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Etymology •
& Meaning •
Hebrew •
Greek •
Bible •
Names •
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Meaning and etymology of the Hebrew name Elam
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Elam 
A region named Elam is first mentioned in the War of Four Against Five Kings, when Chedorlaomer, king of Elam enters into a alliance with three other kings to battle an alliance of five (Genesis 14:1). This Mesopotamian Elam is probably not the same as the Persian province named Elam, or Elymais, mentioned by the prophets Jeremiah (49:36) and Isaiah (21:2). The author of Acts seems to distinguish between Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia (Acts 2:9), and Ezra equates the Elamites with the men of Susa (a Persian city - Ezra 4:9).
Elam is also a personal name: The first mentioned Elam is a son of Shem, son of Noah. It's assumed that the Biblical narrative identifies this Elam as the ancestor of the Persians.
Then there are a gatekeeping Korahite (1 Chronicles 26:3),
a Benjaminite (1 Chronicles 8:24),
an Elam among the signers of the covenant (Nehemiah 10:14)
two heads of families that came back from exile, both named Elam (Ezra 2:7 and 31),
and a priest present at the dedication of the Jerusalem wall (Nehemiah 12:42).
The name Elam comes from the Hebrew root group ('lm I, II & III) and can be derived of any of the following:
• The verb ('alam), meaning to be hidden or concealed (Psalm 90:8, 1 Kings 10:3, Nahum 3:11). This root comes with the derivation ('taalumma), meaning hidden thing (Job 11:6).
• The unused and assumed root ('alam II), which yields the derivation ('elem), meaning young man. The female form of this word, ('alma), means young woman. And ('alma) means youth in general.
• The unused and assumed root ('alam III), which gives us the word (olam), meaning forever, ever, everlasting. According to HAW Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, twenty instances of this word's more than three hundred occurrences in the Bible denote a very long but not limitless past.
The connection between roots II and III may have to do with the many years a youth has in front of him, but the connection with root I is obscure. Perhaps it alludes to the hidden secrets of the future.
For the meaning of the name Elam, NOBS Study Bible Name List reads Hidden, and Jones' Dictionary of Old Testament Proper Names reads Hidden Time, Eternity, but the name Elam means just as much Young Man or Always.
Other names derived of this root group are
Alemeth,
Almon,
Almon-diblathaim and
Jalam.
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