Bible Word Study
מְשִׁלֵּמִית
Mᵉshillêmîyth · Meshillemith, an Israelite
מְשִׁלֵּמִית
Meshillemith, an Israelite
Definition
Meshillemith is a proper name of an Israelite priest mentioned in 1 Chronicles 9:12. The name is derived from the Hebrew root for 'peace' or 'recompense' and means 'reconciliation' or 'recompense.' In the biblical context, Meshillemith is identified as a priest from the family of Immer who returned from exile and served in the temple. The name appears only in this genealogical list, and there are no other major senses or meanings attached to it in Scripture.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the Old Testament, in 1 Chronicles 9:12, within a list of priests and Levites who resettled in Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile. It functions solely as a personal name in this genealogical context, with no narrative or descriptive usage elsewhere.
Etymology
The name Meshillemith (מְשִׁלֵּמִית) is a feminine form derived from the root שָׁלַם (shalam, H7999), meaning 'to be complete, sound, or at peace.' It is related to the concept of 'recompense' or 'reconciliation.' The name is a variant of Meshillemoth (H4919), which shares the same root and meaning, indicating a thematic connection to peace or restoration.
Semantic Range
As a personal name meaning 'reconciliation,' Meshillemith subtly points to the priestly role of mediating peace between God and people. In the post-exilic context of 1 Chronicles 9, the name may symbolically reflect the restored priesthood's mission in a community seeking reconciliation with God after judgment. Understanding the name's etymology enriches appreciation for how biblical names often carried theological hopes. In ancient Israelite culture, names often conveyed meaningful attributes or parental hopes. Meshillemith, meaning 'reconciliation,' likely expressed a desire for restored relationships or divine favor, especially significant for a priestly family returning from exile. This contrasts with modern naming conventions, where meaning is less emphasized. Meshillemoth (Mᵉshillêmôth, H4919) — A masculine variant of the same name, also meaning 'recompense' or 'reconciliation,' used for other individuals in the Old Testament (e.g., 2 Chronicles 28:12).
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (BDB, 1906, public domain). Concordance and morphology data are from the OSHB (Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible).
Full methodology & sources →References
- Abbott-Smith, G. (1921) A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Brown, F., Driver, S.R. and Briggs, C.A. (1906) A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Tyndale Brief lexicon of Extended Strongs for Greek (TBESG). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Formatted full LSJ (TFLSJ). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Thayer, J.H. (1889) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. [Public Domain]
- Gesenius, W. (1846) Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament. [Public Domain]
- Dodson, J. (2010) Greek Lexicon. Biblical Humanities. [CC0]