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Bible Encyclopedias
Shenir
Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature
or (Heb., Shenir' שְׁניר [so in Deuteronomy 3:9 Song of Solomon 4:8 but in 1 Chronicles 5:23, Ezekiel 27:5, Senir' שְׂנַיר ], Gesenius, "coat of mail, or cataract; " Furst, "either a projecting mountain peak or snow mountain" Sept. Σανίρ v.r. Σενείρ ), the Amoritish name for the mountain in the north of Palestine (Deuteronomy 3:9; Ezekiel 27) which the Hebrews called Hermon, and the Phoenicians Sirion; or perhaps it was a name rather for a portion of the mountain than for the whole. In 1 Chronicles 5:23, and Song of Solomon 4:8, Hermon and it are mentioned as distinct. Abulfeda (ed. Kohler, p. 164, quoted by Gesenius) reports that the part of Antilebanon north of Damascus that usually denominated Jebel esh-Shurky, "the East Mountain" was in his day called Seir. The use of the word in Ezekiel is singular. In describing Tyre we should naturally expect to find the Phoenician name (Sirion) of the mountain employed, "if the ordinary Israelitish name (Hermon) were discarded. That it is not so may show that in the time of Ezekiel the name of Senir had lost its original significance as an Amoritish name, and was employed without that restriction. The Targum of Joseph on 1 Chronicles 5:23 (ed. Beck) renders Senir by טוּר מֵישֵׁרֵי פִרַזַי, of which the most probable translation is "the mountain of the plains of the Perizzites." In the edition of Wilkins the text is altered to ט מִסְרֵי פַּירְוְי, "the mountain that corrupteth fruits," in agreement with the Targums on Deuteronomy 3:9, though it is there given as the equivalent of Sirion. Which of these is the original it is perhaps impossible now to decide. The former has the slight consideration in its favor that the Hivites are specially mentioned as "under Mount Hermon," and thus may have been connected or confounded with the Perizzites; or the reading may have arisen from mere caprice, as that of the Samaritan version of Deuteronomy 3:9 appears to have done. (See ANTILIBANUS).
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McClintock, John. Strong, James. Entry for 'Shenir'. Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature. https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/tce/s/shenir.html. Harper & Brothers. New York. 1870.
