Bible Dictionaries
Shinar, Plain of

Holman Bible Dictionary

(sshi' nahr) Place name of uncertain meaning used in various Ancient Near Eastern documents apparently with somewhat different localities in mind. Some evidence points to a Syrian district cited as Sanhara in the Amarna letters. Some scholars equate Shinar in Assyrian texts with modern Sinjar west of Mosul in Iraq. Others think a Kassite tribe was meant originally. Whatever its meaning outside the Bible, biblical texts use Shinar as a designation for Mesopotamia (Genesis 10:10 ). See Mesopotamia .

The tower of Babel was built in Shinar (Genesis 11:2-9 ). The King of Shinar opposed Abraham (Genesis 14:1 ). Isaiah prophesied that God would bring out a remnant of His people from Shinar (Genesis 11:11 ). Daniel 1:1-2 and probably Zechariah 5:11 equate Babylon and Shinar, thus limiting Shinar to its major city in the writers' day.