Bible Word Study
אַכַּד
ʼAkkad · Accad, a place in Babylon
אַכַּד
Accad, a place in Babylon
Definition
Akkad (אַכַּד) is a proper noun referring to one of the four major cities in the kingdom of Nimrod, located in the land of Shinar (Babylonia). It is listed alongside Babel, Erech, and Calneh in Genesis 10:10, marking it as a foundational center of early post-Flood human civilization. The name likely signifies a 'fortress' or stronghold, indicating its role as a seat of power and military strength. In the biblical narrative, these cities represent the collective human ambition that led to the building of the Tower of Babel.
Biblical Usage
The word appears only once in the Old Testament, in Genesis 10:10, within the 'Table of Nations' genealogy. Its usage is purely geographical and historical, identifying Akkad as a key city in Nimrod's kingdom in the land of Shinar. There are no other contextual uses or patterns, as it is a single-occurrence proper name.
Etymology
The name אַכַּד (ʼAkkad) is derived from an unused Hebrew root, likely meaning 'to strengthen' or 'to fortify,' hence signifying a fortress or stronghold. It is linguistically connected to the Akkadian language and the historical Akkadian Empire (Agade), reflecting its real-world identity as a major Mesopotamian power center.
Semantic Range
While Akkad itself is not a theologically loaded term, its inclusion in Genesis 10:10 is significant. It represents the centralized, human-driven civilization that emerged after the Flood, setting the stage for the rebellion at Babel (Genesis 11:1-9). Understanding Akkad as part of Nimrod's kingdom enriches the reading of this passage by highlighting the contrast between human empire-building and God's sovereign plan to scatter people and diversify nations. In its original context, Akkad (Agade) was understood as the capital city of the ancient Akkadian Empire, the first great empire of Mesopotamia, founded by Sargon of Akkad. For the original Israelite audience, the name evoked a powerful, distant, and historically significant pagan civilization. Its biblical mention grounds the Genesis account in real historical geography, contrasting the grandeur of human kingdoms with their origin in a shared ancestry from Noah. Babel (Bāḇel, H894) — Another city in Nimrod's kingdom, later the site of the famous tower. Erech (ʼErek, H751) — A neighboring city in Shinar, associated with ancient Uruk. Calneh (Kalnēh, H3641) — The fourth city listed with Akkad in Genesis 10:10, location uncertain.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (BDB, 1906, public domain). Concordance and morphology data are from the OSHB (Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible).
Full methodology & sources →References
- Abbott-Smith, G. (1921) A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Brown, F., Driver, S.R. and Briggs, C.A. (1906) A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Tyndale Brief lexicon of Extended Strongs for Greek (TBESG). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Formatted full LSJ (TFLSJ). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Thayer, J.H. (1889) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. [Public Domain]
- Gesenius, W. (1846) Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament. [Public Domain]
- Dodson, J. (2010) Greek Lexicon. Biblical Humanities. [CC0]