Bible Encyclopedia: Salem

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International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

SALEM (1)

sa'-lem (shalem; Salem): The name of the city of which Melchizedek was king (Genesis 14:18 Hebrews 7:1, 2; compare Psalm 76:2).

1. Identification and Meaning:

To all appearance it lay near "the Vale of Shaveh," described as "the King's Vale." The general opinion among the Jews was that Salem was the same as Jerusalem, as stated by Josephus (Ant., I, x, 2), who adds (VII, iii, 2) that it was known as Solyma (Saluma, variants, according to Whiston, Salem and Hierosolyma) in the time of Abraham. It was also reported that the city and its temple were called Solyma by Homer, and he adds that the name in Hebrew means "security." This identification with Jerusalem was accepted by Onkelos and all the Targums, as well as by the early Christians. The Samaritans have always identified Salem with Salim, East of Nablus, but Jewish and Christian tradition is more likely to be correct, supported, as it is, by Psalm 76:2.

2. Testimony of Tell el-Amarna Tablets:

The testimony of the Tell el-Amarna Letters is apparently negative. Knudtzon's number 287 mentions "the land" and "the lands of Urusalim," twice with the prefix for "city"; number 289 likewise has this prefix twice; and number 290 refers to "the city" or "a city of the land Urusalim called Bit-Ninip" Tablets (Beth-Anusat (?)). As there is no prefix of any kind before the element salim, it is not probable that this is the name of either a man (the city's founder) or a god (like the Assyrian Sulmanu). The form in Sennacherib's inscriptions (compare Taylor Cylinder, III, 50), Ursalimmu, gives the whole as a single word in the nominative, the double "m" implying that the "i" was long. As the Assyrians pronounced "s" as "sh", it is likely that the Urusalimites did the same, hence, the Hebrew yerushalaim, with "sh".

See JERUSALEM.

T. G. Pinches

SALEM (2)

(Salamos; the King James Version Salum): An ancestor of Ezra (1 Esdras 8:1) = "Shallum" in Ezra 7:2 = "Salemas" in 2 Esdras 1:1.

Greek

4532. Salem -- Salem, the home of Melchizedek
... 4531, 4532. Salem. 4533 . Salem, the home of Melchizedek. Part of Speech:
Proper Noun, Indeclinable Transliteration: Salem Phonetic ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4532.htm - 6k

3198. Melchisedek -- Melchizedek, OT king of Salem
... Melchizedek, OT king of Salem. Part of Speech: Proper Noun, Indeclinable
Transliteration: Melchisedek Phonetic Spelling: (mel-khis-ed-ek') Short Definition ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3198.htm - 6k

4530. Saleim -- Salim, a place in Palestine
... Definition: Salim. Word Origin probably from the same as Salem Definition Salim,
a place in Pal. NASB Word Usage Salim (1). Salim. Probably ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4530.htm - 6k

Strong's Hebrew

7740. Shaveh -- a valley near Salem
... 7739b, 7740. Shaveh. 7741 . a valley near Salem. Transliteration: Shaveh
Phonetic Spelling: (shaw-vay') Short Definition: Shaveh. ...
/hebrew/7740.htm - 6k

4442. Malki-tsedeq -- "my king is right," an early king of Salem
... "my king is right," an early king of Salem. Transliteration: Malki-tsedeq Phonetic
Spelling: (mal-kee-tseh'-dek) Short Definition: Melchizedek. ...
/hebrew/4442.htm - 6k

8004. Shalem -- "peaceful," an early name of Jer.
... "peaceful," an early name of Jer. Transliteration: Shalem Phonetic Spelling:
(shaw-lame') Short Definition: Salem. ... NASB Word Usage Salem (2). Salem. ...
/hebrew/8004.htm - 6k

Library

In Salem Dwelt a Glorious King,
... THE THIRD CENTURY 69 In Salem dwelt a glorious King,. 1 In Salem dwelt a
glorious King,. Raised from a shepherd's lowly state; That ...
/.../traherne/centuries of meditations/69 in salem dwelt a.htm

The Church Triumphant 508. Blessed City, Heavenly Salem
... V. THE CHURCH The Church Triumphant 508. Blessed city, heavenly Salem. 8.7.8.7.8.7
[1953]Urbs Beata: ... Tr. John Mason Neale, 1851. Blessed city, heavenly Salem,. ...
/.../the church triumphant 508 blessed.htm

Israel, Therefore, Avoiding the House of his Brother, Sent Forward ...
... The Sacred History Of Sulpitius Severus. Book I. Chapter X. Israel, therefore, avoiding
the house of his brother, sent forward his company to Salem� ...
/.../life and writings of sulpitius severus /chapter x israel therefore avoiding.htm

The Church Militant 466. Rise, Crowned with Light, Imperial Salem ...
... V. THE CHURCH The Church Militant 466. Rise, crowned with light, imperial Salem,
rise. ... Alexander Pope, 1712. Rise, crowned with light, imperial Salem, rise! ...
/.../the church militant 466 rise.htm

The Church Triumphant 507. Light's Abode, Celestial Salem
... V. THE CHURCH The Church Triumphant 507. Light's abode, celestial Salem.
8.7.8.7.8.7 ... Tr. John Mason Neale, 1858. Light's abode, celestial Salem,. ...
/.../the church triumphant 507 lights.htm

