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שָׁנִי

𐤔𐤍𐤉

shânîy

H8144 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

A vivid red dye, scarlet color, or cloth colored with this dye, produced from the dried bodies of certain scale insects (likely the female Kermes ilicis). The term can refer to both the dye substance itself and any article (thread, fabric, etc.) uniquely colored with this distinctive shade. Often used in ritual and ceremonial contexts, especially for items associated with the tabernacle, priestly garments, and purification rites.

Semantic Range

red dye from scale insect, crimson, scarlet dye, thread or fabric dyed scarlet, cloth dyed with shânîy, particular ritual materials colored with this dye

Root / Etymology

Root uncertain. While the exact derivation is unclear, shânîy is not directly traceable to a known triliteral Hebrew root, and may ultimately be a loanword or have proto-Semitic parallels. The word most likely refers to the red dye produced from a particular scale insect (traditionally identified as the Kermes insect) and by extension to items colored with this dye.

Historical & Contextual Notes

שָׁנִי (shânîy) occurs primarily in ritual and ceremonial contexts in the Torah, particularly as one of the materials used in constructing the tabernacle, making sacred vestments, and in purification rituals (e.g., the red heifer ritual in Numbers 19). The strong association with religious symbolism and purity underscores its importance in Israelite culture. Unlike the later English term "scarlet," which has come to denote a general red color and, in some contexts, is associated with sin or immorality, the biblical shânîy is a technical term for a particular sacred dye/cloth. Items labeled as שָׁנִי are typically distinguished from other colored fabrics, such as תְּכֵלֶת (tekhelet, 'blue/purple dye') and אַרְגָּמָן (argaman, 'purple'). The Greek Septuagint often renders it as κοκκινός, reflecting the same color association and dye-source. In later Jewish tradition and some translations, shânîy is transliterated or rendered as 'crimson' or 'scarlet,' but these terms can obscure the dye's unique ritual function and its natural origin from insects.

Translation Consistency

primary "scarlet" 6 occurrences

'Scarlet' is the most natural, widely understood English term covering both the vivid red dye and items colored with it. It fits the typical usage in ritual and textile contexts and allows consistent rendering (e.g. scarlet, scarlet cloth, scarlet-dyed) while avoiding awkward hyphenation or overly technical terms like 'scarlet-dye.'

Alternatives (36 occurrences):
"scarlet-dye" (33x) "scarlet-dyed" (2x) "like scarlet-dyed fabrics" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

of uncertain derivation; crimson, properly, the insect or its color, also stuff dyed with it; crimson, scarlet (thread).

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

uncertain (Baleadan) — uncertain

Root uncertain uncertain, possibly linked to red dye or color
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1002 בִּירָה the citadel
H105 אֲגַרְטָל bowls of
H1081 בַּלְאֲדָן Baladan
H1085 בִּלְדַּד Bildad
H1095 בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּר Belteshatsar

Word Forms

7 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H8144-03 שָׁנִי֙ shani HNcmsa scarlet scarlet-dye scarlet-dye 24
H8144-01 הַ/שָּׁנִ֖י hashani HTd/Ncmsa the scarlet the scarlet-dye the scarlet-dye 10
H8144-06 וּ/שְׁנִ֥י usheni HC/Ncmsc and scarlet scarlet dye and scarlet 3
H8144-05 שְׁנִ֥י sheni HNcmsc scarlet scarlet-dyed scarlet-dyed 2
H8144-02 כַּ/שָּׁנִים֙ kashanim HRd/Ncmpa like-scarlet scarlet-dyed fabrics like scarlet-dyed fabrics 1
H8144-04 שָׁנִֽים shanim HNcmpa with scarlet year-cycles with scarlet 1
H8144-07 וּ/בִ/שְׁנִ֥י uvisheni HC/R/Ncmsc and with scarlet and with scarlet dye of and with scarlet 1

