Minni
Minni is a region mentioned in the Old Testament, located in the region of Mesopotamia in modern-day Iraq. Known today as Qalaichi. It appears across 1 verse in Scripture.
Biblical History
Minni is a region mentioned only once in Scripture, in Jeremiah 51:27, where the prophet calls upon the kingdoms of Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz to marshal their forces against Babylon. This oracle of judgment against Babylon places Minni among the northern peoples whom God would summon as instruments of divine wrath against the great empire. The Minni correspond to the Manneans, a people who inhabited the region south and southeast of Lake Urmia in what is now northwestern Iran and parts of Iraq. They were known to the Assyrians as Mannai and were frequently mentioned in Assyrian royal inscriptions as both allies and adversaries. By placing Minni alongside Ararat (Urartu) and Ashkenaz (possibly the Scythians), Jeremiah envisions a coalition of northern mountain peoples descending upon Babylon. Though Minni played a relatively minor role in biblical narrative, its inclusion in this prophetic oracle underscores the scope of God's sovereignty over all nations, marshaling even distant and obscure peoples to accomplish His purposes of judgment.
Archaeological & Historical Notes
The Minni (Manneans) have been identified with the ancient kingdom of Mannai, centered in the region south of Lake Urmia in modern northwestern Iran and adjacent parts of Iraqi Kurdistan. Archaeological work at sites such as Hasanlu and Qalaichi (Izirtu) has revealed significant material culture from this people. Qalaichi, identified as the Mannean capital Izirtu, has yielded impressive bronze artifacts, fortification walls, and administrative structures dating to the ninth through seventh centuries BC. Hasanlu produced the famous gold bowl depicting mythological scenes. Assyrian records extensively document military campaigns against the Manneans. The region today lies within Iran's West Azerbaijan Province, where ongoing archaeological surveys continue to map Mannean settlements across the mountainous terrain.
Verse Appearances (1)
Jer
Sources: ISBE Encyclopedia · OpenBible Geocoding (CC BY) · Pleiades Gazetteer View all →