שֶׁלֶמְיָה

Shelemjah, the name of nine Israelites

Definition

Shelemyâh is a proper name meaning 'Yahweh has repaid' or 'thank offering of Yahweh.' It is borne by nine different individuals in the Old Testament, primarily appearing in post-exilic books like Ezra, Nehemiah, and Chronicles. These men served in various roles, including gatekeepers for the temple (1 Chronicles 26:14), officials who helped with temple administration (Nehemiah 13:13), and scribes or messengers in the court of King Jehoiakim (Jeremiah 36:14, 26). The name consistently reflects a profession of gratitude and dependence on God, though the specific individuals and their stories differ.

Biblical Usage

The name Shelemyâh is used exclusively for individuals, appearing ten times across historical and prophetic books. In post-exilic contexts, it identifies temple personnel and community leaders, such as a gatekeeper (1 Chronicles 26:14) and a treasurer appointed by Nehemiah (Nehemiah 13:13). In the prophetic book of Jeremiah, it refers to two different men connected to the royal court: a messenger sent to retrieve Baruch and the scroll (Jeremiah 36:14) and the father of an official who arrested Jeremiah (Jeremiah 37:3). The usage shows it was a name given to men in positions of religious or administrative responsibility.

Etymology

The name Shelemyâh (or the longer form Shelemyâhû) is a compound of two Hebrew elements. The first part comes from the root שָׁלֵם (shâlēm, H8002), meaning 'peace,' 'wholeness,' or 'recompense,' often associated with a peace offering or thank offering. The second part is a shortened form of the divine name Yahweh (יָהּ, yâh, H3050). Thus, the name essentially means 'Yahweh has repaid' or 'thank offering of Yahweh,' expressing gratitude for God's provision or fulfillment of a vow.

Semantic Range

As a theophoric name (containing God's name), Shelemyâh serves as a personal confession of faith, acknowledging Yahweh as the source of wholeness, peace, and rightful recompense. It reminds readers that individuals in biblical narratives, even those in supporting roles, lived with a conscious identity tied to God's character. Understanding the name's meaning ('thank offering of Yahweh') enriches reading by highlighting the spiritual atmosphere of gratitude and dependence on God that parents wished to instill, particularly in the post-exilic community rebuilding its life around the temple.

In ancient Israel, names were often meaningful statements about God's character or a family's experience. Giving a child a name like Shelemyâh, which incorporates the divine name Yahweh, was an act of piety and a public declaration of the family's faith. The prevalence of this name among temple officials and community leaders in the post-exilic period (Ezra, Nehemiah) may reflect a cultural and religious renewal, where identity was closely tied to service to God and the restored community.

Shelemyâhû (H8018) — A longer, alternate form of the same name. Yehonathan (H3083) — Another theophoric name meaning 'Yahweh has given,' sharing the structure of acknowledging God's action. Gedalyâh (H1436) — A name meaning 'Yahweh is great,' also combining a descriptor of God with the divine name.

Word Details

Scripture References