Arabia. This is also indicated by Jesus’ comment that she was the “queen of the south” and that she “came from the ends of the earth.” (Matt. 12:42) From the standpoint of persons in Jerusalem, she had truly come from a most distant part of the then-known world. (Ps. 72:10; Joel 3:8) Marib is about 1,200 miles (1,930 kilometers) from Ezion-geber, which is on the N shore of the Red Sea.

Jesus said of the queen of Sheba that she came “to hear the wisdom of Solomon.” (Luke 11:31) Both by what Solomon said and by what she saw of the prosperity of his kingdom, she was impressed. She pronounced the king’s servants happy for being able to hear his wisdom, and blessed Jehovah for putting him on the throne. (1 Ki. 10:2-9; 2 Chron. 9:1-9) The queen gave Solomon 120 talents of gold (worth $4,639,320) as well as balsam oil and precious stones. Solomon gave her gifts that apparently exceeded the value of the treasures she brought and then she returned to her own land.—2 Chron. 9:12, NW, AT, Mo.

Christ stated that this woman would rise up in the judgment and condemn the men of the first-century generation. (Matt. 12:42; Luke 11:31) She had made an arduous trip to hear Solomon’s wisdom, but the unbelieving Jews, who claimed to be servants of Jehovah, had present in Jesus something more than Solomon and did not pay attention to him.

7. Apparently one of the enclave cities given to the tribe of Simeon in the S part of the territory of Judah. (Josh. 19:2) The name, though, does not appear in the parallel list in 1 Chronicles 4:28-32 or among the accounts of cities at first assigned to Judah. (Josh. 15:26) Since Joshua 19:2-6 gives the sum as thirteen cities, but actually seems to list fourteen cities, some scholars have suggested that Sheba and Beer-sheba were two parts of the same city, Sheba being the older. If it was a separate location, it may have been the same as Shema, named in the list at Joshua 15:26-32.

SHEBANIAH

(Sheb·a·niʹah).

1. A priest who played a trumpet in the procession that accompanied the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem in David’s day.—1 Chron. 15:3, 24.

2. A priestly paternal house that Joseph represented in the days of High Priest Jeshua’s successor Joiakim. (Neh. 12:12, 14) In a generally similar list of priests having returned with Zerubbabel in 537 B.C.E. the name Shecaniah appears in the place of Shebaniah. (Neh. 12:1-7) During Nehemiah’s governorship, a member of the same family (or some individual priest of the same name) attested to the national covenant then made.—Neh. 10:1, 4, 8.

3. One of the Levites, or a representative of a Levitical family of the same name, contemporaneous with Ezra and Nehemiah, who led the Jews in a prayer of confession, after which they proposed and sealed a covenant of faithfulness.—Neh. 9:4, 5, 38; 10:1, 9, 10.

4. Another Levite who attested to the same trustworthy arrangement, either in his own name or that of a forefather.—Neh. 9:38; 10:9, 12.

SHEBARIM

(Shebʹa·rim) [quarries].

The place to which men of Ai chased the Israelites, when they were unable to stand before the enemy after Achan’s sin. (Josh. 7:5) The site is unknown, except that it was near Ai. Certain translators prefer to render the Hebrew term as “stone-works” or “stone-quarries” rather than as Shebarim.—The Bible in Basic English; Le.

SHEBAT

(Sheʹbat).

The postexilic name of the eleventh Jewish lunar month of the sacred calendar, but the fifth of the secular calendar. (Zech. 1:7; Deut. 1:3; 1 Chron. 27:14) It corresponds to part of January and part of February. The meaning of the name is uncertain.

This midwinter month comes somewhat after the peak of the heavy rains but is still a time of major rainfall. Mean average temperatures run about 45 degrees Fahrenheit (7.2 degrees Centigrade) in Jerusalem and about ten degrees higher along the Mediterranean coast. The pink and white flowers of the almond tree are the first to brighten up the winter scenery and herald the approach of spring.

Shebat was unmarked by any festival seasons in the Bible record.

SHEBER

(Sheʹber) [breakdown, crash].

A son of Caleb by Maacah his concubine; of the tribe of Judah.—1 Chron. 2:48.

SHEBNA(H)

(Shebʹna[h]).

An officer of King Hezekiah. At one time Shebna was the “steward . . . over the house,” presumably of Hezekiah, an influential position. Jehovah, however, directed Isaiah to denounce Shebna, prophesying that he would be ‘pushed away from his position,’ apparently because of his pride and glory-seeking, shown by building himself a conspicuous sepulcher. His robe, sash and dominion, together with “the key of the house of David,” were given instead to ‘God’s servant Eliakim.’—Isa. 22:15-24.

Shebna was not stripped of all privileges, however, for when Sennacherib threatened Jerusalem in 732 B.C.E. and Eliakim had become steward, Shebna was the royal secretary sent with Eliakim and the recorder to speak with Rabshakeh from the wall. With clothes ripped apart they reported back to Hezekiah what had been said and were then sent to Isaiah to inquire of Jehovah.—2 Ki. 18:18–19:7; Isa. 36:3–37:7.

