שׁוּנִי
𐤔𐤅𐤍𐤉
Shuni
H7764 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Shuni — a proper masculine noun referring to a specific individual, identified as a son of Gad and founder of the Shunite clan among the Israelite tribes. The term itself designates a personal name within genealogical lists, not a common noun. The derived gentilic form refers to the descendants or members of the clan associated with this ancestor.
Semantic Range
proper name (Shuni, son of Gad); by extension, clan descendant; personal designation
Root / Etymology
From root שׁוּן, etymology uncertain; the root is otherwise unattested in biblical Hebrew but is traditionally associated with an unused root possibly meaning 'to rest' or 'to be at ease.' The personal name שׁוּנִי (Shuni) likely originated as a theophoric or characteristic name, but the precise meaning is uncertain.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Shuni is exclusively used as a personal name, specifically as the second son of Gad (Genesis 46:16; Numbers 26:15). The associated gentilic 'Shunite' denotes his descendants, one of the clans of Gad. The meaning of the root is unclear, as the root שׁוּן does not appear elsewhere in biblical Hebrew, and there is no evidence that later Israelite or Judahite tradition continued to use this root productively. The English renderings simply transliterate the name, sometimes as 'Shuni,' with no attempt to assign meaning. The identification as an Israelite is genealogical, not geographic or religious. There is no connection to any later ethnic, geographic, or religious terminology such as 'Jew.'
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from an unused root meaning to rest; quiet; Shuni, an Israelite; Shuni.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
שון (š-w-n) — uncertain; possibly to rest, be at ease
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H7766 | שׁוּנֵם | Shunem |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7764-02 |
שׁוּנִ֣י | shuni | HNp |
Shuni | Shuni | 1 |
H7764-01 |
לְ/שׁוּנִ֕י | leshuni | HR/Np |
of Shuni | to Shuni | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7764-02 |
Genesis 46:16 | שׁוּנִ֣י | shuni | HNp |
Shuni | Shuni |
H7764-01 |
Numbers 26:15 | לְ/שׁוּנִ֕י | leshuni | HR/Np |
of Shuni | to Shuni |