SHIELD

of pronouncing sft as s would immediately be noticed. If, on uttering this word, the fugitive pronounced it 'Sibboleth,' he was known to be an Ephraimite, and was forthwith slain. In this way there fell, according to the obviously exaggerated account in J, 'forty and two thousand.' W. O. E. Oesterley.

SHIELD. — See Ahmodr Arms, § 2 (o).

SHIGGAION.— See Psalms, p. 772».

SHIHOR in Is 23«, Jer 2" seems to mean Egypt (?), the Nile (?), or the waters of Egypt: in 1 Ch 13', Jos 13', it is the S. W. frontier of Canaan. If the name is Hebrew it may mean 'the Black,' in allusion to the dark waters or even to the black alluvial land itself: the Egyp. name of Egypt is Kemi, meaning 'black.' But, as Brugsch pointed out, Shi-HSr is the Egyp. name of a stream or canal, possibly the Pelusiac branch of the Nile, on or near the eastern border of Egypt (see Shur). The black alluvium might well be counted as the boundary of Canaan: but elsewhere the boundary is the 'Brook' (or 'River') of Egypt, i.e. the Wady el-Arish (see Shdr). F. Ll. Griffith.

SHIHOR-LIBNATH.— One of the boundaries of Asher (Jos IQ'*). It stands apparently for a river, most probably the Nahr ez-Zerka, the Crocodile River.

SHIKKERON. — A place on the northern boundary of Judah (Jos 15"). The site is unknown.

SHILHI.— Father of Asa's wife (1 K 22« 2 Ch 20>i).

SHILHIM.— A town of Judah (Jos 15«). Cf. Shaaraim, 2.

SHILLEM, SHILLEKITES.— See Shallum, No. 7.

SHILOAH.— See Siloam.

SHILOH. — 1. Here the IsraeliteiS assembled at the completion of the conquest, and erected the Tent of Meeting; portions were assigned to the still landless tribes, and cities to the Levites (Jos 18" etc. 21' etc.). At Shiloh the congregation deliberated regarding the altar built by the men of the eastern tribes in the Jordan Valley (22™). During the period of the Judges, it was the central sanctuary (Jg 18"). the scene of great religious festivals and pilgrimages (21", 1 S 1'). On one of these occasions the Benjamites captured as wives the women who danced among the vineyards (211M.). Here the youth of Samuel was spent, and from this narrative we gather that the 'tent' had given place to a permanent structure, a 'temple' (ftsisi), under the care of the high priest Eli and his family. The loss of the ark and the disaster to his sons proved fatal to Eli (1 S 4'™'). and Shiloh apparently ceased to rank as a sanctuary. The destruction of its temple, possibly by the Philistines, is alluded to in Jer 7>2- " 26'- ' (cf. Ps TS^n). Eli's descendants are afterwards found at Nob (1 S 14' 22"). The prophet Ahijah was a native of ShUoh (1 K ll™ 142. <).

The original name, as shown by the gentilic Shilonite, was ShiWn. This form survives in the mod. SeilUn, a ruined site on a hill E. of the road to Shechem, about 9 miles N. of Bethel, and 3 miles S.W. of Khan el^Lubban (Lebonah, Jg 21"). A terrace on the N. of the hill, with a rock-hewn quadrangle, c. 400 ft. X 80 ft., may have been the site of the ancient temple. There is an excellent spring in the valley to the east. There are also numerous rock-hewn tombs. The terraced slopes tell of vineyards, long since disappeared.

2. The real meaning of the clause 'until Shiloh come' (Gn 49i» EV) is doubtful. If 'Shiloh' were a name applied to the Messiah, it would have a special significance; but this cannot be discovered. No ancient version so reads it. The Targg. (Onk., Jerus., and pseud.-Jon.) all interpret it of the Messiah. The Peshitta, on the other hand, reads ' until he shall come whose it [i.e. the kingdom] is.' Three possible readings are given in RVm. (1) 'Till he come to Shiloh'; grammatically correct, and supported by many scholars.

