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אֶלָּסָר

𐤀𐤋𐤎𐤓

Elasar

H495 noun

SILEX Entry

Root uncertain uncertain (foreign proper noun; toponym)

Definition

Ellasar is the name of an ancient kingdom or city-state mentioned in the Hebrew Bible, specifically associated with Arioch, its king, in the account of Genesis 14. The term functions as a proper noun, designating a specific geopolitical entity rather than an ethnonym or general term. Its precise geographical location and etymology remain uncertain, though scholars have variously proposed sites in Mesopotamia, often correlating with areas in southern or central Babylonia. The semantic range is limited to this toponymic and historical use as a named polity in early biblical narrative.

Semantic Range

name of an ancient kingdom or city-state in Mesopotamia associated with Arioch, proper noun designating a polity or territory, no broader usage in Hebrew

Root / Etymology

Etymology uncertain. The term אֶלָּסָר does not derive from a recognized Hebrew root and is considered of foreign (likely Akkadian or other Northwest Semitic) origin. Various ancient sources have attempted to associate it with known Mesopotamian cities, such as Larsa (modern Tell as-Senkereh), but such identifications remain conjectural. The Hebrew spelling preserves the biblical tradition's rendering of the foreign name.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, Ellasar appears only in Genesis 14:1,9 in the narrative of the alliance of kings raiding the region of Sodom and Gomorrah. It is linked to Arioch, identified as 'king of Ellasar.' The text presents Ellasar as a distinct political entity contemporary with the patriarchal period. The passage's archaic style situates Ellasar prior to the Israelite monarchy, reflecting traditions of interregional warfare and alliances in the ancient Near East. Due to the foreign derivation of the term, its inclusion in Hebrew lexica is as a loanword preserved in biblical tradition, with no subsequent development or usage in later Hebrew literature. In standard English translations, the name 'Ellasar' is retained as a transliteration, but its historical referent remains debated among scholars due to sparse extrabiblical attestation. The term is not used as an ethnonym and refers solely to the polity/governing territory by that name.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

probably of foreign derivation; Ellasar, an early country of Asia; Ellasar.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

uncertain (uncertain) — foreign proper noun; toponym

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1085 בִּלְדַּד Bildad
H1095 בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּר Belteshatsar
H1114 בִּלְשָׁן Bilshan
H1150 בִּנְעָא Bin'a
H116 אֱדַיִן and then

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H495-01 אֶלָּסָ֑ר elasar HNp Ellasar Ellasar 2

Occurrences in Scripture

2 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H495-01 Genesis 14:1 אֶלָּסָ֑ר elasar HNp Ellasar Ellasar
H495-01 Genesis 14:9 אֶלָּסָ֑ר elasar HNp of Ellasar Ellasar
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