Hebrews vii. 3-Jan
... Hebrews vii. 1-3. Hebrews vii.1-3 "For this Melchisedec, King of Salem, Priest of
the most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the Kings ...
/.../homilies on the gospel of st john and hebrews/homily xii hebrews vii 3-jan.htm

Moses and his Writings
... Again, until quite lately many people were certain that there could never have been
a king like Melchizedek, the king of Salem, who came and blessed Abraham ...
/.../duff/the bible in its making/chapter iii moses and his.htm

The Transplanting of Congregationalism
... The plan had failed, the partnership had been dissolved, and a few of the
settlers had removed to Salem, Massachusetts. The Rev. ...
/.../chapter ii the transplanting of.htm

Francis Higginson.
... First minister of Salem, Massachusetts, after receiving his education at Emanuel
College, in Cambridge, became the minister of a church at Leicester, in England ...
//christianbookshelf.org/hayward/the book of religions/francis higginson.htm

Ancient American Covenant or Confession of Faith.
... ANCIENT AMERICAN COVENANT OR CONFESSION OF FAITH. Copy of the first Covenant, or
Confession of Faith, of the First Church in Salem, Massachusetts. ...
/.../hayward/the book of religions/ancient american covenant or confession.htm

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

Salem

complete or perfect peace

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Salem

(peace).

The place of which Melchizedek was king. (Genesis 14:18; Hebrews 7:1,2) No satisfactory identification of it is perhaps possible. Two main opinions have been current from the earliest ages of interpretation: (1). That of the Jewish commentators, who affirm that Salem is Jerusalem, on the ground that Jerusalem is so called in (Psalms 76:2) Nearly all Jewish commentators hold this opinion. (2). Jerome, however, states that the Salem of Melchizedek was not Jerusalem, but a town eight Roman miles south of Scythopolis, and gives its then name as Salumias, and identifies it with Salem, where John baptized.
(Psalms 76:2) it is agreed on all hands that Salem is here employed for Jerusalem.

ATS Bible Dictionary

Salem

Peace

1. An ancient name of Jerusalem, Genesis 14:18 Hebrews 7:1,3, afterwards applied to it poetically, Psalm 76:2.

2. A city of the Shechemites, east of Sychar, Genesis 33:18.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Peace, commonly supposed to be another name of Jerusalem (Genesis 14:18; Psalm 76:2; Hebrews 7:1, 2).

Thesaurus

Salem (5 Occurrences)
... Peace, commonly supposed to be another name of Jerusalem (Genesis 14:18; Psalm
76:2; Hebrews 7:1, 2). Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. SALEM (1). ...
/s/salem.htm - 10k

Shalem (1 Occurrence)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. SHALEM. sha'-lem (shalem; eis Salem):
The word as a place-name occurs only in Genesis 33:18. With ...
/s/shalem.htm - 8k

Melchizedek (12 Occurrences)
... King of righteousness, the king of Salem (qv). ... Melchizedek was king of Salem (=
Jerusalem) and "a priest unto 'El `Elyon" (Genesis 14:18). ...
/m/melchizedek.htm - 19k

Melchisedec (10 Occurrences)
... 5-7 has Adonibezek. Melchizedek was king of Salem (= Jerusalem) and "a
priest unto 'El `Elyon" (Genesis 14:18). He brought bread ...
/m/melchisedec.htm - 17k

Vale (20 Occurrences)
... It was identical with the Vale of Shaveh, and was evidently near Salem,
the city of Melchizedek (Genesis 14:17). If SALEM (which ...
/v/vale.htm - 29k

King's (375 Occurrences)
... It was identical with the Vale of Shaveh, and was evidently near Salem,
the city of Melchizedek (Genesis 14:17). If SALEM (which ...
/k/king's.htm - 46k

Melchisedek (11 Occurrences)
... Hebrews 7:1 For this Melchisedek, king of Salem, priest of God Most High, who did
meet Abraham turning back from the smiting of the kings, and did bless him ...
/m/melchisedek.htm - 9k

Salemas
... sal'-e-mas, sa-le'-mas (Latin Salame; the King James Version Sadamias): An ancestor
of Ezra (2 Esdras 1:1) = "Shallum" in Ezra 7:2; called also "Salem" in 1 ...
/s/salemas.htm - 6k

Jerusalem (782 Occurrences)
... Called also Salem, Ariel, Jebus, the "city of God," the "holy city;" by the modern
Arabs el-Khuds, meaning "the holy;" once "the city of Judah" (2 Chronicles 25 ...
/j/jerusalem.htm - 89k

Witchcraft (8 Occurrences)
... In Europe alone, not to mention America (Salem, etc.), Sprenger says that over nine
million suspected witches were put to death on the flimsiest evidence; even ...
/w/witchcraft.htm - 23k

Bible Concordance

Salem (5 Occurrences)

John 3:23 and John was also baptizing in Aenon, nigh to Salem, because there were many waters there, and they were coming and were being baptized --
(YLT)

Hebrews 7:1 For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of God Most High, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,
(WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Hebrews 7:2 to whom also Abraham divided a tenth part of all (being first, by interpretation, king of righteousness, and then also king of Salem, which is king of peace;
(WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 14:18 Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine: and he was priest of God Most High.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Psalms 76:2 His tabernacle is also in Salem; His dwelling place in Zion.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Subtopics

Salem

Related Terms

Shalem (1 Occurrence)

Melchizedek (12 Occurrences)

Melchisedec (10 Occurrences)

Vale (20 Occurrences)

King's (375 Occurrences)

Melchisedek (11 Occurrences)

Salemas