- SHIBBOLETH river, or an ear of corn. The tribes living on the east of
Jordan, separated from their brethren on the west by the deep ravines and
the rapid river, gradually came to adopt peculiar customs, and from mixing
largely with the Moabites, Ishmaelites, and Ammonites to pronounce
certain letters in such a manner as to distinguish them from the other
tribes. Thus when the Ephraimites from the west invaded Gilead, and were
defeated by the Gileadites under the leadership of Jephthah, and tried to
escape by the “passages of the Jordan,” the Gileadites seized the fords and
would allow none to pass who could not pronounce “shibboleth” with a
strong aspirate. This the fugitives were unable to do. They said
“sibboleth,” as the word was pronounced by the tribes on the west, and
thus they were detected (Judges 12:1-6). Forty-two thousand were thus
detected, and
“Without reprieve, adjudged to death, For want of well-pronouncing
shibboleth.”
- SHIBMAH fragrance, a town of Reuben, east of Jordan (Numbers 32:38).
- SHIELD used in defensive warfare, varying at different times and under
different circumstances in size, form, and material (1 Samuel 17:7; 2
Samuel 1:21; 1 Kings 10:17; 1 Chronicles 12:8, 24, 34; Isaiah 22:6; Ezekiel
39:9; Nahum 2:3).
Used figuratively of God and of earthly princes as the defenders of their
people (Genesis 15:1; Deuteronomy 33:29; Psalm 33:20; 84:11). Faith is
compared to a shield (Ephesians 6:16).
Shields were usually “anointed” (Isaiah 21:5), in order to preserve them,
and at the same time make the missiles of the enemy glide off them more
easily.