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שִׁיחוֹר

𐤔𐤉𐤇𐤅𐤓

Shichor

H7883 noun

SILEX Entry

Root שחר to be dark, to be black

Definition

Proper noun referring to the Nile River or, in some contexts, a part of the eastern Nile delta in Egypt; used as a geographic boundary. The term's primary sense relates to a river characterized by its dark or turbid waters, most often linking it to the Nile due to its silt-laden flow. In biblical usage, Shihor is most frequently a border marker demarcating the southwestern edge of the land associated with Israelite interests and Egyptian territory.

Semantic Range

Nile River, river of Egypt, dark/turbid boundary stream, boundary marker between Egypt and Canaan

Root / Etymology

From the root שָׁחַר (sh-ḥ-r), which in its verb form means 'to be black' or 'to be dark.' The noun שִׁיחוֹר derives from this root and carries the idea of 'the dark one' or 'the one of dark/turbid waters,' most likely referencing the Nile's silty, muddy appearance. The word occurs as a proper place name rather than simply an adjective.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In older Israelite texts (e.g., Joshua, 1 Chronicles), 'Shihor' typically represents a geographical marker at or near the southwestern limits of Canaan in relation to Egypt. The term is most frequently interpreted as a designation for the Nile or, more specifically, its Pelusiac branch (the easternmost branch of the Nile Delta), serving as the border with Egypt. Some contexts (e.g., Joshua 13:3; 1 Chronicles 13:5) suggest that 'Shihor' was used almost interchangeably with 'Nile' but may imply a specific stretch (e.g., the frontier zone or marshlands rather than the entire river). The Septuagint frequently translates the word as Αἴγυπτος (Egypt) or Νεῖλος (Nile), which can elide the more specific geographical reference. In post-exilic and later writings, the term is rare. Modern translations render the term variously as 'Shihor,' 'River of Egypt,' or, at times, simply 'Nile.' The English term 'Sihor' is a transliteration preserving the ambiguity present in the Hebrew.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or שִׁחוֹר; or שִׁחֹר; probably from שָׁחַר; dark, i.e. turbid; Shichor, a stream of Egypt; Shihor, Sihor.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

שחר (sh-ḥ-r) — to be dark, to be black

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4891 מִשְׁחָר earliest dawn-light
H6890 צֶרֶת הַשַּׁחַר the dawn-light
H7815 שְׁחוֹר black soot
H7835 שָׁחַר dawn-light
H7836 שָׁחַר I earnestly-seek you

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H7883-02 שִׁחֹ֔ר shichor HNp Shihor Dark River 3
H7883-01 הַ/שִּׁיח֞וֹר hashichor HTd/Np the Shihor the Dark River 1

Occurrences in Scripture

4 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H7883-01 Joshua 13:3 הַ/שִּׁיח֞וֹר hashichor HTd/Np the Shihor the Dark River
H7883-02 Isaiah 23:3 שִׁחֹ֔ר shichor HNp Shihor Dark River
H7883-02 Jeremiah 2:18 שִׁח֑וֹר shichor HNp of Shihor Dark River
H7883-02 1 Chronicles 13:5 שִׁיח֥וֹר shichor HNp Shihor Dark River
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