Who was Sallu in the Bible?

Sallu was a Benjamite, a member of the tribe of Benjamin, who lived in Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile. He is listed in the genealogical records found in 1 Chronicles 9:7 and Nehemiah 11:7.

Why is Sallu mentioned in the Bible?

Sallu is mentioned to document the resettlement of Jerusalem by the tribe of Benjamin after the exile. His inclusion in these lists shows the continuity of God's people and the fulfillment of the promise to restore them to the land.

What is significant about Sallu being a Benjamite?

As a Benjamite, Sallu represents the tribe from which Israel's first king, Saul, came (1 Samuel 9:1-2). His presence in Jerusalem highlights the tribe's faithful return and their role in re-establishing the community in the holy city.

Sallu

Old TestamentExile & ReturnMaleSon of meshullam

Sallu was a Benjamite who lived in Jerusalem, as recorded in the genealogy of 1 Chronicles 9.

Sallu

Biography

Sallu, son of Meshullam, appears in 1 Chronicles 9:7 as a Benjamite who dwelt in Jerusalem, listed among those who returned and settled in the city following the Babylonian captivity. The Chronicles genealogy of 1 Chronicles 9 serves as a summary of those who repopulated Jerusalem and its environs after the exile, drawing on earlier tribal records to establish continuity between pre-exilic Israel and the restored community. Sallu is identified alongside other prominent Benjamite families as one of the earliest settlers in Jerusalem, representing the tribal leadership that anchored the city's restoration. His presence in the Chronicles account parallels but is likely distinct from the Sallu of Nehemiah 11, though both belong to the Benjamite returning community.

Significance

The Sallu of 1 Chronicles 9 appears at a critical juncture in the Chronicler's theological narrative, the transition from exile to restoration that frames the entire work. First Chronicles 9 serves as a bridge between the genealogical prologue and the narrative of Israel's history, signaling that God's purposes have not been abandoned despite the catastrophe of the Babylonian conquest. Sallu's settlement in Jerusalem as a Benjamite representative demonstrates the tribal breadth of the returning community and the reconstitution of Israel's covenant identity. For the Chronicler, such resettlement was evidence of divine faithfulness, God restoring His people to their inheritance precisely as He had promised through the prophets.

Authority Records

Wikidata

Verse Appearances (1)

1Chr

1Chr 9:7

References

Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References (TIPNR). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
Wikidata contributors (n.d.) Wikidata. Available at: https://www.wikidata.org. [CC0]
Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]

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