English · KJV
H7952

שָׁלָה

shâlâh /shaw-law'/ Ask about this word
Roota primitive root (probably identical with שָׁלָה through the idea of educing)
Meaningto mislead
KJV usagedeceive, be negligent.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of shâlâh — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word shâlâh, represented by H7952, is a primitive root defined as to mislead; deceive, be negligent. Though it appears only 2 times in 2 unique verses, its dual meaning points to significant themes of both active deception and passive failure. It captures the idea of being led astray, either through a false promise or a dereliction of duty.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The two uses of H7952 in scripture illustrate its distinct applications. In one instance, the Shunammite woman, upon the death of her promised son, confronts the prophet Elisha, saying, "Did I not say, Do not deceive me?" 2 Kings 4:28. Here, the word conveys the anguish of being misled or given false hope. In contrast, King Hezekiah uses the term to admonish the Levites, "My sons, be not now negligent" 2 Chronicles 29:11. In this context, it serves as a command against spiritual apathy and a failure to perform one's sacred duties before the Lord.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the contexts in which H7952 is found:

  • H1121 bên (a son): This word is central to both occurrences of H7952. The charge of deception in 2 Kings 4:28 revolves around the promise of a son, while the warning against negligence in 2 Chronicles 29:11 is addressed to the Levites as "My sons," highlighting their special relationship and responsibility.
  • H7592 shâʼal (to inquire; by implication, to request): The Shunammite woman's accusation of deception is directly linked to her initial reluctance, as she asks, "Did I desire a son of my lord?" 2 Kings 4:28. This connects the act of requesting something from God with the potential for being misled.
  • H8334 shârath (to attend as a menial or worshipper; minister): This term is used in contrast to negligence. The Levites are warned not to be negligent because the Lord has chosen them to serve and minister to him 2 Chronicles 29:11, framing negligence as the direct opposite of their holy purpose.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H7952 is significant despite its rarity, touching on core aspects of faith and responsibility.

  • Integrity of Divine Promise: The cry against being deceived in 2 Kings 4:28 underscores the importance of truth and faithfulness in words spoken on behalf of God. It reflects the deep human need for trust when facing matters of life and hope.
  • The Sin of Negligence: The command in 2 Chronicles 29:11 frames negligence as a serious spiritual failure. For those who have been chosen by God for a specific role, being negligent is a direct violation of that divine appointment and a failure to minister before Him.
  • Responsibility in Service: Both uses of the word, whether implying active deception or passive neglect, point to a failure of responsibility. One is a failure of word, the other a failure of action, yet both result in leading astray from a right course.

Summary

In summary, H7952 provides a sharp and focused lens on the concepts of faithfulness and failure. It encompasses both the act of deliberately misleading someone with false promises and the equally damaging failure of being negligent in sacred duties. These two occurrences powerfully illustrate that faithfulness to God requires integrity in what is spoken and diligence in what is done.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a verb across 2 occurrences, inflected in 2 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

  • תַשְׁלֶה
  • תִּשָּׁלוּ

Related Words

Related

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

H1121 בֵּן from בָּנָה; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, inclu H7592 שָׁאַל or שָׁאֵל; a primitive root; to inquire; by implication, to request; by extension, to demand; ask (counsel, on), beg, bo H8334 שָׁרַת a primitive root; to attend as a menial or worshipper; figuratively, to contribute to; minister (unto), (do) serve(-ant,

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 2 verses across 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles (1 verse each); never once in the other 37.

1
2 Kings
1
2 Chronicles

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.