Difference between revisions of "Shinar"

<p> <strong> SHINAR </strong> . A term employed in the OT for the greater part, if not the whole, of <strong> [[Babylonia]] </strong> (&nbsp; [[Genesis]] 10:19; &nbsp; Genesis 11:2; &nbsp; Genesis 14:1; &nbsp; Genesis 14:9 , &nbsp; Joshua 7:21 , &nbsp; Isaiah 11:11 , &nbsp; Zechariah 5:11 , &nbsp; Daniel 1:2 ). Its former identification with <em> [[Sumer]] </em> , or Southern Babylonia, never regarded as very satisfactory, is now given up. [[Equally]] untenable is the view that it is to be identified with <em> Shankhar </em> , a land or district the king of which is mentioned in a letter from Tell el-Amarna along with the king of Khatti. There is little doubt that [[Shinar]] is to be identified with the land of Babylonia, but the origin of the name has not been determined. </p> <p> L. W. King. </p>

<p> [[Shinar]] ( ''Shî'Nar'' ), the Land of, ''Casting Out? [[Country]] Of Two Rivers?'' The region where the people, after the Flood, made bricks and used slime (bitumen) for mortar. &nbsp;Genesis 11:2-3. It would seem originally to have denoted the northern part of Babylonia, as "Chaldæa" denoted the southern part; but subsequently, like Chaldæa, it was sometimes used for the whole. &nbsp;Genesis 10:10; &nbsp;Isaiah 11:11; &nbsp;Daniel 1:2; &nbsp;Zechariah 5:11. In &nbsp;Joshua 7:21 it is rendered "Babylonish." Among its cities were [[Babel]] (Babylon), [[Erech]] or Orech (Orchoi), [[Calneh]] or [[Calno]] (probably Niffer), and Accad. </p>

<p> '''Shi'nar.''' ''(Country Of Two Rivers).'' The ancient name of the great alluvial tract, through which the [[Tigris]] and Euphrates pass, before reaching the sea - the tract known, in later times, as [[Chaldaea]] or Babylonia. It was a plain country, where brick had to be used for stone and slime for mortar. &nbsp;Genesis 11:3. Among the cities were Babel ([[Babylon]] ), Erech or Orech ( ''Orchoe'' ), Calneh or Calno (probably, ''Niffer'' ), and Accad, the site of which is unknown. It may be suspected that Shinar was the name by which the Hebrews originally knew the lower Mesopotamian country, where they so long dwelt, and which [[Abraham]] brought with him, from "Ur of the Chaldees." </p>

<p> A region in Mesopotamia, the plain between the Tigris and Euphrates. Here the rebels against God's will built the '''''Βabel''''' tower (&nbsp;Genesis 11:2-3). Famed for its wheat (Herodotus 1:193). Derived from '''''Sheni''''' "two" and ''''''Ar''''' or '''''Nahar''''' "rivers." </p>

<p> ''''' shı̄´nar ''''' ( שׁנער , <i> ''''' shin‛ar ''''' </i> ; Σεναάρ , <i> ''''' Senaár ''''' </i> , Σεν ( ρ Ο2 νπ ) αάρ , <i> ''''' Sen ''''' </i> ( <i> ''''' n ''''' </i> ) <i> ''''' aár ''''' </i> ): </p> <p> 1. Identification </p> <p> 2. [[Possible]] [[Babylonian]] Form of the Name </p> <p> 3. Sumerian and Other Equivalents </p> <p> 4. The [[Syriac]] Sen'ar </p> <p> 5. The Primitive [[Tongue]] of Shinar </p> <p> 6. [[Comparison]] with the Semitic Idiom </p> <p> 7. The [[Testimony]] of the Sculptures, etc., to the [[Race]] </p> <p> 8. The Sumerians Probably in Shinar before the Semites </p> <p> 9. The States of Shinar: </p> <p> (1) Sippar </p> <p> (2) Kes </p> <p> (3) Babylon </p> <p> (4) [[Nippur]] </p> <p> (5) [[Adab]] </p> <p> (6) Surippak </p> <p> (7) Umma </p> <p> (8) Erech </p> <p> (9) Lagas </p> <p> (10) Larsa </p> <p> (11) [[Ur]] </p> <p> (12) Eridu </p> <p> (13) The Land of the Sea </p> <p> (14) Nisin, Isin, or Karrak </p> <p> (15) Upa or Upia (Opis) </p> <p> (16) Other Well-known Cities </p> <p> 10. Shinar and Its Climate </p> <p> 11. [[Sculpture]] in Shinar </p> <p> 12. The First Nation to Use Writing in Western Asia </p> <p> 13. The System Employed, with an [[Example]] </p> 1. Identification: <p> The name given, in the earliest [[Hebrew]] records, to Babylonia, later called Babel, or the land of Babel ( <i> ''''' bābhel ''''' </i> , <i> ''''' 'erec ''''' </i> <i> ''''' bābhel ''''' </i> ). In &nbsp; Genesis 10:10 it is the district wherein lay Babel, Erech, Accad, and Calneh, cities which were the "beginning" of Nimrod's kingdom. In &nbsp; Genesis 11:2 Shinar is described as the land of the plain where migrants from the East settled, and founded Babel, the city, and its great tower. </p> 2. Possible Babylonian Form of the Name: <p> Though sometimes identified with the Babylonian <i> ''''' Šumer ''''' </i> , the connection of Shinar with that name is doubtful. The principal difficulty lies in the fact that what might be regarded as the non-dialectical form <i> ''''' šingar ''''' </i> (which would alone furnish a satisfactory basis of comparison) is not found, and would, if existent, only apply to the southern portion of Babylonia. The northern tract was called Akkad, after the name of its capital city (see [[Accad]] ). The Greek form <i> ''''' Sen ''''' </i> ( <i> ''''' n ''''' </i> ) <i> ''''' aar ''''' </i> shows that, at the time the [[Septuagint]] translation was made, there was no tradition that the <i> ''''' ‛ayin ''''' </i> was guttural, as the supposed Babylonian forms would lead us to expect. As the Biblical form <i> ''''' Shinar ''''' </i> indicates the whole of Babylonia, it corresponds with the native (Sumerian) <i> ''''' Kingi ''''' </i> - <i> ''''' Ura ''''' </i> , rendered "Sumer and Akkad," from which, by changing <i> ''''' K ''''' </i> into <i> ''''' Sh ''''' </i> (found in Sumerian), Shinar may have been derived, but this explanation is not free from difficulties. </p> 3. Sumerian and Other Equivalents: <p> This two-fold designation, <i> ''''' Kingi ''''' </i> - <i> ''''' Ura ''''' </i> , is that which is commonly used in the inscriptions of the earlier kings, though it cannot then have indicated always the whole country, but only such parts of it as acknowledged their overlordship. Later on the corresponding term seems to have been <i> ''''' Kar ''''' </i> - <i> ''''' Duniaš ''''' </i> ("the territory of the god <i> ''''' Duniaš ''''' </i> ," to all appearance a term introduced by the Kassite rulers). Nabonassar and his successors seem to have contented themselves with the title "king of Babylon," rule in the city implying also the dominion over the whole country. Often, however, the equivalent term for Babylonia is <i> ''''' [[Ehi]] ''''' </i> , probably an abbreviation of <i> ''''' Êridu ''''' </i> , and here standing for the land belonging to that sacred city - "the good city," a type of Paradise, Babylonia being, in fact, situated upon the <i> ''''' êdinu ''''' </i> , or "plain." See [[Eden]] . </p> 4. The Syriac Sen'ar: <p> All these comparisons tend to show that the Babylonian equivalent of Shinar is not any of the above, and as yet has not, in fact, been found. This is also implied by the fact, that <i> ''''' Sen'ar ''''' </i> was used in Syriac for the country around Bagdad, and in ancient times