SHEBUEL

(Shebʹu·el), Shubael (Shuʹba·el) [he returned to God; captive of God].

The two men named Shebuel are both alternately referred to as Shubael.

1. A Levitical son or descendant of Moses’ son Gershom. (1 Chron. 23:15, 16) Shebuel’s (Shubael’s) paternal house was enrolled when David reorganized the Levitical services (1 Chron. 24:20, 30b, 31), being given duties that included caring for the stores.—1 Chron. 26:24.

2. One of the sons of Heman and an expert musician selected by lot to head the thirteenth division of sanctuary musicians.—1 Chron. 25:4, 6, 9, 20.

SHECANIAH

(Shec·a·niʹah) [Jehovah has taken up his abode].

1. A descendant of Aaron whose paternal house was selected by lot as tenth of the twenty-four priestly divisions that David organized.—1 Chron. 24:1-3, 7, 11.

2. One of those entrusted with equal distribution of the tithes and other contributions in the priests’ cities during Hezekiah’s reign.—2 Chron. 31:12, 15.

3. A priest who returned to Jerusalem with Zerubbabel.—Neh. 12:1, 3, 7; see SHEBANIAH No. 2.

4. A paternal house represented among the group that returned with Ezra in 468 B.C.E.—Ezra 8:1, 3.

5. Head of the paternal house of Zattu, 300 males of which returned with Ezra; son of Jahaziel.—Ezra 8:1, 5.

6. “The son of Jehiel of the sons of Elam” who proposed to Ezra the covenant by which those in restored Judah having foreign wives volunteered to send them away.—Ezra 10:2-4.

7. Father of the Shemaiah who did repair work on Jerusalem’s wall.—Neh. 3:29.

8. Father-in-law of Tobiah the Ammonite; son of Arah.—Neh. 4:3; 6:17, 18.

9. A descendant of David through Zerubbabel who lived several generations after the Babylonian exile. He was a son of Obadiah and father of Shemaiah.—1 Chron. 3:5, 9, 10, 19, 21, 22.

SHECHEM

(Sheʹchem) [shoulder].

1. Son of Hivite chieftain Hamor. (Gen. 33:19; Josh. 24:32) After Jacob settled near the city of Shechem (see No. 4 below), his daughter Dinah began associating with females of that city. The man Shechem, described as being the “most honorable of the whole house of his father,” saw Dinah and “lay down with her and violated her.” Then he fell in love with Dinah and wanted to marry her. But Jacob’s sons were enraged about the affair and, “with deceit,” said that they could make marriage arrangements only with circumcised men. This was agreeable to Shechem and his father Hamor and they convinced the Shechemites to get circumcised. However, before the males of Shechem could recover from being circumcised, Jacob’s sons, Simeon and Levi, attacked the city, killing Hamor, Shechem and all the other men.—Gen. 34:1-31.

2. A son of Gilead of the tribe of Manasseh. Shechem became the family head of the Shechemites, who are not to be confused with the Canaanite inhabitants of Shechem.—Num. 26:28, 30, 31; Josh. 17:2.

3. A son of Shemida of the tribe of Manasseh.—1 Chron. 7:19.

4. An ancient city linked with Nablus or, more precisely, with nearby Tell Balatah. (Ps. 60:6; 108:7) Situated at the E end of the narrow valley running between Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal, Tell Balatah lies about thirty miles (48 kilometers) N of Jerusalem. A good supply of water is available, and just E of the site there is a fertile plain. Anciently Shechem commanded the E-W and N-S roads traversing central Palestine. (Compare Judges 21:19.) Lacking the military advantage of being built on a mountain, the city depended on its fortifications for security.—Judg. 9:35.

When Abram (Abraham) first entered the Promised Land, he traveled as far as “the site of Shechem” and encamped near the big trees of Moreh, where he later built an altar. (Gen. 12:6-9) Nearly two centuries afterward Jacob, upon returning from Paddan-aram, pitched camp in front of Shechem and purchased some land there. In reaction to their sister Dinah’s being violated by Shechem the son of Hamor, the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, killed the men of the city. (Gen. 33:18–34:31) At God’s direction Jacob left Shechem but, before doing so, took all the foreign gods and earrings in the possession of his household and buried them under the big tree close by Shechem. (Gen. 35:1-4) Later, Jacob’s sons pastured their flocks near the city, being able to do so safely, doubtless because the “terror of God,” which had kept the neighboring peoples from pursuing Jacob, still exercised some effect on them.—Gen. 35:5; 37:12-17.

