שַׁלִּיט
𐤔𐤋𐤉𐤈
shallîyṭ
H7989 adjective
SILEX Entry
Definition
One possessing authority, power, or control; a person who rules over others, exercises governance, or holds a position of command. Can refer to a chief official, administrator, military leader, or powerful individual. In various contexts, denotes both civil and military authority.
Semantic Range
ruler, one in authority, governor, military commander, chief official, powerful person, administrator
Root / Etymology
שַׁלִּיט (shallîyṭ) derives from the root שָׁלַט (shālaṭ), meaning 'to rule, have power over, dominate.' The noun is a participial form indicating 'one who exercises power,' yielding the sense of 'ruler,' 'governor,' or 'one having mastery.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, שַׁלִּיט is used primarily in later biblical texts, especially those influenced by Aramaic, such as Daniel and Ecclesiastes. Its usage reflects a broad range of authority figures in both Israelite and foreign contexts, often in relation to imperial or court administrators (e.g., Babylonian or Persian officials). The term is distinct from מֶלֶךְ (melek, 'king'), indicating appointed or subordinate rulers, officials, or military commanders rather than sovereign monarchs. In some passages, it may imply a powerful person rather than a formal office. Traditional translations like 'governor' or 'ruler' may not always capture the nuance of both administrative and military authority the word can denote. In post-biblical Aramaic, the term continues to mean 'ruler' or 'governor.' Biblical usage does not carry the religious or ethnic connotations that developed with later titles (e.g., 'prince' or specific Judean leaders).
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from שָׁלַט; potent; concretely, a prince or warrior; governor, mighty, that hath power, ruler.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.
Root Family
שלט (shâlaṭ) — to control, to have power, to rule, to dominate
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H7980 | שָׁלַט | to rule |
| H7982 | שֶׁלֶט | the dominion-shields |
| H7983 | שִׁלְטוֹן | dominion |
| H7984 | שִׁלְטוֹן | ruling authorities of |
| H7985 | שׇׁלְטָן | sovereign dominion of |
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7989-01 |
הַ/שַּׁלִּֽיט | hashalit | HTd/Aamsa |
the ruler | the ruling one | the ruler | 2 |
H7989-02 |
שַׁלִּ֤יט | shalit | HAamsa |
ruling one | ruling one | 1 | |
H7989-03 |
שַׁלִּיטִ֔ים | shalitim | HAampa |
ruling ones | ruling ones | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
4 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7989-01 |
Genesis 42:6 | הַ/שַּׁלִּ֣יט | hashalit | HTd/Aamsa |
the ruler | the ruling one | the ruling one |
H7989-03 |
Ecclesiastes 7:19 | שַׁלִּיטִ֔ים | shalitim | HAampa |
ruling ones | ruling ones | |
H7989-02 |
Ecclesiastes 8:8 | שַׁלִּ֤יט | shalit | HAamsa |
ruling one | ruling one | |
H7989-01 |
Ecclesiastes 10:5 | הַ/שַּׁלִּֽיט | hashalit | HTd/Aamsa |
the ruler | the ruling one | the ruler |