included (it may be supposed) the plain upon which the ruins of Babylon stand. <i> ''''' Sen'ar ''''' </i> was therefore in all probability an ancient Babylonian designation of the tract, now lost, but regarded by the Hebrews as synonymous with Babylonia. </p> 5. The Primitive Tongue of Shinar: <p> From the inscriptions it would seem that the primitive language of Shinar was not Semitic, but the agglutinative idiom now named Sumerian - a tongue long regarded as Turanian, and having, it is thought, Turko-Chinese affinities - <i> ''''' gal ''''' </i> , "to be," Turkish <i> ''''' ol ''''' </i> - <i> ''''' mak ''''' </i> ; <i> ''''' ama ''''' </i> ( <i> ''''' ana ''''' </i> ), "mother," Turkish <i> ''''' ana ''''' </i> ; <i> ''''' abba ''''' </i> , "old man," Turkish <i> ''''' baba ''''' </i> , "father"; ( <i> ''''' h ''''' </i> ) <i> ''''' ê ''''' </i> , "house," Turkish <i> ''''' ev ''''' </i> , etc. The Chinese affinities seem less close, but the following may be quoted: <i> ''''' a ''''' </i> ( <i> ''''' y ''''' </i> ) <i> ''''' a ''''' </i> "father," Chinese <i> ''''' ye ''''' </i> (Amoy <i> ''''' iâ ''''' </i> ); <i> ''''' ge ''''' </i> , "night," Chinese <i> ''''' ye ''''' </i> ; <i> ''''' gu ''''' </i> , "to speak," Chinese <i> ''''' yu ''''' </i> ; <i> ''''' shu ''''' </i> , "hand," Chinese <i> ''''' sheù ''''' </i> ; <i> ''''' kin ''''' </i> , "business," Chinese <i> ''''' kūng ''''' </i> , "work"; etc. Chinese and Turkish, however, have had time to pass through many changes since Sumerian was current in Shinar. Many words of the Sumerian language were borrowed by the Semitic Babylonians, and a few (like <i> ''''' hēkal ''''' </i> , "temple," Semitic ( <i> ''''' h ''''' </i> ) <i> ''''' êgal ''''' </i> , "great house") entered the other Semitic languages. </p> 6. Comparison with the Semitic Idiom: <p> Halevy's contention, that Sumerian is simply "an allography" for the expression of Sera Babylonian, seems to be untenable, as they differ not only in words, but also in grammar; moreover, Sumerian had a dialect, called by the natives "woman's tongue." For the rest, the principal differences between Sumerian and Semitic Babylonian are: (1) post-positional suffixes instead of prepositions; (2) verbs with long strings of prefixes and infixes to express the persons and regimens, instead of a prefix and a suffix; (3) compound words, both nouns and verbs, are common instead of being exceedingly rare. Sumerian seems to have borrowed several words from Semitic Babylonian. </p> 7. The Testimony of the Sculptures, Etc. To the Race: <p> Not only the language, but also the sculptures which they have left, point to the probability that the earlier inhabitants of Shinar belonged to a different race from the later. The Semites of Babylonia were to all appearance thick-set and muscular, but the Sumerians, notwithstanding the stumpy figures which their statues and bas-reliefs show, seem to have been slim - in any case, their warriors, in the better basreliefs, as well as the figures of the god Nin-Girsu (formerly known as "the god with the firestick"), and the engraved cylinders, have this type. Moreover, the sculptures and cylinder-seals show that certain classes - priests or the like - were clean shaven, in marked contrast to Semitic usage elsewhere. Their deities, however, always had hair and beard, implying that they came from a different, though possibly