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Thursday, May 1st, 2025
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Bible Dictionaries
Shinar, Plain of

Holman Bible Dictionary

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(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.

Bibliography Information
Butler, Trent C. Editor. Entry for 'Shinar, Plain of'. Holman Bible Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/hbd/s/shinar-plain-of.html. 1991.

Bible Dictionaries Shinar, Plain of

Holman Bible Dictionary

Bible Dictionaries
Shinar, Plain of