Shillem
Shillem (or Shallum), a son of Naphtali and ancestor of the Shillemite clan.
Biography
Shillem was the fourth son of Naphtali and a grandson of Jacob and Bilhah, recorded in Genesis 46:24 and Numbers 26:49. He accompanied Jacob's household in the migration to Egypt, making him one of the seventy souls who entered Egypt at the time of Joseph's administration. In Numbers 26, during the second census of Israel taken on the plains of Moab before the conquest of Canaan, Shillem is listed among Naphtali's sons, and his descendants are identified as the clan of the Shillemites. Some textual traditions render his name as 'Shallum,' reflecting a common Hebraic name pattern. His lineage represents one of four clans within the tribe of Naphtali that would eventually receive an inheritance in the northern regions of Canaan.
Significance
Shillem's place in the genealogical record of Naphtali illustrates the meticulous preservation of tribal identity through centuries of Egyptian bondage. That his clan was still identifiable and enumerated in the census of Numbers 26, generations after the initial migration, testifies to God's faithfulness in preserving not only Israel as a whole but its constituent families and clans. The tribe of Naphtali, and the Shillemite clan within it, would receive a land inheritance in northern Canaan, fulfilling God's promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Shillem's modest genealogical presence reminds readers that the covenant community is composed of many such families, each bearing witness to God's long-faithfulness across the generations.
Verse Appearances (3)
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]
- Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]