related, stock. These deities were very numerous, and it is noteworthy that, though those with Sumerian names may be counted by hundreds, those with Semitic names are only to be reckoned by tens. </p> 8. The Sumerians Probably in Shinar Before the Semites: <p> Though there is no certain indication which race entered Shinar first, it is to be noted that Nimrod, presumably Shinar's first king and the founder of its great cities, was a son of [[Cush]] (&nbsp;Genesis 10:8 ), and the name of Shinar seems to have existed before the foundation of Babel (Babylon) and its tower (&nbsp;Genesis 11:2 ). In the native sculptures, moreover, the non-Semitic type precedes the Semitic; and in the inscriptions the non-Semitic idiom precedes that of the Semitic tranlation. Everything points, therefore, to the Sumerians having been in Babylonia before the Semitic inhabitants. </p> 9. The States of Shinar: <p> At the earliest period to which our records refer the Sumerians of Shinar were divided into a number of small states, of which the following may be regarded as the principal: </p> <p> <b> (1) Sippar: </b> </p> <p> <i> ''''' Sippar ''''' </i> or <i> ''''' Sippar ''''' </i> - <i> ''''' Aruru ''''' </i> (- <i> ''''' Ya'ruru ''''' </i> ), possibly including Accad (&nbsp; Genesis 10:10 ), some distance Southwest of Bagdad. It is the modern <i> ''''' ‛Abu ''''' </i> - <i> ''''' habbah ''''' </i> , "father of grain." Though it seems to have fallen early under the dominion of the Semites, it was at first Sumerian, as its native name, <i> ''''' Zimbir ''''' </i> , and the ideographic writing thereof show. According to Berosus, who calls it <i> ''''' Pantabiblion ''''' </i> , one of its earliest kings was <i> ''''' Amelon ''''' </i> or <i> ''''' Amillarus ''''' </i> , who reigned 13 sari, or 46,800 years. Later on came <i> ''''' Evedoreschus ''''' </i> , the native <i> ''''' Enwe ''''' </i> - <i> ''''' duran ''''' </i> - <i> ''''' ki ''''' </i> , renowned as a priest favored by the gods. His descendants, if of pure race, inherited the divine grace which he enjoyed. It is said to have been in <i> ''''' Sippara ''''' </i> ( <i> ''''' Sippar ''''' </i> ) that <i> ''''' [[Ut]] ''''' </i> - <i> ''''' napištim ''''' </i> , the Babylonian Noah, buried the records before entering the ark. </p> <p> <b> (2) Kes: </b> </p> <p> About 18 miles North of Babylon lay <i> ''''' Kěŝ ''''' </i> , now <i> ''''' Oheimer ''''' </i> - a foundation which seems to have preceded Babylon as the capital of Shinar. Its early queen, <i> ''''' Azag ''''' </i> - <i> ''''' Bau ''''' </i> , is said to have been the wife of a wine-merchant and to have reigned 100 years. </p> <p> <b> (3) Babylon: </b> </p> <p> <i> ''''' Babylon ''''' </i> , for which see [[Babel]]; [[Babylon]] . As one of its early kings, [[Berosus]] mentions <i> ''''' Alorus ''''' </i> , "the shepherd of the people," as having reigned for 10 sari, or 36,000 years. The state of Babylon probably included Cuthah. ( <i> ''''' Tel ''''' </i> <i> ''''' Ibrahim ''''' </i> ), which once had kings of its own, and possessed a special legend of the Creation. [[Belonging]] to Babylon, also, was the renowned city Borsippa, now <i> ''''' Birs ''''' </i> , or the <i> ''''' Birs ''''' </i> <i> ''''' Nimroud ''''' </i> , the traditional site of the Tower of Babel. See [[Babel]] , Tower Of . </p> <p> <b> (4) Nippur: </b> </p> <p> Some distance Southeast of