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INDIA (Heb. Hôddû) is named as the E. boundary of the empire of Ahasuerus (Est_1:1; Est_8:9). The Heb. is contracted from Hondu, the name of the river Indus. It indicated the country through which that river flows: not the great peninsula of Hindustan. So also in 1Ma_8:8, Ad. Est 13:1, 14:1, 1Es_3:2. Possibly the drivers of the elephants (1Ma_6:37) were true Indians. If India proper is not named, there is little doubt that from ancient times Israel had relations with the country, by means of the caravan trade through Arabia. Many of the articles of commerce in the account given of this trade are of Indian origin: e.g. ‘ivory and ebony,’ ‘cassia and calamus,’ ‘broidered work,’ and ‘rich apparel’ (Eze_27:15; Eze_27:19; Eze_27:24).
W. Ewing.