Lexical Summary shillem: To repay, to recompense, to make restitution Original Word: שִׁלֵּם Strong's Exhaustive Concordance recompense From shalam; requital -- recompense. see HEBREW shalam NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom shalem Definition recompense NASB Translation retribution (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs I. שִׁלֵּם noun [masculine] recompense (abstract BaNB 73); — Deuteronomy 32:35 (read with ᵑ6 ᵐ5 ׳לְיוֺם שׁ; "" נָקָם); so read also (for יְשַׁלֵּם) Isaiah 59:18 (twice in verse) Du (otherwise CheHpt Di-Kit Marti). Topical Lexicon Biblical SettingThe sole occurrence of שִׁלֵּם (shillēm) stands in the Song of Moses, Deuteronomy 32:35: “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay”. Moses, at the threshold of Israel’s entry into Canaan, rehearses the covenant history and warns of future apostasy. In this climactic verse the Lord proclaims that ultimate justice belongs to Him alone. Shillēm, translated “repay” or “recompense,” highlights the certainty, completeness, and timeliness of God’s response to human sin. Divine Retribution in the Covenant Framework 1. Covenant Justice In the Mosaic covenant blessings and curses (Deuteronomy 28) hinge on fidelity to Yahweh. Shillēm assures Israel that violations—whether by her own people or by hostile nations—will not be overlooked. The Lord’s payback is measured, righteous, and perfectly aligned with His covenant promises. 2. Protection of the Remnant By reserving vengeance to Himself, God shields Israel from cycles of blood-feud and fuels hope for oppressed saints who await His deliverance (compare Deuteronomy 32:36). 3. Revelation of God’s Character The term underscores God’s faithfulness. He is not indifferent to evil; rather, He “repays” with a justice that flows from His holiness and covenant love (Psalm 94:1; Nahum 1:2). Echoes in the Prophets and Writings While shillēm itself appears only once, its theological motif permeates Scripture: • Isaiah 34:8 – “For the LORD has a day of vengeance, a year of recompense for the cause of Zion.” These passages expand the principle announced in Deuteronomy, applying it to Babylon and the eschatological judgment of the nations. New Testament Fulfillment and Application The apostle Paul cites Deuteronomy 32:35 twice: • Romans 12:19 – “Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord.’” Paul draws two pastoral inferences: 1. Christian Ethics: Believers relinquish personal revenge, entrusting justice to God. Christ and Ultimate Recompense At the cross two complementary truths converge: • Penal Satisfaction – God “repays” sin in the person of the Substitute (Isaiah 53:5-6; 2 Corinthians 5:21). Thus shillēm directs both backward—to the satisfaction accomplished in the atonement—and forward—to the final rectification of all wrongs. Pastoral and Ministry Significance 1. Assurance: Victims of injustice can rest in God’s pledged recompense, freeing them from corrosive bitterness. Key Related References Deuteronomy 32:35; Isaiah 34:8; Jeremiah 51:6; Romans 12:19; Hebrews 10:30; Revelation 22:12. Summary Shillēm, though a hapax legomenon, anchors a major biblical theme: God alone possesses the right and power to settle moral accounts. This assurance undergirds covenant warnings, prophetic oracles, apostolic ethics, and the gospel itself, calling every generation to trust, fear, and worship the righteous Judge who will unfailingly repay. Forms and Transliterations וְשִׁלֵּ֔ם ושלם veshilLem wə·šil·lêm wəšillêmLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Deuteronomy 32:35 HEB: לִ֤י נָקָם֙ וְשִׁלֵּ֔ם לְעֵ֖ת תָּמ֣וּט NAS: Vengeance is Mine, and retribution, In due time KJV: To me [belongeth] vengeance, and recompence; their foot INT: Vengeance and retribution time will slip 1 Occurrence |
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