Chaldea
LocationsGeographical Setting
Chaldea denotes the marshy southern district of ancient Mesopotamia along the Euphrates River, which later became the power base for the Neo-Babylonian Empire.
What is the meaning of Chaldea in the Bible?
Chaldea denotes the marshy southern district of Babylonia along the Euphrates, a region that gained political prominence when Chaldean dynasties rose to control the broader Mesopotamian plain during the first millennium BCE.
SIGNIFICANCE
Recognizing that 'Chaldean' originally referred to a specific tribal group in southern Babylonia rather than the entire empire helps clarify biblical references to the Chaldeans as the agents of Judah's destruction, distinguishing the ethnic identity of the rulers from the geographic scope of their empire.
Bible Study Quick-Reference Guide
- Why did the biblical author mention Chaldea in this passage?
- What cultural or historical assumption does Chaldea clarify?
Related Topics
Source Attribution
Built upon the 1915 International Standard Bible Encyclopedia and Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897). Entries have been modernized, checked for academic truthfulness, and shortened for clarity.