Babylon lay <i> ''''' Nippur ''''' </i> or <i> ''''' Niffur ''''' </i> , now <i> ''''' Niffer ''''' </i> ( <i> ''''' Noufar ''''' </i> ), identified by the rabbis with the "Calneh" of &nbsp; Genesis 10:10 . It was a place of considerable importance, and the seat of the worship of Enlil and Ninlil, later, also, of their son Ninip and his spouse (see Calneh ). The American excavations on this site have thrown a flood of light upon almost every branch of Assyriological research. </p> <p> <b> (5) Adab: </b> </p> <p> <i> ''''' Adab ''''' </i> , now called <i> ''''' Bismaya ''''' </i> , the city of <i> ''''' Mah̬ ''''' </i> , the goddess of reproduction. One of the earliest rulers of Adab was seemingly called <i> ''''' Lugal ''''' </i> - <i> ''''' dalu ''''' </i> , of whom a fine statue, discovered by the American explorers, exists. It was apparently renowned as a necropolis. </p> <p> <b> (6) Surippak: </b> </p> <p> South and a little West of Adab was <i> ''''' Šurippak ''''' </i> , now <i> ''''' Fara ''''' </i> . This was the birthplace of the Babylonian Noah, <i> ''''' Ut ''''' </i> - <i> ''''' napištim ''''' </i> , son of <i> ''''' Opartes ''''' </i> ( <i> ''''' Umbara ''''' </i> - <i> ''''' Tutu ''''' </i> ), a [[Chaldean]] of Larancha. The coming of the [[Flood]] was revealed to <i> ''''' Ut ''''' </i> - <i> ''''' napištim ''''' </i> here. </p> <p> <b> (7) Umma: </b> </p> <p> Practically East of <i> ''''' Fara ''''' </i> lay <i> ''''' Umma ''''' </i> or <i> ''''' Gišuh̬ ''''' </i> (or <i> ''''' Giuh̬ ''''' </i> ), now <i> ''''' Jokha ''''' </i> . This city was apparently of considerable importance, and the traditional rival of <i> ''''' Lagaš ''''' </i> . </p> <p> <b> (8) Erech: </b> </p> <p> South of <i> ''''' Fara ''''' </i> lay <i> ''''' Unuga ''''' </i> , Semitic <i> ''''' Uruk ''''' </i> , the Biblical Erech (which see), now <i> ''''' Warka ''''' </i> . Its most celebrated king, after <i> ''''' Gilgameš ''''' </i> , was <i> ''''' Lugal ''''' </i> - <i> ''''' zaggi ''''' </i> - <i> ''''' si ''''' </i> , one of the opponents of the rulers of <i> ''''' Lagaš ''''' </i> . </p> <p> <b> (9) Lagas: </b> </p> <p> Some distance East of <i> ''''' Warka ''''' </i> was the territory of <i> ''''' Lagaš ''''' </i> , now <i> ''''' Tel ''''' </i> - <i> ''''' loh ''''' </i> - a little state, rather in accessible, but of considerable importance to the antiquarian, which is a testimonial to the advance in civilization which it had made. Its kings and viceroys were among the most renowned, though apparently unknown outside their own domains. The most celebrated were the reformer <i> ''''' Uru ''''' </i> - <i> ''''' ka ''''' </i> - <i> ''''' gina ''''' </i> and viceroy <i> ''''' Gudêa ''''' </i> , to whom many erections in the city were due. (See <i> ''''' Gudêa ''''' </i> ' <i> ''''' s ''''' </i> remarkable statue in the Louvre.) </p> <p> <b> (10) Larsa: </b> </p> <p> [[Somewhat]] to the Southeast of <i> ''''' Warka ''''' </i> lay <i> ''''' Larsa ''''' </i> , the "Ellasar" of &nbsp; Genesis 14:1 (which see). This center of learning maintained its independence even after the other states had been absorbed by [[Hammurabi]] and his dynasty into the Babylonian empire. </p> <p> <b> (11) Ur: </b> </p> <p> To the Southeast of <i> ''''' Warka ''''' </i> and <i> ''''' Senqara ''''' </i> lies the site of the ancient [[Ur Of The Chaldees]] (which see) now <i> ''''' Mugheir ''''' </i> . It was renowned for its temple to the moon, and for the kings known as the dynasty of Ur: <i> ''''' [[Sur]] ''''' </i> - <i> ''''' Engur ''''' </i> , <i> ''''' Dungi ''''' </i> , <i> ''''' Bûr ''''' </i> - <i> ''''' [[Sin]] ''''' </i> , <i> ''''' Gimil ''''' </i> - <i> ''''' Sin ''''' </i> , and <i> ''''' Ibi ''''' </i> - <i> ''''' Sin ''''' </i> . </p> <p> <b> (12) Eridu: </b> </p> <p> South of the Ur lay <i> ''''' Êridu ''''' </i> , or, in full, <i> ''''' Guruduga ''''' </i> , "the good city," wherein, apparently, lay the earthly Paradise. This is identified with the present <i> ''''' ‛Abu ''''' </i> - <i> ''''' shahrein ''''' </i> , and was the seat of <i> ''''' Ea ''''' </i> or <i> ''''' Enki ''''' </i> , god of the sea and of fertilizing streams. According to the tradition, it was there that the "dark vine" grew - a type, seemingly, of the tree of life. The later kings of Babylon sometimes bear the title "king of <i> ''''' Êridu ''''' </i> ," as though rulers of the domain of Paradise. </p> <p> <b> (13) The Land of the Sea: </b> </p> <p> <i> The Land of the Sea </i> (that bordering on the [[Persian]] Gulf), in which, seemingly, the [[Chaldeans]] afterward settled, seems to have played an important part in the early history of Shinar. Berosus speaks of its king <i> ''''' Ammenon ''''' </i> , who reigned 12 <i> ''''' sari ''''' </i> , or 43,200 years, and in whose time the <i> ''''' Musarus ''''' </i> <i> ''''' [[Oannes]] ''''' </i> , or Annedotus, arose out of the Persian Gulf. Like others referred to in the legends which Berosus refers to, he was half-man and half-fish. It is thought that these incidents, though evidently mythical, point to the introduction of civilization into Babylonia, from this point. See also [[Jonah]]; Jonah , The Book Of . </p> <p> <b> (14) Nisin, Isin, or Karrak: </b> </p> <p> <i> ''''' Nisin ''''' </i> , <i> ''''' Isin ''''' </i> , or <i> ''''' Karrak ''''' </i> , seat of the worship of <i> ''''' [[Nin]] ''''' </i> - <i> ''''' Karraga ''''' </i> , was also an important state governed by its own kings. </p> <p> <b> (15) Upe or Upia (Opis): </b> </p> <p> <i> ''''' Upê ''''' </i> or <i> ''''' Upia ''''' </i> , the Greek <i> ''''' Opis ''''' </i> , apparently obtained renown at a very early date, its kings being given in the great chronological list before those of Kis. </p> <p> <b> (16) Other Well-Known Cities: </b> </p> <p> <i> Other well-known cities </i> , possibly state-capitals, were <i> ''''' Larak ''''' </i> , Greek <i> ''''' Laranche ''''' </i> ; <i> ''''' Amarda ''''' </i> , one of the centers of the worship of <i> ''''' [[Nergal]] ''''' </i> ; <i> ''''' Ašnunna ''''' </i> , a province East of the present Bagdad; <i> ''''' Dilmu ''''' </i> , now <i> ''''' Dailem ''''' </i> ; <i> ''''' Nuru ''''' </i> , <i> ''''' Ennigi ''''' </i> , and <i> ''''' Kakra ''''' </i> , seemingly centers of the worship of Hadad; <i> ''''' Tilmun ''''' </i> , at the head of the Persian Gulf, and including the island of Bahrein; the province of <i> ''''' Sabu ''''' </i> ; <i> ''''' Šešeb ''''' </i> or <i> ''''' Bagdadu ''''' </i> , possibly the modern Bagdad; and several others. </p> 10. Shinar and Its Climate: <p> Whether the country was in the same seemingly uncared-for state in ancient times as at present is unknown; but one cannot help admiring the courage of the original immigrants into such a district, for example, as