When Jacob’s descendants, the Israelites, entered the Promised Land after the sojourn of more than two centuries in Egypt, they buried Joseph’s bones “in Shechem in the tract of the field that Jacob had acquired from the sons of Hamor.” (Josh. 24:32) How ever, in his defense before the Jews, Stephen said that Joseph was buried “in the tomb that Abraham had bought . . . from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.” (Acts 7:16) Perhaps Stephen’s statement was an elliptical one. If the ellipses were filled in, Stephen’s statement could read: “Jacob went down into Egypt. And he deceased; and so did our forefathers, and they were transferred to Shechem and were laid in the tomb that Abraham had bought for a price with silver money [and in that bought] from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.” (Acts 7:15, 16) There is also a possibility that, since Jacob was Abraham’s grandson, the purchase could have been ascribed to Abraham as the patriarchal head. This would be using the name Abraham similarly to the way that that of Israel (Jacob) and others were later used, the name of the forefather applying to and being used for the descendants.—Compare Hosea 11:1, 3, 12; Matt. 2:15-18.

Among the tribal allotments in the Promised Land, Shechem seems to have been within Manasseh’s territory, being less than two miles (3.2 kilometers) NW of the border town of Michmethath. (Josh. 17:7) Since Shechem is described as being “in the mountainous region of Ephraim,” it may have been an Ephraimite ‘enclave city’ in Manassite territory. (Josh. 16:9; 1 Chron. 6:67) The city was thereafter assigned with other Ephraimite cities to the Levites and given sacred status as a city of refuge. (Josh. 21:20, 21) Just before his death, Joshua assembled all the tribes of Israel at Shechem (compare Deuteronomy 27:11-13; Joshua 8:32-35), encouraging them to serve Jehovah.—Josh. 24:1-29.

Although the Israelites had covenanted at Shechem to uphold true worship, the inhabitants of that city began worshiping Baal-berith. (Judg. 8:33; 9:4) They also supported the efforts of Abimelech (the son of Judge Gideon and his Shechemite concubine) to become king. But, in time, they revolted against King Abimelech. In crushing the revolt, Abimelech destroyed the city and sowed it with salt, this perhaps being symbolic of desiring lasting desolation.—Judg. 8:31-33; 9:1-49; compare Psalm 107:33, 34; see ABIMELECH No. 4; BAAL-BERITH.

Later Shechem was rebuilt. That it became an important city is suggested by the fact that Rehoboam was installed as king there. (1 Ki. 12:1) After the division of the kingdom, Jeroboam, first king of the northern kingdom, had building work done at Shechem and apparently ruled from there for a time. (1 Ki. 12:25) Centuries later, in 607 B.C.E., after the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians, men from Shechem came to Jerusalem for worship.—Jer. 41:5.

SHECHEMITES

(Sheʹchem·ites).

The descendants of Manasseh through Shechem.—Num. 26:29, 31.

SHEDEUR

(Shedʹe·ur) [light-shedding].

A Reubenite whose son Elizur Jehovah appointed chieftain of their tribe in the wilderness.—Num. 1:5; 2:10; 7:30, 35; 10:18.

SHEEP

One of the principal animals of pastoral life. (Gen. 24:35; 26:14) Sheep are ruminants or cud chewers. As is the case today, the predominant variety of ancient Palestine may have been the broad-tailed sheep, distinguished by its prominent fatty tail, generally weighing about ten pounds (c. 4.5 kilograms) or more. (Compare Exodus 29:22; Leviticus 3:9.) Generally sheep were white in color (Song of Sol. 6:6), though there were also dark-brown and parti-colored ones. (Gen. 30:32) In a pastoral society men of great wealth, such as Job, had thousands of sheep. (Job 1:3, 16; 42:12) The Israelites probably kept some lambs as pets.—2 Sam. 12:3; Jer. 11:19.

Without a shepherd, domestic sheep are helpless and fearful. They get lost and scattered and are at the complete mercy of their enemies. (Num. 27:16, 17; Jer. 23:4; Ezek. 34:5, 6, 8; Mic. 5:8) Sheep allow themselves to be led and faithfully follow their shepherd. They can learn to recognize his voice and to respond to him alone. (John 10:2-5) Illustrating this is a passage from Researches in Greece and the Levant, as quoted by J. G. Wood in Bible Animals, 1877 edition, page 197:

“Having had my attention directed last night to the words in John x. 3, I asked my man if it were usual in Greece to give names to the sheep. He informed me that it was, and that the sheep obeyed the shepherd when he called them by their names. This morning I had an opportunity of verifying the truth of this remark. Passing by a flock of sheep, I asked the shepherd the same question which I had put to the servant, and he gave me the same answer. I then bade him call one of his sheep. He did so, and it instantly left its pasturage and its companions, and ran up to the hands of the shepherd, with signs of pleasure, and with a prompt obedience which I had never before observed in any other animal.

“It is also true that in this country, ‘a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him.’ The shepherd told me that many of his sheep were still wild, that they had not learned their names, but that by teaching them they would all learn them.”

Areas anciently suited to the raising of sheep included the Negeb (1 Sam. 15:7, 9), Haran (Gen. 29:2-4), the land of Midian (Ex. 2:16), the mountainous region of Judah, where the city of Carmel was located (1 Sam. 25:2), the land of Uz (Job 1:1, 3), Bashan and Gilead.—Deut. 32:14; Mic. 7:14.

Sheep provided the Hebrews and other peoples with