Shalem

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

Genesis 33:18-19. Rather "Jacob came in peace to the city of Shechem." So Rashi and the Jewish commentators; and Samaritan Pentateuch. But Septuagint, Vulgate, and Syriac as KJV There is a "Salim" still somewhat in the position required, three miles E. of Nablas (Shechem), i.e. between Shechem and the Jordan valley where at Succoth Jacob was just before (Genesis 33:17). But Salim is not on any actual line of communication between Nablus and the Jordan valley. Moreover, if Shalem were Salim, Jacob's well and Joseph's tomb would have to be removed from their appropriate traditional site to a spot further E. and nearer Salim.

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

SHALEM . In Genesis 33:13 we read ‘Jacob (on his return from Haran) came to Shalem a city of Shechem’ (RV [Note: Revised Version.] reads ‘in peace to the city of Shechem’; so Luther in his German translation). The word shalem means ‘peace,’ and the preposition b ‘in’ may have fallen out owing to the final letter of Jacob. Otherwise we must suppose Shalem to be a small town (in the neighbourhood of Shechem), which has been identified with a village called Salim .

W. F. Boyd.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Sha'lem. (safe). Genesis 33:18, Probably, not a proper name, but a place. It is certainly remarkable that there should be a modern village bearing the name of Salim, three miles east of Nablus, the ancient Shechem.

Morrish Bible Dictionary

This is judged to be not a proper name, but that the passage should read, Jacob came 'safely' to the city of Shechem. Genesis 33:18 . The R.V. has 'came in peace.'

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Genesis 33:18-20

Holman Bible Dictionary

Genesis 33:18

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

(Heb. Shalem', שָׁלֵ ם, safe; Samar. שלו ם, Sept. Σαλήμ, Vulg. Salem) appears in the A.V. as the name of a place near Shechem, to which Jacob came on his return from Mesopotamia (Genesis 33:18). It seems more than probable, however, that this word should not here be taken as a proper name, but that the sentence should be rendered "Jacob came safe to the city of Shechem" (וִיָּבֹא יִעֲקֹב שָׁלֵ ם עַיר שְׁכֶ ם ). Our translators have followed the Sept., Peshito-Syriac, and Vulg. among ancient, and Luther's among modern, versions, in all of which Shalem is treated as a proper name, and considered as a town dependent on or related to Shechem. And it is certainly remarkable that there should be a modern village bearing the name of Salim in a position to a certain degree consistent with the requirements of the narrative when so interpreted, viz. three miles east of Nablus (the ancient Shechem), and therefore between it and the Jordan valley, where the preceding verse (ver17) leaves Jacob settled (Robinson. Bib. Res. 2, 279, Wilson, Bible Lands, 2, 72; Van de Velde, Syr. and Pal. 2, 302, 334; Schwarz, Palest. p. 151). But there are several considerations which weigh very much against this being more than a fortuitous coincidence. (See Jacob).

1. If Shalem were the city in front of which Jacob pitched his tent, then it certainly was the scene of the events of ch. 34; and the well of Jacob and the tomb of Joseph must be removed from the situation in which tradition has so appropriately placed them to some spot farther eastward and nearer to Salim. Eusebius and Jerome felt this and they accordingly make Sychem and Salem one and the same (Onomast. under both these heads). (See Sychem).

2. Though east of Nablus, Salim does not appear to lie near any actual line of communication between it and the Jordan valley. The road from Sakut to Nabls would be either by Wady Maleh, through Teyasir, Tubas, and the Wady Bidan, or by Kerawa, Yanun, and Beit-Furik. The former passes two miles to the north, the latter two miles to the south, of Salim, but neither approaches it in the direct way which the narrative of Genesis 33:18 seems to denote that Jacob's route did. But see Tristram, Land of Israel, p. 146. (See Shechem).

3. With the exceptions already named, the unanimous voice of translators and scholars is in favor of treating shalem as a mere appellative. Among the ancients, Josephus (by his silence, Ant. 1, 21.), the Targums of Onkelos and Pseudo-Jonathan, the Samaritan Codex, the Arabic Version; among the moderns, the Veneto-Greek Version, Rashi, Junius and Tremellius, Meyer (Annot. on Seder Olam), Ainsworth, Reland (Palest. and Dissert. Misc.), Schumann, Rosenmuller, J.D. Michaelis (Bibel fur Ugelehrt.), Tuch, Baumgarten, Gesenius (Thesaur. p. 1422), Zunz (24 Bucher, and Handwb.), De Wette, Luzzatto, Knobel, Kalisch, Keil, Lange, Philippson — all these take shalem to mean "safe and sound," and the city before which Jacob pitched to be the city of Shechem. This view is also confirmed by the evident allusion in this term to the fulfilment of the condition of Jacob's vow (Genesis 28:21). Hitzig (on Jeremiah 41:5) would make Shalem the name of the tower of Shechem (Judges 9:46). Comp. Hackett, Illustrations of Script. p. 193 sq. (See Peace).

4. This question is somewhat complicated with the position of the Shalim of the New Test. (John 3:21); but the two places are not necessarily the same. (See Salim).

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

shā´lem ( שׁלם , shālēm  ; εἰς Σαλήμ , eis Salḗm ): The word as a place-name occurs only in Genesis 33:18 . With Luther, following Septuagint, Peshitta and Vulgate, the King James Version reads "And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem." the Revised Version (British and American) with the Targums Onqelos and pseudo-Jonathan, the Samaritan codex and the Arabic, reads "came in peace to the city of Shechem." There is a heavy balance of opinion among scholars in favor of the latter reading. It is certainly a remarkable fact, supporting the King James Version, that about 4 miles East of Shechem ( Nāblus ), there is a village bearing the name Sālem . If the King James Version is right, this must represent the city referred to; and East of Salem would transpire the events recorded in Gen 44. Against this is the old tradition locating Jacob's well and Joseph's tomb near to Shechem. Eusebius (in Onomasticon ) gets over the difficulty by identifying Shalem with Shechem.