never be assumed that the egotistical Assyrian monarchs were beyond the expressing of gross misrepresentations, both in their inscriptions and in their engraved reliefs.

2. Shalmaneser V was the successor of Tiglath-pileser III. As far as secular records are concerned, his reign is obscure and evidently brief. Whether he was a son of Tiglath-pileser or a usurper is undetermined. Only one historical inscription remains, telling of his restoration of a temple to Nabu at Borsippa in Babylonia. He is apparently listed as king over Babylon for five years under the name Ululaia. (Ancient Near Eastern Texts, by James B. Pritchard, p. 272, ftn. 4) Josephus also quotes Menander of Tyre as describing a siege of that city by Shalmaneser V. (Antiquities of the Jews, Book IX, chap. XIV, par. 2) Aside from this, the Bible is the prime source of information regarding this king.

DOMINATION OF ISRAEL

During the reign of King Hoshea of Israel (c. 748-740 B.C.E.), Shalmaneser V advanced into Palestine and Hoshea became his vassal under an imposition of annual tribute. (2 Ki. 17:1-3) However, at a later time Hoshea failed to pay the tribute and was found to be conspiring with King So of Egypt. (See So.) For this Shalmaneser placed Hoshea under detention and thereafter laid siege against Samaria for three years, after which the well-fortified city finally fell, and the Israelites were led into exile.—2 Ki. 17:4-6; 18:9-12; compare Hosea 7:11; Ezekiel 23:4-10.

The Bible record does not specifically credit Shalmaneser with the final capture of Samaria. Sargon II, who succeeded Shalmaneser V to the Assyrian throne, makes claim to having taken the city. While many Assyriologists suggest that Shalmaneser died or was murdered while the siege was in progress, and that Sargon II completed the conquest, whether he actually did so is a subject of discussion. At any rate, Sargon’s records refer to the deportation of Israelites to the number of 27,290 persons and the transplantation to Samaria of people from other conquered lands.—See Ancient Near Eastern Texts, by James B. Pritchard, pages 284, 285.

With the fall of Samaria in 740 B.C.E. the 257-year rule of the ten-tribe kingdom of Israel ended.

SHAMGAR

(Shamʹgar).

A deliverer of Israel between the judgeships of Ehud and Barak. Only one heroic deed of Shamgar is recorded, the slaying of six hundred Philistines with a cattle goad, but he is accredited thereby with ‘saving Israel.’ (Judg. 3:31) According to Josephus, Shamgar died in his first year of judgeship. (Antiquites of the Jews, Book V, chap. IV, par. 3) His being a “son of Anath” may refer to the Naphtalite city of Beth-anath.—Judg. 1:33.

SHAMHUTH

(Shamʹhuth) [desolation].

Izrahite chieftain for the fifth month in David’s rotational service reorganization.—1 Chron. 27:8; see SHAMMAH No. 4.

SHAMIR

(Shaʹmir) [thorn].

1. A Levite who was the son of Micah.—1 Chron. 24:20, 24.

2. A city in the mountainous region of Judah. (Josh. 15:20, 48) The ancient name appears to be preserved at Khirbet Somerah, though the actual site is thought to have been at nearby el-Bireh, some twelve and a half miles (c. 20 kilometers) SW of Hebron.

3. Residence and burial site of Judge Tola in the mountainous region of Ephraim. (Judg. 10:1, 2) Shamir may have been situated at or near the later location of Samaria. This view is supported somewhat by the Codex Alexandrinus (LXX), which reads Sa·ma·reiʹa (Samaria) in Judges 10:1.

SHAMMA

(Shamʹma) [desolation].

A leading member of the tribe of Asher; son or descendant of Zophah.—1 Chron. 7:36, 37, 40.

SHAMMAH

(Shamʹmah) [object of astonishment].

1. An Edomite sheik; grandson of Esau through Reuel.—Gen. 36:10, 13, 17; 1 Chron. 1:37.

2. An older brother of King David, also called Shimea(h) and Shimei. (1 Chron. 2:13; 2 Sam. 13:3; 21:21) As the third son of Jesse, Shammah was the third possible choice rejected from being anointed as king by Samuel. (1 Sam. 16:6-9) He was in Saul’s army that was being taunted by Goliath when David brought provisions. (1 Sam. 17:13, 14, 20, 23) One of Shammah’s sons, Jonathan, killed a Philistine giant. (2 Sam. 21:20, 21; 1 Chron. 20:6, 7) Some suggest Shammah’s son Jonathan was also called Jehonadab and was the wily adviser of Amnon.—2 Sam. 13:3, 32.

3. One of David’s top three warriors; son of Agee the Hararite. On one occasion, Shammah defended a whole field against the Philistines, striking down many of them. (2 Sam. 23:11, 12) He and the other two principal mighty men made their way in to the cistern of Bethlehem (at the time held by the Philistines), to get water for David, which he refused to drink. (2 Sam. 23:13-17) Comparison of the similar lists at 1 Chronicles 11:33, 34 and 2 Samuel 23:32, 33 (where in the latter text the generally suggested reading is “Jonathan the son of Shammah the Hararite”) would indicate that Shagee is an alternate name for Shammah, and that Shammah had a son Jonathan who also became a distinguished warrior of David.—See SHAGEE.

4. One of David’s thirty mighty men; a Harodite. (2 Sam. 23:8, 25) Varied spellings of his name seemingly occur at 1 Chronicles 11:27 (Shammoth) and 27:8 (Shamhuth), which latter text identifies him as head of the fifth monthly service division.

SHAMMAI

(Shamʹmai).

1. A man in the Jerahmeelite branch of Judah’s genealogy; son of Onam and father of Nadab and Abishur.—1 Chron. 2:4, 5, 9, 26, 28, 32.

2. A man in the Calebite branch of Judah’s genealogy; son of Rekem and father of Maon.—1 Chron. 2:4, 5, 9, 42-45.

3. The name of a person in the tribe of Judah.—1 Chron. 4:17.

SHAMMOTH

(Shamʹmoth) [desolations].

One of David’s mighty men; a Harorite.—1 Chron. 11:26, 27; see SHAMMAH No. 4.

SHAMMUA

(Sham·muʹa).

1. The chieftain representing the tribe of Reuben whom Moses sent into the Promised Land as a spy; son of Zaccur. He joined nine other spies in discouraging the Israelites from having faith that Jehovah would clear Canaan of their enemies.—Num. 13:2-4, 28, 29.

2. A son of David among those borne by Bath-sheba, therefore a full brother of King Solomon. (2 Sam. 5:13, 14; 1 Chron. 14:3, 4) He is once called Shimea.—1 Chron. 3:5.

3. A Levite of the line of Jeduthun whose son or descendant Abda lived in Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile. (Neh. 11:17) He is called Shemaiah at 1 Chronicles 9:16.

4. A priest heading the paternal house of Bilgah in the days of Jeshua’s successor Joiakim.—Neh. 12:12, 18.

SHAMSHERAI

(Shamʹshe·rai).

The head of a forefather’s house that lived in Jerusalem; son of Jeroham in the tribe of Benjamin.—1 Chron. 8:1, 26-28.

SHANK

The lower part of the leg, between the knee and the ankle. In each appearance of the word in the Bible, the limb of an animal is referred to, and usually with reference to animals prepared for sacrifice. (Lev. 1:9, 13; 4:11, 12; 8:21; 9:14) At Amos 3:12, Jehovah’s prophet uses the figure of a shepherd snatching two shanks away from the mouth of a lion