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Genesis 10:12 — Word Study

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WLCוְֽאֶת־ רֶ֔סֶן בֵּ֥ין נִֽינְוֵ֖ה וּבֵ֣ין כָּ֑לַח הִ֖וא הָעִ֥יר הַגְּדֹלָֽה׃

BSAand ResenReçen [a large city, the great city] which is betweenbêyn [located, situated] NinevehNîynᵉvêh [the capital city of Assyria] and the greatgâdôwl [important, large] cityʻîyr of CalahKelach [an ancient city in Assyria, possibly modern-day Nimrud]

Word
Listen & take awayGenesis 10
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 12 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (ha.ge.do.Lah) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Genesis 10:12quick helps
In a sentenceThis verse identifies Resen as a city located between Nineveh and Calah.
What is Resen?Resen is described as a significant city in Assyria.
Where we areThis verse is part of a genealogical account tracing the descendants of Noah.
The hard wordרֶסֶן
Take awayResen is a notable city that connects Nineveh and Calah.
7 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectהִיא The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

1 of 9 occurs nowhere else in the Old Testament — a word chosen on purpose.

Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.

Deep Study — Genesis 10:12

Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.

Context — The Table of Nationsgenerated

11From that land he went forth into Assyria, where he built Nineveh, Rehoboth-Ir, Calah,
12and Resen, which is between Nineveh and the great city of Calah.
13Mizraim was the father of the Ludites, the Anamites, the Lehabites, the Naphtuhites,
14the Pathrusites, the Casluhites (from whom the Philistines came), and the Caphtorites.

Genesis 10:12 lists the cities built by the descendants of Noah, highlighting the geographical significance of Resen as it lies between Nineveh and Calah, both important cities in ancient Assyria. This passage is part of a broader narrative that traces the lineage and settlements of Noah's sons after the flood, illustrating the expansion of nations and cities.


Cross References


The Key Word רֶסֶן, Re.sengenerated

The word רֶסֶן (Resen) is a proper noun referring to a city in Assyria, specifically mentioned in the context of geography in Genesis 10:12. The name is thought to mean 'bridle' or 'restraint', indicating a possible cultural or functional significance.

Resen is notable for its location between Nineveh and Calah, both major cities of the Assyrian empire. The mention of Resen in this genealogical context emphasizes the connections between these cities and their importance in the ancient world.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

All translations agree on the identification of Resen as a city situated between Nineveh and Calah, with no significant variations in the rendering of this information.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main clause of the verse centers around the identification of Resen, with a prepositional phrase detailing its location: בֵּ֥ין נִֽינְוֵ֖ה וּבֵ֣ין כָּ֑לַח (between Nineveh and Calah). The structure emphasizes the geographical relationship between these cities.

The finite verb is implicit in the context, with the subject being הִ֖וא (it), which refers back to Resen, affirming its identity as the city in question.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates רֶסֶן as Ρησεν, indicating a direct correspondence to the Hebrew term. This suggests that the Greek translators recognized Resen as a significant location.

The use of και (and) in the Septuagint connects Resen with the other cities, maintaining the geographical context found in the Hebrew text.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Genesis 10:12 tells us that Resen is a city located between Nineveh and Calah, both significant cities in ancient Assyria. Resen's name suggests meanings related to 'bridle' or 'restraint', highlighting its importance in the region.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does the name Resen mean?

The name Resen is thought to mean 'bridle' or 'restraint', reflecting a possible cultural significance.

Why is Resen mentioned in this context?

Resen is mentioned to highlight its geographical location between two major cities of Assyria, emphasizing its importance in the ancient world.

What are the other cities mentioned in this passage?

The other cities mentioned are Nineveh and Calah, both of which were significant urban centers in Assyria.

How does the Samaritan Pentateuch differ from the Masoretic Text?

The Samaritan Pentateuch uses the pronoun 'she' for Resen, while the Masoretic Text uses 'it', but both refer to the same city.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What significance do you think Resen held for the Assyrians?
  2. How does understanding the geography of these ancient cities help us comprehend biblical narratives?
  3. In what ways do names and places in the Bible reflect cultural meanings?
  4. How can the connections between cities in the Bible inform our understanding of historical events?

Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Genesis 10:12 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And Resen, between Nineveh and Calah,.... This was another city built by Ashur, situated between those two cities mentioned: the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem call it Talsar, or Thalassar, see

Read John Gill on Genesis 10 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And Resen between Nineveh and Calah: the same is a great city. And Resen , [Septuagint, Dasee] - supposed to be represented by Kileh-Shergat, or by Selamiyeh, both of which ruins belong to the proto-Assyrian period.

Read Robert Jamieson on Genesis 10 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Either, 1. Nineveh, which is called a great city, , ; and indeed was so, being sixty miles in compass. Thus it is a trajection, and the relative is referred to the remoter noun, as sometimes is done, though this seems to be a little forced. Or, 2. Resen; so the meaning is, though this city be much inferior to Nineveh, yet this also, if compared with most others, is a great city.

Read Matthew Poole on Genesis 10 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Genesis 10:12 And Resen between Nineveh and Calah: the same [is] a great city.Ver. 12. The same is a great city.] As consisting of three cities, and having more people within the walls than are now in some one kingdom. See the greatness of this city set forth in the Preacher’ s Travels, p. 89. The greatest city in the world at this day is said to be Quinsai, in Tartary, which is a hundred miles about, as M. Paulus Venetus writeth, who himself dwelt therein, about the year 1260. Cambula, the imperial city, and seat of the great Cham of Tartary, is in circuit twenty-eight miles about. Nineveh was three days’ journey in Jonah’ s days: now it is destroyed (as was long since prophesied by…

Read John Trapp on Genesis 10 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(11, 12) Out of that land went forth Asshur.—So the LXX., Syriac, and Vulg.; but the Targum and most modern authorities rightly translate, “Out of that land he went forth into Assyria.” We have here nothing to do with Asshur the son of Shem (see Genesis 10:22), but are occupied with Nimrod and the Hamites, who, after firmly establishing themselves in Babylonia, subsequently extended their influence northward. This is confirmed by the cuneiform inscriptions, which prove that the southern portion of Mesopotamia was the chief seat of the Accadians, while in Assyria they came at an early date into collision with the Shemites, who drove them back, and ultimately subjugated them everywhere. It is…

Read Charles John Ellicott on Genesis 10 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

12. Resen] Not yet identified; but conjectured to lie among the mounds which conceal ruins between Nineveh and Nimrud. (the same is the great city)] This is a note added by the compiler; or, possibly, as Skinner suggests, a gloss, referring to Nineveh, which is misplaced. 13–19 (J). The descendants of Mizraim (Egypt), Genesis 10:13-14; and of Canaan (Phoenicia), Genesis 10:15-19. The names of tribes (the plural termination -im) in Genesis 10:13-14, and of peoples (Genesis 10:16-19), seem to imply a different source of tradition from that in Genesis 10:2-7.

Read Cambridge on Genesis 10 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

11, 12. Went forth Asshur — Rather, [Nimrod] went forth to Asshur [Assyria.] So reads the margin, after the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan; (so Baumgarten, De Wette, A.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Genesis 10 →

The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company

Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.

Modern formal

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

and Resen, which is between Nineveh and the great city of Calah.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

and Resen between Nineveh and the great city Calah.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

and Resen, which is between Nineveh and the great city of Calah.

NETBNew English Translation2006

and Resen, which is between Nineveh and the great city Calah.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And Resen between Nineveh and Calah: the same is a great city.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

and Resen between Nineveh and Calah (the same is the great city).

RVARevised Version, American1894

and Resen between Nineveh and Calah (the same is the great city).

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And Resen between Nineveh and Calah: the same is a great city.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Resen also betweene Niniueh and Calah: this is a great citie.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

and Resen, between Nineveh and Calah: this is the great city.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

and Resen, between Nineveh and Calah; it [is] the great city.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

and Resen, between Nineveh and Calah; it [is] the great city.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And Ressen between Nineveh and Calach: the same is the great city.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

and Resen, which was between Nineveh and Calah. It was a large city.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Resen also between Ninive and Chale: this is the great city.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

and Resen, which lies between Nineveh and the great city of Calah.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And Resen between Nineveh and Calah, which is a very great town.

Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.


The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank

This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.

וְֽandclausenoun phrase · objectאֶת(et)noun phraseרֶ֔סֶןResenprepositional phraseprepositional phraseבֵּ֥יןbetweenנִֽינְוֵ֖הNinevehוּandprepositional phraseבֵ֣יןbetweennoun phraseכָּ֑לַחCalahclausesubjectהִ֖ואthatnoun phrase · predicateהָ[is].thenoun phraseעִ֥ירcityadjective phraseהַ(the)גְּדֹלָֽהgreat

Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.