Occurrences in Scripture

42 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H8144-03 Genesis 38:28 שָׁנִי֙ shani HNcmsa a scarlet thread scarlet-dye scarlet thread
H8144-01 Genesis 38:30 הַ/שָּׁנִ֑י hashani HTd/Ncmsa the scarlet the scarlet-dye the scarlet-dye
H8144-03 Exodus 25:4 שָׁנִ֖י shani HNcmsa scarlet scarlet-dye scarlet-dye
H8144-03 Exodus 26:1 שָׁנִ֔י shani HNcmsa scarlet scarlet-dye scarlet-dye
H8144-03 Exodus 26:31 שָׁנִ֖י shani HNcmsa scarlet scarlet-dye scarlet-dye
H8144-03 Exodus 26:36 שָׁנִ֖י shani HNcmsa material scarlet-dye scarlet-dye
H8144-03 Exodus 27:16 שָׁנִ֛י shani HNcmsa material scarlet-dye scarlet-dye
H8144-01 Exodus 28:5 הַ/שָּׁנִ֖י hashani HTd/Ncmsa the scarlet the scarlet-dye the scarlet-dye
H8144-03 Exodus 28:6 שָׁנִ֛י shani HNcmsa [material] scarlet-dye scarlet-dye
H8144-03 Exodus 28:8 שָׁנִ֖י shani HNcmsa material scarlet-dye scarlet-dye
H8144-03 Exodus 28:15 שָׁנִ֛י shani HNcmsa scarlet-dye scarlet-dye
H8144-03 Exodus 28:33 שָׁנִ֔י shani HNcmsa scarlet scarlet-dye scarlet-dye
H8144-03 Exodus 35:6 שָׁנִ֖י shani HNcmsa scarlet scarlet-dye scarlet-dye
H8144-03 Exodus 35:23 שָׁנִ֖י shani HNcmsa material scarlet-dye scarlet-dye
H8144-01 Exodus 35:25 הַ/שָּׁנִ֖י hashani HTd/Ncmsa the scarlet the scarlet-dye the scarlet-dye
H8144-01 Exodus 35:35 הַ/שָּׁנִ֛י hashani HTd/Ncmsa scarlet the scarlet-dye the scarlet-dye
H8144-03 Exodus 36:8 שָׁנִ֔י shani HNcmsa scarlet scarlet-dye scarlet-dye
H8144-03 Exodus 36:35 שָׁנִ֖י shani HNcmsa [yarn] scarlet-dye scarlet-dye
H8144-03 Exodus 36:37 שָׁנִ֖י shani HNcmsa material scarlet-dye scarlet-dye
H8144-03 Exodus 38:18 שָׁנִ֖י shani HNcmsa scarlet scarlet-dye scarlet-dye
H8144-01 Exodus 38:23 הַ/שָּׁנִ֖י hashani HTd/Ncmsa the scarlet the scarlet-dye the scarlet-dye
H8144-01 Exodus 39:1 הַ/שָּׁנִ֔י hashani HTd/Ncmsa the scarlet the scarlet-dye the scarlet-dye
H8144-03 Exodus 39:2 שָׁנִ֖י shani HNcmsa scarlet-dye scarlet-dye
H8144-01 Exodus 39:3 הַ/שָּׁנִ֖י hashani HTd/Ncmsa the scarlet-dye the scarlet-dye
H8144-03 Exodus 39:5 שָׁנִ֖י shani HNcmsa scarlet scarlet-dye scarlet-dye
H8144-03 Exodus 39:8 שָׁנִ֖י shani HNcmsa scarlet-dye scarlet-dye
H8144-03 Exodus 39:24 שָׁנִ֑י shani HNcmsa material scarlet-dye scarlet-dye
H8144-03 Exodus 39:29 שָׁנִ֖י shani HNcmsa yarn scarlet-dye scarlet-dye
H8144-06 Leviticus 14:4 וּ/שְׁנִ֥י usheni HC/Ncmsc and scarlet scarlet dye and scarlet
H8144-05 Leviticus 14:6 שְׁנִ֥י sheni HNcmsc scarlet scarlet-dyed scarlet-dyed
H8144-06 Leviticus 14:49 וּ/שְׁנִ֥י usheni HC/Ncmsc and scarlet scarlet dye and scarlet
H8144-05 Leviticus 14:51 שְׁנִ֣י sheni HNcmsc scarlet scarlet-dyed scarlet-dyed
H8144-07 Leviticus 14:52 וּ/בִ/שְׁנִ֥י uvisheni HC/R/Ncmsc and with scarlet and with scarlet dye of and with scarlet
H8144-03 Numbers 4:8 שָׁנִ֔י shani HNcmsa scarlet scarlet-dye scarlet-dye
H8144-06 Numbers 19:6 וּ/שְׁנִ֣י usheni HC/Ncmsc and scarlet scarlet dye and scarlet
H8144-01 Joshua 2:18 הַ/שָּׁנִ֨י hashani HTd/Ncmsa scarlet the scarlet-dye the scarlet-dye
H8144-01 Joshua 2:21 הַ/שָּׁנִ֖י hashani HTd/Ncmsa scarlet the scarlet-dye the scarlet-dye
H8144-03 2 Samuel 1:24 שָׁנִי֙ shani HNcmsa in scarlet scarlet-dye scarlet-dye
H8144-02 Isaiah 1:18 כַּ/שָּׁנִים֙ kashanim HRd/Ncmpa like-scarlet scarlet-dyed fabrics like scarlet-dyed fabrics
H8144-03 Jeremiah 4:30 שָׁנִ֜י shani HNcmsa scarlet scarlet-dye scarlet-dye
H8144-04 Proverbs 31:21 שָׁנִֽים shanim HNcmpa with scarlet year-cycles with scarlet
H8144-01 Song of Songs 4:3 הַ/שָּׁנִי֙ hashani HTd/Ncmsa of scarlet the scarlet-dye the scarlet-dye
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