Original Word: שִׁנְעָר
Part of Speech: Proper Name Location
Transliteration: Shin`ar
Pronunciation: shee-NAHR
Phonetic Spelling: (shin-awr')
KJV: Shinar
NASB: Shinar
Word Origin: [probably of foreign derivation]

1. Shinar, a plain in Babylonia

Shinar

Probably of foreign derivation; Shinar, a plain in Babylonia -- Shinar.

Word Origin
probably of foreign origin
Definition
another name for Bab.
NASB Translation
Shinar (8).

שִׁנְעָר proper name, of a location Shinar = Babylonia (= Babylonian Šumêr according to COT^{Genesis 11:1} and others, > denied by Hal^{Rev. Crit. 1883, 44} Jen^{ZK ii(1885), 419}; Egyptian Sangar (WMM^As.u.Eur.279), Tel Amarna Šan—ar (Wkl^{TelAm. 25}) identification with ׳שׁ by Mey^{Egyptiaca 63}; compare, further, Pinches^{Hast. DB SHINAR}); — ׳אֶרֶץ שׁ Genesis 10:10; Genesis 11:2; Zechariah 5:11; Daniel 1:2; ׳מֶלֶךְשֿׁ (Amraphel) Genesis 14:2,9; ׳שׁ alone Isaiah 11:11 (as place of diaspora); ׳אַדֶּרֶת שׁ Joshua 7:21; ᵐ5 usually Σεν(ν)ααρ; Zechariah 5:11 (ἐν γῆ) Βαβυλῶνος.

שְׁנָת sleep, see שֵׁנָה below יָשֵׁן.

Geographical Setting and Historical Identity

Shinar denotes the broad alluvial plain at the confluence of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, roughly equivalent to later Babylonia. Fertile soil, navigable waterways, and abundant clay for brick-making made the region a natural cradle of city-states and imperial power. Scripture repeatedly links Shinar with Babel (Babylon), emphasizing its role as the fountainhead of organized human culture, but also of corporate rebellion against God.

Early Primeval Narratives (Genesis 10–11)

• Genesis 10:10 introduces Shinar as the very first named “kingdom,” founded by the mighty hunter-king Nimrod: “The beginning of his kingdom was Babel, Erech, Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.” The text establishes Shinar as a political and cultural prototype for later world-powers.
• Genesis 11:2 locates the gathering of post-Flood mankind on “a plain in the land of Shinar,” where the tower of Babel was raised. Human pride, technological prowess (brick and bitumen), and a desire to “make a name” apart from God culminated in divine judgment and the scattering of languages. The terrain that fostered human ingenuity thus also became a monument to human arrogance and God’s sovereign restraint.

Patriarchal Conflict (Genesis 14)

Shinar re-emerges in the days of Abram. “Amraphel king of Shinar” leads a coalition that subjugates the five cities of the Jordan Valley (Genesis 14:1, 9). The narrative portrays Shinar as an aggressive imperial power threatening Abram’s promised inheritance. Abram’s rescue of Lot and defeat of Amraphel foreshadows the ultimate triumph of God’s covenant people over oppressive world empires.

Israel’s Early Temptations (Joshua 7:21)

In the conquest era, Achan covets “a beautiful cloak from Shinar.” The garment embodies both material allure and the spiritual menace of Babylonian culture. By burying the forbidden cloak beneath his tent, Achan attempts to hide sin within the camp, resulting in Israel’s temporary defeat at Ai. Shinar here symbolizes the seductive pull of the world that must be purged from among God’s people.

Prophetic Hope and Warning

• Isaiah 11:11 lists Shinar among the regions from which the LORD will “recover the remnant of His people.” Even the land historically associated with rebellion becomes a stage for redemption, underscoring Yahweh’s universal reach.
• Zechariah 5:11 envisions wickedness personified being transported to Shinar: “To the land of Shinar, to build a house for it.” The prophet depicts a future containment—or concentration—of evil in the very cradle of idolatry, anticipating final judgment.

Exilic Realities (Daniel 1:2)

Nebuchadnezzar carries temple vessels “into the land of Shinar, to the house of his god.” The exile therefore recapitulates the Babel theme: sacred objects from Jerusalem appear captive in the realm that once challenged the heavens. Yet Daniel’s fidelity in that setting testifies that God’s sovereignty extends even into Shinar’s courts, turning apparent defeat into a platform for witness.

Theological Themes

1. Human Self-Exaltation versus Divine Sovereignty: From Babel’s tower to Nebuchadnezzar’s palace, Shinar is the locus where human power seeks to rival God—and where God invariably asserts His rule.
2. Worldly Allure and Covenant Holiness: The cloak from Shinar warns that the external trappings of a rebellious culture can infiltrate and weaken God’s people if left unchecked.
3. Judgment and Redemption Intertwined: Shinar is both the site of dispersion and a named point of regathering; both the storehouse of wickedness and an arena where faithful exiles shine.
4. Typology of Babylon: Later prophetic references to “Babylon” carry the theological freight first attached to Shinar—idolatry, oppression, commercial seduction, and ultimate downfall.

Ministry Significance

• Cultural Discernment: Believers must recognize modern equivalents of Shinar’s pride and technological confidence, resisting the impulse to build life “lest we be scattered” apart from God’s purpose.
• Holiness in Exile: Like Daniel, Christians may find themselves serving within systems that echo Shinar, yet they can display integrity, pray toward the true Temple, and influence rulers.
• Hope for the Nations: Isaiah’s promise assures that God’s redemptive reach extends even to the epicenter of historical rebellion. Mission efforts need not shy away from the hardest places, for the LORD “will extend His hand a second time.”

Related Terms and Later Development

Babylon (Babel), Chaldea, Mesopotamia, and “the plain of Dura” (Daniel 3:1) all develop the Shinar motif. Revelation’s “Babylon the Great” draws on this heritage to depict the final world system opposed to God—destined, like its prototype, for sudden collapse.

Key References

Genesis 10:10; Genesis 11:2; Genesis 14:1, 9; Joshua 7:21; Isaiah 11:11; Daniel 1:2; Zechariah 5:11

וּמִשִּׁנְעָר֙ ומשנער שִׁנְעָ֑ר שִׁנְעָ֔ר שִׁנְעָ֖ר שִׁנְעָֽר׃ שִׁנְעָר֩ שנער שנער׃ shinAr šin‘ār šin·‘ār ū·miš·šin·‘ār umishshinAr ūmiššin‘ārInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts