Lexical Summary
Shichor: Shihor
Original Word: שִׁיחוֹר
Part of Speech: Proper Name Feminine
Transliteration: Shiychowr
Pronunciation: shee-khor
Phonetic Spelling: (shee-khore')
KJV: Shihor, Sihor
NASB: Nile, Shihor
Word Origin: [probably from H7835 (שָׁחַר - turns black)]
1. dark, i.e. turbid
2. Shichor, a stream of Egypt
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
Shihor, Sihor
Or Shichowr {shee-khore'}; or Shichor {shee-khore'}; probably from shachar; dark, i.e. Turbid; Shichor, a stream of Egypt -- Shihor, Sihor.
see HEBREW shachar
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originof uncertain derivation
Definitiona stream on the border of Eg.
NASB TranslationNile (2), Shihor (2).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
; —
Joshua 13:3,
1 Chronicles 13:5; clearly = Nile,
Isaiah 23:3 ("" ),
Jeremiah 2:18; compare Dl
Pa 311 Wilson
Hast. DB SHIHOR (usually derived from I. , as
black water, but doubtful).
Topical Lexicon
Entry: ShihorOccurrences in Scripture
Joshua 13:3; 1 Chronicles 13:5; Isaiah 23:3; Jeremiah 2:18
Geographical Setting
Shihor designates the easternmost watercourse associated with Egypt that formed the southwestern boundary of the land promised to Israel. Most scholars identify it with the Pelusiac branch of the Nile near the ancient city of Pelusium, although a minority equates it with Wadi el-Arish (“the Brook of Egypt”). Either identification places it at the strategic juncture where the African and Asiatic worlds met—precisely where divine covenant boundaries distinguished Israel from her powerful southern neighbor.
Historical Significance in the Conquest and United Monarchy
1. Joshua 13:3 lists Shihor when allotting territory yet to be fully possessed, reminding Israel that God’s grant extended all the way to Egypt’s doorstep.
2. 1 Chronicles 13:5 reports that David “assembled all Israel, from the Shihor of Egypt to Lebo-Hamath,” underscoring the breadth of his rule and the unity of the tribes under the ark-centered worship he was restoring. Mentioning Shihor at the southern extreme highlights the king’s responsibility to guard every God-defined border.
Role in Prophetic Literature
Isaiah 23:3 depicts Tyre’s merchants thriving on “the grain of Shihor,” a poetic reference to Egypt’s Nile harvest carried by sea to the Phoenician emporium. The prophet uses Shihor to illustrate the economic magnitude of an empire yet to be judged by the Lord of Hosts.
Jeremiah 2:18 rebukes Judah for seeking security in Egypt: “Now what will you gain by traveling along the way to Egypt to drink the waters of Shihor?” The imagery of drinking Shihor’s waters exposes the futility of political alliances that replace trust in the covenant-keeping God. The river that once marked promise-boundaries becomes a symbol of misplaced confidence.
Theological Themes
1. Covenant Boundaries: Shihor represents the precision with which God marks out inheritance. Borders fixed by divine decree are not merely geographic but covenantal, teaching Israel—and the Church by extension—to receive and defend God’s appointed sphere (Deuteronomy 32:8; Acts 17:26).
2. Trust versus Alliance: Jeremiah’s mention of Shihor contrasts the living water God offers (Jeremiah 2:13) with the murky Nile flow Judah preferred. It warns believers against forsaking divine provision for worldly power.
3. Kingship and Worship: By framing David’s nationwide assembly with Shihor, Chronicles links boundary security to true worship. Worship that centers on God’s presence unites God’s people and stabilizes their borders (Psalm 22:3; 48:8).
Typological and Prophetic Foreshadowings
Shihor’s dark, silt-laden waters prefigure the world’s systems that promise fertility yet carry hidden bondage. In the Gospel, Jesus calls disciples to the pure “river of living water” flowing from Himself (John 7:38). The eschatological river of life in Revelation 22:1 completes the contrast: crystal-clear, proceeding from the throne, unrestricted by political borders.
Practical Ministry Applications
• Boundary Stewardship: Churches and families should recognize God-given assignments and resist overreach or neglect, modeling the discipline of Joshua’s generation.
• Discernment in Alliances: Leaders must weigh partnerships—financial, political, or ecclesial—against the danger of “drinking the waters of Shihor,” ensuring dependence rests on the Lord.
• Worship-Centered Unity: As David gathered from Shihor to Lebo-Hamath around the ark, Christian unity today is sustained by Christ’s presence, not by geography or ethnicity.
Related References
Genesis 15:18; Numbers 34:5; 2 Chronicles 32:7-8; Psalm 20:7; Revelation 22:1
Summary
Shihor stands at the intersection of promise and temptation—an Egyptian river that marks God’s territory, supplies Gentile commerce, and exposes misplaced trust. Remembering Shihor encourages God’s people to honor His boundaries, avoid reliance on worldly powers, and center life and mission on the true source of living water.
Forms and Transliterations
הַשִּׁיח֞וֹר השיחור שִׁח֑וֹר שִׁחֹ֔ר שִׁיח֥וֹר שחור שחר שיחור haš·šî·ḥō·wr hashshiChor haššîḥōwr shiChor ši·ḥō·wr šî·ḥō·wr ši·ḥōr šiḥōr šiḥōwr šîḥōwr
Links
Interlinear Greek •
Interlinear Hebrew •
Strong's Numbers •
Englishman's Greek Concordance •
Englishman's Hebrew Concordance •
Parallel Texts
