5451. sibboleth
Lexical Summary
sibboleth: Ear of grain, stream, flood

Original Word: סִבֹּלֶת
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: cibboleth
Pronunciation: sib-bo'-leth
Phonetic Spelling: (sib-bo'-leth)
KJV: Sibboleth
NASB: sibboleth
Word Origin: [for H7641 (שִׁבּוֹל שִׁבּוֹלֶת - ears)]

1. an ear of grain

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
Sibboleth

For shibbol; an ear of grain -- Sibboleth.

see HEBREW shibbol

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from sabal
Definition
probably an ear (of wheat, etc.)
NASB Translation
sibboleth (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
סִבֹּ֫לֶת noun feminine probably ear of wheat, etc., only Judges 12:6 dialect form of II. שִׁבֹּלֶת q. v. (> = late word שִׁבֹּ֫לֶת tide, flood); compare MarquardtZAW viii (1888), 151 ff. but also GFM Bu.

Topical Lexicon
Context in the Book of Judges

Sibboleth appears during the conflict between the Gileadites, led by Jephthah, and the tribe of Ephraim (Judges 12:1-6). When the Ephraimites tried to retreat across the fords of the Jordan, the Gileadites demanded they pronounce the word “Sibboleth.” The Ephraimites’ dialect reduced the opening consonant to “Shibboleth,” exposing them as enemies, and forty-two thousand were slain. The narrative exposes the tragic depth of tribal rivalry that had grown within Israel during the era “when there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 17:6).

Historical and Cultural Background

1. Tribal Fragmentation

The event occurs shortly after Jephthah’s victory over Ammon. Ephraim, claiming rights to the spoils of war, quarrels with Jephthah. The dispute reveals the disunity that eventually demanded the establishment of monarchy (1 Samuel 8:4-5).

2. River Fords as Checkpoints

The Jordan crossings served as critical military choke points (Joshua 2:7; Judges 3:28). Control of language at these junctures underscored the strategic value of speech as well as geography.

Linguistic Significance

• Dialect as Identity

Sibboleth became the archetype for a password: a simple utterance determining life or death. Linguistic variance within a single covenant people illustrates how speech patterns reflect tribal identity, yet also how easily such distinctions can foster division and violence.

• Echoes in Later Usage

The English word “shibboleth” still denotes any custom or phrase marking membership in a group. Scripture thus shapes even secular vocabulary.

Theological Implications

1. Speech Reveals the Heart

Jesus teaches, “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34). The Sibboleth episode prefigures this truth: hidden loyalties become audible.

2. Judgment According to Words

Jephthah’s men judged by pronunciation; God judges by confession of the lips joined to faith in the heart (Romans 10:9-10). The contrast warns against human misuse of external markers while affirming God’s concern for inward reality.

3. Covenant Responsibility

Tribal dialects developed under the same covenant God. The massacre therefore underlines the peril of neglecting unity founded on shared faith (Psalm 133:1).

Ministry Applications

• Guard Unity

Congregations should prize their common confession above secondary cultural or linguistic preferences (Ephesians 4:3-6).

• Discern Without Prejudice

Spiritual discernment tests doctrine (1 John 4:1) rather than accent or ethnicity. Leaders must avoid erecting modern “Sibboleths” that bar genuine believers.

• Weight of Words

Believers are called to “let your speech always be gracious” (Colossians 4:6). The account warns that careless or divisive words can quickly escalate to destructive ends.

Related Biblical Themes and Passages

Proverbs 18:21 – “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.”

James 3:5-10 – The tongue’s power to bless or curse.

John 17:20-23 – Christ’s prayer for unity among believers.

Revelation 7:9-10 – One multilingual multitude praising the Lamb.

Christological Perspective

While Sibboleth divided, Jesus Christ unites. On Pentecost the Spirit reversed the fragmentation of language as “each one heard them speaking in his own language” (Acts 2:6), signaling the gospel’s power to transcend linguistic boundaries. Christ’s body, gathered from “every tribe and tongue,” fulfills what Israel’s tribes failed to achieve.

Enduring Legacy

Sibboleth stands as a sobering memorial: a single syllable became the line between life and death because sinful hearts weaponized language. For the church today, it is a call to humble speech, gospel generosity, and vigilant preservation of unity in the faith.

Forms and Transliterations
סִבֹּ֗לֶת סבלת sib·bō·leṯ sibBolet sibbōleṯ
Links
Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Judges 12:6
HEB: שִׁבֹּ֜לֶת וַיֹּ֣אמֶר סִבֹּ֗לֶת וְלֹ֤א יָכִין֙
NAS: But he said, Sibboleth, for he could
KJV: and he said Sibboleth: for he could not frame
INT: now Shibboleth said Sibboleth not right

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 5451
1 Occurrence


sib·bō·leṯ — 1 Occ.

5450
Top of Page
Top of Page