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שִׁילוֹנִי

𐤔𐤉𐤋𐤅𐤍𐤉

Shiloni

H7888 noun

SILEX Entry

Root שִׁלוֹ to denote origin, to indicate association with a place

Definition

Denotes a person originating from, associated with, or dwelling in Shiloh, an important city in the central hill country of ancient Israelite territory. The term functions primarily as a gentilic (indicating origin or association with a place), referring to an individual from Shiloh. In most occurrences, it is used as an identifier of an individual’s place of origin, sometimes as a descriptor attached to personal names, signifying their geographic or familial association with Shiloh.

Semantic Range

a person from Shiloh, an inhabitant of Shiloh, someone belonging to or originating from Shiloh, Shilonite as a geographic or familial descriptor

Root / Etymology

Derived from the proper noun שִׁלוֹ (Shiloh), a major cultic and administrative center prior to Jerusalem’s rise, plus the gentilic suffix -ִי (“-ite,” indicating origin or belonging). The root of שִׁלוֹ is uncertain and does not directly correspond to an attested Hebrew root, although some have attempted to connect it with שָׁלָה (to be at ease, secure), but this is speculative and not widely accepted.

Historical & Contextual Notes

שִׁילוֹנִי functions like other Hebrew gentilic forms (e.g., יְרוּשָׁלְמִי meaning 'Jerusalemite'). In historical context, Shiloh was central in the early pre-monarchic period, especially as the location of the tabernacle and central cultic activities (Josh 18:1). The term is most notably associated with the prophet Ahijah (e.g., Ahijah the Shilonite), encountered especially in monarchic narratives (1 Kings 11:29). In translation traditions, 'Shilonite' was sometimes rendered 'Shilohite'; neither term should be confused with ethnic or religious identities like 'Israelite' or 'Jew.' As with many biblical gentilic forms, the meaning is contextual and specific to origin or association, not broader ethnic identity. The term does not evolve significantly in post-exilic literature and remains a geographic or familial descriptor. Related forms include the patronymic שִׁלּוֹנִיָּה (Shiloniah), which may denote descent from a man named Shiloni or from Shiloh itself.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or שִׁילֹנִי; or שִׁלֹנִי; from שִׁילֹה; a Shilonite or inhabitant of Shiloh; Shilonite.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

שילו (š-y-l-w (Šilō)) — place-name Shiloh, geographic origin, association with Shiloh

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H7888-01 הַ/שִּׁילֹנִ֨י hashiloni HTd/Ngmsa the Shilonite the Shilonite 6

Occurrences in Scripture

6 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H7888-01 1 Kings 11:29 הַ/שִּׁילֹנִ֨י hashiloni HTd/Ngmsa the Shilonite the Shilonite
H7888-01 1 Kings 12:15 הַ/שִּׁילֹנִ֔י hashiloni HTd/Ngmsa the Shilonite the Shilonite
H7888-01 1 Kings 15:29 הַ/שִּׁילֹנִֽי hashiloni HTd/Ngmsa the Shilonite the Shilonite
H7888-01 1 Chronicles 9:5 הַ/שִּׁ֣ילוֹנִ֔י hashiloni HTd/Ngmsa the Shilonites the Shilonite
H7888-01 2 Chronicles 9:29 הַ/שִּֽׁילוֹנִ֗י hashiloni HTd/Ngmsa the Shilonite the Shilonite
H7888-01 2 Chronicles 10:15 הַ/שִּֽׁלוֹנִ֔י hashiloni HTd/Ngmsa the Shilonite the Shilonite
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