Jeremiah 49:34

“The word of the Lord that came unto Jeremiah the prophet against Elam, etc.] The Persians, as it is commonly understood, who descended from Elam the son of Shem, (<011022>Genesis 10:22); according to Josephusf959; but rather the country of Elymais is here designed; which, though in the times of Cyrus, was added to, and made a part of, the Persian empire, yet was a country distinct both from Persia and Media; and as such is spoken of by Plinyf960; though as near unto Persia, and bordering on Media; according to Stephanusf961, the Elymaites were a country that belonged to the Assyrians; and so Strabof962 places the Elymaeans in Aturia or Assyria; and it seems very manifest that Elam served…”

“Elam--part of Susiana, west of Persia proper, but used to designate Persia in general. Elam proper, or Elymais, nearer Judea than Persia, is probably here meant; it had helped Nebuchadnezzar against Judea; hence its punishment. It may have been idolatrous, whereas Persia proper was mainly monotheistic.”

“Against Elam - Or, concerning Elam. This country, better known as Susiana, is the modern Chuzistan, and lies on the east of Chaldaea, from which it is separated by the Tigris. In the cuneiform inscriptions we find the Elamites on friendly terms with Babylon. The suggestion therefore that they served as auxiliaries in the Chaldaean army in the expedition against Judah is not improbable. It was in the first year of Zedekiah that this prophecy was written, and thus it is a little prior to the prophecies against Babylon Jeremiah 51:59, which immediately follow. The words, “the Elam,” appear in the Septuagint in Jeremiah 25:14, followed by this prophecy, while in Jeremiah 26:1 we find, “In the…”

“Against Elam - Probably the Persians. Jeremiah 49:38”

“49:34-39 The final poetic message of this series was addressed to Elam. This nation, known for its ferocity, was located in the Zagros Mountains, far to the east beyond Babylon (Ezek 32:24).”

“Cir, am 3406, bc 598 Elam: Elam, the Elymais of the Greeks and Romans, was properly a province of the Persian empire, between Media and Susiana; but sometimes the name Elam is used in a larger sense, including Susiana and other provinces (see Dan 8:2), all of which were subdued by Nebuchadnezzar, and afterwards restored and raised to dignity by Cyrus. Jer 25:25; Gen 10:22, Gen 14:1; Ezr 4:9; Isa 21:2; Eze 32:24, Eze 32:25; Dan 8:2; Act 2:9 Jeremiah 49:35”

“Concerning Elam. - By the title (on the form of which, cf. Jer 46:1; Jer 47:1, and Jer 14:1), the utterance regarding Elam is placed "in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah;" hence it was published later than the prophecies in Jer 48 and in 49:1-33, and not long before the prophecy regarding Babylon in Jer 50. Elam, a Shemitic people in Elymais, the Persian province of Susiana (the modern Husistn), which, except in Gen 14:1, only appears in history when it had no longer a Shemitic but an Aryan language (see on Gen 10:22 and Dan 8:2), is mentioned in Isa 22:6 as serving in the Assyrian army, and in Isa 21:6 as being, together with Madai (the Medes), the executors of judgment…”