שֵׁלָה
𐤔𐤋𐤄
Shelah
H7956 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A personal name in the Hebrew Bible, primarily referring to a descendant of Shem (Genesis genealogies) and a son of Judah (Genesis 38), with possible additional occurrences as a clan or family name. The word's lexical meaning is debated and primarily attested as a proper name, not as a common noun. It does not directly mean 'request' in attested biblical usage but may be linked to a root meaning 'to ask' or 'to request' via etymology. In every biblical occurrence, it signifies an individual or group bearing this name, rather than conveying a general concept or common noun.
Semantic Range
personal name (ancestor, descendant, or clan head); possibly, by etymology, one who is asked for or requested (but this is not borne out in contextual usage)
Root / Etymology
From the root שׁאל (sha'al), 'to ask, request, inquire.' The form שֵׁלָה is likely a shorter or contracted form. As a proper name, it may carry underlying connotations related to asking or being asked for, but this is not lexically certain, and in use it is a personal or clan designation. Etymology ultimately uncertain as a name.
Historical & Contextual Notes
שֵׁלָה appears in two main genealogical contexts: (1) as the son of Arpachshad and father of Eber in Genesis 10:24; 11:12–15, significant as a postdiluvian ancestor; (2) as the third son of Judah in Genesis 38, and as an ancestor of the Shelanite clan. The Septuagint and subsequent Jewish and Christian traditions sometimes use the name Shelah or its Greek forms, and later English Bibles (including KJV) use 'Shelah.' There is no indication in biblical contexts that this name is associated with a request or petition in the narrative, so 'request' is not a lexical meaning in context, but a possible derivational hint. As with many biblical names, theological or symbolic interpretations were later attached, but the text uses it as a personal or clan name. The tribal designation 'Shelanites' in Numbers 26:20 attests to its significance in genealogical structure. The term 'Jew' never applies to this figure; in the case of the Judahite Shelah, he is properly described as a member of the Israelite tribe of Judah during the patriarchal and pre-monarchic periods.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
the same as שְׁאֵלָה (shortened); request; Shelah, the name of a postdiluvian patriarch and of an Israelite; Shelah.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
שאל (sh-ʾ-l) — to ask, request, inquire
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4861 | מִשְׁאָל | Asking-town |
| H4862 | מִשְׁאָלָה | petitions of |
| H7585 | שְׁאוֹל | in the underworld |
| H7586 | שָׁאוּל | to Shaul |
| H7587 | שָׁאוּלִי | the Shaulite |
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7956-02 |
שֵׁלָ֑ה | shelah | HNp |
Shelah | Shelah | 4 |
H7956-03 |
וְ/שֵׁלָ֖ה | veshelah | HC/Np |
and Shelah | and Shelah | 2 |
H7956-01 |
לְ/שֵׁלָ֣ה | leshelah | HR/Np |
of Shelah | to Shelah | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
8 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7956-02 |
Genesis 38:5 | שֵׁלָ֑ה | shelah | HNp |
Shelah | Shelah |
H7956-02 |
Genesis 38:11 | שֵׁלָ֣ה | shelah | HNp |
Shelah | Shelah |
H7956-02 |
Genesis 38:14 | שֵׁלָ֔ה | shelah | HNp |
Shelah | Shelah |
H7956-01 |
Genesis 38:26 | לְ/שֵׁלָ֣ה | leshelah | HR/Np |
to Shelah | to Shelah |
H7956-03 |
Genesis 46:12 | וְ/שֵׁלָ֖ה | veshelah | HC/Np |
and Shelah | and Shelah |
H7956-01 |
Numbers 26:20 | לְ/שֵׁלָ֗ה | leshelah | HR/Np |
of Shelah | to Shelah |
H7956-03 |
1 Chronicles 2:3 | וְ/שֵׁלָ֔ה | veshelah | HC/Np |
and Shelah | and Shelah |
H7956-02 |
1 Chronicles 4:21 | שֵׁלָ֣ה | shelah | HNp |
Shelah | Shelah |