The giant '''Nimrod''' known as '''Amraphel''' was lord of the ~~[[Titans]] or~~ giants called [[Gibborim]] and father to Abraham's servant, [[דַּמֶּשֶׂק אֱלִיעֶזֶר|Damméśeq ʾĔlîʿézer]]. His predecessor and father in law was Cush. His title (Nimrod) has become proverbial as that of a mighty hunter (צַ֖יִד גִּבּ֥וֹר). Nimrod is said to have forced Ashur out of the middle east when he invaded Shinar (Syria-Palestine) and established his dominion. Nimrod's Giant invaders (Philistim) are said to have come from [[Kasluchite nation|Kisleh]] who was a son of [[Mitzraim]]. Nimrod's dominion comprised not only [[בבל|Babel (Nun.Ki)]], but also [[ארך|Erech (Ukuk)]], [[אכד|Accad (possibly Mari)]], and [[כלנה בארץ שנער|Calneh of Eretz Shinar (thought to be Nippur)]] all along the Euphrates river boarder of Eastern Cana'an which became known as the land of Mar.Tu, the name Nimrod being derived from [[נמרד|En.Mar.Tu]] meaning Lord of Mar.Tu which later became Amar.Utu the name of his kingdom, the land of Nimrod (Gen. x. 8-10; I Chron. i. 10; Micah v. 5 [A. V. 6]). Beyond Mar.Tu, east of the Great Euphrates, eventually became the Assyrian Empire. In Rabbinical tradition Nimrod is accredited with the construction of the tower of babel where the so-called "Semitic" (such as Akkadian) branch of the Afroasiatic languages (which include Coptic-Egyptian and the Cushitic languages) were used. Abraham warned Nimrod (Amraphel) that his sovereignty was in jeopardy, but he refused to believe the prophet. Abraham left for the West and Amar-Sin's "Tax-Collector" Kedorloamer of Elam succeeded to Ur III in the East. For 12 years, all lords of the Philistim-Gibborim were subject to Kedorloamer but in the 13th year 5 of them rebelled. Only Nimrod (Amarphel) and Antioch of ElSar were not in a position to do so and in the 14th year they found themselves conscripted by Kedorloamer along with Tidal of Goyim into a war of retribution against his rebellious relatives. After capturing Lot, his army was routed by Abraham just north of Damascus and he surrendered to Abraham.

==In Rabbinical Literature==

===Made King===

The Targum of pseudo-Jonathan (to Gen. x. 11) presents Nimrod the cause of Ashur leaving Babel before the building of the tower, to establish Assyria, where he built four other cities, namely, Nineveh, Rehobot, Calah, and Resen (comp. Naḥmanides ad loc.). This exegesis may relate to the two Nimrods of Arabic tradition. According to another account, when Nimrod was eighteen years old, war broke out between his Hamite kinsmen, the [[פתרסים|Pathrusites]], and the Japhethite [[דדנים|Dodanim]]. The latter were at first victorious placing Ashur in charge of Cana'an, but Nimrod, at the head of a small army of invaders from Casluh, attacked and defeated them and forced Ashur east of the Euphrates out of Canaan. After this he was made king over all the people on earth, appointing Terah his minister. It was then, elated by so much glory, that Nimrod changed his behavior toward Yhwh and became the most flagrant idolater. Nimrod is generally considered to have been the one who suggested building the Tower of Babel and who directed its construction. God said: "I made Nimrod great; but he built a tower in order that he might rebel against Me" (Ḥul. 89b). The tower is called by the Rabbis "the house of Nimrod," and is considered as a house of idolatry but which the owners abandoned in time of peace; consequently Jews may make use of it ('Ab. Zarah 53b). When informed of Abraham's birth he Nimrod requested Terah to sell him the new-born child in order that he might kill it (see Jew. Encyc. i. 86a, s.v. Abraham in Rabbinical Literature). Terah hid Abraham (giving Abraham up for adoption to Azar father of Sarah in Haran) and in his stead brought to Nimrod the child of a slave, which Nimrod dashed to pieces ("Sefer ha-Yashar," l.c.). Terah visited Harran frequently and died there.

