lived Bethuel and Laban; and hither Abraham sent his servants to fetch Isaac a wife. Ibid. ver. 38. Hither too, a century later, came Jacob on the same errand; and hence he returned with his two wives after an absence of twenty-one years. After this we have no mention of Mesopotamia till the close of the wanderings int he wilderness. (23:4) About half a century later we find, for the first and last time, Mesopotamia the seat of a powerful monarchy. (Judges 3:1) ... Finally, the children of Ammon, having provoked a war with David, "sent a thousand talents of silver to hire them chariots and horsemen out of Mesopotamia, and out of Syria-maachah, and out of Zobah." (1 Chronicles 19:6) According to the Assyrian inscriptions Mesopotamia was inhabited in the early times of the empire, B.C. 1200-1100, by a vast number of petty tribes, each under its own prince, and all quite independent of one another. The Assyrian monarchs contended with these chiefs at great advantage, and by the time of Jehu, B.C. 880, had fully established their dominion over them. On the destruction of the Assyrian empire, Mesopotamia seems to have been divided between the Medes and the Babylonians. The conquests of Cyrus brought it wholly under the Persian yoke; and thus it continued to the time of Alexander. Since 1516 it has formed a part of the Turkish empire. It is full of ruins and mounds of ancient cities, some of which are now throwing much light on the Scripture.
ATS Bible Dictionary
MesopotamiaBetween the rivers, the Greek name of the country between the Euphrates and the Tigris, called in Arabic, Al Jezira, the island. SeeARAM 2, andPADAN-ARAM. In its fullest sense, Mesopotamia extended from the Persian Gulf to mount Taurus; but the name usually denotes only the tract above Babylonia, now called Dearbekr and celebrated for its exuberant fertility; while the part below, now Irak-Arabi, is sterile and without water. Mesopotamia was including the territories of the Assyrian, Babylonian, Persian, Macedonian, and Roman empires successively, and belongs now to that of the Turks.
This region is associated with the earliest history of the human race both before and after the flood. Eden was not far off; Ararat was near to it on the north, and the land of Shinar on the south. The traveler here reaches what is truly "the Old World," and is surrounded by objects compared with which the antiquities of Greece and Rome are modern novelties. This was the home of the patriarchs who proceeded Abraham-Terah, Heber, Peleg, etc. Here Abraham and Sarah were born, and the wives of Isaac, and Jacob, and most of the sons of Jacob, the heads of the twelve tribes. Mesopotamia is also mentioned in Scripture as the abode of the first oppressor of Israel in the time of the judges, Jud 3:8-10; in the history of the wars of David,2 Samuel 10:16; and as furnishing a delegation of Jews, and perhaps proselytes, to attend the Passover at Jerusalem,Acts 2:9.
Easton's Bible Dictionary
The country between the two rivers (Hebrews Aram-naharaim; i.e., "Syria of the two rivers"), the name given by the Greeks and Romans to the region between the Euphrates and the Tigris (
Genesis 24:10;
Deuteronomy 23:4;
Judges 3:8, 10). In the Old Testament it is mentioned also under the name "Padan-aram;" i.e., the plain of Aram, or Syria (
Genesis 25:20). The northern portion of this fertile plateau was the original home of the ancestors of the Hebrews (
Genesis 11;
Acts 7:2). From this region Isaac obtained his wife Rebecca (
Genesis 24:10, 15), and here also Jacob sojourned (
28:2-7) and obtained his wives, and here most of his sons were born (
35:26;
46:15). The petty, independent tribes of this region, each under its own prince, were warlike, and used chariots in battle. They maintained their independence till after the time of David, when they fell under the dominion of Assyria, and were absorbed into the empire (
2 Kings 19:13).
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
MESOPOTAMIAmes-o-ta'-mi-a.
SeeSYRIA.
Greek
3318.Mesopotamia --Mesopotamia, a region through which the...... 3317, 3318.
Mesopotamia. 3319 .
Mesopotamia, a region through which the Tigris
and Euphrates Rivers flow. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
...5488. Charran -- Haran, a city in northwestMesopotamia
... Haran, a city in northwestMesopotamia. Part of Speech: Proper Noun, Indeclinable
Transliteration: Charran Phonetic Spelling: (khar-hran') Short Definition...
897. Babulon -- "gate of god(s)," Babylon, a large city situated...
... 897 -- , the wicked, godless city in ancientMesopotamia, was the most powerful
city in the world in OT times (especially from 605 bc to 539 bc )....
Strong's Hebrew
2012. Hena -- a city in Aram (Syria) orMesopotamia... 2011, 2012. Hena. 2013 . a city in Aram (Syria) or
Mesopotamia. Transliteration:
Hena Phonetic Spelling: (hay-nah') Short Definition: Hena.
...2024. Hara -- a region of N.Mesopotamia
... 2023, 2024. Hara. 2025 . a region of N.Mesopotamia. Transliteration:
Hara Phonetic Spelling: (haw-raw') Short Definition: Hara....
8515. Telassar -- a city inMesopotamia
... 8514, 8515. Telassar. 8516 . a city inMesopotamia. Transliteration: Telassar
Phonetic Spelling: (tel-as-sar') Short Definition: Telassar....
2771a. Charan -- "crossroads," a city in N.Mesopotamia
... 2771, 2771a. Charan. 2771b . "crossroads," a city in N.Mesopotamia.
Transliteration: Charan Short Definition: Haran. Word Origin...
1470. Gozan -- a city and area inMesopotamia
... 1469, 1470. Gozan. 1471 . a city and area inMesopotamia. Transliteration:
Gozan Phonetic Spelling: (go-zawn') Short Definition: Gozan....
