Arioch
אַרְיוֹךְ/AIR-ee-ok/
“Venerable or lion-like”
Summary
The name of two biblical figures: a king of Ellasar who allied with Chedorlaomer against Sodom, and the captain of Nebuchadnezzar's royal guard in Daniel's time.
☩Arioch, King of Ellasar
Arioch was a vassal king of Ellasar under Chedorlaomer, king of Elam. He joined the expedition against Sodom, Gomorrah, and other cities of the plain. Assyriologists generally identify Arioch with Eri-Aku, king of Larsa, with Ellasar being a form of Al-Larsa in central Babylonia.
Key verses:Genesis 14:1Genesis 14:9
☩Arioch, Captain of the Guard
Arioch was the captain of King Nebuchadnezzar's bodyguard in Babylon. He was commanded to slay the 'wise men' who failed to interpret the king's dream. It was Arioch who informed Nebuchadnezzar that Daniel had undertaken to reveal and interpret the dream.
Key verses:Daniel 2:14-15Daniel 2:24-25
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Arioch," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. I (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.James Orr (ed.), "Arioch," in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. I (Howard-Severance Company, 1915).
- 3.George Morrish, "Arioch," in Morrish's Concise Bible Dictionary (George Morrish, 1898).
- 4.F. N. Peloubet & M. A. Peloubet (ed.), "Arioch," in Smith's Bible Dictionary (Porter & Coates, 1884).