The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran

The Masoretic Text and the Samaritan Pentateuch agree on the identification of Resen, with the Samaritan Pentateuch differing only in the pronoun used, which refers to Resen as 'she' instead of 'it'. This minor variation does not affect the overall meaning of the verse.

Masoretic TextLeningrad Codex, c. AD 1008 — the text this page is built on

וְֽאֶת־ רֶ֔סֶן בֵּ֥ין נִֽינְוֵ֖ה וּבֵ֣ין כָּ֑לַח הִ֖וא הָעִ֥יר הַגְּדֹלָֽה׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וְֽאֶת־καὶבֵּ֥יןμέσονנִֽינְוֵ֖הνινευηוּבֵ֣יןμέσονכָּ֑לַחξαλαξהִ֖ואαὕτηהָעִ֥ירπόλιςהַגְּדֹלָֽה׃μεγάλη

8 of the 9 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Samaritan Pentateuchthe Torah as the Samaritan community kept it

ואת רסן בין נינוה ובין כלח היא העיר הגדלה

1 word differs from the Masoretic Text: היא (she)

Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.


The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.

Genesis 10:12אֵתand the objand the object אֵתרֶ֫סֶןResenResenרֶ֫סֶןבַּ֫יִןbetweenbetweenבַּ֫יִןנִינְוֵהNinevehNinevehנִינְוֵהבַּ֫יִןand betweenand betweenבַּ֫יִןכֶּ֫לַחCalahCalahכֶּ֫לַחהוּאthatthatהוּאעִיר[is] the ci[is] the cityעִירגָּדוֹלgreatgreatגָּדוֹלבִּיןto understto understandבִּיןאוֹתsign: mirasign: miraculouאוֹתעוּרto rouseto rouseעוּרגָּדַלto magnifyto magnifyגָּדַלרֶ֫סֶןbridlebridleרֶ֫סֶןכֶּ֫לַחvigorvigorכֶּ֫לַחמִגְרָשׁpasturepastureמִגְרָשׁבָּדַלto separatto separateבָּדַלאַשּׁוּרAsshurAsshurאַשּׁוּרגָּדוֹלGreat (SeaGreat (Sea)גָּדוֹלטָמֵאuncleanuncleanטָמֵאעֵתtimetimeעֵתלָכַדto captureto captureלָכַדקָטָןsmallsmallקָטָןמְאֹדmuchmuchמְאֹד
meets it a little oftener than chancemeets it far oftener than chancebuilt from the same roottwo words of the verse share ita word of this versea related word

Lexicons — every word in Genesis 10:12

One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.

Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.

and the object marker Resen between Nineveh and between Calah that [is] the city great
וְֽאֶת־ve.'Et and the object marker H853 Conjunction · particle
10,946× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the original Hebrew, this word points out the object of a verb or preposition, like 'namely' or 'even'. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus. It's not directly translated in English, but helps clarify the meaning of sentences.
Tyndale gloss
[Obj.]
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֵת (eth) is primarily a grammatical marker in Hebrew, indicating the definite direct object of a verb. It is not translated into English and typically precedes nouns that are definite. The word is derived from a demonstrative sense of entity, related to the Hebrew word for 'self.' Its Aramaic equivalent is יָת (yat).

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

853 'eth ayth

apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of

entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more

definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or

namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).

see HEBREW for 0226

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵת (et) — [Obj.].

sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative

Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HC/To — Conjunction · particle
HC/To
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and the object marker Resen between Nineveh and between Calah that [is] the city great
רֶ֔סֶןRe.sen Resen H7449 Noun proper
1× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Resen is a place in Assyria, near the cities of Nineveh and Calah. It's mentioned in Genesis 10 as a city built by the Assyrians. The name means 'bridle' or 'restraint'.
Amplified meaning
a large city, the great city
Tyndale gloss
Resen
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רֶ֫סֶן (Resen) refers to a location in Assyria, specifically situated between Nineveh and Calah. The term is noted in the context of geography in the Old Testament, particularly in Genesis 10:12. Some sources suggest a connection to the word for 'bridle,' but the primary focus is on its identification as a place.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רֶ֫סֶן n.pr.loc. in Assyria, near Nineveh Gn 10:12

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7449 רֶ֫סֶן in Assyria, near Nineveh

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7449 Recen reh'-sen

the same as 7448; Resen, a place in Assyrian:--Resen.

see HEBREW for 07448

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רֶ֫סֶן (re.sen) — Resen.