848

SHIMEI, SHIMEITES

Elsewhere in Scripture, Shiloh means the Ephraimite town. This is taken to refer to Judah's laying down the leadership he had exercised, when, the conquest finished, Israel assembled at Shiloh. Apart from other objections, however, shSbet, 'sceptre,' seems to denote something more than a mere tribal supremacy, and it is not certain that Judah possessed even that pre-eminence. (2) 'Until that which is his shall come'; so LXX 'till the things reserved for him come.' (3) ' Until he shall come whose it is ' (Pesh., Targg. as above) . While no certain decision as to the exact meaning is possible, the Messianic character of the verse is dear. It contemplates the ultimate passing of the power of Judah into the hands of an ideal ruler.

Shilonite =' native of Shiloh' is used of — 1. Ahijah (1 K 11™ etc.). 2. A family dwelling in Jerusalem (1 Ch 9' etc.). In the latter passage the true reading is prob. 'the Shelanite' (cf. Nu 262»). W. Ewing.

SHILOKITE.— 1. See Shiloh, 2. 2. See Shelah, 1. SHIISHAH.— An Asherite (1 Ch 7"). SHBHEA. — ^1. See Shammtta, No. 2. 2. A Merarite (1 Ch 6'» (")). 3. A Gershonite (1 Ch 6" <")). i. See Shammah, No. 2.

SHIMEAH. — 1. A descendant of Jehiel (1 Ch8i", called in 9'' Shimeam). 2. See Shammah, No. 2. SHIMEAJK.— See Shimeah, No. 1. SHBVIEATH. — A name given to the father or mother of one of the murderers of Joash (2 K 122', 2 Ch 24»). The murderer himself is called Zabad in 2 Ch. and Jozacar in 2 Kings. Probably for Zabad in 2 Ch. we ought to read Jelwzabad, and undoubtedly Jozacar and Jelwzabad are identical, and by scribal repetition (dittography) we have the two really identical names and the varying forms Shimeath, Shimrith, and Shomer. The descriptions 'Ammonitess' and 'Moabitess' in 2 Ch. are certainly later embellishments of the story, and Shimeath was probably the father of the one mur-derer, Jehozabad, and an Israelite. The Shimeathites were a family or division of the tribe of Caleb (1 Ch 2«). They may be included in the description 'the families of the scribes, which dwelt at Jabez,' but the whole passage leaves us uncertain. The Vulg. regards the name as referring to the function of a section of the scribes (resonantes) after the Exile. W. F. Boyd.

SHIMEI, SHIMEITES.— Shimei was a popular name among the Hebrews, being especially common in Levitical circles. Of most of the persons bearing It, absolutely nothing except the name is known. 1. The personage of this designation, of whom the historian has given us some details, is a Benjamite of the clan of Saul. On account of his tribal and family connexions, it is quite natural for him to be David's bitter enemy. As the latter is fleeing before Absalom, Shimei meets him and heaps curses and insults on the fugitive monarch. David's triumphant return, however, brings him in abject penitence to thefeet of his sovereign, who pardons him (2 S 16ia- 191™). Nevertheless, David in his dying charge is represented as enjoining Solomon to 'bring his hoar head to Sheol with blood.' After this Shimei is not permitted to go beyond the walls of Jerusalem on pain of death; but presuming three years later to go to Gath in quest of fugitive slaves, he is executed by Benaiah at the command of the king (1 K 2™- sw).

2. In the court intrigues connected with the royai succession, a courtier, Shimei (cf. art. Rei) by name, espoused the cause of Solomon (1 K 1«). The official at the head of one of the prefectures which were erected by this monarch, is probably identical with him (1 K 41').

3. A master of the vineyards under David (1 Ch 27").

4. A prince of the Judaean royal house, a brother of Zerubbabel (1 Ch 3"). 5. The name occurs in the tribal genealogies of both Simeon and Reuben (1 Ch 4»- " 5* [in V.' Shema]). 6. The grandson of Levi (Ex 6", Nu 3"'- 21, 1 Ch 6" 23'- »). 7. A sou of