Shamir
“A sharp point or thorn”
Summary
The name of two towns in ancient Israel (one in Judah's hill country, one in Ephraim where Judge Tola lived) and one Levite in David's time.
☩Town in Judah
The first Shamir was a town in the mountain district of Judah, listed with Jattir and Socoh in the extreme south of the tribe, west-southwest of Hebron. Some scholars have suggested identifying it with the ruined site Um Shaumerah or the village Simieh southwest of Hebron.
☩Town in Ephraim
The second Shamir was located in the hill country of Ephraim and served as both the residence and burial place of Tola, who judged Israel for twenty-three years. It is curious that this judge, a man of Issachar, resided outside his own tribe—possibly because Issachar's territory in the plain of Esdraelon was overrun by raiders, forcing him to the more secure mountains of Ephraim. Van de Velde proposed identifying it with Khirbet Sammer in the mountains overlooking the Jordan valley.
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Shamir," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. IX (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.F. N. Peloubet & M. A. Peloubet (ed.), "Shamir," in Smith's Bible Dictionary (Porter & Coates, 1884).
- 3.George Morrish, "Shamir," in Morrish's Concise Bible Dictionary (George Morrish, 1898).