Lexical Definition

‎מָדַי‎ Mâday (maw-dah'-ee) Madai ^N:N-M-P
of foreign derivation

Madai, Medes, Media.

• § Media or Medes or Madai = "middle land"
• Madai, a country of central Asia

n pr m
1) a people descended from the son of Japheth and who inhabited the territory of Media
n pr loc
2) land inhabited by the descendants of Japheth; located northwest of Persia proper, south and southwest of the Caspian Sea, east of Armenia and Assyria, and west and northwest of the great salt desert of Iram

See Greek: Μῆδος

Extended Information

• Land inhabited by the descendants of Japheth; located northwest of Persia proper, south and southwest of the Caspian Sea, east of Armenia and Assyria, and west and northwest of the great salt desert of Iram

Brown-Driver-Briggs

‎מָדַי‎ proper name, of a people et terr. Medes, Media (Old Persian Mâda Sp^APK, Assyrian Madai COT^{Gloss, and on Gen 10. 2} Dl^{Par. 247}); —

1. people, as 'son' of Japhet Gen 10:2 (P) = 1Chr 1:5 as hostile power Isa 13:17; Isa 21:2 ‎זֶרַע מָדַי‎ Dan 9:1 land and people, ‎מַלְכֵי מָדַי‎ Jer 25:25 (+ ‎מַלְכֵי עֵילָם‎), Jer 51:11; Jer 51:28 ‎וּפָרַס‎ ‎׳‎‎מַלְכֵי מ‎ Dan 8:20 compare ‎פָּרַס וּמָדַי‎ Esth 1:3; Esth 1:14; Esth 1:18; Esth 1:19; Esth 10:2 ᵐ5 Μαδαι.

2. of land alone = Media 2Kgs 17:6; 2Kgs 18:11 (both ‎עָרֵי מָדָ֑י‎).

Brown-Driver-Briggs References

Profile

Media • An ancient kingdom; part of the Persian Empire

Media (Medes), an ancient kingdom in western Iran that, along with Persia, conquered Babylon and formed the Persian Empire (2 Kings 17:6; 18:11; Esther 1:3, 14, 18; 10:2; Isaiah 21:2; Jeremiah 25:25; Daniel 8:20).

• A location first mentioned at Ezr.6.2;
• referred to as Media מָדַי, or Media מָדַי, or Mede+Persians מָדַי, or Mede מָדַי, or Mede (=Ketiv. Qere, KJV= Median) מָדַי, or Mede (=Qere, KJV= Median) מָדַי, or Medes Μῆδος.
  

Media was an ancient kingdom located in western Iran, which played a significant role in biblical history. The Medes, along with the Babylonians, conquered the Assyrian Empire in 612 BC (Isaiah 13:17; Jeremiah 51:11, 28). Later, the Medes joined forces with the Persians to form the powerful Medo-Persian Empire. This empire, under the rule of Cyrus the Great, conquered Babylon in 539 BC (Daniel 5:28, 31). The Medes are mentioned in the book of Esther as one of the peoples under the rule of King Ahasuerus (Xerxes) (Esther 1:3, 14, 18; 10:2). The Medes were also involved in the deportation of the Israelites from the northern kingdom (2 Kings 17:6; 18:11). The prophet Daniel served in the Medo-Persian court (Daniel 6:8, 12, 15; 9:1; 11:1) and interpreted the handwriting on the wall, which announced the fall of Babylon to the Medes and Persians (Daniel 5:28). Medes were among the peoples present in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:9).

All entries for Media or Medes: מָדַי ☩ מָדַי ☩ מָדַי ☩ מָדַי ☩ מָדַי ☩ מָדַי ☩ Μῆδος