שְׁלוֹשִׁים

𐤔𐤋𐤅𐤔𐤉𐤌

shᵉlôwshîym

H7970 adjective

SILEX Entry

Root שלש to be three, to divide in three, to do three times

Definition

The cardinal number 'thirty.' Used to indicate the quantity 30, most often of persons, objects, days, or years; sometimes as a round number or symbolic total. Rarely, by extension, as the ordinal 'thirtieth' (i.e., position 30th in a sequence). Not a qualitative or metaphorical term, but occasionally functions in stereotyped or formulaic textual contexts (such as age, years of reign, ritual numbers).

Semantic Range

thirty (numeral); thirtieth (rare); number of years, days, people, or things (thirty in count); round number or collective total (thirty as sum)

Root / Etymology

From the Hebrew root שלש (ש-ל-ש), which means 'three.' 'שְׁלוֹשִׁים' is formed by taking the base number three and applying the Hebrew plural and multiplicative suffix '-ִים' (im), yielding 'thirty,' i.e., three sets of ten. The formation follows standard Semitic patterning for forming decades (e.g., עֶשְׂרִים 'twenty,' אַרְבָּעִים 'forty').

Historical & Contextual Notes

'שְׁלוֹשִׁים' appears throughout the Hebrew Bible wherever the number thirty is contextually necessary, including census data, genealogies, ritual prescriptions, military units, and narrative formulas. Its use does not bear special symbolic significance in most cases, though thirty can have conventional meaning in certain ritual or legal contexts, such as thirty pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12–13) or thirty-day mourning periods (Deuteronomy 34:8). The form is morphologically regular, part of the Hebrew decimal numerals. In post-biblical and later Hebrew, the word retains its function. Compare שָׁלוֹשׁ 'three' (cardinal), שְׁלִישִׁי 'third' (ordinal), and שָׁלִישׁ (a different root; officer title). English translations invariably render it as 'thirty' or, rarely, 'thirtieth,' but caution is required since ordinal usage is uncommon and other forms (שְׁלִשִּׁים) may represent actual ordinals.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or שְׁלֹשִׁים; multiple of שָׁלוֹשׁ; thirty; or (ordinal) thirtieth; thirty, thirtieth. Compare שָׁלִישׁ.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.

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Root Family

שלש (š-l-š) — three, tripling, dividing in three

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H7969 שָׁלוֹשׁ in the three
H7991 שָׁלִישׁ in the third-rank officer
H7992 שְׁלִישִׁי in the third
H8027 שָׁלַשׁ the threefold one
H8028 שֶׁלֶשׁ and Triplet

Word Forms

11 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H7970-08 שְׁלֹשִׁ֤ים sheloshim HAcbpa thirty thirty 107
H7970-10 וּ/שְׁלֹשִׁ֖ים usheloshim HC/Acbpa and thirty and thirty 48
H7970-04 הַ/שְּׁלֹשִׁ֣ים hasheloshim HTd/Acbpa the thirty the thirty 6
H7970-06 כִּ/שְׁלֹשִׁ֤ים kisheloshim HR/Acbpa about thirty thirty 4
H7970-11 בִ/שְׁלֹשִׁ֨ים visheloshim HR/Acbpa in-thirty in thirty 2
H7970-05 ה/שלושים hshlvshym HTd/Acbpa of the thirty the thirty 2
H7970-01 בַּ/שְּׁלֹשִׁ֑ים basheloshim HRd/Acbpa among the thirty in the thirty 2
H7970-02 בִּ/שְׁלֹשִׁ֣ים bisheloshim HR/Acbpa in-thirty in thirty 1
H7970-03 הַ/שָּׁלִישִׁים֒ hashalishim HTd/Acbpa the captains the thirty 1
H7970-07 מֵ/הַ/שְּׁלֹשִׁ֣ים mehasheloshim HR/Td/Acbpa of the thirty from the thirty 1

Occurrences in Scripture

175 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H7970-08 Genesis 5:3 שְׁלֹשִׁ֤ים sheloshim HAcbpa thirty thirty
H7970-10 Genesis 5:5 וּ/שְׁלֹשִׁ֖ים usheloshim HC/Acbpa and thirty and thirty
H7970-08 Genesis 5:16 שְׁלֹשִׁ֣ים sheloshim HAcbpa thirty thirty
H7970-10 Genesis 6:15 וּ/שְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים usheloshim HC/Acbpa and thirty and thirty
H7970-10 Genesis 11:12 וּ/שְׁלֹשִׁ֖ים usheloshim HC/Acbpa thirty-five and thirty
H7970-08 Genesis 11:14 שְׁלֹשִׁ֣ים sheloshim HAcbpa thirty thirty
H7970-10 Genesis 11:16 וּ/שְׁלֹשִׁ֖ים usheloshim HC/Acbpa and thirty and thirty
H7970-08 Genesis 11:17 שְׁלֹשִׁ֣ים sheloshim HAcbpa thirty thirty
H7970-08 Genesis 11:18 שְׁלֹשִׁ֣ים sheloshim HAcbpa thirty thirty
H7970-10 Genesis 11:20 וּ/שְׁלֹשִׁ֖ים usheloshim HC/Acbpa and thirty and thirty