Genesis 10:10

10:10 The primary regions ¹  of his kingdom were Babel, ²  Erech, ³  Akkad, ⁴  and Calneh ⁵  in the land of Shinar. ⁶ 

Genesis 11:2

11:2 When the people ⁷  moved eastward, ⁸  they found a plain in Shinar ⁹  and settled there.

Isaiah 11:11

11:11 At that time ¹⁰  the sovereign master ¹¹  will again lift his hand ¹²  to reclaim ¹³  the remnant of his people ¹⁴  from Assyria, Egypt, Pathros, ¹⁵  Cush, ¹⁶  Elam, Shinar, ¹⁷  Hamath, and the seacoasts. ¹⁸ 

Zechariah 5:11

5:11 He replied, “To build a temple ¹⁹  for her in the land of Babylonia. ²⁰  When it is finished, she will be placed there in her own residence.”

[10:10]  ¹ tn Heb “beginning.” E. A. Speiser, Genesis (AB), 67, suggests “mainstays,” citing Jer 49:35 as another text where the Hebrew noun is so used.

[10:10]  ² tn Or “Babylon.”

[10:10]  ³ sn Erech (ancient Uruk, modern Warka), one of the most ancient civilizations, was located southeast of Babylon.

[10:10]  ⁴ sn Akkad, or ancient Agade, was associated with Sargon and located north of Babylon.

[10:10]  ⁵ tn No such place is known in Shinar (i.e., Babylonia). Therefore some have translated the Hebrew term כַלְנֵה (khalneh) as “all of them,” referring to the three previous names (cf. NRSV).

[10:10]  ⁶ sn Shinar is another name for Babylonia.

[11:2]  ⁷ tn Heb “they”; the referent (the people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[11:2]  ⁸ tn Or perhaps “from the east” (NRSV) or “in the east.”

[11:2]  ⁹ tn Heb “in the land of Shinar.”

[11:11]  ¹⁰ tn Or “in that day” (KJV). The verb that introduces this verse serves as a discourse particle and is untranslated; see note on “in the future” in 2:2.

[11:11]  ¹¹ tn The Hebrew term translated “sovereign master” here is אֲדֹנָי (’adonai).

[11:11]  ¹² tc The Hebrew text reads, “the sovereign master will again, a second time, his hand.” The auxiliary verb יוֹסִיף (yosif), which literally means “add,” needs a main verb to complete it. Consequently many emend שֵׁנִית (shenit, “a second time”) to an infinitive. Some propose the form שַׁנֹּת (shannot, a Piel infinitive construct from שָׁנָה, shanah) and relate it semantically to an Arabic cognate meaning “to be high.” If the Hebrew text is retained a verb must be supplied. “Second time” would allude back to the events of the Exodus (see vv. 15-16).

[11:11]  ¹³ tn Or “acquire”; KJV, ASV, NASB, NRSV “recover.”

[11:11]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “the remnant of his people who remain.”

[11:11]  ¹⁵ sn Perhaps a reference to Upper (i.e., southern) Egypt (so NIV, NLT; NCV “South Egypt”).

[11:11]  ¹⁶ tn Or “Ethiopia” (NAB, NRSV, NLT).

[11:11]  ¹⁷ tn Or “Babylonia” (NIV, NCV, TEV, NLT).

[11:11]  ¹⁸ tn Or perhaps, “the islands of the sea.”

[5:11]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “house” (so NIV, NRSV, CEV).

[5:11]  ²⁰ sn The land of Babylonia (Heb “the land of Shinar”) is another name for Sumer and Akkad, where Babylon was located (Gen 10:10). Babylon throughout the Bible symbolizes the focus of anti-God sentiment and activity (Gen 11:4; 14:1; Isa 13–14; 47:1-3; Jer 50–51; Rev 14:8; 17:1, 5, 18; 18:21).