Word Study for H7991 (שָׁלִישׁ)

shâlîysh /shaw-leesh'/ Ask about this word

Rootor שָׁלוֹשׁ

Meaning(1 Chronicles 11:11; 1 Chronicles 12:18), or שָׁלֹשׁ; (2 Samuel 23:13), from שָׁלוֹשׁ; a triple, i.e. (as a musical instrument) a triangle (or perhaps rather threestringed lute); also (as an indefinite, great quantity) a three-fold measure (perhaps a treble ephah); also (as an officer) a general of the third rank (upward, i.e. the highest)

KJV usagecaptain, instrument of musick, (great) lord, (great) measure, prince, three (from the margin).

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of shâlîysh — 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 shâlîysh, represented by H7991, is a versatile term derived from a root meaning "a triple." It appears 20 times across 19 unique verses in the Bible. Its application is diverse, primarily denoting a general of the third rank or a high-ranking military officer, but also extending to concepts of a great measure, a musical instrument, and things of excellence.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, H7991 is most frequently used to identify a specific military rank. Pharaoh's army included captains over all the chariots of Egypt Exodus 14:7, and David's mighty men were led by a chief among the captains 2 Samuel 23:8. The term also appears in a non-military context to signify quantity or quality. God is described as comprehending the dust of the earth "in a measure" Isaiah 40:12, while the psalmist is given tears to drink "in great measure" Psalms 80:5. Additionally, it is used for the "instruments of musick" played to celebrate David's victory 1 Samuel 18:6 and for the "excellent things" of wisdom Proverbs 22:20.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help to define the military and leadership contexts of H7991:

H1368 gibbôwr (warrior, mighty man): This word for a powerful warrior is used to describe David's "mighty men" 2 Samuel 23:8, who were organized under the command of captains H7991.
H8269 sar (captain, chief, prince): As a general term for a leader, it appears alongside H7991 in descriptions of Solomon's army, which included both princes and captains 1 Kings 9:22.
H7393 rekeb (chariot, cavalry): This term for a military vehicle is closely linked to H7991, which often identifies the "captains of his chariots" as a key officer role in an army 2 Chronicles 8:9.

Theological Significance

The word H7991 carries significant weight in several key areas of scripture:

Military Hierarchy and Order: The frequent use of H7991 to identify a specific military rank—the captains under Pharaoh Exodus 14:7, Solomon 1 Kings 9:22, and Jehu 2 Kings 10:25—underscores the structured nature of royal authority in the biblical accounts.
Divine Sovereignty Over Creation: In a powerful theological statement, God's infinite power is illustrated by His ability to comprehend the dust of the earth "in a measure" H7991. This use elevates the word from a human standard to a divine one, signifying God's meticulous control.
Princely Nobility and Value: Beyond military or quantitative meanings, H7991 conveys a sense of high quality or nobility. It is used to describe the "excellent things" of wisdom Proverbs 22:20 and the stately appearance of Babylonian princes Ezekiel 23:15.

Summary

In summary, H7991 is a multifaceted word that signifies high rank, great quantity, and superior quality. It functions as a specific title for a military officer, a descriptor for an abundant measure, and a term for things of notable excellence. From the battlefield with Pharaoh's captains Exodus 14:7 to the cosmic scale of God measuring creation Isaiah 40:12, shâlîysh demonstrates how a single Hebrew term can encompass the practical, the emotional, and the divine.

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 noun and an adjective across 17 occurrences, inflected in 6 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.

שָׁלִשִׁים
שָּׁלִישׁ
שָׁלִשָׁי
שָּׁלִשִׁי
שְׁלֹשֶׁת
שָׁלִישׁ

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 19 verses across 11 of the 39 books. Most frequent in 2 Kings (6 verses); never once in the other 28.

Exodus

1 Samuel

2 Samuel

1 Kings

2 Kings

1 Chronicles

2 Chronicles

Psalms

Proverbs

Isaiah

Ezekiel

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.