Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible (1898)
E'LAM, a country peopled by the descendants of Shem, and called, after his son, Elam. Gen 10:22. It lay south of Assyria and west of Persia proper, and reached to the Persian Gulf. Herodotus called it Cissia. It was a province of Persia, of which Susa was capital. Ezr 4:9; Dan 3:2. History.-Elam was a strong power in Abram's time. Gen 14:9. Its people aided in the destruction of Babylon, Isa 21:2; invaded Israel, Isa 22:6. Its destruction was
foretold. Jer 49:34-39; Jer 25:25; Eze 32:24-25. A remarkable statement illustrating the truth of the Scriptures in respect to Elam has lately been deciphered from Assyrian cylinders in the British Museum. Assur-banipal records, b.c. 668-626, "In my fifth expedition, to Elam I directed the march. ... I overwhelmed Elam through its extent. I cut off the head of Te-umman, their wicked king, who devised evil. Beyond number I slew his soldiers. . . .
For a month and a day Elam to its utmost extent I swept." There are other records equally remarkable, but there is not space to quote them.