### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew term שֶׁלֶו (shelev) `{{H7959}}` is derived from the root שָׁלָה (shalaw) `{{H7953}}`, which conveys the sense of being "at ease," "quiet," or "secure." Consequently, shelev itself primarily denotes "security," "tranquility," "ease," and "prosperity." It describes a state of undisturbed well-being, freedom from anxiety, and often includes material flourishing. The semantic range extends from a divinely granted state of peace and stability to a dangerous, unthinking complacency or false sense of security.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
שֶׁלֶו (shelev) appears a limited number of times in the Hebrew Bible, primarily within poetic and prophetic literature, often carrying significant theological weight.
* **[[Psalm 122:7]]**: "Peace (שָׁלוֹם) be within your walls, and security (שֶׁלֶו) within your palaces." Here, shelev is presented as a desirable state, parallel to shalom (peace), indicating the internal stability and well-being hoped for Jerusalem. It signifies a state of settled, undisturbed peace.
* **[[Proverbs 1:32]]**: "For the turning away of the simple will kill them, and the complacency (שֶׁלֶו) of fools will destroy them." This is a crucial instance where shelev is cast in a negative light. It refers to a dangerous, uncritical sense of ease and security that leads to spiritual and physical ruin for those who lack wisdom. It is not true peace, but a deceptive state born of foolishness and a refusal to heed instruction.
* **[[Jeremiah 49:31]]**: "Arise, go up against a nation at ease (שֶׁלֶו), that dwells securely (לָבֶטַח), declares the LORD, that has no gates or bars, that dwells alone." Here, shelev describes a nation (Kedar) that feels invulnerable due to its isolation and lack of defenses. This "security" is a false one, a prelude to divine judgment, highlighting a lack of preparedness rooted in overconfidence.
* **[[Ezekiel 16:49]]**: "Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease (שֶׁלֶו), but did not aid the poor and needy." In this profound indictment of Sodom, shelev is linked with "pride" and "excess of food." It signifies a luxurious, complacent lifestyle that bred moral decay, specifically a neglect of social justice. This shelev is a state of unearned and unshared prosperity that leads to divine judgment.
These contexts reveal a dual nature of shelev: it can be a blessing when it reflects divine favor and righteous living, but more often, it functions as a warning, describing a dangerous complacency that precedes downfall.
### Related Words & Concepts
* **שָׁלָה (shalaw) `{{H7953}}`**: The verbal root from which shelev is derived, meaning "to be at ease, secure, quiet." This is the direct etymological link.
* **שָׁלוֹם (shalom) `{{H7965}}`**: While shelev focuses on the state of security or ease, shalom is a broader concept encompassing wholeness, well-being, peace, and completeness. Shelev can be a component or a consequence of shalom, but shalom carries a deeper theological resonance of covenantal peace and flourishing.
* **בֶּטַח (betach) `{{H983}}`**: "Security, safety, confidence." Often appears in conjunction with shelev or its root, emphasizing a sense of trust or reliance, which can be either well-founded or misplaced.
* **שָׁקַט (shaqat) `{{H8252}}`**: "To be quiet, undisturbed, at rest." Similar to the "ease" aspect of shelev.
* **נַחַת (nachath) `{{H5183}}`**: "Rest, quietness."
* The concept of shelev is often contrasted with states of trouble, distress, war, or divine judgment, highlighting its nature as a condition of tranquility or its absence.
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of shelev lies in its nuanced portrayal of human and national conditions. It serves as a potent reminder of the distinction between true, God-given peace and a perilous, self-generated complacency.
* **Divine Blessing vs. Human Complacency**: When shelev is a gift from God, it signifies a state of blessed peace and prosperity, reflecting divine favor and a people living in covenant faithfulness (e.g., [[Psalm 122:7]]). However, the more frequent and cautionary usage highlights shelev as a dangerous spiritual state. When it arises from human arrogance, self-reliance, or a neglect of justice, it transforms into a deceptive "ease" that leads to moral decay and divine judgment (e.g., [[Proverbs 1:32]], [[Ezekiel 16:49]]).
* **The Peril of Prosperity**: Shelev underscores a critical biblical theme: the spiritual dangers inherent in unbridled prosperity and ease. Such a state can foster a false sense of invulnerability, leading individuals and nations to turn away from God, neglect the vulnerable, and become heedless of divine warnings. It is not prosperity itself that is condemned, but the unrighteous shelev that can accompany it, breeding pride and injustice.
* **Context of Impending Judgment**: In prophetic literature, shelev often describes those who are about to face divine judgment precisely because their "security" has made them arrogant, idle, or unjust. Their state of ease becomes a sign of their impending downfall, rather than an indicator of true strength or divine favor.
* **True Security**: The biblical witness implicitly argues that true shelev (genuine security and peace) is not found in material abundance, self-confidence, or isolation, but in humble reliance upon God and adherence to His righteous ways.
### Summary
The Hebrew term שֶׁלֶו (shelev) `{{H7959}}` denotes "security," "ease," or "prosperity," stemming from the root שָׁלָה `{{H7953}}` meaning "to be at ease." While it can describe a desirable state of peace and well-being, as seen in the prayer for Jerusalem in [[Psalm 122:7]], its most prominent and theologically significant occurrences often portray it in a negative, cautionary light. In passages such as [[Proverbs 1:32]], [[Jeremiah 49:31]], and [[Ezekiel 16:49]], shelev signifies a dangerous complacency, a false sense of security born of arrogance, idleness, or unrighteous prosperity. This kind of shelev frequently precedes divine judgment, serving as a powerful biblical warning against the spiritual perils of unearned or misused ease and the deceptive nature of self-reliant security. The word thus encapsulates a crucial theological lesson: true peace and security are found in humble dependence on God, not in a complacent trust in one's own material or social standing.
TRV