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שֵׁשַׁי

𐤔𐤔𐤉

Sheshay

H8344 noun

SILEX Entry

Root uncertain uncertain; (if connected to שֵׁשׁ) possibly 'six' or 'marble', but not attested for this name

Definition

Sheshai (proper name): a personal name used for a native inhabitant of Hebron encountered by the Israelites, representing an individual of pre-Israelite Canaanite (specifically Anakite) heritage. In direct narrative usage, the term does not denote a common noun or attribute but refers to an individual associated with the Anakim, known for their formidable stature.

Semantic Range

proper name; individual of Anakite heritage in Hebron; occasionally grouped conceptually with other Anakim as a symbol of indigenous inhabitants

Root / Etymology

Root/etymology uncertain. Though the form is similar to שָׁשַׁי (shašai) or שָׁאַשָׁי, there is no attested common noun or verb from which the name is derived in biblical Hebrew. The formation may be archaic or of non-Hebrew (likely Canaanite) origin, possibly preserved in the tradition without lexical derivation. Some suggest a root link to שֵׁשׁ (šêš, 'six' or 'marble/linen'), but there is no concrete linguistic evidence for a direct connection.

Historical & Contextual Notes

Sheshai is attested as one of the three sons of Anak (the Anakim), encountered in Hebron during the initial Israelite reconnaissance and later military campaigns (Numbers 13:22; Joshua 15:14; Judges 1:10). The term is strictly a proper name and never functions as a title or description beyond its narrative referent. In the biblical context, Sheshai—along with Ahiman and Talmai—symbolizes the pre-Israelite resistance in the Hebron region. English Bible translations render the name directly as 'Sheshai.' The term 'Canaanite' as in Strong's gloss is not a direct translation but an interpretive label, since the figure is specifically designated as of the Anakim, a subset within the biblical category of inhabitants of the land. There is no tradition within Hebrew or later periods to associate this name with Israelites, Judahites, or Judeans. The meaning of the name remains opaque, and no later Jewish or rabbinic traditions assign further typological significance.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

probably for שָׁשַׁי; Sheshai, a Canaanite; Sheshai.

Bantu Hebrew

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

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Root Family

uncertain (uncertain) — uncertain; possibly non-Hebrew personal name

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1085 בִּלְדַּד Bildad
H1095 בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּר Belteshatsar
H1114 בִּלְשָׁן Bilshan
H1150 בִּנְעָא Bin'a
H116 אֱדַיִן and then

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H8344-01 שֵׁשַׁ֣י sheshay HNp Sheshai Sheshai 3

Occurrences in Scripture

3 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H8344-01 Numbers 13:22 שֵׁשַׁ֣י sheshay HNp Sheshai Sheshai
H8344-01 Joshua 15:14 שֵׁשַׁ֤י sheshay HNp Sheshai Sheshai
H8344-01 Judges 1:10 שֵׁשַׁ֥י sheshay HNp Sheshai Sheshai
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