2771. Charan -- "crossroads," a city in N.Mesopotamia
... 2770, 2771. Charan. 2771a . "crossroads," a city in N.Mesopotamia.
Transliteration: Charan Phonetic Spelling: (kaw-rawn') Short Definition: Haran....
763. Aram Naharayim -- "Aram of (the) two rivers," a district of...
... Aram of (the) two rivers," a district of Aram (Syria). Transliteration: Aram Naharayim
Phonetic Spelling: (ar-am' nah-har-ah'-yim) Short Definition:Mesopotamia...
758. Aram -- Syria and its inhab., also the names of a son of Shem...
... Nahor, and an Isr. NASB Word Usage Aram (65), Aram-maacah* (1), Arameans
(64). Aram,Mesopotamia, Syria, Syrians. From the same as...
3529. Kebar -- a river of Bab.
... NASB Word Usage Chebar (8). Kebar, a river ofMesopotamia. The same as kbar; length;
Kebar, a river ofMesopotamia -- Chebar. Compare Chabowr. see HEBREW kbar....
5729. Eden -- a territory conquered by Assyr.
... NASB Word Usage Eden (3). Eden. From adan; pleasure; Eden, a place inMesopotamia --
Eden. see HEBREW adan. 5728, 5729. Eden. 5730 . Strong's Numbers.
Library
Add??us Preached at Edessa and inMesopotamia
... Add??us preached at Edessa and inMesopotamia. Add??us [2948] preached at Edessa and
inMesopotamia (he was from Paneus [2949] ) in the days of Abgar the king....
How Throughout Palestine andMesopotamia a Daily Service is...
... Prolegomena. Chapter XIX. How throughout Palestine andMesopotamia a daily
service is undertaken by the brethren. In order that...
Of Jacob's Mission toMesopotamia to Get a Wife, and of the vision...
... Chapter 38."Of Jacob's Mission toMesopotamia to Get a Wife, and of the Vision Which
He Saw in a Dream by the Way, and of His Getting Four Women When He...
Concerning Jacob's Flight intoMesopotamia, by Reason of the Fear...
... From The Creation To The Death Of Isaac. CHAPTER 19. Concerning Jacob's Flight Into
Mesopotamia, By Reason Of The Fear He Was In Of His Brother....
Why, in the Account of Terah's Emigration, on his Forsaking the...
... Chapter 13."Why, in the Account of Terah's Emigration, on His Forsaking the Chaldeans
and Passing Over intoMesopotamia, No Mention is Made of His Son Nahor....
And Jacob, when He Went intoMesopotamia, Saw Him in a Dream...
... THE DEMONSTRATION OF THE APOSTOLIC PREACHING Chapter 45 And Jacob, when
he went intoMesopotamia, saw Him in a dream? And Jacob...
Propagation of Christianity among the Persians by Maruthas Bishop...
... Book VII. Chapter VIII."Propagation of Christianity among the Persians
by Maruthas Bishop ofMesopotamia. About this same time...
Of the Fall and Deception of a Monk ofMesopotamia.
... II. Second Conference of Abbot Moses. Chapter VIII. Of the fall and deception
of a monk ofMesopotamia. It is a long business too...
Of the Time of the Migration of Abraham, When, According to the...
... Therefore that was the number of the years of Terah, when Abraham departed out of
that city ofMesopotamia; for he had reached the seventy-fifth year of his...
Psalm LX.
... To the end, in behalf of those men that shall be changed unto the title's inscription,
unto teaching for David himself, when he burned upMesopotamia in Syria...
Thesaurus
Mesopotamia (8 Occurrences)... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia.
MESOPOTAMIA. mes-o-ta'-mi-a. See SYRIA.
Multi-Version Concordance
Mesopotamia (8 Occurrences).
...Mesopota'mia (7 Occurrences)
Mesopota'mia.Mesopotamia, Mesopota'mia. Mess . Multi-Version Concordance
Mesopota'mia (7 Occurrences). Acts 2:9 Parthians, and...
Naharaim (5 Occurrences)
... in his hand. And he arose, and went toMesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor.
(See JPS DBY YLT NIV). Deuteronomy 23:4 because they...
Chushanrishathaim (2 Occurrences)
... Cush of double wickedness, or governor of two presidencies, the king ofMesopotamia
who oppressed Israel in the generation immediately following Joshua (Judges...
Chushan-rishathaim (2 Occurrences)
... Cush of double wickedness, or governor of two presidencies, the king ofMesopotamia
who oppressed Israel in the generation immediately following Joshua (Judges...
Othniel (7 Occurrences)
... Some thirty years after the death of Joshua, the Israelites fell under the
subjection of Chushan-rishathaim (qv), the king ofMesopotamia....
Cushan-rishathaim (2 Occurrences)
... he of the twofold crime"; Septuagint Chousarsathaim, the King James Version
Chushan-rishathaim): Mentioned in Judges 3:8-10 as a king ofMesopotamia who was...
Aram-naharaim (5 Occurrences)
... Aram of the two rivers, isMesopotamia (as it is rendered in Genesis 24:10), the
country enclosed between the Tigris on the east and the Euphrates on the west...
Ur (5 Occurrences)
... or Harran. Harran was inMesopotamia, and took its name from the highroad
which led through it from the east to the west. The name...
Parthians (1 Occurrence)
... in Josephus, and they had an important connection with the history of the Jews,
on account of the large colonies of the latter inMesopotamia, and the...
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