אֶלָּסָר (el.la.sar)
el.la.sar
Ellasar
N:N--LQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N--L
Word Overview
The proper noun Ellasar refers to a specific locality in ancient Babylonia, situated approximately fifty kilometers east of the city of Ur. The name itself carries the meaning "God is chastener," reflecting a theological perspective embedded within the geography of the region.
Despite its descriptive etymology, this place name appears only twice in the Hebrew Bible, both instances occurring in Genesis 14:1 and 14:9. In these verses, Ellasar is identified as the realm ruled by Chedorlaomer, a king who leads a coalition against the cities of the plain. The text links this distant Babylonian power to the broader narrative of early patriarchal history, marking it as a significant political entity in the ancient Near Eastern landscape.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The name Ellasar appears in Genesis 14, linking a distant Babylonian region to the early history of Abraham. This brief mention places the patriarch within a complex geopolitical landscape where powerful kings from Elam, Shinar, and Ellasar clashed with local rulers.
For believers today, this detail reminds us that God’s promises unfold in real history. Even when ancient empires seem overwhelming, Scripture shows that divine sovereignty guides the events of nations and individuals alike.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- Ellasar2×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- אֶלָּסָ֑ר2×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 14:1
In the days of Amraphel, king of Shinar; Arioch, king of Ellasar; Chedorlaomer, king of Elam; and Tidal, king of Goiim,
This verse introduces Ellasar as the domain of Arioch, establishing it as one of the four major powers involved in the conflict described in Genesis 14.
-
Genesis 14:9
against Chedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goiim, Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar; four kings against the five.
Here Ellasar is listed again among the coalition kings, highlighting its role alongside Elam and Shinar in opposing the cities of the plain.