Lexical Definition

‎אַחְמְתָא‎ ʼAchmᵉthâʼ (akh-me-thaw') Ecbatana ^N:N--L
of Persian derivation

Achmetha.

• § Achmetha = "Ecbatana"
• Achmetha (i.e. Ecbatana), the summer capital of Persia

1) capital of Media, captured by Cyrus in 550 BC and then summer residence of Persian kings

Brown-Driver-Briggs

‎אַחְמְתָא‎ (originally ‎תָן‎- or ‎תָנָא‎- Nö in Streck^{ZA 15, 368}) proper name, of a location Ecbatana, Ezra 6:2 capital of Media, captured by Cyrus ( B.C. 550), and then summer residence of Persian kings; modern „amadân, Spieg²⁴⁴ Margoliouth^{Hast. DB ACHMETHA,} especially Brugsch^{Reise n. Persien (1862), i. 360-392} (Old Median Agmatana Dl^{Calwer Bib. Lex}.; Old Persian Hangamata§na (=place of assembling) Spieg^l.c., Babylonian Agam(a)tanu Beh⁶⁰, Bez^{p. 26, etc}.; Ἀγβάτανα Herod^{i. 98}; ᵐ5 Ἐκβατανα 2 Mace Ezra 9:3 +; Mey^{Geschichte. d. Alt. i. § 485} Streck^{l.c. 367 f}.

Brown-Driver-Briggs References

Profile

Ecbatana • A city in Media where a significant scroll was found.

Ecbatana was a city in Media where a scroll was found containing a decree by King Cyrus (Ezra 6:2).

• A location only mentioned at Ezr.6.2;
• only referred to as Ecbatana אַחְמְתָא.
  

Ecbatana, also known as Achmetha, was an ancient city located in Media, a region in present-day Iran. It served as the capital of the Median Empire and later as a summer residence for Persian kings. In the biblical context, Ecbatana is mentioned in the book of Ezra as the place where a significant scroll was discovered during the reign of King Darius I of Persia (Ezra 6:2). The scroll contained a decree issued by King Cyrus, allowing the Jews to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem and authorizing the use of royal funds to support the project. This discovery provided crucial evidence and support for the Jews in their efforts to restore the Temple and re-establish their religious practices in Jerusalem. Ecbatana's mention in the Bible highlights the city's importance as an administrative center and repository of official documents during the Persian period.

All entries for Ecbatana: אַחְמְתָא