Asshur

A Hebrew word that is difficult to translate. In English Bibles, it is translated as Assyria, Assyrian, Assyrians, or merely “Asshur.” These translations all come from the Assyrian word asshur.

The word for Assyria in Genesis 10:11 in the King James Version. It is not a person and should be translated: “From that land he [Nimrod] went forth into Assyria.” In that country, east of the Tigris River, Nimrod built four cities: Nineveh, Rehoboth-ir, Calah, and Resen.

Shem’s son (Genesis 10:22; 1 Chronicles 1:17). This might mean the whole Assyrian people, or it could be an actual person. However, other names like Arpachshad seem to refer to individual persons, so Asshur should be taken in the same way (Genesis 10:24; 11:12). If this is true, he might have started the city of Asshur, which was named after him. The god and nation of Asshur might have then been named after the city.

See Asshur (Place).

The main god of the city of Asshur.