Lexical Summary Shelani: Shelani Original Word: שֵׁלָנִי Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Shelanites From Shelah; a Shelanite (collectively), or descendants of Shelah -- Shelanites. see HEBREW Shelah NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom Shelah Definition desc. of Shelah NASB Translation Shelanites (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs שֵׁלָנִי adjective, of a people of foregoing: with article as collective noun ׳הַשּׁ Numbers 26:20 (P). So read also 1 Chronicles 9:5; Nehemiah 11:5, see שִׁילֹנִי. Topical Lexicon Biblical Occurrence Numbers 26:20 records the sole appearance of the clan-name: “These were the descendants of Judah by their clans: the Shelanite clan from Shelah…” (Berean Standard Bible). The verse situates the Shelanites within the second wilderness census on the plains of Moab, immediately prior to Israel’s entrance into the promised land. Genealogical Context Shelah was the third son of Judah and the Canaanite woman Bath-shua (Genesis 38:2, 5, 12). Although his name surfaces earlier in the tribal registers (Genesis 46:12), the designation “Shelanite” first crystallizes in the Mosaic census lists. Later genealogies expand his line (1 Chronicles 4:21-23), mentioning descendants active as linen workers and royal potters—craftsmen serving both sacred and civic needs. Thus the Shelanites form a recognized sub-clan inside the larger house of Judah, standing alongside the Perezites and Zerahites. Historical Background and Development 1. Patriarchal Era: Shelah’s unusual family history—Judah’s withholding him from Tamar (Genesis 38:11-14)—illustrates early covenant tensions. Yet the Lord preserved his line, underscoring that individual failures cannot thwart divine purposes for the tribe destined to bear kingship. Covenantal and Theological Significance • Preservation of Judah: The Shelanites amplify the manifold witness that every promised family within Judah endures, validating Jacob’s oracle that “the scepter will not depart from Judah” (Genesis 49:10). Ministry and Devotional Applications 1. Faithfulness in the Ordinary: Like the artisans descended from Shelah, modern believers glorify God through daily vocations, integrating work and worship (Colossians 3:23-24). Related Passages for Further Study • Genesis 38 (Shelah’s birth and family tension) Key Points in Summary The Shelanites, though mentioned only once by clan name, represent a vital thread in Judah’s tapestry. Their appearance in the wilderness census testifies to God’s faithfulness in preserving every promised line, equipping them with practical skills for national and covenantal service, and foreshadowing the greater descendant of Judah, Jesus Christ, through whom every clan receives lasting inheritance. Forms and Transliterations הַשֵּׁ֣לָנִ֔י השלני haš·šê·lā·nî hashShelaNi haššêlānîLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Numbers 26:20 HEB: לְשֵׁלָ֗ה מִשְׁפַּ֙חַת֙ הַשֵּׁ֣לָנִ֔י לְפֶ֕רֶץ מִשְׁפַּ֖חַת NAS: the family of the Shelanites; of Perez, KJV: the family of the Shelanites: of Pharez, INT: Shelah the family of the Shelanites of Perez the family 1 Occurrence |
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