Shuhite

Shu'hite (Heb. with the art. hash-Shuchi', הִשּׁוּחַי, patronymic — from Shuah Sept. ὁ Σαυχαί v.r. Σαυχεί Σαυχίτης, etc.), an ethnic appellative frequent in the book of Job (Job 2:11; Job 8:1; Job 18:1; Job 25:1; Job 42:9), but only as the epithet of one person, Bildad (q.v.). The local indications of the book of Job point to a region on the western side of Chaldma, bordering on Arabia; and exactly in this locality, above Hit and on both sides of the Euphrates, are found, in the Assyrian inscriptions, the Tsukhi, a powerful people. It is probable that these were the Shuhites, and that, having been conquered by the Babylonian kings, they were counted by Ezekiel among the tribes of the Chaldoeans. Having lost their independence, they ceased to be noticed; but it was no doubt from them that the country on the Euphrates immediately above Babylonia came to be designated as Sohene, a term applied to it in the Peutingerian Tables. The Shuhites appear to have been descendants of Abraham by Keturah (Ge 25:2; 1Ch 1:32). — Smith. Others, however, think that Sacccoea (Σακκαία), which Ptolemy (5, 14) places eastward of Batanaea, is more probably their representative. SEE ARABIA.

⇒See also the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia.