Interesting Facts

• Shabir was the king of Machnaymah.
• He was one of the kings pursued by the sons of Jacob after their initial confrontation with the Amorite coalition.
• Shabir was killed by Jacob with an arrow.
• His death occurred alongside the deaths of Parathon, king of Chazar, Susi, king of Sarton, and Laban, king of Bethchorin.
• The sons of Jacob did unto Machnaymah as they had done to Tapnach, Chazar, and Shiloh.

Genealogy

• The provided sources offer no information regarding Shabir’s ancestry, birth, marital connections, or offspring. He is solely identified by his title as the king of Machnaymah.

Historical Context

Shabir’s reign as king of Machnaymah takes place during a period of intense and widespread conflict initiated by the return of Jacob’s sons to Shechem and their subsequent actions against neighboring Canaanite and Amorite cities. The initial coalition of kings, including Jashub of Tapnach, was formed in response to the perceived threat and the past violence inflicted upon Shechem. Shabir’s involvement suggests he was part of this regional resistance against the growing power of Jacob’s household. The swift and decisive military actions of Jacob and his sons created a climate of fear among the Amorite rulers, leading to their initial assembly but ultimately their defeat and pursuit. The cultural dynamics of the time likely involved alliances between cities for mutual defense against external threats and the avenging of slain leaders.

Narrative

Shabir, the king of Machnaymah, enters the narrative as one of the kings who joined the Amorite coalition to oppose Jacob and his sons. Following the defeat of Jashub and the subsequent retreat of the Amorite forces, Jacob and his sons pursued the fleeing kings towards their respective cities. It is during this pursuit that Jacob, employing his skill with the bow, targeted and killed the remaining kings, including Shabir. Shabir’s death is explicitly mentioned alongside the deaths of other Amorite kings, highlighting the significant losses suffered by the coalition in their attempt to resist the Hebrews. While the details of Shabir’s specific actions in the initial battle are not provided, his presence as a king within the coalition implies his participation in the attempted resistance against Jacob’s family. The later statement that the sons of Jacob did unto Machnaymah as they had done to other conquered cities suggests that Shabir and his city likely faced a similar fate of defeat and subjugation following his death. Shabir’s narrative, though brief, underscores the effectiveness of Jacob’s leadership and the decisive nature of the battles against the Amorite kings.