שָׁלֵם
𐤔𐤋𐤌
Shalem
H8004 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Proper noun referring to the place 'Shalem', usually identified with or as an early name for the city later known as Jerusalem. The name conveys connotations of wholeness, completeness, or well-being. In biblical usage, it designates a specific place geographically and is closely connected to the theme of peace or completeness implied by its root.
Semantic Range
proper name of a city (Shalem), poetic or symbolic reference to peace or wholeness in context of the city's name
Root / Etymology
From the root שׁ־ל־ם (שלם), which means 'to be complete, whole, sound, intact.' The proper name שָׁלֵם derives from this root, likely with the sense of 'whole, complete, peaceful place.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
Shalem is mentioned explicitly in Genesis 14:18 as the realm of Melchizedek — 'king of Shalem.' Most scholars identify Shalem with Jerusalem, though in Genesis itself the two names are both used, suggesting either two stages in the city's naming or a poetic/linguistic connection. The name is drawn from the root denoting completeness or peace, but its meaning as a place name likely does not refer simply to 'peace' in the abstract, rather to the fullness or safety of the city. Later Jewish, Christian, and Samaritan traditions frequently connect 'Shalem' with 'peace,' which influences translations such as 'Salem.' In early translation and interpretation, the name undergoes a transition from geographic reference to symbolic meaning (peace, harmony), and in later periods, English versions such as the KJV often use 'Salem' as a poetic or alternate name for Jerusalem and sometimes as a symbol of peace. The term should not be confused with the generic noun for 'peace' (שָׁלוֹם, shalom) or the verb ('to be complete,' 'to make peace') despite their shared root.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
the same as שָׁלֵם; peaceful; Shalem, an early name of Jerusalem; Salem.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.
Root Family
שלם (sh-l-m) — completeness, wholeness, soundness, finishedness
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H3824 | לֵבָב | whole, intact |
| H4919 | מְשִׁלֵּמוֹת | Recompenses |
| H4920 | מְשֶׁלֶמְיָה | and to Yahweh-has-made-whole |
| H4921 | מְשִׁלֵּמִית | Recompensing Woman |
| H4922 | מְשֻׁלֶּמֶת | Recompensed Woman |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8004-02 |
בְ/שָׁלֵ֣ם | veshalem | HR/Np |
in Salem | make whole! | in Shalem | 1 |
H8004-01 |
שָׁלֵ֔ם | shalem | HNp |
of Salem | Shalem | Shalem | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8004-01 |
Genesis 14:18 | שָׁלֵ֔ם | shalem | HNp |
of Salem | Shalem | Shalem |
H8004-02 |
Psalms 76:3 | בְ/שָׁלֵ֣ם | veshalem | HR/Np |
in Salem | make whole! | in Shalem |