branch, channel, ear (of corn), ((water-))flood, Shibboleth
Boyd’s Bible Dictionary:
(ear of corn, stream). Pronounced sibboleth by Ephraimites, and shibboleth by Gileadites. When the latter conquered the former, and held the fords of Jordan, they exacted the pronunciation of this word in order to distinguish friend from foe. Any other word beginning with sh would have answered the same purpose (Judg. 12:6).
Concise Bible Dictionary:
A word chosen by the Gileadites—apparently without any reference to its signification, which some take to be “an ear of corn,” and others “a stream”—by which to ascertain those that were Ephraimites, who pronounced the SH as S, making the word SIBBOLETH. As the men fled from the victorious Jephthah and approached the ford of the river, they were thus tested, and the Ephraimites, who had brought the conflict on themselves, were slain (Judg. 12:6). From this has originated the calling any watchword of a party, or indeed any particular view of truth or doctrine held by a section of the church, a mere “shibboleth.”
Strong’s Dictionary of Hebrew Words:
Meaning:
or (feminine) shibboleth {shib-bo'-leth}; from the same as 7640; a stream (as flowing); also an ear of grain (as growing out); by analogy, a branch
KJV Usage:
branch, channel, ear (of corn), ((water-))flood, Shibboleth. Compare 5451
Potts’ Bible Proper Names:
Ears of corn; stream; fall of water; burden:―a pass-word, Judg. 12:6. {Spicae}