Accad
Accad is an ancient city mentioned in the Old Testament, located in the region of Mesopotamia in modern-day Iraq. Known today as Tell Sheshubar. It appears across 1 verse in Scripture.
Biblical History
Accad appears in Genesis 10:10 as one of the first cities of Nimrod's kingdom in the land of Shinar, alongside Babel, Erech, and Calneh: 'The beginning of his kingdom was Babel, Erech, Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.' This brief notice places Accad within the Table of Nations, the primeval geography of Genesis 10, which traces the spread of humanity after the flood and locates the origins of ancient civilizations. Nimrod is described as 'a mighty hunter before the LORD' and the founder of the earliest urban kingdoms in Mesopotamia, connecting Accad to the very dawn of human civilization in the biblical framework. Historically, Accad (Akkad) was the capital of the Akkadian Empire established by Sargon of Akkad around 2334 BC, the world's first true multi-ethnic empire, which dominated Mesopotamia for approximately two centuries. The Akkadian Empire's legacy shaped all subsequent Mesopotamian civilization, including the Babylonian and Assyrian powers that would later play such formative — and often devastating — roles in Israel's history. Genesis's early mention of Accad situates it within the unfolding human story of civilization, pride, and the dispersion that sets the stage for God's calling of Abraham from Ur of the Chaldeans.
Archaeological & Historical Notes
Despite Akkad's enormous historical importance as the capital of the world's first empire, the city has never been definitively located archaeologically, making it one of the most sought-after lost cities of the ancient Near East. The site of Tell Sheshubar in modern Iraq has been proposed as a candidate, and it is listed in some identifications, but the identification is uncertain. Other proposed sites include Tell Ishan Bahriyat (ancient Isin) and locations near modern Baghdad or Sippar. Akkadian-language texts and artifacts have been found across Mesopotamia attesting to the empire's reach, but the actual capital city remains archaeologically elusive. Ongoing survey work in central Iraq is hampered by modern development and political instability, leaving the precise location of ancient Akkad an open question in Near Eastern archaeology.
Verse Appearances (1)
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Sources: ISBE Encyclopedia · OpenBible Geocoding (CC BY) · Pleiades Gazetteer View all →