5573. Senneh
Lexical Summary
Senneh: Senneh

Original Word: סֶנֶה
Part of Speech: Proper Name Location
Transliteration: Ceneh
Pronunciation: SEN-neh
Phonetic Spelling: (seh-neh')
KJV: Seneh
NASB: Seneh
Word Origin: [the same s H5572 (סְנֶה - bush)]

1. thorn
2. Seneh, a crag in Israel

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
Seneh

The same s cnah; thorn; Seneh, a crag in Palestine -- Seneh.

see HEBREW cnah

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
of uncertain derivation
Definition
a cliff in Isr.
NASB Translation
Seneh (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
סֶ֑נֶּה proper name rup. (= thorny, compare GASmGeogr. 250 n. HPSon the passage); — a cliff opposite the cliff called בּוֺצֵץ 1 Samuel 14:4 (Ginsb as here; Baer סֵ֑נֶּה, van d. H. סֶ֑נֶה); ᵐ5 Σεννααρ.

Topical Lexicon
Seneh

Biblical Occurrence

Seneh appears once in Scripture, designating one of two rocky crags flanking the narrow pass that Jonathan and his armorbearer climbed during their daring assault on the Philistine outpost (1 Samuel 14:4). “Now there was a cliff on each side of the pass that Jonathan intended to cross to reach the Philistine outpost—one was named Bozez and the other Seneh” (1 Samuel 14:4).

Geographical Setting

The site lies in the rugged hill country of Benjamin, east of the modern village of Mukhmas and opposite Jebaʽ. The crags rise on either side of the wadi that cuts through the pass of Michmash (commonly identified with Wadi es-Suweinit). Bozez forms the northern face, Seneh the southern. Steep, fissured limestone walls and thorny underbrush make ascent hazardous, illustrating the physical challenge Jonathan faced.

Historical Context

Jonathan’s exploit probably occurred not long after Saul’s early victories over the Ammonites (1 Samuel 11) and his subsequent conflict with the Philistines (1 Samuel 13–14). Israel’s army had been reduced to fear, ill-equipped and hiding in caves (1 Samuel 13:6). The Philistines held the strategic high ground at Michmash, controlling the central ridge route. Jonathan’s clandestine climb up Seneh, together with the bold plan he formed with his armorbearer, broke the stalemate, triggered panic in the enemy camp, and opened the way for a broader Israelite victory (1 Samuel 14:13-23).

Spiritual Themes

1. Faith over Fear. Jonathan’s words, “Perhaps the LORD will act in our behalf. For nothing can hinder the LORD from saving, whether by many or by few” (1 Samuel 14:6), embody confidence in God’s sovereign power rather than reliance on human numbers or weaponry.
2. Initiative in Obedience. Jonathan did not wait for a prophetic sign or formal muster; he acted within the known will of God to push back Israel’s oppressors, trusting the Lord to confirm or redirect his steps (1 Samuel 14:8-10).
3. Divine Partnership. The twin crags of Bozez and Seneh frame an event in which human courage and divine intervention converge. The earthquake of verse 15 underscores that God honors bold trust.
4. The Rock Metaphor. Scripture often portrays the Lord as the Rock of refuge (Deuteronomy 32:4; Psalm 18:2). The physical rock of Seneh becomes a stage on which that theological truth is demonstrated: Israel’s God secures victory amid seemingly immovable obstacles.

Lessons for Ministry

• Strategic faith ventures frequently begin with a “pass” that only two or three are willing to enter, yet such ventures may alter an entire spiritual landscape.
• Obstacles that appear insurmountable—steep cliffs, entrenched enemies, limited resources—prove no barrier to God’s saving purposes when approached with humble dependence.
• Leadership is often authenticated not by position (Saul sat under a pomegranate tree) but by action grounded in trust.

Archaeological and Topographical Notes

Explorers such as C. R. Conder and Claude Conder (Survey of Western Palestine) noted two prominent tooth-like projections closing in the Michmash pass. Local Arabs preserve names reminiscent of “Suweinit” (little thorny?) consistent with the Hebrew wordplay for “thorn” embedded in סֶנֶה. The physical geography fits the narrative’s detail that one crag faces north toward Michmash while the other looks south toward Geba (1 Samuel 14:5). Climbers report hand-over-hand sections still requiring careful footing, validating the description that Jonathan “climbed up on his hands and feet” (1 Samuel 14:13).

Intertextual Links

• The burning bush (סְּנֶה, Strong 5572) in Exodus 3:2 reinforces a pattern: God reveals His power amid thorny, humble settings.
• Gideon’s “few” (Judges 7) and Jonathan’s two-man raid echo each other, showcasing a consistent divine principle that salvation belongs to the Lord, not to the majority.
• The vocabulary of “rock” and “cliff” converges with later declarations: “My God is my rock, in whom I take refuge” (2 Samuel 22:3); “That Rock was Christ” (1 Corinthians 10:4).

Summary

Seneh, though mentioned only once, anchors a decisive moment in Israel’s early monarchy. Its steep walls frame Jonathan’s faith-driven initiative, demonstrating that divine deliverance often springs from places of apparent peril. The crag thus functions as both a literal and metaphorical witness that “the LORD saves not with sword and spear” (1 Samuel 17:47) but through those who trust Him amid the thorns.

Forms and Transliterations
סֶֽנֶּה׃ סנה׃ sen·neh senneh
Links
Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
1 Samuel 14:4
HEB: וְשֵׁ֥ם הָאֶחָ֖ד סֶֽנֶּה׃
NAS: and the name of the other Seneh.
KJV: and the name of the other Seneh.
INT: and the name of the other Seneh

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 5573
1 Occurrence


sen·neh — 1 Occ.

5572
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