Lexical Summary Sini: Sinites Original Word: סִינִי Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Sinite From an otherwise unknown name of a man; a Sinite, or descendant of one of the sons of Canaan -- Sinite. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof uncertain derivation Definition a Canaanite people NASB Translation Sinite (1), Sinites (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs סִינִי adjective, of a people only with article = substantive Genesis 10:17 = 1 Chronicles 1:15 a Canaanite people, in north, ᵐ5 τὸν Ἀσενναῖον; compare city Siânu, 'on shore of sea,' in Assyrian inscription DlPa 282, Σιννᾶν (accusative) in possession of those holding Lebanon Straboxvi. 2. 8 (see DiGn). Topical Lexicon Biblical Occurrences and Immediate Context The Sinite people are named twice in the Old Testament—within the parallel Table of Nations lists of Genesis 10:17 and 1 Chronicles 1:15. In both passages they appear among the sons of Canaan: “the Hivites, the Arkites, the Sinites” (Genesis 10:17). Their placement in these foundational genealogies identifies them as a distinct Canaanite clan that emerged early in post-Flood history. Genealogical Significance 1. Affirmation of Historical Lineage Canaan’s line, traced through Ham, illustrates the fulfillment of Genesis 9:25–27, where Noah’s prophetic blessings and judgments unfold through succeeding generations. The inclusion of minor clans such as the Sinite underlines Scripture’s accuracy in preserving even the lesser-known branches of humanity. The Sinite entry highlights the multiplicity of Canaanite peoples inhabiting the land later promised to Abraham’s descendants. When the conquest narratives in Joshua and Judges describe a patchwork of Canaanite groups, the genealogies have already prepared the reader for that demographic complexity. Historical and Geographical Considerations Because Scripture provides no narrative about the Sinite beyond their name, scholars have correlated them with ancient settlements north of Israel: Although precise identification remains tentative, the Sinite are best understood as a northern Canaanite clan whose territory lay along the trade arteries between coastal Phoenicia and inland Syria. Theological and Ministry Implications 1. God’s Sovereign Oversight of Nations The Sinites, like every clan in Genesis 10, illustrate that “From one man He made every nation of men” (Acts 17:26). Even obscure peoples are under divine governance, emphasizing the Lord’s universal reign. The repetition of the Sinite in 1 Chronicles 1:15 centuries after Genesis confirms the chronicler’s reliance on earlier revelation and reinforces the harmony of the canon across diverse authors and eras. Isaiah envisions a day when the nations will “seek the Root of Jesse” (Isaiah 11:10). The presence of the Sinite in Scripture reminds the Church that the gospel’s reach must extend to every tongue and tribe, however little known. Christological Foreshadowing and Covenant Trajectory The Table of Nations sets up the narrative tension resolved in Christ. Canaanite peoples, including the Sinite, initially stand in contrast to the covenant line through Shem, yet prophets foresee their future inclusion (Zechariah 2:11). Jesus, by breaking down the “dividing wall of hostility” (Ephesians 2:14), fulfills the promise that Abraham’s seed would bless “all the families of the earth” (Genesis 12:3)—families counted as precisely as the Sinite. Lessons for the Contemporary Church • Valuing the Obscure: God’s Word dignifies even forgotten peoples; likewise, believers are called to honor the overlooked. In sum, the Sinite may occupy only a few words of Scripture, yet their mention reinforces the breadth of God’s redemptive plan, the integrity of the biblical record, and the Church’s mandate to proclaim Christ to every nation—named or unnamed. Forms and Transliterations הַסִּינִֽי׃ הסיני׃ has·sî·nî hassiNi hassînîLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 10:17 HEB: הַֽעַרְקִ֖י וְאֶת־ הַסִּינִֽי׃ NAS: and the Arkite and the Sinite KJV: and the Arkite, and the Sinite, INT: and the Hivite and the Arkite and the Sinite 1 Chronicles 1:15 2 Occurrences |
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