that of <i> ''''' Lagaš ''''' </i> . This, which belongs to the southern region, is very inaccessible on account of the watercourses and marshes. Like the whole of Shinar in general, it is more or less dried up in summer, and unhealthy for Europeans. The alterations in the waterways, owing to changes in the irrigation-channels, must then, as now, have hindered communication. [[Sharp]] cold, with frost, succeeds the heat of summer, and from time to time sand-storms sweep across the plain. [[Notwithstanding]] the destruction sometimes wrought, the floods were always welcomed in consequence of the fruitfulness which followed, and which was such as to make Babylonia one of the most fertile tracts known. </p> 11. Sculpture in Shinar: <p> The reference to the Sumerian sculptures in (7) above will have shown that the inhabitants of the Plain of Shinar possessed an art of no mean order and of some antiquity, even at the time when it first presents itself to our notice. It is true that many specimens are crude and uncouth, but this is probably due to the sculptors having been, often enough, the slaves of their material. Their stones were frequently more or less pebble-shaped, and they had neither the skill nor the tools to reduce them to better proportions - moreover, reduction of bulk would have meant a diminution of their importance. The broad, squat figures which they produced, however, gave them bad models for their bas-reliefs, and it was long ere this defect was removed, notwithstanding the superior work produced by their seal-engravers during and after the 4th millennium BC. </p> 12. The First Nation to Use Writing in Western Asia: <p> But in all probability special renown will always be attached to the non-Semitic inhabitants of Shinar as the inventors, or at least the earliest users known to us, of the cuneiform script. It may be objected that the system which they introduced was cumbersome and imperfect, but they knew of nothing simpler, and modern Chinese, with which their script has been compared, is far less practical. Briefly, the system may be described as syllabic for the prefixes and suffixes, and ideographic for the roots. To show this the following transcribed example will probably suffice: </p> 13. The System Employed, with an Example: <p> <i> ''''' Ê ''''' </i> <i> ''''' nu ''''' </i> - <i> ''''' ''''' Du </i> <i> ''''' ''''' Uru </i> <i> ''''' nu ''''' </i> - <i> ''''' ''''' [[Dim]] </i> , A house was not built, a city was not constructed; </p> <p> <i> ''''' ''''' Uru </i> <i> ''''' nu ''''' </i> - <i> ''''' ''''' [[Dim]] </i> <i> ''''' ''''' [[Adam]] </i> , <i> ''''' nu ''''' </i> - <i> ''''' mun ''''' </i> - <i> ''''' ''''' [[Gar]] </i> , A city was not constructed, a community he had not founded; </p> <p> <i> ''''' ''''' Abzu </i> <i> ''''' nu ''''' </i> - <i> ''''' ''''' Du </i> <i> ''''' ''''' Guruduga </i> <i> ''''' nu ''''' </i> - <i> ''''' ''''' [[Dim]] </i> , The abyss was not built, <i> ''''' Êridu ''''' </i> was not constructed; </p> <p> <i> ''''' Ê ''''' </i> <i> ''''' ''''' Azaga </i> <i> ''''' ''''' Dingir ene </i> <i> ''''' ''''' Ki </i> - <i> ''''' ''''' [[Dura]] </i> - <i> ''''' bi ''''' </i> <i> ''''' nu ''''' </i> - <i> ''''' ''''' [[Dim]] </i> , The holy house of the gods, its seat was not constructed; </p> <p> <i> ''''' Šu ''''' </i> - <i> ''''' ''''' Nigin </i> <i> ''''' ''''' Kurkura gi </i> <i> ''''' ''''' Aabba