8016. Shillemi

Lexical Summary

Shillemi: Shillemi

Original Word: שׁלֵּמִי
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Shillemiy
Pronunciation: shil-LAY-mee
Phonetic Spelling: (shil-lay-mee')
KJV: Shillemites
NASB: Shillemites
Word Origin: [patronymically from H8006 (שִׁלֵּם - Shillem)]

1. a Shilemite (collectively) or descendants of Shillem

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

Shillemites

Patronymically from Shillem; a Shilemite (collectively) or descendants of Shillem -- Shillemites.

see HEBREW Shillem

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from Shillem
Definition
desc. of Shillem
NASB Translation
Shillemites (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

שִׁלֵּמִי adjective, of a people as collective noun ׳הַשּׁ Numbers 26:49.

Topical Lexicon

Placement in Scripture

Shelomi appears once in the Old Testament, in the record of the second wilderness census: “These were the clans of Naphtali: the Jahzeelite clan from Jahzeel, the Gunite clan from Guni, the Jezerite clan from Jezer, and the Shillemite clan from Shillem” (Numbers 26:49). The Hebrew term rendered “Shillemite” is Shelomi, identifying the clan descending from Shillem, the son of Naphtali (Genesis 46:24).

Historical Setting

Numbers 26 recounts the census taken on the plains of Moab shortly before Israel crossed the Jordan. Forty years earlier, a similar census had been taken at Sinai (Numbers 1). The purpose of this second enumeration was twofold: to measure military strength for the impending conquest (Numbers 26:2) and to determine proportions for the allotment of Canaan among the tribes (Numbers 26:52-56). By listing Shelomi among the recognized family groups, Scripture preserves the clan’s right to an inheritance in the land.

Clan Identity within the Tribe of Naphtali

1. Patriarchal Descent: Shillem was Naphtali’s fourth and youngest son (Genesis 46:24). His offspring carried his name in the form Shelomi, designating a distinct household line.
2. Census Numbers: The tribe of Naphtali totaled 45,400 men of fighting age (Numbers 26:50). While no separate figure is assigned to Shelomi, its inclusion indicates a sizable and organized contingent within the tribe.
3. Territorial Allotment: Later, in Joshua 19:32-39, Naphtali’s territory is delineated in Galilee. Though Shelomi is not mentioned by name in the allotment narrative, each Naphtali clan would have received proportional holdings based on the Moab census. Shelomi landholders therefore contributed to the settlement of the northern hill country and the Sea of Galilee region.

Theological Themes

• Covenant Continuity: By tracing Shelomi back to Shillem and ultimately to Naphtali and Jacob, the text underscores God’s faithfulness to the patriarchal promises. Every clan, however small its scriptural footprint, is accounted for in the unfolding covenant story.
• Corporate Identity: Israel’s organization around tribes and clans mirrors the ordered holiness God required (Numbers 24:5; 1 Corinthians 12:18). Shelomi’s enumeration reminds readers that individual families matter within the larger community and share responsibility for collective obedience.
• Inheritance and Rest: The root consonants of the name connect with the idea of completeness or peace. As Shelomi prepared to inherit land, the clan anticipated the rest that comes from covenant fulfillment—an anticipation ultimately realized in Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6; Hebrews 4:8-10).

Ministry Insights

1. Valuing Every Family: Pastoral ministry can draw from Shelomi’s single-verse presence the principle that every household, no matter how obscure, receives God’s attention and has a role in His plan.
2. Stewardship of Heritage: Shelomi’s inclusion in the census records urges believers to preserve and pass on spiritual heritage to the next generation, safeguarding covenant identity amid cultural shifts (Psalm 78:4-7).
3. Hope of Inheritance: Just as Shelomi awaited territorial possession, Christians await “an inheritance that is imperishable” (1 Peter 1:4). The census offers a template for living as heirs who already possess promises yet look forward to their full realization.

Summary

Shelomi represents the Shillemite clan of Naphtali, counted in Israel’s second wilderness census as the nation prepared to enter Canaan. Although mentioned only once, the clan’s record reinforces the precision of God’s covenant dealings, the importance of every family within the people of God, and the forward-looking hope of inheritance and peace that reaches its climax in Christ.

Forms and Transliterations

הַשִּׁלֵּמִֽי׃ השלמי׃ haš·šil·lê·mî hashshilleMi haššillêmî

Englishman's Concordance

Numbers 26:49
HEB: לְשִׁלֵּ֕ם מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת הַשִּׁלֵּמִֽי׃
NAS: the family of the Shillemites.
KJV: the family of the Shillemites.
INT: of Shillem the family of the Shillemites

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 8016
1 Occurrence

haš·šil·lê·mî — 1 Occ.