The Definition of the word Shinar, The Land of

Shinar, The Land of

LXX. and Vulgate Senaar;" in the inscriptions, "Shumir;" "probably identical with Babylonia or Southern Mesopotamia," extending almost to the Persian Gulf. Here the tower of Babel "was built (Gen. 11:1-6), and the city of Babylon. The name" occurs later in Jewish history (Isa. 11:11; Zech. 5:11). Shinar "was apparently first peopled by Turanian tribes, who tilled the" land and made bricks and built cities. Then tribes of Semites "invaded the land and settled in it, and became its rulers. This" was followed in course of time by an Elamite invasion; from "which the land was finally delivered by Khammurabi, the son of" "Amarpel ("Amraphel, king of Shinar," Gen. 14:1), who became the" founder of the new empire of Chaldea. (See [582]AMRAPHEL.)