Σαλήμ
Salḗm
G4532 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Proper name referring to a specific locality; Salem, a place identified in antiquity as a city or settlement. In Hellenistic and New Testament contexts, it functions as a toponym, associated with the narrative of Melchizedek in Genesis, who is 'king of Salem.' Primary reference is to a geographical location rather than a descriptive term. The word does not carry an underlying conceptual meaning beyond its status as a name for a place.
Semantic Range
Salem (a specific place or city); as a proper noun, the ancient settlement associated with Melchizedek; sometimes identified with Jerusalem; strictly as a geographic designation
Root / Etymology
Borrowed into Greek from the Hebrew שָׁלֵם (Shalem), meaning 'complete' or 'peace,' though in this context as a toponym. The Greek form Σαλήμ is a straightforward transliteration of the Hebrew name.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Σαλήμ occurs in the New Testament in Hebrews 7:1, referencing the city associated with Melchizedek. In the Septuagint, it appears in Genesis 14:18 as the place Melchizedek ruled, generally equated in later tradition with Jerusalem, though the association is debated in scholarship. Classical sources outside Jewish and Christian literature rarely mention Σαλήμ apart from such biblical citations. The Vulgate and other early translations transliterate the term rather than translate its semantic meaning, maintaining the original toponym. English translations typically render as 'Salem,' following the transliteration approach. The identification with Jerusalem derives from interpretive and later textual traditions, not from inherent linguistic evidence in the Greek itself. The term does not acquire metaphorical or spiritual meanings within Hellenistic or early Christian usage but remains a geographical reference.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
of Hebrew origin (שָׁלֵם); Salem (i.e. Shalem), a place in Palestine:--Salem.
Root Family
Σαλήμ (Salēm) — place name, toponym, locality
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4532-01 |
Σαλήμ | salem | N GEN F SG |
of Salem | of Salem | Salem | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4532-01 |
Hebrews 7:1 | Σαλήμ | salem | N GEN F SG |
of Salem | of Salem | Salem |
G4532-01 |
Hebrews 7:2 | Σαλήμ | salem | N GEN F SG |
of Salem | of Salem | Salem |