Tel-melah standard

Where is Tel-melah in the Bible?

Tel-melah was a city in Babylonia, likely located on the low salt tract near the Persian Gulf, where Jewish exiles lived during the Babylonian captivity. The place appears in the biblical records of Ezra and Nehemiah as the origin point for a group of returning exiles who journeyed back to Jerusalem after their exile ended. However, these returnees from Tel-melah faced a significant obstacle upon their return: they could not prove their genealogy or priestly lineage, which was required to fully participate in the restored Jewish community (Ezra 2:59; Nehemiah 7:61). This historical detail illustrates the challenges faced by post-exilic Jewish communities in establishing their identity and religious standing. In the Greek version of Ezra known as 1 Esdras, the city is called "Thermeleth."