§ Resen = "bridle"

a place in Assyria between Nineveh and Calah

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper
HNpl
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

re'-sen (recen; Septuagint Dasen, Dasem):

1. The Name and Its Native Equivalent:

The Greek forms show that the Septuagint translators had "d", for "r", but the reading of the Massoretic Text is to be preferred. Resen--the last of the four cities mentioned in Ge 10:11,12 as having been founded by Nimrod (the King James Version by Asshur)--probably represents the Assyrian pronunciation of the place-name Res-eni, "fountainhead." The only town so named in the inscriptions is one of 18 mentioned by Sennacherib in the Bavian inscription as places from which he dug canals connecting with the river Khosr--in fact, it was one of the sources of Nineveh's water supply. It probably lay too far North, however, to be the city here intended. Naturally the name "Resen" could exist in any place where there was a spring.

2. Possibly the Modern Selamiyeh:

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Resen

Head of the stream; bridle, one of Nimrod’s cities (Gen. 10:12), “between Nineveh and Calah.” It has been supposed that the four cities named in this verse were afterwards combined into one under the name of Nineveh (q.v.). Resen was on the east side of the Tigris. It is probably identified with the mound of ruins called Karamless.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(bridle), (Genesis 10:12) one of the cities built by Asshur, "between Nineveh and Calah." Assyrian remains of some considerable extent are found near the modern village of Selamiyeh , and it is perhaps the most probable conjecture that these represent Resen.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

An ancient Assyrian city, between Nineveh and Calah, Ge 10:12. Its exact position cannot now be determined.

and the object marker Resen between Nineveh and between Calah that [is] the city great
בֵּ֥יןbein between H996 Prep
407× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Between is the meaning of this preposition, used to show a location or a choice, like either or, as seen in Exodus where it describes the space between two objects.
Amplified meaning
located, situated
Tyndale gloss
between
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בַּ֫יִן (beyn) is a noun meaning 'interval' or 'space between.' It primarily functions as a preposition meaning 'between' or 'among,' and can also indicate distinctions or choices. The dual form בֵּנַ֫יִם refers specifically to the space between two entities, such as armies. The entries do not indicate any significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בַּ֫יִן subst. prop. interval, space between

always (exc. dual) as prep. in the interval of, between

Dual בֵּנַ֫יִם space between two armies

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H996 בַּ֫יִן subst. prop. interval, space between . always (exc. dual) as prep. in the interval of, between

. Dual בֵּנַ֫יִם space between two armies

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

996 beyn bane

(sometimes in the plural masculine or feminine); properly,

the constructive form of an otherwise unused noun from 995; a

distinction; but used only as a prep, between (repeated before

each noun, often with other particles); also as a conjunction,

either...or:--among, asunder, at, between (-twixt...and), +

from (the widest), X in, out of, whether (it be...or), within.

see HEBREW for 0995

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בַּ֫יִן (ba.yin) — between.

: between

between, among, in the midst of (with other preps), from between

בַּ֫יִן (ba.yin) — between: among.

: among

between, among, in the midst of (with other preps), from between

A sub-meaning of ben (בַּ֫יִן ": between" H0996)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep — Prep
HAcmsc
and the object marker Resen between Nineveh and between Calah that [is] the city great
נִֽינְוֵ֖הnin.Veh Nineveh H5210 Noun proper
17× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Nineveh was the capital city of Assyria, an ancient kingdom located near the Tigris river. The city is mentioned in the Bible as a major urban center, particularly in the book of Jonah.
Amplified meaning
the capital city of Assyria
Tyndale gloss
Nineveh
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נִינְוֵה (Niynveh) refers to Nineveh, the capital of Assyria. The name is of foreign origin and is associated with the phrase 'abode of Ninus.' It is located on the east bank of the Tigris River, approximately 550 miles from its mouth and 250 miles north of Babylon.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נִינְוֵה n.pr.loc. Nineveh, capital of Assyria

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5210 נִינְוֵה Nineveh, capital of Assyria

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5210 Niynveh nee-nev-ay'

of foreign origin; Nineveh, the capital of

Assyria:--Nineveh.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נִינְוֵה (nin.veh) — Nineveh.

