H7883 H7883
Shihor; name of a water body on Egypt's border, probably a branch of the Nile or an eastern border stream
This geographical name refers to a water body associated with Egypt's border. Joshua 13:3 mentions it as marking Israel's southern boundary. 1 Chronicles 13:5 speaks of gathering Israel 'from the Shihor of Egypt to Lebo-hamath.' Isaiah 23:3 poetically refers to 'the grain of Shihor, the harvest of the Nile,' treating them as parallel. Jeremiah 2:18 questions why Israel would drink the waters of Shihor (in seeking alliance with Egypt). Traditional etymology derives it from words meaning 'black water' (perhaps dark Nile waters), though this is debated. The multilingual glossing often transliterates, showing uncertainty about its exact identity. It represents Egypt's frontier—a political and geographical marker of Israel's southern extent.
Senses
1. sense 1 — A water body on Egypt's border, probably the eastern branch of the Nile or a border stream. Used as a geographical marker for Israel's southern extent (Josh 13:3, 1 Chr 13:5). Isaiah 23:3 parallels it with the Nile, suggesting identification with Nile waters. Jeremiah 2:18 uses it symbolically for Egyptian alliance. Whether a specific Nile branch or a distinct stream, Shihor marked the boundary between Israelite and Egyptian territory, embodying both geographical reality and political symbolism. 4×
AR["الشّيحورِ", "شِيحُورَ", "شِيحُورِ"]·ben["শীহোর", "শীহোর-এর", "শীহোরের"]·DE["[שחור]", "[שחר]", "[שיחור]", "der-Shichor"]·EN["Shichor-of", "Shihor", "of-Shichor", "the-Shichor"]·FR["[שחור]", "[שחר]", "[שיחור]", "le-Shichor"]·heb["ה-שיחור", "שיחור"]·HI["शिहोर-का", "शीखोर", "शीहोर", "शीहोर-का"]·ID["Sihor", "Sikhor", "Sungai-Nil", "Sungai-Sihor"]·IT["[שחור]", "[שחר]", "[שיחור]", "il-Shichor"]·jav["Lèpeng-Sihor", "Nil", "Sihor", "Syihor"]·KO["그-시홀에서", "시호르", "시호르-의", "시호르의"]·PT["Shichor", "Shichor-de", "Shihor", "o-Shihor"]·RU["Шихора"]·ES["Shijor?", "Sijor", "Sijor-de", "el-Sijor"]·SW["Shihori", "ya-Shihori"]·TR["Shihor'un", "Şihor", "Şihor'un"]·urd["سیحور-کا", "شحور-کا", "شیحور", "شیخور"]
Related Senses
H8033 1. There (locative adverb) (835×)H7760a 1. put, place, set physically (444×)H8064 1. heavens / sky (329×)H5439 1. around, all around (spatial) (319×)H4057b 1. wilderness, desert region (270×)H3220 1. sea, body of water (269×)H0520a 1. cubit (unit of length) (246×)H0127 1. ground, land (territory) (210×)H3383 1. Jordan River (proper noun) (183×)G1093 1. earth, the world (176×)H5800a 1. forsake, abandon (Qal active) (166×)H8121 1. sun (celestial body) (133×)H7126 1. offer, present sacrificially (122×)H6828 1. north, cardinal direction (120×)H2351 1. outside, exterior space (119×)H5104 1. river, stream (119×)H7341 1. width, breadth (101×)G1563 1. there (95×)H7126 2. draw near, approach (95×)G2281 1. sea, large body of water (91×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† שִׁיחוֹר n.pr.flum. on border of Egypt, prob. E. branch of Nile;—הַשּׁ׳ Jos 13:3, שׁ׳ מִצְרַיִם 1 Ch 13:5; clearly = Nile, זֶרַע שִׁחֹר Is 23:3 (‖ קְצִיר יְאוֹר), מֵי שִׁחוֹר Je 2:18; cf. DlPa 311 WilsonHast. DB Shihor (usually derived from I. שׁחר, as black water, but doubtful).