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שֶׁלֶו

𐤔𐤋𐤅

shelev

H7959 noun

SILEX Entry

Root שלה to be at ease, to be tranquil, to feel secure

Definition

A state or condition of tranquility, security, or prosperity; denotes a sense of being untroubled, safe, or at ease, often regarding economic or social well-being or peace from threat. Sometimes refers to material prosperity viewed as an aspect of life at ease.

Semantic Range

tranquility, security, ease, prosperity, absence of distress, state of untroubled circumstances

Root / Etymology

From the root שׁלה (sh-l-h), which broadly means 'to be at ease,' 'to be tranquil,' or 'to be secure.' The noun שֶׁלֶו (shelev) is derived from this root, emphasizing the state or experience resulting from tranquility or security.

Historical & Contextual Notes

שֶׁלֶו occurs rarely in the Hebrew Bible, notably in Job 16:12 and Psalm 73:12, where it describes the experience of the wicked or prosperous as being 'at ease' or living in apparent abundance without immediate threat, contrasting with the suffering of the righteous. The term does not carry an inherently positive or negative connotation; rather, its valuation depends on context. Compared to חֵן (grace/favor), שלוָה (tranquility/rest), or שָׁלוֹם (well-being/peace), שֶׁלֶו specifically emphasizes the subjective or visible state of being untroubled or prosperous, sometimes culturally associated with complacency or lack of moral struggle, especially in wisdom literature. English translations ('prosperity,' 'ease,' 'security') capture aspects of the word but can miss its potential nuance of spiritual or existential disengagement as critiqued by some biblical authors. In the post-exilic and later periods the term declines in use, displaced by more common terms for peace and security.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from שָׁלָה; security; prosperity.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

שלה (sh-l-h) — to be at ease, to be tranquil, to feel secure

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H7887 שִׁילֹה in Shiloh
H7944 שַׁל the careless misstep
H7951 שָׁלָה I was at ease
H7952 שָׁלָה may you become complacent
H7953 שָׁלָה he will draw out

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H7959-01 בְ/שַׁלְוִ֑/י veshalevi HR/Ncmsc/Sp1cs in my security in my tranquility 1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 total occurrence

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H7959-01 Psalms 30:7 בְ/שַׁלְוִ֑/י veshalevi HR/Ncmsc/Sp1cs in my security in my tranquility
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