שְׁלֵם (she.lam)
she.lam
be complete
A:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 3 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- A:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb shalem means to be complete, sound, or finished. In the Old Testament it appears only three times, primarily in Ezra and Daniel. It describes a state where something is whole and lacking nothing.
In Ezra 6:14 the text says the Jews built the temple "according to the commandment of God... and finished it." Here shalem indicates the work was brought to its intended end. In Daniel 2:28, God reveals that He will bring an end to kingdoms, using a form meaning to finish or conclude.
The word carries a sense of wholeness rather than mere completion. It suggests something is intact and without defect. This usage highlights God's power to bring history to its proper conclusion.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
When we look at the Hebrew word shalem, we see a picture of wholeness that goes beyond simple completion. In Ezra 5:16, the builders describe their work as not yet completed. This honest admission reminds us that God’s work in our lives often unfolds over time. It is okay to be in the middle of the process. God does not demand perfection from us right now; He walks with us through the building phase.
In Daniel 5:26, the word takes on a different weight during a crisis. The inscription MENE declares that God has counted and ended a kingdom. Here, shalem points to God’s ultimate authority over history. Even when things seem chaotic or unfinished around us, He holds the final say. We can trust that He brings His purposes to their intended end, ensuring that nothing is lost in His care.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 3 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- make complete1×
- and/ he has finished/ it1×
- [it is] finished1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- שְׁלִֽם\׃1×
- וְ/הַשְׁלְמַֽ/הּ\׃1×
- הַשְׁלֵ֕ם1×
Key Verses
-
Ezra 5:16
Then the same Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundations of God’s house which is in Jerusalem. Since that time even until now it has been being built, and yet it is not completed.
This verse captures the human experience of ongoing work, showing that being 'not completed' is a valid state before God.
-
Daniel 5:26
“This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE: God has counted your kingdom, and brought it to an end.
The word appears in the judgment against Belshazzar, emphasizing God's power to bring earthly kingdoms to their divinely appointed end.