sinim Summary and Overview

a people noticed in #Isa 49:12| as living at the extremity of the known world. They may be identified with the classical Sinoe, the inhabitants of the southern part of China.

SI'NIM . This geographical term occurs only once in the Bible, in Isa 49:12. The country meant is generally considered to be China, though some would leave it an open question.

Isaiah 49:12. The people of southern China. An inland commercial route connected the extreme East with the West very early. (See SILK.) The Sinims and the Scythians interchanged commodities as the Chinese and Russians do now. Sinae was the name of the "Chinese traders". Their town was Thinae, one of the great emporiums in western China, now Thsiu or Tin in the province of Schensi. In the eighth century B.C. the Sinae became independent in western China, their princes reigning there for 650 years before they attained dominion over the whole land; in the third century B.C. the dynasty of Tsin (from whence came "China") became supreme over the empire. The Chinese "came from far," (distinct from "the N. and the W."), namely, from the far East, answering the requirements of Isaiah 49:12. The western part becoming first known to India, the name of this part was given to the whole. The Chinese seldom call themselves so, being in the habit of giving themselves high sounding titles, or else naming themselves from the reigning dynasty.