Chaldea
Summary
The southern portion of Babylonia along the Persian Gulf, from which Abraham came and which later gave its name to the entire Babylonian empire.
☩Geography
Chaldea proper was the southern part of Babylonia, the vast alluvial plain formed by deposits of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers. This extraordinarily flat region extended about 400 miles along the rivers and averaged 100 miles in width. The land was exceptionally fertile when irrigated by canals, reportedly yielding grain two hundred fold or more.
☩Abraham's Origin
Abraham was a native of Ur of the Chaldees, from which God called him to journey to Canaan. This land was originally Sumero-Akkadian, and the Chaldean tribes migrated there later, possibly from areas near the Aramean states bordering the Holy Land.
☩Later History
The Chaldean tribes eventually rose to dominate Babylon, with Nabopolassar founding a dynasty that included Nebuchadnezzar. The Hebrew prophets applied the term 'land of the Chaldeans' to all Babylonia and 'Chaldeans' to all subjects of the Babylonian empire. Today the region is desolate, fulfilling prophetic predictions.
Related Verses12 mentions
See Also
References
- 1.F. N. Peloubet & M. A. Peloubet (ed.), "Chaldea," in Smith's Bible Dictionary (Porter & Coates, 1884).
- 2.James Orr (ed.), "Chaldea; Chaldeans," in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. I (Howard-Severance Company, 1915).