§ Nineveh = "abode of Ninus"

capital of the ancient kingdom of Assyria; located on the east bank of the Tigris river, 550 miles (880 km) from its mouth and 250 miles (400 km) north of Babylon

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper
HNpl
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

nin'-e-ve (nineweh; Nineue, Nineui; Greek and Roman writers, Ninos): I. BEGINNINGS, NAME, POSITION

1. First Biblical Mention

2. Etymology of the Name

3. Position on the Tigris

II. NINEVEH AND ITS SURROUNDINGS

1. Its Walls

2. Principal Mounds and Gateways

3. Extent and Population within the Walls

4. Extent outside the Walls

5. Calah, Resen and Rehoboth-Ir

6. Khorsabad

7. Sherif Khan and Selamieh

8. Nimroud

III. PALACES AT NINEVEH PROPER

1. The Palace of Sennacherib

2. The Palace of Assur-bani-apli

IV. SENNACHERIB'S DESCRIPTION OF NINEVEH

1. The Walls

2. The Gates--Northwest

3. The Gates--South and East

4. The Gates--West

5. The Outer Wall: the Plantations

6. The Water-Supply, etc.

7. How the Bas-Reliefs Illustrate the King's Description

8. Nineveh the Later Capital

V. LAST DAYS AND FALL OF NINEVEH

LITERATURE

I. Beginnings, Name, Position.

1. First Biblical Mention:

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Nineveh

First mentioned in Gen. 10:11, which is rendered in the Revised Version, “He [i.e., Nimrod] went forth into Assyria and builded Nineveh.” It is not again noticed till the days of Jonah, when it is described (Jonah 3:3; 4:11) as a great and populous city, the flourishing capital of the Assyrian empire (2 Kings 19:36; Isa. 37:37). The book of the prophet Nahum is almost exclusively taken up with prophetic denunciations against this city. Its ruin and utter desolation are foretold (Nah.1:14; 3:19, etc.). Zephaniah also (2:13-15) predicts its destruction along with the fall of the empire of which it was the capital.…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(abode of Ninus), the capital of the ancient kingdom and empire of Assyria. The name appears to be compounded from that of an Assyrian deity "Nin," corresponding, it is conjectured, with the Greek Hercules, and occurring in the names of several Assyrian kings, as in "Ninus," the mythic founder, according to Greek tradition of the city. Nineveh is situated on the eastern bank of the river Tigris, 50 miles from its mouth and 250 miles north of Babylon. It is first mentioned in the Old Testament in connection with the primitive dispersement and migrations of the human race. Asshur, or according to the marginal reading, which is generally preferred, Nimrod is there described, (Genesis 10:11) as extending his kingdom from the land of Shinar or Babylonia, in the south, to Assyria in the north and founding four cities, of which the most…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Dwelling of Ninus, the metropolis of ancient Assyria, called by the Greeks and Romans "the great Ninus;" situated on the east bank of the Tigris, opposite and below the modern Mosul. Its origin is traced to the times near the flood. See NIMROD. For nearly fifteen centuries afterwards it is not mentioned. In the books of Jonah, and Nahum it is described as an immense city, three days’ journey in circuit, containing more than one hundred and twenty thousand young children, or probably six hundred thousand souls. It contained "much cattle," and numerous parks, garden groves, etc. Its inhabitants were wealthy, warlike, and far advanced in civilization. It had numerous strongholds with gates and bars; and had multiplied its merchants above the stars: its crowned princes were as locusts, and its captains as grasshoppers. With this description agrees that of the historian Diodorus Siculus, who…

and the object marker Resen between Nineveh and between Calah that [is] the city great
וּבֵ֣יןu.Vein and between H996 Conjunction
407× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Between is the meaning of this preposition, used to show a location or a choice, like either or, as seen in Exodus where it describes the space between two objects.
Tyndale gloss
between
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בַּ֫יִן (beyn) is a noun meaning 'interval' or 'space between.' It primarily functions as a preposition meaning 'between' or 'among,' and can also indicate distinctions or choices. The dual form בֵּנַ֫יִם refers specifically to the space between two entities, such as armies. The entries do not indicate any significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בַּ֫יִן subst. prop. interval, space between

always (exc. dual) as prep. in the interval of, between

Dual בֵּנַ֫יִם space between two armies

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H996 בַּ֫יִן subst. prop. interval, space between . always (exc. dual) as prep. in the interval of, between

. Dual בֵּנַ֫יִם space between two armies

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

996 beyn bane

(sometimes in the plural masculine or feminine); properly,

the constructive form of an otherwise unused noun from 995; a

distinction; but used only as a prep, between (repeated before

each noun, often with other particles); also as a conjunction,

either...or:--among, asunder, at, between (-twixt...and), +

from (the widest), X in, out of, whether (it be...or), within.

see HEBREW for 0995

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בַּ֫יִן (ba.yin) — between.

