שִׁלֵּשׁ (shil.lesh)
shil.lesh
third
H:AQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 5 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:A
Word Overview
The Hebrew adjective shillesh means "third" or "pertaining to the third." It is a straightforward ordinal term used primarily in narrative contexts to mark sequence, whether counting generations, days, or specific items in a list. With only five occurrences in the Old Testament, it appears most frequently in Genesis and Exodus, serving as a precise marker of order rather than a complex theological concept.
In these texts, shillesh functions as a simple chronological or structural signpost. For example, it helps define lineage by identifying the third generation in a family tree, or it marks the third day in a sequence of events. Its usage is practical and descriptive, helping the reader keep track of time and relationships without adding extra layers of meaning.
This word highlights how biblical authors valued clear structure in their storytelling. By specifying "the third," the text anchors abstract sequences in concrete reality. It reminds readers that history and genealogy are recorded with care, where every position matters in the larger narrative of God’s people.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word shillesh simply means "third." In the Old Testament, it appears only five times, usually to mark a clear point in a timeline or family tree. It is not a complex theological term but a practical one, helping readers follow the story of God’s people with precision.
When Genesis notes that Joseph saw his grandchildren to the third generation, it shows how carefully history was recorded. Each name and each number matters. This attention to detail reminds us that our lives are part of a larger, ordered narrative where every position has significance.
In passages like Exodus 20:5, the term appears in a warning about generational consequences. It anchors abstract ideas of justice and mercy in concrete reality. We can trust that God’s word is structured with care, offering stability and clarity in our own lives.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 5 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- a third generation5×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- שִׁלֵּשִׁ֥ים2×
- שִׁלֵּשִׁ֖ים2×
- שִׁלֵּשִׁ֑ים1×
Key Verses
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Genesis 50:23
Joseph saw Ephraim’s children to the third generation. The children also of Machir, the son of Manasseh, were born on Joseph’s knees.
This verse uses the word to mark a specific milestone in Joseph’s family line, showing the tangible result of God’s providence over generations.
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Exodus 20:5
you shall not bow yourself down to them, nor serve them, for I, Yahweh your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and on the fourth generation of those who hate me,
Here it defines the scope of divine justice, specifying that the consequences of idolatry can extend to the third and fourth generations.
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Numbers 14:18
‘Yahweh is slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, forgiving iniquity and disobedience; and he will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and on the fourth generation.’
Moses repeats this phrase to balance God’s patience with His holiness, using the number to emphasize the seriousness of sin while affirming forgiveness.