( Which Hermon the Sidonians call Sirion; and the Amorites call it Shenir;)

DEUTERONOMY 3:9KJV
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Deuteronomy 3:9 (KJV)

What does Deuteronomy 3:9 mean?

Deuteronomy 3:9 explains that the mountain called Hermon was known by different names to different peoples: the Sidonians called it Sirion, and the Amorites called it Shenir. This verse highlights the various local names for the same prominent mountain in the region.

In this verse, Moses is speaking to the Israelites as he recounts their journey and the lands they encountered before entering Canaan. By mentioning the different names—Hermon, Sirion, and Shenir—Moses helps his listeners understand that these names all refer to the same mountain, which was well known to neighboring peoples. This detail would have helped the Israelites recognize the territory being described, especially since local names could differ depending on the group.

The Hebrew behind Deuteronomy 3:9

  • חֶרְמוֹן (Hermon, transliteration: ḥermon): This is the Hebrew name for the mountain, which means "devoted" or "consecrated." It was a significant landmark in the northern part of the land.
  • שִׁדֹנִים (Sidonians, transliteration: ṣidonim): This word refers to the people of Sidon, a major Phoenician city. Their use of a different name for Hermon shows the cultural diversity of the region.
  • שִׂרְיֹן (Sirion, transliteration: siryon): This is the Sidonian name for Hermon. The verse notes this to clarify that different groups had their own terms for the same place.
  • אֱמֹרִי (Amorites, transliteration: ʾemori): The Amorites were another group living in the region, and their naming of Hermon as Shenir reflects their own language and traditions.
  • שְׁנִיר (Shenir, transliteration: shenir): This is the Amorite name for Hermon. By listing these names, the verse shows the mountain’s importance across different cultures.

Why Deuteronomy 3:9 matters

  • Deuteronomy 3:9 clears up possible confusion for readers who might encounter different names for Mount Hermon in other parts of the Bible or in local traditions.
  • The verse emphasizes the broad recognition and significance of Hermon as a landmark, showing its importance not just to Israel but to neighboring peoples as well.
  • By including these details, Moses connects the Israelites’ story to the wider world around them, helping them—and later readers—understand the shared geography and history of the region.

Where else these words appear

“Sirion” Hebrew H8303 · used in 2 verses

  • Psalms 29:6 He maketh them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion like a young unicorn.

“Shenir” Hebrew H8149 · used in 4 verses

  • 1 Chronicles 5:23 And the children of the half tribe of Manasseh dwelt in the land: they increased from Bashan unto Baalhermon and Senir, and unto mount Hermon.
  • Song of Solomon 4:8 Come with me from Lebanon, my spouse, with me from Lebanon: look from the top of Amana, from the top of Shenir and Hermon, from the lions' dens, from the mountains of the leopards.
  • Ezekiel 27:5 They have made all thy ship boards of fir trees of Senir: they have taken cedars from Lebanon to make masts for thee.

“Hermon” Hebrew H2768 · used in 13 verses

  • Deuteronomy 3:8 And we took at that time out of the hand of the two kings of the Amorites the land that was on this side Jordan, from the river of Arnon unto mount Hermon;
  • Joshua 12:1 Now these are the kings of the land, which the children of Israel smote, and possessed their land on the other side Jordan toward the rising of the sun, from the river Arnon unto mount Hermon, and all the plain on the east:
  • 1 Chronicles 5:23 And the children of the half tribe of Manasseh dwelt in the land: they increased from Bashan unto Baalhermon and Senir, and unto mount Hermon.

“Sidonians” Hebrew H6722 · used in 15 verses

  • Joshua 13:4 From the south, all the land of the Canaanites, and Mearah that is beside the Sidonians, unto Aphek, to the borders of the Amorites:
  • Judges 18:7 Then the five men departed, and came to Laish, and saw the people that were therein, how they dwelt careless, after the manner of the Zidonians, quiet and secure; and there was no magistrate in the land, that might put them to shame in any thing; and they were far from the Zidonians, and had no business with any man.
  • 1 Kings 16:31 And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshipped him.