: between

between, among, in the midst of (with other preps), from between

בַּ֫יִן (ba.yin) — between: among.

: among

between, among, in the midst of (with other preps), from between

A sub-meaning of ben (בַּ֫יִן ": between" H0996)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HC/Acmsc — Conjunction
HC/Acmsc
and the object marker Resen between Nineveh and between Calah that [is] the city great
כָּ֑לַחKa.lach Calah H3625 Noun proper
2× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Calah was an ancient city in Assyria, possibly modern-day Nimrud. The city's name means vigor, and it was an important place in the ancient world. It is mentioned in the Bible as a major city.
Amplified meaning
an ancient city in Assyria, possibly modern-day Nimrud
Tyndale gloss
Calah
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כֶּ֫לַח (Kelach) refers to a city in ancient Assyria, possibly modern-day Nimrud, located at the confluence of the Tigris and Zab rivers. The name may mean 'vigour.' The entries consistently identify it as a place of significance in Assyria.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[כֶּ֫לַח], כָּ֑לַח n.pr.loc. city in Assyria

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3625 כֶּ֫לַח, כָּ֑לַח city in Assyria

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3625 Kelach keh'-lakh

the same as 3624; Kelach, a place in Assyria: -Calah.

see HEBREW for 03624

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כֶּ֫לַח (ke.lach) — Calah.

§ Calah = "vigour"

one of the most ancient cities of Assyria; maybe modern 'Nimrud' located at the confluence of the Tigris and Zab rivers

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper
HNpl
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ka'-la (kalach; Chalach, also Chalak or Kalach; in Assyrian Kalhu, Kalha, Kalhi, Kalah): The name of one of the great cities of Nimrod (Ge 10:11), or rather, Asshur (text), which formed, with Nineveh, Resen between Calah and Nineveh, and Rehoboth-Ir (probably lying more to the North), Asshur's great fourfold capital. The meaning of the name is unknown, but if a Sumerian etymology be accepted, some such signification as "Holy Gate" (Ka-lah) or the like--a parallel to Ka-dingira = Bab-ili, "Gate of God" (see BABEL, BABYLON)--might be regarded as possible.

1. Date of the City's Foundation:

As Nineveh is mentioned by Hammurabi, who reigned about 2000 BC, it is clear that that city was already, in his time, an important place; and the passage in Ge 10:11 implies, though it does not…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Calah

One of the most ancient cities of Assyria. “Out of that land he [i.e., Nimrod] went forth into Assyria, and built Nineveh, Rehoboth-Ir, and Calah, and Resen” (Gen. 10:11, R.V.). Its site is now marked probably by the Nimrud ruins on the left bank of the Tigris. These cover an area of about 1,000 acres, and are second only in size and importance to the mass of ruins opposite Mosul. This city was at one time the capital of the empire, and was the residence of Sardanapalus and his successors down to the time of Sargon, who built a new capital, the modern Khorsabad. It has been conjectured that these four cities mentioned in Gen. 10:11 were afterwards all united into one and called Nineveh (q.v.).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(completion, old age), one of the most ancient cities of Assyria. (Genesis 10:11) The site of Calah is probably market by the Nimrud ruins. If this be regarded as ascertained, Calah must be considered to have been at one time (about B.C. 930-720) the capital of the empire.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A city of Assyria, built by Ashur or by Nimrod, Ge 10:11,12. It was at some distance from Nineveh, and Resen lay between them. It is thought to have been near the river Lycus, the great Zab, which empties into the Tigris.

and the object marker Resen between Nineveh and between Calah that [is] the city great
הִ֖ואhi' that H1931 Pronoun
1,879× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word is a pronoun meaning 'he', 'she', or 'it', used to refer to a person or thing. It is used in the Bible to emphasize a subject or make it clear who is being talked about.
Tyndale gloss
he/she/it
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

