Location
Overview
Elam was an ancient kingdom east of the Tigris, in what is now south-western Iran, with its great city Susa (Shushan). It appears from the patriarchs to the prophets.
An ancient power
Elam descends from Shem in the table of nations (Genesis 10:22), and Chedorlaomer "king of Elam" led the eastern alliance Abraham defeated to rescue Lot (Genesis 14:1–9).
The province of the empire
Under Persia, Elam was a key province; Daniel's vision placed Shushan "in the province of Elam, by the river Ulai" (Daniel 8:2), and "the Elamites" were among those present at Pentecost (Acts 2:9).
Oracle and hope
Jeremiah pronounced judgment on Elam — "I will break the bow of Elam" — yet ended with a promise: "I will bring again the captivity of Elam... in the latter days" (Jeremiah 49:34–39).
Events Here
Jeremiah’s oracle against Elam
Scripture References
27 versesGenesis3 verses
Genesis 10:22
The children of Shem; Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram. Arphaxad: Heb. Arpachshad
Genesis 14:1
And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of nations;
Genesis 14:9
With Chedorlaomer the king of Elam, and with Tidal king of nations, and Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar; four kings with five.
1 Chronicles3 verses
1 Chronicles 1:17
The sons of Shem; Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram, and Uz, and Hul, and Gether, and Meshech. Meshech: or, Mash
1 Chronicles 8:24
And Hananiah, and Elam, and Antothijah,
1 Chronicles 26:3
Elam the fifth, Jehohanan the sixth, Elioenai the seventh.
Ezra5 verses
Ezra 2:7
The children of Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four.
Ezra 2:31
The children of the other Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four.
Ezra 8:7
And of the sons of Elam; Jeshaiah the son of Athaliah, and with him seventy males.
Ezra 10:2
And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered and said unto Ezra, We have trespassed against our God, and have taken strange wives of the people of the land: yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing.
Ezra 10:26
And of the sons of Elam; Mattaniah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, and Abdi, and Jeremoth, and Eliah.
Nehemiah4 verses
Nehemiah 7:12
The children of Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four.
Nehemiah 7:34
The children of the other Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four.
Nehemiah 10:14
The chief of the people; Parosh, Pahathmoab, Elam, Zatthu, Bani,
Nehemiah 12:42
And Maaseiah, and Shemaiah, and Eleazar, and Uzzi, and Jehohanan, and Malchijah, and Elam, and Ezer. And the singers sang loud, with Jezrahiah their overseer. sang: Heb. made their voice to be heard
Isaiah3 verses
Isaiah 11:11
And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.
Isaiah 21:2
A grievous vision is declared unto me; the treacherous dealer dealeth treacherously, and the spoiler spoileth. Go up, O Elam: besiege, O Media; all the sighing thereof have I made to cease. grievous: Heb. hard
Isaiah 22:6
And Elam bare the quiver with chariots of men and horsemen, and Kir uncovered the shield. uncovered: Heb. made naked
Jeremiah7 verses
Jeremiah 25:25
And all the kings of Zimri, and all the kings of Elam, and all the kings of the Medes,
Jeremiah 49:34
The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah the prophet against Elam in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, saying,
Jeremiah 49:35
Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Behold, I will break the bow of Elam, the chief of their might.
Jeremiah 49:36
And upon Elam will I bring the four winds from the four quarters of heaven, and will scatter them toward all those winds; and there shall be no nation whither the outcasts of Elam shall not come.
Jeremiah 49:37
For I will cause Elam to be dismayed before their enemies, and before them that seek their life: and I will bring evil upon them, even my fierce anger, saith the LORD; and I will send the sword after them, till I have consumed them:
Jeremiah 49:38
And I will set my throne in Elam, and will destroy from thence the king and the princes, saith the LORD.
Jeremiah 49:39
But it shall come to pass in the latter days, that I will bring again the captivity of Elam, saith the LORD.
Ezekiel1 verse
Ezekiel 32:24
There is Elam and all her multitude round about her grave, all of them slain, fallen by the sword, which are gone down uncircumcised into the nether parts of the earth, which caused their terror in the land of the living; yet have they borne their shame with them that go down to the pit.
Daniel1 verse
Daniel 8:2
And I saw in a vision; and it came to pass, when I saw, that I was at Shushan in the palace, which is in the province of Elam; and I saw in a vision, and I was by the river of Ulai.
Archaeology & History
Elam was one of the oldest civilisations of the Near East, centred on Susa in the plain of Khuzestan in south-western Iran. Long a rival of Mesopotamia, it was absorbed into the Persian Empire — which is why its chief city Susa became a Persian capital and the setting of Esther and Daniel.
People who appear here
Frequently asked about Elam
Where is Elam today?
Today, Elam corresponds to Khuzestan, south-west Iran.
What happened at Elam in the Bible?
Key biblical events at Elam include jeremiah’s oracle against elam.
Where is Elam first mentioned in the Bible?
Elam is first mentioned in Genesis 10:22.
How often is Elam mentioned in the Bible?
Elam is mentioned in 27 verses across 8 books: Genesis, 1 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel.
Where was Elam?
East of Babylon in what is now south-western Iran (Khuzestan), with its capital at Susa (Shushan).
How does Elam appear in the Bible?
From Chedorlaomer king of Elam in Abraham’s day, through Daniel’s vision at Shushan "in the province of Elam," to the prophets’ oracles and the Elamites present at Pentecost.