Shinar to Syrian Antioch
Dictionary of Bible Names

Nimrod built the cities of Babel, Erech, Accad and Calneh in the land of Shinar (Mesopotamia). Babel is the home of the famous tower where God confounded man's single language into many.

References
Genesis 10:10, 11:2, 14:1, 9, Isaiah 11:11, Daniel 1:2, Zechariah 5:11

Shuah
Wealth
Strong's #H7744, #H7770, #H7746

Shuah was one of Abraham's son through Keturah whom he married after Sarah died. The father-in-law of Judah, and Chelub's brother, are also named Shuah.

One of Job's three friends, Bildad, was from the city of Shuah (a Shuhite).

References
Genesis 25:2, 38:2, 12, 1Chronicles 1:32, 4:11, Job 2:11

Shunem
Double resting place, quietly
Strong's #H7766

Shunem was a city given to the tribe of Isaachar as an inheritance in the Promised Land.

The Philistines camped at Shunem in preparation for attacking Israel's King Saul. The king, after he saw the vast enemy army, became so scared that he consulted a witch to try to contact Samuel the prophet's dead spirit! Shunem was also the location where an older couple provided a room for Elisha the prophet.

Shur
Wall
Strong's #H7793

Shur was the name of a wilderness area east of Egypt in the northern part of the Sinai peninsula. The ancient Israelites, under Moses, passed through this location after they crossed the Red Sea.

Shushan
Lily
Strong's #H7800

Shushan was the capital of the Persian Empire. Queen Esther, as well as the prophets Nehemiah and Daniel, referenced the city.

References
Nehemiah 1:1, Esther 1:2, 5, 2:3, 5, 8, 3:15, 4:8, 16, 8:14 - 15, 9:6, 11 - 18, Daniel 8:2

Siddim
Flats, field, plain
Strong's #H7708

Siddim, located south of the Dead Sea, was known for its slime pits. A coalition of kings, led by Sodom's ruler, fought the powerful Chedorlaomer and his forces in the valley. Their loss at the slime pits ultimately led to Abraham becoming involved in the war.

References
Genesis 14:3, 8, 10

Sidon
Read our dedicated article on this topic.

Sihon
Warrior, tempestuous
Strong's #H5511

Sihon was a king of the Amorites at the time Moses and the children of Israel came near the Promised land. See our article on the Amorites for more information.

References
Numbers 21:21 - 34, 32:33, Deuteronomy 1:4, 2:24 - 32, 3:2, 6, 4:46, 29:7, etc.

Sihor (Shihor)
Dark, turbid
Strong's #H7883

Sihor is also called Shihor in 1Chronicles 13:5.

Sihor represents the farest western boundary of the land God gave to Israel as an inheritance. Sihor might be one of the branches of the Nile River that flowed within Egypt.

Silas (Silvanus)
Woody
Strong's #G4609

Silas is referred to as Silvanus in some King James New Testament verses (2Corinthians 1:19, 1Thessalonians 1:1, 2Thessalonians 1:1, 1Peter 5:12).

Silas was a Jewish Christian who was considered a prophet. He accompanied the Apostle Paul on his second evangelistic journey through Galatia and parts westward.

Simeon
Heard, hearing, harkening
Strong's #H8095, #G4826

At least four men are named Simeon in the Bible. The first was Jacob's (Israel's) second son (his second through Leah). Much later, another Simeon had married a foreign wife at the time of Ezra the prophet.

In the New Testament, an elderly and pious man named Simeon (Luke 2:25 - 35) blessed Mary and Joseph, at Jerusalem's temple, when they brought baby Jesus to present him to God. A fourth Simeon, also called Niger, was considered one of several prophets and teachers that attended the Syrian Antioch church (Acts 13:1).

It should be noted that Simon Peter's name, in Acts 15:14, is spelled Simeon. All other New Testament verses spell his name Simon.

References
Genesis 29:33, 34:25, 30, 35:23, 42:24, 36, 43:23, 46:10, etc.

Simon
A stone
Strong's #G4613

Several New Testament individuals are named Simon. One of Jesus' half-brothers was named Simon (Matthew 13:55, Mark 6:3). Simon was also used as another name for Peter (Matthew 4:18). One of Jesus' other disciples was referred to as Simon the Canaanite (or Simon the Zealot, Matthew 10:4, Mark 3:18).

Simon of Cyrene was forced to carry Jesus' cross the remaining distance to Golgotha so that the Lord could be crucified (Matthew 27:32).

Simon the Sorcerer, also called Simon Magus, was a Samaritan who practiced the magical arts and presented himself as being someone who was "great" (Acts 8:9). Simon the tanner, who lived in Joppa, provided a room for Peter when he visited the city (Acts 9:43).

Sin
Thorn, clay
Strong's #H5512

Sin was the name of wilderness (desert) area located west of Mount Sinai in the Sinai Peninsula.

Sinai
Read our dedicated article on this topic.

Sion
Read our dedicated article on this topic.

Sisera
Battle array
Strong's #H5516

Two men named Sisera are recorded in the Bible. One was the ancestor of slaves who had returned from exile to the land of Judah. The second, and more famous Sisera, was the army commander of Canaanite king Jabin (Judges 4:1 - 2). God allowed the king, because of Israel's sins, to oppress his people for twenty years. The Lord then raised up Deborah and Barak to defeat Sisera and free his people from oppression.