הוּא (hu) is a third-person singular pronoun meaning he, she, or it, used for emphasis or when no verb is present. It can also refer to oneself or serve as a demonstrative pronoun. The word has various nuances, including resuming the subject with emphasis or expressing it unobtrusively. It can indicate 'that' or 'those' when used with the definite article.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הוּא m. הִיא f., pron. of the 3rd ps. sing. he, she, used also (in both genders) for the neuter it

an emph. he (she, it, they), sometimes equivalent to himself (herself, itself, themselves), or (esp. with the art.) that (those)

It resumes the subj. with emph.

Where, however, the pron. follows the pred., its position gives it the minimum of emphasis, and it expresses (or resumes) the subject as unobtrusively as possible

It anticipates (as it seems) the subject

As an emph. predicate, of God

In a neuter sense, that, it (of an action, occurrence, matte, etc.)

With the art.: so regularly when joined to a subst. defined itself by the art.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1931 הוּא, הִיא he, she, used also (in both genders) for the neuter it . an emph. he (she, it, they), sometimes equivalent to himself (herself, itself, themselves), or (esp. with the art.) that (those)

. It resumes the subj. with emph.

. Where, however, the pron. follows the pred., its position gives it the minimum of emphasis, and it expresses (or resumes) the subject as unobtrusively as possible

. It anticipates (as it seems) the subject

. As an emph. predicate, of God

. In a neuter sense, that, it (of an action, occurrence, matte, etc.)

. With the art.: so regularly when joined to a subst. defined itself by the art.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1931 huw' hoo

of which the feminine (beyond the Pentateuch) is hiyw {he}; a

primitive word, the third person pronoun singular, he (she or

it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also

(intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same;

sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally

(instead of copula) as or are:--he, as for her, him(-self),

it, the same, she (herself), such, that (...it), these, they,

this, those, which (is), who.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הוּא (hu) — he/she/it.

pron 3p s

1) he, she, it

1a) himself (with emphasis)

1b) resuming subj with emphasis

1c) (with minimum emphasis following predicate)

1d) (anticipating subj)

1e) (emphasising predicate)

1f) that, it (neuter) demons pron

2) that (with article)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HPp3fs — Pronoun
HPp3fs
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and the object marker Resen between Nineveh and between Calah that [is] the city great
הָעִ֥ירha.'Ir [is] the city H5892 Particle · noun common feminine singular absolute
1,090× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word refers to a city or town, often a place with a wall or a watchman. It is used to describe a settlement or encampment, like the city of Ai, which is mentioned in the book of Joshua. The word is used to identify specific locations in the Bible.
Tyndale gloss
excitement
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עִיר (*'iyr*) has meanings related to both excitement and city. It can denote excitement, particularly of terror or rage, as well as refer to a city or town, indicating a place that is guarded or inhabited. The entries suggest a broad application, from fortified cities to simple encampments. There is a specific mention of a man named Ir in 1 Chronicles 4:12.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עִיר n.[m.] excitement;—of terror; of rage

base

עִיר 1092 n.f. city, town

city, town, abode of men

of fortress in a city

appar. fortified place, of any size

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5892a עִיר excitement;—of terror; of rage H5892b עִיר city, town . city, town, abode of men

. of fortress in a city

. appar. fortified place, of any size

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5892 `iyr eer

or (in the plural) par {awr}; or ayar (Judges 10:4)

{aw-yar'}; from 5782 a city (a place guarded by waking or a

watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or

post):--Ai (from margin), city, court (from margin), town.

see HEBREW for 05782

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עִיר (ir) — excitement.

1) excitement, anguish

1a) of terror

עִיר (ir) — city.

1) city, town (a place of waking, guarded)

1a) city, town (a place of waking, guarded)

1a) city, town

עִיר (ir) — City (of On).

Combined with on (אֹן "On" H0204)

This name means city, town

Another name of on (אֹן "On" H0204)

עִיר (ir) — Ir-.

