Nimrod נִמְרֹד
Mighty hunter, built cities
Who is Nimrod in the Bible?
Nimrod was a mighty hunter and powerful ruler descended from Cush, the son of Ham, whose exploits are recorded in Genesis 10:8-12 and 1 Chronicles 1:10. He is described as "a mighty hunter before the Lord" and established the first major kingdom after the flood, building significant cities in the land of Shinar including Babel, Erech, Accad, and Calneh. He also extended his power into Assyria, where he founded Nineveh, Rehoboth Ir, Calah, and Resen. The scripture later refers to Assyria as "the land of Nimrod" (Micah 5:6), underscoring his lasting influence and dominance over the ancient Near Eastern world. Nimrod represents the emergence of human political power and ambition in the post-flood era, though his reign ultimately became associated with human pride and rebellion against God.
Biography
Nimrod was a descendant of Cush, the son of Ham (Gen.10.8). He was described as a mighty hunter before the Lord, indicating his prowess and skill (Gen.10.9). Nimrod became a powerful ruler, establishing a kingdom that included the cities of Babel, Erech, Accad, and Calneh in the land of Shinar (Gen.10.10). He also expanded his kingdom to Assyria, where he built the cities of Nineveh, Rehoboth Ir, Calah, and Resen (Gen.10.11-12). The land of Assyria is referred to as the land of Nimrod (Mic.5.6), further emphasizing his influence and power in the region.
Family
Siblings
- Seba Early PatriarchSon of CushSon of Cush, brother of RaamahView full profile →
- Havilah Early PatriarchSon of JoktanA son of Joktan, descendant of Shem.View full profile →
- Sabtah Early PatriarchSon of CushSon of Cush, grandson of HamView full profile →
- Raamah Early PatriarchSon of CushSon of Cush, grandson of Ham, great-grandson of NoahView full profile →
- Sabteca Early PatriarchSon of CushSon of Cush, grandson of HamView full profile →
In Scripture
3 biblical books ; 2 with study contentGenesis 2 verses
- Genesis 10:8
"Cush was the father of Nimrod, who began to be a mighty one on the earth."
Study Genesis → - Genesis 10:9
"He was a mighty hunter before the LORD; so it is said, “Like Nimrod, a mighty hunter before the LORD.”"
Study Genesis →
1 Chronicles 1 verse
- 1 Chronicles 1:10
"Cush was the father of Nimrod, who began to be a mighty one on the earth."
Micah 1 verse
- Micah 5:6
"And they will rule the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod with the blade drawn. So He will deliver us when Assyria invades our land and marches into our borders."
Study Micah →
Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | נִמְרֹד | nimĕrwōd | Nimrod , a son of Cush |
Nimrod
of Cush. He established his kingdom "in the land of Shinar," including the cities "Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh" (Ge 10:10), of which only Babel, or Babylon, and Erech, or Uruk, have been identified with certainty. "The land of Shinar" is the old name for Southern Babylonia, afterward called Chaldea ('erets kasdim), and was probably more extensive in territory than the Sumer of the inscriptions in the ancient royal title, "King of Shumer and Accad," since Accad is included here in Shinar. Nimrod, like other great kings of Mesopotamian lands, was a mighty hunter, possibly the mightiest and the prototype of them all, since to his name had attached itself the proverb: "Like Nimrod a mighty hunter before Yahweh" (Ge 10:9). In the primitive days of Mesopotamia, as also in Palestine, wild animals were so numerous that they became a menace to life and property (Ex 23:29; Le 26:22); therefore the king as benefactor and protector of his people hunted these wild beasts. The early conquest of the cities of Babylonia, or their federation into one great kingdom, is here ascribed to Nimrod. Whether the founding and colonization of Assyria (Ge 10:11) are to be ascribed to Nimrod will be determined by the exegesis of the text. English Versions of the Bible reads: "Out of that land he (i.e. Nimrod) went forth into Assyria, and builded Nineveh," etc., this translation assigning the rise of Assyria to Nimrod, and apparently being sustained by Mic 5:5,6 (compare J. M. P. Smith, "Micah," ICC, in the place cited.); but American Revised Version, margin renders: "Out of that land went forth Asshur, and builded Nineveh," which translation is more accurate exegetically and not in conflict with Mic 5:6, if in the latter "land of Nimrod" be understood, not as parallel with, but as supplemental to, Assyria, and therefore as Babylon (compare commentaries of Cheyne, Pusey, S. Clark, in the place cited.).
Nimrod has not been identified with any mythical hero or historic king of the inscriptions. Some have sought identification with Gilgamesh, the flood hero of Babylonia (Skinner, Driver, Delitzsch); others with a later Kassite king (Haupt, Hilprecht), which is quite unlikely; but the most admissible correspondence is with Marduk, chief god of Babylon, probably its historic founder, just as Asshur, the god of Assyria, appears in verse 11 as the founder of the Assyrian empire (Wellhausen, Price, Sayce). Lack of identification, however, does not necessarily indicate mythical origin of the name.
See ASTRONOMY, sec. II, 11; BABYLONIA AND ASSYRIA, RELIGION OF, IV, 7; MERODACH; ORION.
Edward Mack
nim'-shi (nimshi): The grandfather of Jehu (2Ki 9:2,14). Jehu's usual designation is "son of Nimshi" (1Ki 19:16</