English · KJV
H8136

שִׁנְאָן

shinʼân /shin-awn'/ Ask about this word
Rootfrom שָׁנָא
Meaningchange, i.e. repetition
Idioms & phrasesidiom angels.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of shinʼân — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word shinʼân, represented by H8136, is an idiomatic term for angels. It appears only 1 time in 1 unique verse in the Bible. The word's base definition comes from a root meaning "change, i.e. repetition," which gives rise to its specialized usage as an idiom.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The single use of H8136 appears in a description of divine majesty and power. In Psalms 68:17, the word is used to describe the vast heavenly host accompanying God. The verse states, "The chariots H7393 of God H430 are twenty thousand H7239, even thousands H505 of angels H8136: the Lord H136 is among them, as in Sinai H5514, in the holy H6944 place." This context paints a picture of an immense, powerful angelic army.

Related Words & Concepts

Several words within its only context help illustrate the divine power associated with H8136:

  • H7393 rekeb (chariot): This word for a vehicle or chariot establishes the military and royal imagery of God's heavenly procession Psalms 68:17.
  • H7239 ribbôw (twenty thousand): Defined as a myriad or an indefinitely large number, this term emphasizes the immense scale of the angelic army accompanying God Psalms 68:17.
  • H5514 Çîynay (Sinai): The mention of Sinai, a mountain in Arabia, connects this divine procession to the monumental event where God revealed His presence, grounding the vision in a key moment of Israel's history Psalms 68:17.
  • H6944 qôdesh (holy): This term, meaning a sacred place or thing, frames the scene as one of divine sanctity and separation Psalms 68:17.

Theological Significance

The theological significance of H8136 is derived entirely from its singular appearance in scripture.

  • Divine Majesty: The term is used to quantify the "chariots H7393 of God H430," portraying the Lord's power not as a solitary force, but as a king accompanied by a vast heavenly army of thousands Psalms 68:17.
  • Angelic Attendance: The angels are described as being with the Lord H136, highlighting their role as attendants to the divine presence and part of His royal entourage.
  • Revelation and Holiness: The scene is explicitly compared to God's appearance at Sinai H5514 and in "the holy H6944 place," connecting the angelic multitude with moments of sacred revelation and divine glory Psalms 68:17.

Summary

In summary, shinʼân H8136 is a highly specific term whose meaning is defined by its sole context. Appearing only once, it contributes to a powerful image of God's majestic power, portraying Him as a sovereign attended by an immense heavenly host. It illustrates how even a rarely used word can provide a vivid and theologically rich picture of the divine, associating the concept of angels with the overwhelming power and holy presence of God as revealed at Sinai.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a noun across 1 occurrence, inflected in 1 grammatical form — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

  • שִׁנְאָן

Related Words

Related

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

H7393 רֶכֶב from רָכַב; a vehicle; by implication, a team; by extension, cavalry; by analogy a rider, i.e. the upper millstone; char H430 אֱלֹהִים plural of אֱלוֹהַּ; gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) H7239 רִבּוֹ from רָבַב; or רִבּוֹא from רָבַב; a myriad, i.e. indefinitely, large number; great things, ten ((eight) -een, (for) -ty H505 אֶלֶף prop, the same as אֶלֶף; hence (the ox's head being the first letter of the alphabet, and this eventually used as a nume H136 אֲדֹנָי an emphatic form of אָדוֹן; the Lord (used as a proper name of God only); (my) Lord. H5514 סִינַי of uncertain derivation; Sinai, mountain of Arabia; Sinai.

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

1 verse, all in Psalms — and none of the other 38 Old Testament books.

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.