סִינִי

𐤎𐤉𐤍𐤉

Sini

H5513 noun

SILEX Entry

Root סין to be a member of the people of Sin, to be descended from Sin

Definition

A member of the clan or people group called the Sinite(s), traditionally considered a descendant of Canaan, one of the ancestral peoples listed among the Canaanite nations. The word is used only in the context of lineage and ethnographic lists.

Semantic Range

Sinite, member of the Sinite clan, descendant of Sin (ethnonym)

Root / Etymology

From the root סין (Sin), a proper name of unclear, possibly non-Semitic origin. The term סִינִי is formed as a gentilic (adjectival) ending -ִי indicating membership or origin ('of Sin' or 'Sinite'). The precise meaning or origin of the root סין is uncertain; it appears nowhere else as a common noun.

Historical & Contextual Notes

סִינִי appears in the table of nations (Genesis 10:17; 1 Chronicles 1:15), which lists diverse peoples descended from Canaan. The term is strictly ethnographic, appearing only as a marker of identity among other Canaanite groups. No further characteristics, geographic location, or cultural distinctions for the Sinite(s) are given in the Hebrew Bible, and the historical identity and territory of this group remain uncertain. Later traditions, including some Greek versions, attempted to connect the name with various peoples, but there is no archaeological or extrabiblical evidence to clarify their identity. The word 'Sinite' in English is a direct transliteration, and translations sometimes reflect interpretive guesses. The mention is purely genealogical and does not imply extended narrative or cultural descriptions. Contrast with other Canaanite gentilic forms derived from known city names or regions (such as Sidonian, Hittite, etc.), which often have clearer geographical referents.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from an otherwise unknown name of a man; a Sinite, or descendant of one of the sons of Canaan; Sinite.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

סין (s-y-n) — Sin (proper name), membership in the people of Sin, descent from Sin

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H5512 סִין Sin

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H5513-01 הַ/סִּינִֽי hasini HTd/Ngmsa the Sinite the Sinite 2

Occurrences in Scripture

2 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H5513-01 Genesis 10:17 הַ/סִּינִֽי hasini HTd/Ngmsa the Sinite the Sinite
H5513-01 1 Chronicles 1:15 הַ/סִּינִֽי hasini HTd/Ngmsa the Sinite the Sinite