Lexical Summary Shebai: Shebai Original Word: שְׁבָאִי Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Sabean Patronymic from Shba'; a Shebaite or descendant of Sheba -- Sabean. see HEBREW Shba' NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom Sheba Definition desc. of Sheba NASB Translation Sabeans (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs שְׁבָאִי adjective, of a people only plural as substantive, לִשְׁבָאִים (Baer Ginsb שְׁבָא֯יִם) Joel 4:8 ("" אֶלאגּוֺי רָחוֺק, compare Jeremiah 6:20 above), > ᵐ5 Me Now לַשְּׁבִי into captivity. I. שׁבב (Late Hebrew שָׁבַב Pi`el hew; Arabic Topical Lexicon Identity and Etymology The term designates a member of the ancient people of Sheba—a trading nation situated at the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula, across the Red Sea from East Africa. In Scripture they are renowned for commercial prowess, opulent wealth, and geographic remoteness, making them a fitting symbol of “the ends of the earth.” Although several ancestral lines named Sheba appear in Genesis, the group addressed by Joel almost certainly belongs to the South-Arabian kingdom that dominated the incense routes between Arabia, Africa, and the Mediterranean world. Historical and Geographical Background Archaeological and extra-biblical records locate Sheba’s heartland in what is now Yemen, with colonies extending into present-day Ethiopia and Eritrea. Their culture flourished through caravan trade in frankincense, myrrh, spices, gold, and precious stones. Monumental inscriptions speak of a highly organized monarchy, sophisticated irrigation, and temple complexes dedicated to astral deities—features that parallel the biblical picture of a wealthy, cosmopolitan power (compare the Queen of Sheba’s visit, 1 Kings 10; 2 Chronicles 9). Role in the Old Testament Economy Sheba’s strategic position made its merchants indispensable to Near-Eastern commerce. Ezekiel describes their role in Tyre’s global marketplace (Ezekiel 27:22-23). Isaiah envisions them bringing gold and frankincense in homage to Zion’s restored glory ( |
cut, Aramaic (Talmud) שִׁבָּא splinter, of Mandean diminutive שאבוניא NöM 140).