5482. Cveneh

Lexical Summary

Cveneh: "Cveneh" does not have a direct English translation as it is a hypothetical entry. For the purpose of this exercise, we will assume it refers to a concept related to "hidden" or "concealed."

Original Word: סְוֵנֵה
Part of Speech: Proper Name Location
Transliteration: Cveneh
Pronunciation: tse-veh-neh
Phonetic Spelling: (sev-ay-nay')
KJV: Syene
Word Origin: [of Egyptian derivation]

1. Seven, a place in Upper Egypt

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

Syene

(rather to be written Cvenah {sev-ay'-naw}; for Cven {sev-ane'}; i.e to Seven); of Egyptian derivation; Seven, a place in Upper Egypt -- Syene.

Brown-Driver-Briggs

[סְוֵן, < סְרָן], סְוֵנֵה

proper name, of a location Syene, city on southern border of Egypt, toward Ethiopia, only in phrase (וְעַדגְּֿבוּל כּוּשׁ) ׳מִמִּגְדֹּל ס Ezekiel 29:10; compare Ezekiel 30:6, read probably סְוֵ֫נָה or < סְוָ֫נָה (Coptic Suan), with ה locative (JDMich Sm Co Berthol) = Egyptian Sun, Coptic Suan, modern Aswân; ᵐ5 ἔως Συηνης; read probably סְוָן also Ezekiel 30:16 (for ᵑ0 סִין q. v.) ᵐ5 Συηνη. — See further Jos^{BJ iv. 10}, 5 Strabo^{xxxii.817-820,} Brugsch^{Geogr. Inscr. i. 155; Reiseber. aus Aegypt. 247} Bd^{Egypt.4.323f.} Budge^{Nile 284}.

Topical Lexicon

Designation and Location

Syene (Hebrew סְוֵנֵה) is the ancient frontier city at Egypt’s southern limit, identifiable with modern Aswan at the First Cataract of the Nile. Guarding the natural river barrier, it commanded the caravan routes to Nubia and offered access to the famed granite quarries on nearby Elephantine Island.

Scriptural References

The name appears twice in the prophetic oracles of Ezekiel:
• Ezekiel 29:10 – “I will make the land of Egypt a ruin and desolation—from Migdol to Syene, even to the border of Cush.”
• Ezekiel 30:6 – “Those who support Egypt will fall… From Migdol to Syene they will fall by the sword within Egypt.”

Historical and Archaeological Background

1. Military Bastion. From at least the Middle Kingdom of Egypt, Syene hosted fortresses that monitored traffic on the river and desert roads. The city’s garrison often included foreign contingents; a well-documented Jewish military colony served there during the Persian period (fifth century BC), illustrating the dispersion of Israelites and their integration within imperial structures.
2. Commercial Hub. Merchants exchanged gold, ivory, cattle, and incense from the African interior for grain, linen, and papyrus from the Nile valley.
3. Monumental Stone. The red and black granite quarried at Syene built obelisks, colossi, and temple pylons throughout Egypt, including those later transported to Rome and London.
4. Greco-Roman Period. Ptolemaic rulers renamed it Syene; the Romans stationed the third cohort of the Augustus Legion there, underscoring its enduring strategic value.

Literary Role in Ezekiel

Ezekiel employs “from Migdol to Syene” to frame the full length of Egypt, north to south. By mentioning Syene—the farthest southern extremity—he stresses that divine judgment will be total, sparing no provincial stronghold. The phrase parallels “from Dan to Beersheba” (Judges 20:1) in Israel, using geography to convey comprehensiveness.

Theological Significance

1. Sovereign Boundaries. The God who fixed Syene as Egypt’s border (Job 38:10-11) also breaks those borders at His discretion, demonstrating His supremacy over nations (Psalm 2:8-9).
2. Judgment and Mercy. While Syene signifies the reach of judgment, the same Lord who overthrows kingdoms promises restoration to any who repent (Jeremiah 18:7-8). Thus the city becomes both a warning and an invitation.
3. Prophetic Accuracy. The downfall of Egypt’s “proud strength” (Ezekiel 30:6) unfolded through Babylonian and later Persian dominance, validating the reliability of Scripture’s predictive word.

Ministry Reflections

• Comprehensive Accountability. No corner of a nation—or a heart—is beyond the Lord’s searching gaze; personal holiness cannot be localized or selective.
• The Folly of False Security. Egypt trusted its natural cataracts and frontier fortresses; believers today must guard against resting in cultural, economic, or technological “Syenes” instead of the Rock of Ages.
• Global Vision. Syene’s multicultural garrison reminds the church that God’s people have long served Him among the nations. Mission fields at strategic crossroads still await servants who, like those ancient expatriates, bear witness where trade and ideas converge.

Key Themes for Teaching and Preaching

1. God’s sovereignty over political geography (Acts 17:26).
2. The reach of divine judgment and the promise of repentance.
3. Missionary presence in secular power centers.
4. The contrast between human fortresses and divine refuge (Psalm 46:1).

Bibliography for Further Study

• Kitchen, K. A., “The Third Intermediate Period in Egypt” – background on geopolitics affecting Syene.
• Porten, B., “The Elephantine Papyri in English” – primary texts of the Jewish colony.
• Yamauchi, E., “Africa and the Bible” – treatment of Syene in biblical and extra-biblical sources.

Forms and Transliterations

סְוֵנֵ֖ה סְוֵנֵ֗ה סונה sə·wê·nêh seveNeh səwênêh

Englishman's Concordance

Ezekiel 29:10
HEB: שְׁמָמָ֔ה מִמִּגְדֹּ֥ל סְוֵנֵ֖ה וְעַד־ גְּב֥וּל
NAS: from Migdol [to] Syene and even to the border
KJV: from the tower of Syene even unto the border
INT: and desolation Migdol Syene and even to the border

Ezekiel 30:6
HEB: עֻזָּ֑הּ מִמִּגְדֹּ֣ל סְוֵנֵ֗ה בַּחֶ֙רֶב֙ יִפְּלוּ־
NAS: From Migdol [to] Syene They will fall
KJV: from the tower of Syene shall they fall
INT: of her power Migdol Syene the sword will fall

2 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 5482
2 Occurrences

sə·wê·nêh — 2 Occ.