References
Judges 4:2 - 22, 5:20 - 30, 1Samuel 12:9, Ezra 2:53, Nehemiah 7:55, Psalm 83:9

Smyrna
Myrrh
Strong's #G4667, #G4668

Smyrna was a city located in the western part of Asia Minor in the Roman province of Asia. It was one of the seven churches of Revelation that received a spiritual evaluation directly from Jesus Christ. Please see our article on Smyrna.

So
Concealed
Strong's #H5471

So was the king of Egypt during the reign of Hoshea, the last ruler of the northern ten tribes of Israel (the Kingdom of Israel). The Assyrians, when they discovered Hoshea was seeking an alliance with So, put the Israelite king in prison.

References
2Kings 17:4

Socoh
Bushy
Strong's #H7755

In the King James Bible, Socoh can also be spelled Sochoh, Shochoh, Socho, Shoco or Shocho. Socoh was the son of Heber and a descendant of Caleb.

Socoh is also the name of two cities within the tribe of Judah's territory. Shochoh was the place near where the Philistines camped, within Judah, as they waited for Israel to send a champion to fight Goliath the Giant.

The son of Hesed, one of Solomon's twelve officers over Israel who had to provide food for the king, supervised Sochoh. Shoco was one of the many cities rebuilt and fortified by Solomon' son King Rehoboam.

Shocho was captured by the Philistines during the reign of King Ahaz. After it was taken, the Philistines repopulated the city with their own people.

Solomon
Peace, peaceful
Strong's #H8010, #G4672

Solomon was one of King David's sons through Bathsheba. After becoming king, he asked the Eternal to give him "an understanding heart" with which to rule. He was blessed with not only wisdom but also riches and honor (1Kings 3:10 - 13) unlike any king before or since! His rule ran from 970 to 930 B.C. Please see our article on the life of Solomon.

References
2Samuel 5:14, 12:24, 1Kings 1:10 - 53, 2:1 - 46, 3:1 - 15, 4:7 - 34, etc.

Sopater
Safe father, savior of his father
Strong's #G4986

Sopater, who lived in Berea, traveled with the Apostle Paul during his third missionary journey. Sopater accompanied the apostle on his eastward journey through Macedonia to Asia.

References
Acts 20:4

Sorek
A vine, choice vines
Strong's #H7796

Delilah, whom the Philistines used to trick Samson into divulging the secret of his strength, lived in the valley of Sorek.

Sosipater
savior of his father
Strong's #G4989

Sosipater was a Jewish Christian who sent his greetings to Christians in Rome through Paul's letter to the Romans. Evidence suggests Sosipater may have been one of Apostle Paul's distant relatives living in Corinth when Paul wrote his letter from the city in 57 A.D.

Sosthenes
Safe strength, savior of his nation
Strong's #G4988

A man named Sosthenes is mentioned twice in Scripture. The first mention, in Acts, states that a Jew named Sosthenes was the chief ruler of a synagogue in Corinth.

The second time a Sosthenes is mentioned is in Paul's opening statement of the book of 1Corinthians. Written from Ephesus, Paul greets those in Corinth and links his greeting with Sosthenes who is with him. It is unclear whether the Sosthenes of Acts and 1Corinthians are the same person.

References
Acts 18:17, 1Corinthians 1:1

Spain
Read our dedicated article on this topic.

Stachys
A head of grain
Strong's #G4720

Stachys is one of the many Roman Christians the Apostle Paul salutes in the book of Romans.

References
Romans 16:9

Stephanas
Crowned
Strong's #G4734

Stephanas and his family are noteworthy as being the earliest converts to Christianity in the province of Achaia (which includes Athens and Corinth). They were also some of the select people Paul personally baptized in Corinth (1Corinthians 1:16).

Stephen
Crowned
Strong's #G4736

Stephen is consider the first recorded martyr for the Christian faith. He was an early Jewish convert to Christianity who possessed a high level of wisdom and spiritual maturity. He was chosen, with six others, to be the first specially designated servants (other than the apostles) of the fledgling Jerusalem church (Acts 6:1 - 6).

Straight Street
Level
Strong's #G2117

Ananias, a Christian living in Damascus, is told by God to visit a man named Judas living on Straight Street. At his home he will find a man named Saul (later Paul) praying. Ananias was then instructed to lay hands on Saul so that he could be healed of the blindness he received while traveling to Damascus.

Succoth
Booths
Strong's #H5523

Succoth was one of the places the Israelites camped at after leaving Egypt. A city name Succoth is also located east of the Jordan River near Penuel.

References
Genesis 33:17, Exodus 12:37, 13:20, Numbers 33:5 - 6, Joshua 13:27, Judges 8:5 - 16, 1Kings 7:46, 2Chronicles 4:17, Psalm 60:6, 108:7

Sychar
Drunken
Strong's #G4965

Sychar was a city in Samaria where Jacob's well was located. Jesus visited the city and spoke to a Samaritan woman at the well.

Syntyche
With fate, an accident
Strong's #G4941

Syntyche was a prominent female Christian living in Philippi, a place where the church first took root among the city's women (Acts 16:13 - 15).

Syracuse
A Syrian hearing
Strong's #G4946

Syracuse was a port city located on the island of Sicilia (Sicily). The Apostle Paul, toward the end of his fourth missionary journey, sailed to the city from the island of Malta.

References
Acts 28:12