שַׁעַלְבֹנִי
a Shaalbonite or inhabitant of Shaalbin
Definition
The Hebrew word שַׁעַלְבֹנִי (Shaʻalbônîy) is a gentilic noun meaning 'a Shaalbonite,' referring to an inhabitant of the town of Shaalbim (also called Shaalbon). It functions solely as a geographical identifier, denoting someone from that specific location. The term appears only in the context of listing David's mighty men, where it describes the warrior Bani (2 Samuel 23:32) or, in the parallel account, Jashen (1 Chronicles 11:33). There are no distinct senses or meanings; it consistently signifies origin from Shaalbim.
Biblical Usage
This word is used exclusively in two parallel passages listing the warriors in King David's army. It appears in 2 Samuel 23:32 to describe 'Bani the Shaalbonite' and in 1 Chronicles 11:33 to describe 'Jashen the Shaalbonite' (likely the same individual). The usage is purely descriptive, identifying a hero's hometown among the thirty-seven mighty men. No other patterns or contexts exist, as it is a unique identifier tied to these military rosters.
Etymology
The word is a patrial (gentilic) noun derived directly from the place name שַׁעַלְבִים (Shaʻalbîm, H8169), meaning 'Shaalbim' or 'Shaalbon.' The formation follows a standard Hebrew pattern for creating demonyms (e.g., adding the '-i' suffix to indicate 'of' or 'from' a place). The root meaning of the place name itself is uncertain but may be related to foxes (שׁוּעָל, shu'al), possibly 'foxes' or 'fox holes.'
Semantic Range
In the cultural context of ancient Israel, identifying a person by their hometown was a common practice, establishing their origin, clan ties, and regional identity. For David's mighty men, such designations honored their diverse backgrounds and unified them under the king's banner. The town of Shaalbim was originally a Canaanite settlement (Joshua 19:42; Judges 1:35) later incorporated into Dan's territory, so a 'Shaalbonite' might carry a history of assimilation into Israel.
No direct synonyms exist, as it is a unique gentilic. Related are other patrial terms for David's warriors, such as הַחֲרָרִי (Haḥărārîy, H2043) — 'the Hararite' (from a rocky place) and הַנְּטֹפָתִי (Hanĕṭōphâthîy, H5200) — 'the Netophathite' (from Netophah).
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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