When the adult Abraham began to preach against idolatry warning of Nimrod's fall, Nimrod had him thrown into a heated furnace; and it was on this account, according to one opinion, that Nimrod was called "Amraphel" ( = "he said, throw in"; Targ. pseudo-Jonathan to Gen. xiv. 1; Gen. R. xlii. 5; Cant. R. viii. 8). When Nimrod was informed that Abraham had come forth from the furnace uninjured, however, he remitted his persecution of the worshiper of Yhwh.

However, the survival of Abraham did not cause Nimrod to change his conduct; he remained an idolater.

===Nimrod's Dream===

~~The the survival of Abraham did not cause Nimrod to change his conduct; he remained an idolater.~~ The night following the release of Abraham he saw in a dream a man coming out of the furnace and advancing toward him with a drawn sword. Nimrod thereupon ran away, but the man threw an egg at him; this was afterward transformed into a large river in which all his troops were drowned, only he himself and three of his followers escaping. Then the river again became an egg, and from the latter came forth a small fowl, which flew at Nimrod and pecked out his eye. The dream was interpreted as forecasting Nimrod's defeat by Abraham, wherefore Nimrod sent secretly to kill Abraham; but ~~the latter~~ Nimrod's tower fell and Abraham emigrated with his family to the land of Canaan. Abraham had warned Nimrod not only of the coming destruction but also subjugation to Elam. However, Nimrod had ignored him. According to the "Sefer ha-Yashar" (l.c.), he at this time acquired the name "Amraphel" in allusion to the fall of his princes during the dispersion. The destruction of the tower did not change Nimrod's heart and he set out with the intention of punishing his rebellious generals. Ten years later Nimrod, at the head of a small army, came to wage war with Chedorlaomer, King of Elam, who had been one of Nimrod's generals, and who after G-d's dispersion (at the hand of the Dodanim) of the builders of the tower went to Elam and formed there an independent kingdom. Nevertheless, Cherdorlaomer routed and subjugated him. ===Latter days===

Ten years later Nimrod came to wage war with Chedorlaomer, King of Elam, who had been one of Nimrod's generals, and who after G-d's dispersion (at the hand of the Dodanim) of the builders of the tower went to Elam and formed there an independent kingdom. Nimrod is generally considered to have been the one who suggested building the Tower of Babel and who directed its construction. God said: "I made Nimrod great; but he built a tower in order that he might rebel against Me" (Ḥul. 89b). The tower is called by the Rabbis "the house of Nimrod," and is considered as a house of idolatry which the owners abandoned in time of peace; consequently Jews may make use of it ('Ab. Zarah 53b). Abraham had warned Nimrod of the coming destruction and subjugation to Elam, but Nimrod had ignored him. According to the "Sefer ha-Yashar" (l.c.), he at this time acquired the name "Amraphel" in allusion to the fall of his princes () during the dispersion. The destruction of the tower did not change Nimrod's heart and, at the head of a small army, he set out with the intention of punishing his rebellious general, but the latter routed and subjugated him. Nimrod remained in Shinar where, as a vassal to Cherdorlaomer of Elam, he reestablished part of his kingdom. It was Chedorlaomer, who involved him in the war with the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah, and with whom he was defeated by Abraham near Damascus ("Sefer ha-Yashar," l.c.; comp. Gen. xiv. 1-17) where his son Eliezer joined Abraham.

Nimrod was slain by Esau, between whom and himself jealousy existed owing to the fact that they were both hunters (Targ. pseudo-Jonathan to Gen. xxv. 27; "Sefer ha-Yashar," section "Toledot," p. 40b; Pirḳe R. El. l.c.; comp. Gen. R. lxv. 12).W. B. M. Sel.

The Targum of pseudo-Jonathan (to Gen. x. 11), however, presents quite an alternative history whereby Nimrod had left Babylonia before the building of the tower, and had gone to Assyria, where he built four other cities, namely, Nineveh, Rehobot, Calah, and Resen (comp. Naḥmanides ad loc.). This exegesis does not have any support from rabbinical texts or other Semitic tradition.

==Bibliography==

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