8023. Shiloni

Lexical Summary

Shiloni: Shilonite

Original Word: שִׁלֹנִי
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Shiloniy
Pronunciation: shee-lo-nee
Phonetic Spelling: (shee-lo-nee')
KJV: Shiloni
Word Origin: [the same as H7888 (שִׁילוֹנִי שִׁילוֹנִי שִׁלוֹנִי - Shilonite)]

1. Shiloni, an Israelite

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

Shiloni

The same as Shiylowniy; Shiloni, an Israelite -- Shiloni.

see HEBREW Shiylowniy

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
the same as Shiloni, q.v.

Topical Lexicon

Term and Scope

Shiloni designates a person belonging to the clan that descended from Shelah, the third son of Judah. It is therefore a family or tribal title rather than a personal name, identifying one’s lineage within the larger tribe of Judah.

Biblical Occurrence

Nehemiah 11:5 records the sole appearance: “and Maaseiah son of Baruch, son of Col-hozeh, son of Hazaiah, son of Adaiah, son of Joiarib, son of Zechariah, son of the Shilonite”. In the post-exilic census of Jerusalem, the term singles out the forefather of this Judean family.

Genealogical Significance

1. Judah’s sons Perez and Zerah dominate the Old Testament narrative, yet Shelah’s posterity is also preserved. Shiloni testifies that every branch of Judah’s house, not only the royal line, endured the exile and returned.
2. The Chronicler (1 Chronicles 4:21-23) lists several descendants of Shelah who were skilled craftsmen and royal potters. Shiloni may link Maaseiah’s ancestry to this industrious heritage.
3. Through Judah the Messianic promise ultimately centers on Perez (Ruth 4:18-22; Matthew 1:3). Nevertheless, the inclusion of a Shelanite descendant in Jerusalem’s restored community underscores God’s care for the entire covenant family.

Historical Context in Nehemiah

The leaders sought to repopulate Jerusalem with Israelites “faithful to keep the Law of their God” (Nehemiah 11:1). By recording a Shiloni among them, Nehemiah demonstrates:
• The breadth of tribal representation.
• Continuity between pre-exilic and post-exilic Judah.
• The importance of verifiable ancestry for temple service and civic responsibility.

Ministry Insights

• God values seemingly obscure families; no lineage is forgotten in His redemptive plan.
• Faithfulness across generations—illustrated by the Shiloni line—encourages believers to steward their own family histories for God’s glory.
• Detailed records such as Nehemiah 11 equip the church to appreciate both prominent and lesser-known servants who help reestablish worship and community life.

Related Designations

“Shelonite” (spelled slightly differently) appears of Ahiud in Numbers 34:27; scholars connect both spellings to Shelah’s descendants. The overlapping terms remind readers that variant spellings do not undermine textual reliability but reflect normal linguistic development.

Key Reference

Nehemiah 11:5

Forms and Transliterations

הַשִּׁלֹנִֽי׃ השלני haš·ši·lō·nî hashshiloNi haššilōnî

Englishman's Concordance

Nehemiah 11:5
HEB: זְכַרְיָ֖ה בֶּן־ הַשִּׁלֹנִֽי׃
KJV: of Zechariah, the son of Shiloni.
INT: of Zechariah the son of Shiloni

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 8023
1 Occurrence

haš·ši·lō·nî — 1 Occ.