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
