סִבֹּלֶת (sib.bo.let)
sib.bo.let
stream
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun sibbolet appears only once in the Old Testament, in Judges 12:6. While some modern sources link it to a "stream" based on how Ephraimites struggled to pronounce it, the consensus among lexical experts like Brown-Driver-Briggs is that the word literally means an ear of grain or a head of wheat.
This physical meaning anchors the famous story of the Gileadites testing their neighbors. The test was not about linguistic flair but about a simple phonetic hurdle: the inability to say the initial "sh" sound, which caused them to stutter the word for grain as "sibbolet" instead of "shibbolet." This single lexical item becomes the pivot point for identifying friend or foe in a moment of intense tribal conflict.
The verse highlights how everyday vocabulary can carry profound historical weight. What begins as a description of harvest produce transforms into a marker of identity and survival, showing that even common words can define the boundaries of community in critical times.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word sibbolet appears only once in Scripture, found in Judges 12:6 during a time of intense tribal conflict. While some translations render it as a stream, most experts agree it refers to an ear of grain or wheat. This simple agricultural term became the key that separated friend from foe. The Gileadites used this everyday word to identify their enemies, who could not pronounce the initial 'sh' sound correctly.
This story reminds us how deeply our speech reflects our identity and background. In a world where communication can sometimes divide people, we are called to use words for unity rather than exclusion. The Bible does not celebrate the violence here but records it as a historical reality of a broken time. We see how language carries weight beyond its literal meaning.
For your faith, this passage invites reflection on how we speak about others. Instead of using differences in accent or background as reasons for hostility, we are called to build bridges. God’s people are meant to be known by their love, not their ability to test strangers with difficult words. Let this ancient story encourage you to seek peace and understanding in your daily interactions.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- Sibboleth1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- סִבֹּ֗לֶת1×
Key Verses
-
Judges 12:6
then they said to him, “Now say ‘Shibboleth;’” and he said “Sibboleth”; for he couldn’t manage to pronounce it correctly, then they seized him and killed him at the fords of the Jordan. At that time, forty-two thousand of Ephraim fell.
The word sibbolet serves as the phonetic test that reveals the speaker's tribal identity, leading to a tragic outcome for those who could not pronounce it correctly.