שִׁנְעָר
𐤔𐤍𐤏𐤓
Shinear
H8152 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
(Proper noun, geographic) The land or region of Shinʿar, identified with the alluvial plain in southern Mesopotamia (Babylonia), specifically associated in ancient texts with the area surrounding Babylon. In biblical texts, Shinar refers to a territory where important events occur, such as the construction of the Tower of Babel, and is representative of an ancient, powerful foreign land in relation to the Israelite narratives.
Semantic Range
name for the southern Mesopotamian plain; the geographic region of Babylonia or Sumer; land of Babel/Babylon, Erech, Accad, and Calneh; synonym or poetic reference for Babylon in exilic/prophetic texts; distant foreign land
Root / Etymology
Etymology uncertain. The term שִׁנְעָר (Shinʿar) is of likely foreign origin, as no clear derivation from a known Hebrew root can be established. It is generally thought to be a Hebrew transcription of a native Mesopotamian toponym, possibly corresponding to Sumer (Šumer), though phonetic links remain inconclusive.
Historical & Contextual Notes
'Shinar' appears in Genesis (e.g., Gen 10:10, 11:2, 14:1, 14:9), Joshua (7:21), Isaiah (11:11), Daniel (1:2), and Zechariah (5:11), consistently as a geographic term referring to a region in Mesopotamia. In patriarchal and monarchic contexts, it indicates a foreign land distinct from the Israelite territories; the biblical narrative often portrays Shinar as a place of technological advancement (e.g., tower-building) and as the cradle of major Mesopotamian cities like Babel/Babylon, Erech (Uruk), and Accad (Akkad). In exilic and post-exilic references, 'Shinar' retains its meaning as a distant, eastern land, often in parallel with Babylon and associated with exile or the gathering of exiles. Unlike later translations, which frequently render 'Shinar' simply as 'Babylonia' or 'Babylon,' the Hebrew term may have a broader connotation, referencing the wider Southern Mesopotamian plain rather than just a city. The term does not denote an Israelite or Judean identity but serves to mark cultural and geographic otherness from the perspective of the biblical authors.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
probably of foreign derivation; Shinar, a plain in Babylonia; Shinar.
Bantu Hebrew
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שנער (uncertain, foreign toponym) (sh-n-ʿ-r (uncertain)) — foreign place-name, southern Mesopotamian plain, Babylonia
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8152-01 |
שִׁנְעָֽר | shinear | HNp |
of Shinar | Shinʿar | 7 |
H8152-02 |
וּ/מִ/שִּׁנְעָר֙ | umishinear | HC/R/Np |
and from Shinar | and from Shinʿar | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
8 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8152-01 |
Genesis 10:10 | שִׁנְעָֽר | shinear | HNp |
of Shinar | Shinʿar |
H8152-01 |
Genesis 11:2 | שִׁנְעָ֖ר | shinear | HNp |
of Shinar | Shinʿar |
H8152-01 |
Genesis 14:1 | שִׁנְעָ֔ר | shinear | HNp |
Shinar | Shinʿar |
H8152-01 |
Genesis 14:9 | שִׁנְעָ֔ר | shinear | HNp |
of Shinar | Shinʿar |
H8152-01 |
Joshua 7:21 | שִׁנְעָר֩ | shinear | HNp |
of Shinar | Shinʿar |
H8152-02 |
Isaiah 11:11 | וּ/מִ/שִּׁנְעָר֙ | umishinear | HC/R/Np |
and from Shinar | and from Shinʿar |
H8152-01 |
Zechariah 5:11 | שִׁנְעָ֑ר | shinear | HNp |
of Shinar | Shinʿar |
H8152-01 |
Daniel 1:2 | שִׁנְעָ֖ר | shinear | HNp |
of Shinar | Shinʿar |