Shaaraim

Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary

A city of Simdon. (1 Chronicles 4:31) Probably the same as formerly belonged to Judah. (Joshua 15:36) From Shahar Shaddai. This is the Hebrew name for Almighty. Sometime, it is joined, with El; as Genesis 17:1, and then rendered God Almighty. But frequently it is alone, as Numbers 24:4; Num 24:16; Job 6:4. Indeed if I mistake not, it is used in the book of Job not less than thirty times. Some derive this word from Shadad, which signifies to destroy; but others render it very differently, to make all sufficient; El Shaddai, of many paps, or breasts to suck at. But perhaps Shaddai means both; for he thus is all sufficient to open thousands of paps to his people, can open as many vials of wrath to pour on his enemies. If the reader would keep both the senses in view; as oft as he meets with El Shaddai, God Almighty, he will find constant paps of consolation to suck for his own comfort, and the comfort of the church in all ages; and as constant consolation for support in the sure destruction of all his, and the church's enemies

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

SHAARAIM . 1 . A town of Jadah, in the Shephçlah, mentioned in Joshua 15:36 . Some identify it with Khurbet S‘aîreh , west of Beit ‘Atâb  ; others with Zakarîya . Shaaraim is perhaps mentioned again in the pursuit of the Philistines after the death of Goliath ( 1 Samuel 17:52 , RVm [Note: Revised Version margin.] ‘the two gates’). 2 . A town of Simeon ( 1 Chronicles 4:31 ); called Sharuhen in Joshua 19:5 , and Shilhim in Joshua 15:32 .

Easton's Bible Dictionary

A town in Simeon (1 Chronicles 4:31 ).

Copyright StatementThese dictionary topics are from M.G. Easton M.A., D.D., Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Third Edition, published by Thomas Nelson, 1897. Public Domain.

Bibliography InformationEaston, Matthew George. Entry for 'Shaaraim'. Easton's Bible Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/ebd/s/shaaraim.html. 1897.

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

("two gateways".) A city assigned to Judah (Joshua 15:36; 1 Samuel 17:52). In the Shephelah. (See SHEPHELAH.) (1 Chronicles 4:31). (See SHILHIM.) The Septuagint read Sakarim , which favors identifying Shaaraim with Tell Zekariah above the southern bank of the valley of Elah, a large hill with terraced sides and caves.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Sha-ara'im. (two gates). A city, in the territory allotted to Judah, Joshua 15:36, in Authorized Version, incorrectly Sharaim. 1 Samuel 17:52. Shaaraim, one of the towns of Simeon, 1 Chronicles 4:31, must be a different place.

Morrish Bible Dictionary

1. City in the lowlands of Judah. 1 Samuel 17:52 . Called SHARAIM in Joshua 15:36 . Identified by some with es Saireh, 31 44' N, 35 1' E .

2. City in Simeon. 1 Chronicles 4:31 . Not identified.

Holman Bible Dictionary

Joshua 15:361 Samuel 17:521 Chronicles 4:31Joshua 15:32Joshua 19:6

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

(Heb. Shaara'yim, שִׁעֲרִיַ ם, two gates; Sept. in Joshua Σακαρίμ, in Samuel αἱ πόλεις , in Chron. Σεωρείμ [v.r. Σαρίμ ]; Vulg. Saraim, Saarim), a town in the "valley" or maritime plain of Judah (Joshua 15:36, A.V. "Sharaim," where it is named between Azekah and Adithaim). Its occurrence among the cities of Simeon (1 Chronicles 4:31) is probably a clerical error for Sharuhen (Joshua 19:6). "It is mentioned again in the account of the rout which followed the fall of Goliath, where the wounded fell down on the road to Shaaraim and as far as Gath and Ekron (1 Samuel 17:52). These two notices are consistent with each other. Goliath probably fell in the Wady es-Sumt, on opposite sides of which stand the representatives of Socoh and Jarmuth; Gath was at or near Tell es-Safieh, a few miles west of Socoh at the mouth of the same wady; while Ekron (if ‘ Akir be Ekron) lies farther north. Shaaraim is probably therefore to be looked for somewhere west of Shuweikeh, on the lower slopes of the hills, where they subside into the great plain" (Smith). "The valley of Elah runs down among the hills for some distance, and then forks below Tell-Zakartah; one branch, or rather side valley, running to Gath (Tell es-Safieh), and the other to the plain of Ekron. Perhaps the town of Shaaraim may have been situated at the fork, and may have taken its name from the ‘ two passes' (see Porter, Hand-book for Sin. and Pal. p. 264)" (Kitto). It is probably identical with. the Ir-Tarain of the Talmud (Tosephtah, Ahaloth, s.f.), for the Chaldee tarain has the same meaning, gates (Schwarz, Palest. p. 102). From the associated localities it must be sought in the vicinity of the modern Shahmeh, a village with traces of ruins about two and a half miles south of Ekron (Van de Velde, Memoir, p. 114). Lieut. Conder at first proposed Tell Zakariah as a suitable position for Shaaraim (Quar. Statement of "the Pal. Explor. Fund," 1875, p. 194), but M. Ganneau suggests the ruin. Sa'ireh (ibid. p. 182), mentioned in Dr. Robinson's list (Append. to vol. 3, 1st ed. of Researches) between Shuweikeh and Beit-Netif, in which Lieut. Conder seems finally to coincide (Tent Work in Pal. 2, 339).

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

shā - a - rā´im ( שערים , sha‛ărayim , "two gates"; Σακαρείμ , Sakareı́m  ; the King James Version Sharaim ):

(1) A city in the Shephelah or "lowland" of Judah mentioned (Joshua 15:36 ) in close association with Socoh and Azekah; the vanquished army of the Philistines passed a Shaaraim in their flight from Socoh toward Gath and Ekron (1 Samuel 17:52 ). It is possible that in this latter reference the "two gates" may refer - as Septuagint implies - to the two Philistine strongholds themselves. Shaaraim has been identified with Tell Zakarı̄ya (see however Azekah ) and with Kh . Sa‛ı̄reh ( PEF , III, 124, Sh Xvii ), an old site West of Beit ‛Atāb . Both proposals are hazardous.

(2) One of the towns of Simeon (1 Chronicles 4:31 ), called (Joshua 19:6 ) "Sharuhen" and, as one of the uttermost cities of Judah, called (Joshua 15:32 ) "Shilhim." This town was in Southwestern Palestine and is very probably identical with the fortress Sharhana, a place of some importance on the road from Gaza to Egypt. Aahmes (XVIIIth Dynasty) besieged and captured this city in the 5th year of his reign in his pursuit of the flying Hyksos (Petrie, Hist , II, 22, 35), and a century later Tahutmes III, in the 23rd year of his reign, took the city of Sharuhen on his way to the siege and capture of Megiddo (Petrie, Hist , II, 104). On philological grounds Tell esh - Sheri‛ah , 12 miles Northwest of Beersheba, large ruin, has been proposed, but it does not suit at all the Egyptian data ( PEF , III, 399, Sh Xxiv ).