Shinab in the Bible Encyclopedia - ISBE

shi'-nab shin'abh; Samaritan: shin'ar; Sennaar): King of ADMAH (which see). He is mentioned with Shemeber, king of Zeboiim; he was attacked by Chedorlaomer and his allies (Gen 14:2). The reading is very uncertain. If the incident narrated is founded on fact, Shinab may be identical with Sanibu, an Ammonite king in the time of Tiglath-pileser III (so French Delitzsch, Wo lag das Paradies? 294); or the name may be equated by the Assyrian Sin-sar-ucur (compare "Shenazzar"), and Shem-eber with the Assyrian Sumu-abi (Sayce, The Expository Times, VIII, 463). Jewish exegesis gives a sinister explanation of all four names (Gen 14:2). The Midrash (Ber. Rab. 42) explains Shinab as sho'-ebh mammon, "one who draws money (wherever he can)." It is of interest to note that the names fall into two alliterative pairs and that each king's name contains exactly as many letters as that of his city. On the whole, however, the list leaves an impression of artificiality; as the names are not repeated in Gen 14:8, it is highly probable that they are later additions to the text. Horace J. Wolf