#A man of the tribe of Judah living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.4.12;

son of: Tehinnah (H8468)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | N-fs — Particle · noun common feminine singular absolute
HTd/Ncfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

sit'-i (`ir, qiryah; polis):

I. THE CANAANITE CITY

1. Origin

2. Extent

3. Villages

4. Sites

5. External Appearance

6. General

II. THE CITY OF THE JEWISH OCCUPATION

1. Tower or Stronghold

2. High Place

3. Broad Place

4. Streets

5. General Characteristics

III. STORE CITIES

IV. LEVITICAL CITIES

LITERATURE

I. The Canaanite City.

1. Origin:

The development of the Canaanite city has been traced by Macalister in his report on the excavation at Gezer (Palestine Exploration Fund Statement, 1904, 108 ff). It originated on the slopes of a bare rocky spur, in which the Neolithic Troglodytes quarried their habitations out of the solid rock, the stones therefrom being used to form a casing to the earthen ramparts, with which the site was afterwards surrounded and which served as a protection against the intrusion of enemies. Later Semitic intruders occupied the site, stone houses were built, and high stone defense…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

City

The earliest mention of city-building is that of Enoch, which was built by Cain (Gen. 4:17). After the confusion of tongues, the descendants of Nimrod founded several cities (10:10-12). Next, we have a record of the cities of the Canaanites, Sidon, Gaza, Sodom, etc. (10:12, 19; 11:3, 9; 36:31-39). The earliest description of a city is that of Sodom (19:1-22). Damascus is said to be the oldest existing city in the world. Before the time of Abraham there were cities in Egypt (Num. 13:22). The Israelites in Egypt were employed in building the “treasure cities” of Pithom and Raamses (Ex. 1:11); but it does not seem that they had any cities of their own in Goshen (Gen.…

and the object marker Resen between Nineveh and between Calah that [is] the city great
הַגְּדֹלָֽה׃ha.ge.do.Lah great H1419 Particle
526× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means something or someone great, whether in size, age, or importance. It appears in descriptions of the Great Sea and the Philistines. The word is used to convey a sense of magnitude or grandeur.
Amplified meaning
important, large
Tyndale gloss
Great (Sea)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

גָּדוֹל (gadol) means 'great' and covers a wide range of meanings, including large in size, number, intensity, sound, age, and importance. It can also refer to notable individuals or even God. Additionally, it appears as a proper noun in reference to a person named in Nehemiah 11:14. The lexicons note its use in various contexts, but do not present significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

גָּדוֹל 622 adj. great

in magnitude and extent

in number

in intensity

in sound, loud

in age

in importance

in phrases

cstr.

as subst. concr. do great things

† as subst. neut. greatness of arm

base

הַגְּדוֹלִים n.pr.m. father of Zabdiel Ne 11:14 (RV & so most; but 𝔊 RVm al. the great).

done

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1419a גָּדוֹל great . in magnitude and extent

. in number

. in intensity

. in sound, loud

. in age

. in importance

. in phrases

. cstr.

. as subst. concr. do great things

. † as subst. neut. greatness of arm

H1419b הַגְּדוֹלִים father of Zabdiel

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1419 gadowl gaw-dole'

or (shortened) gadol {gaw-dole'}; from 1431; great (in any

sense); hence, older; also insolent:--+ aloud, elder(-est), +

exceeding(-ly), + far, (man of) great (man, matter,

thing,-er,-ness), high, long, loud, mighty, more, much, noble,

proud thing, X sore, (X ) very.

see HEBREW for 01431

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

גָּדוֹל (ga.dol) — great: large.

adj

1) great

1a) large (in magnitude and extent)

1b) in number

1c) in intensity

1d) loud (in sound)

1e) older (in age)

1f) in importance

1f1) important things

1f2) great, distinguished (of men)

1f3) God Himself (of God)

subst

1g) great things

1h) haughty things

1i) greatness

Also means: ga.dol (גָּדוֹל ": old" H1419K)

§ Haggedolim = "the great one"

(CLBL) Haggedolim, the great man?, father of Zabdiel

גָּדוֹל (ga.dol) — Haggedolim.

A man living at the time of Exile and Return, only mentioned at Neh.11.14

§ Haggedolim = "the great one"

(CLBL) Haggedolim, the great man?, father of Zabdiel

גָּדוֹל (ga.dol) — Great (Sea).

adj

great

Also named: pe.lish.ti (פְּלִשְׁתִּי "(Sea of the )Philistines" H6430I)

גָּדוֹל (ga.dol) — great: old.

adj

1) great

1a) large (in magnitude and extent)

1b) in number

1c) in intensity

1d) loud (in sound)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | Adj — Particle
HTd/Aafsa
Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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