שׁוּשַׁן
𐤔𐤅𐤔𐤍
Shushan
H7800 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Shushan: the name of a prominent city in the region known historically as Elam and later as Persia, best known as the locale of key events in the books of Esther and Daniel. The word refers specifically to the ancient royal city rather than to a plant or flower (despite similarity in spelling to 'lily'). In biblical usage, 'Shushan' designates the city that served as a principal administrative and ceremonial capital under various successive empires (Elamite, Persian, Median, Achaemenid).
Semantic Range
Shushan (proper noun, city name in Persia/Elam); Susa (Greek/Latin form for the same city); not used in Hebrew Bible for the flower 'lily' despite the root; distinct from שׁוּשַׁן (shoshan, 'lily') as a plant name.
Root / Etymology
The word derives from the root שׁוּשׁ (shûsh), which in Hebrew means 'lily.' The toponym שׁוּשַׁן (Shushan) is a transcription of the local Elamite or Old Persian city name (Shusha or Susa). The connection with the Hebrew word for 'lily' is likely due to folk etymology or phonetic coincidence, rather than the city itself being named after the flower. Thus, while the root meaning is 'lily,' the actual lexical meaning here is a proper place name, borrowed from a foreign language. The precise origin in the local dialects is uncertain.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, שׁוּשַׁן (Shushan) functions exclusively as a geographical name, referring to the prominent eastern city, not to the flower. Its significance is greatest in exilic and post-exilic literature, such as Esther and Daniel, reflecting the city's importance as a seat of empire and as the setting for major diaspora narratives. The modern English and other translations often retain 'Shushan' or sometimes use 'Susa' (the Greek form). The connection to 'lily' is not contextually relevant for the place name in the biblical text. Shushan's prominence in late biblical narratives contrasts with its absence from older Israelite traditions, highlighting its emergence as an important locale during and after the Babylonian exile.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
the same as שׁוּשַׁן; Shushan, a place in Persia; Shushan.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
שוש (sh-w-sh) — to rejoice, to exult; lily
Word Forms
4 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7800-01 |
בְּ/שׁוּשַׁ֥ן | beshushan | HR/Np |
in Susa | in Shushan | 15 |
H7800-02 |
שׁוּשַׁ֤ן | shushan | HNp |
Shushan | Shushan | 4 |
H7800-04 |
בְ/שׁוּשָׁ֔ן | veshushan | HR/Np |
in Susa | in Shushan | 1 |
H7800-03 |
וּ/בְ/שׁוּשַׁ֣ן | uveshushan | HC/R/Np |
and in Susa | and in Shushan | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
21 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7800-01 |
Esther 1:2 | בְּ/שׁוּשַׁ֥ן | beshushan | HR/Np |
in Susa | in Shushan |
H7800-01 |
Esther 1:5 | בְּ/שׁוּשַׁ֨ן | beshushan | HR/Np |
in Susa | in Shushan |
H7800-02 |
Esther 2:3 | שׁוּשַׁ֤ן | shushan | HNp |
Susa | Shushan |
H7800-01 |
Esther 2:5 | בְּ/שׁוּשַׁ֣ן | beshushan | HR/Np |
in Susa | in Shushan |
H7800-02 |
Esther 2:8 | שׁוּשַׁ֥ן | shushan | HNp |
Shushan | Shushan |
H7800-01 |
Esther 3:15 | בְּ/שׁוּשַׁ֣ן | beshushan | HR/Np |
in Susa | in Shushan |
H7800-02 |
Esther 3:15 | שׁוּשָׁ֖ן | shushan | HNp |
Susa | Shushan |
H7800-01 |
Esther 4:8 | בְּ/שׁוּשָׁ֤ן | beshushan | HR/Np |
in Susa | in Shushan |
H7800-01 |
Esther 4:16 | בְּ/שׁוּשָׁ֗ן | beshushan | HR/Np |
in Susa | in Shushan |
H7800-01 |
Esther 8:14 | בְּ/שׁוּשַׁ֥ן | beshushan | HR/Np |
in Susa | in Shushan |