שִׁכְּרוֹן
drunkenness, Shikkeron, a place in Palestine
Definition
The Hebrew noun שִׁכְּרוֹן (Shikkᵉrôwn) has two primary meanings. First, it literally means 'drunkenness,' referring to the state of being intoxicated. Second, it functions as a proper noun, 'Shikkeron,' the name of a town in the territory of Judah, as recorded in Joshua 15:11. The place name likely derived from a geographical feature or event associated with the concept of drunkenness, though the specific reason is not detailed in scripture. The word appears only once in the Bible, solely in its use as a place name.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the Old Testament, in Joshua 15:11, where it serves as a proper noun for a location: '...and the border went out unto the side of Ekron northward, and the border was drawn to Shikkeron...' (KJV). It is listed among the towns marking the northern border of Judah's tribal inheritance. There is no biblical usage of this term in its literal sense of 'drunkenness'; that meaning is conveyed by its root and related words.
Etymology
שִׁכְּרוֹן is a derivative of the root שׁכר (škr), which means 'to be drunk' or 'to become intoxicated.' It is explicitly linked to the noun שִׁכָּרוֹן (H7943), which also means 'drunkenness.' The formation suggests a state or condition resulting from the action of the root. The place name 'Shikkeron' is therefore a nominalization of this concept, applied to a geographical location.
Semantic Range
While the word itself is a simple place name, its etymological connection to drunkenness can serve as a subtle reminder of the Bible's consistent warnings against intoxication (e.g., Proverbs 20:1, Ephesians 5:18). Its inclusion in a border list underscores God's faithfulness in detailing the inheritance of His people, as seen in the precise geographical allotments in Joshua.
As a place name in a border description, 'Shikkeron' reflects the ancient Israelite practice of defining tribal territories with reference to towns and natural landmarks. The naming might indicate a location known for viticulture, a site of a notable incident, or simply a descriptive topographical feature. Its meaning would have been immediately recognizable to the original audience, linking the place to the common cultural understanding of drunkenness.
שֵׁכָר (shēkhār, H7941) — a general term for intoxicating drink or strong drink. יַיִן (yayin, H3196) — the common word for wine, which could also lead to intoxication.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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