ama </i> , The whole of the lands was sea. </p> <p> The nominal and verbal roots of the above extract from the bilingual account of the [[Creation]] are in capitals, and the pronominal prefixes and suffixes, with a couple of lengthenings which determine the pronunciations of the nouns, in small letters. This will not only give an idea of the poetical form of the Sumerian legend of the Creation by [[Merodach]] and Aruru, but also show how short and concise, as a language, was the speech of Shinar, before Semitic supremacy. </p>

<p> (Heb. Skinar', '''''שַׁנְעָר''''' [on the signif. see below]; Sept. ''Usually '''''Σεναάρ''''' '' , '''''Σενναάρ''''' '';.'' Vulg. ''Sennaar)'' seems to have been the ancient name (&nbsp;Genesis 10:10; &nbsp;Genesis 11:2; &nbsp;Genesis 14:1,'9) of the great alluvial tract through which the Tigris and Euphrates pass before reaching the sea the tract known in later times as ''Chaldlca, Or Babylonia.'' It was a plain country,. where brick had. to be used for. stone, and slime, bitumen, or mud, for mortar (xi, 3). Among its-cities were Babel (Babylon), Erech or Orech (Orchoe), Calneh or Calno (probably Niffer), and Accad, the site of which is unknown - These notices are quite enough to fix the situation. It may, however, be remarked, farther, that the Sept. renders the word by " Babylonia" ( '''''Βαβυλωνία''''' ) in one-place"'(&nbsp;Isaiah 11:11), by "the land of Babylon" ''( '''''Γῆ''''' '''''Βαβυλῶνος''''' )'' in another (&nbsp;Zechariah 5:11), and by '''''Ποικιλή''''' in a third (&nbsp;Joshua 7:21) as an equivalent -to '''''Βαβυλονική''''' '','' (A. V. "Babylonish"). </p> <p> The native inscriptions contain no trace of the term, which seems to be purely [[Jewish]] and unknown to any other people. At least it is extremely doubtful whether there is really any connection between Shindar and Singara, or Sinjar. Singara was the name of a town in Central Mesopotamia, well known to the Romans (Dion Cass. lxviii, 22; Atom. Marc. 18:5, etc.), and still existing (Layard, Nin. and Bab. p. 249).", It is from this place that the mountains which run across Mesopotamia from Mosul to Rakkeh receive their title of "the Sinjar range" ( '''''Σιγγάρας''''' '''''Ὅρος''''' , Ptolemy, v, 18). As this name first appears in ''Central'' Mesopotamia, to which the term Shinar is never applied, about the time of the Antonines, it is very unlikely that it can represent the old Shinar, which ceased practically to be a geographic title soon after the time of Moses (the use in the above passages of Isaiah and Zechariah is an ''Archaisni;'' so also, perhaps, in &nbsp;Daniel 1:2). </p> <p> It may be suspected that Shinar was the name by which the Hebrews originally knew the lower Mesopotamian country, where they so long dwelt, and which Abraham brought with him from "Ur of the Chaldees" (Mugheir). Possibly it means " the country of the Two Rivers," being derived from. '''''שְׁנֵי''''' , "two," and '''Ar,'' which was used in Babylonia, as well ''As Nahr'' or ''Ndhdr'' ( '''''נָהָר''''' ), for "a river." (Comp. the "Armalchar" of Pliny [H. I.D vi; 26] and "A [[Ar]] Macales" of Abydennus [Fr. 9] with the Naar-malcha of Atnmianus [24:6], called; '''''Ναρμάχα''''' by Isidore [p. 5 ], which is translated as "the [[Royal]] River;". comp. again the "Narragam" of Pliny [[''[H. N]]  6:'' 30] with the "Aracanus" of Abydenus, ''1. S.'' c.). (See Mesopotamia). </p>