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בִּלְשָׁן

𐤁𐤋𐤔𐤍

Bileshan

H1114 noun

SILEX Entry

Root uncertain uncertain (personal name only)

Definition

Bilshan is a personal name appearing as a proper noun, denoting an individual listed among the leaders who returned from the Babylonian exile to Judah (Ezra 2:2; Nehemiah 7:7). Its lexical value is solely as a name, with no explicit descriptive meaning attached in the biblical text. The semantic scope is limited to identifying this individual, without evidence of the term carrying a wider descriptive or titular sense.

Semantic Range

personal name, leader or prominent returnee from Babylonian exile; no wider lexical usage

Root / Etymology

Etymology uncertain. The root is unclear; some scholars have proposed connections to roots meaning 'to inquire' (בשל) or explored associations with words from Akkadian or Persian, but no consensus exists.

Historical & Contextual Notes

Bilshan is included in lists of returnees from Babylon in the early Persian period, specifically mentioned among other leaders or prominent figures accompanying Zerubbabel. The name does not recur outside of these genealogical or administrative lists, and does not appear with an accompanying meaning or attribute. Unlike some Israelite names that incorporate the divine name or have transparent Hebrew meanings, Bilshan resists clear etymological analysis. Some have compared the name to non-Hebrew linguistic forms, given the transitional period and the presence of Persian and Akkadian names among returnees. English translations retain the proper name Bilshan without interpretation. The identification as 'an Israelite' applies to the post-exilic context, where membership in the community was defined by participation in the return and integration into the new Yehud community under Persian rule.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

of uncertain derivation; Bilshan, an Israelite; Bilshan.

Bantu Hebrew

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

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Root Family

uncertain (uncertain) — uncertain; personal name only

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1085 בִּלְדַּד Bildad
H1095 בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּר Belteshatsar
H1150 בִּנְעָא Bin'a
H116 אֱדַיִן and then
H1162 בֹּעַז and Boaz

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H1114-01 בִּלְשָׁ֛ן bileshan HNp Bilshan Bilshan 2

Occurrences in Scripture

2 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H1114-01 Ezra 2:2 בִּלְשָׁ֛ן bileshan HNp Bilshan Bilshan
H1114-01 Nehemiah 7:7 בִּלְשָׁ֛ן bileshan HNp Bilshan Bilshan
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