Nimrod
- Dates
- 2268–1868 BC
Name means "rebellion" or "the valiant." He was the son of Cush and a great leader between the time of Noah and Abraham. He was not only a mighty hunter, but a monarch and builder of great cities like Babel, Erech, Accad, and Nineveh.
In detail
One of the outstanding leaders in the period between Noah and Abraham. He was a son or descendant of Cush, but distinguished himself more than the other sons of Cush mentioned in Gen 10:7, 8, who appear only as ancestral heads of tribes. Nimrod is described as a mighty hunter, a monarch, the founder of the first kingdom on earth, and the builder of several famous cities, such as Babel, Erech (Uruk), Accad, Nineveh, and Calah (vs 8—12).
In Mic 5:6 Assyria is called the land of Nimrod, and to the present day Nimrod's name clings to ruin sites for example, the site of ancient Calah in Assyria is now called Nimrüd, and that of ancient Borsippa in Babylonia is called Birs Nimrüd. It is still unexplained how Nimrod, a Cushite, gained so much influence and power in the Mesopotamian valley, the home of the Semites.
Bible passages
- Genesis 10:8
And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth.
Text of the King James Version.
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