Dictionary of Bible Themes  »  5000 Humanity  »  5200 Human civilisation  »  5526 shibboleth

“Shibboleth” a Hebrew word meaning “flood” or “ear of corn”

Psalm 69:15 See also Psalm 69:2; Isaiah 27:12 “Shibboleth” is here translated as flowing.

Dialectal variation in the pronunciation of “shibboleth”

Judges 12:6

The pronunciation of “shibboleth” featured in a civil war between Gilead and Ephraim

The Gileadites had defeated the Ammonites

See also Judges 10:7-9,17-18; Judges 11:4-11,32-33

This victory led to civil war between Gilead and Ephraim

Judges 12:1-4

Ephraimites were identified on the basis of their pronunciation of “shibboleth”

Judges 12:5-6