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שֶׁלֶג

𐤔𐤋𐤂

sheleg

H7950 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

snow, covering of frozen precipitation composed of ice crystals; used to denote actual snow as a meteorological phenomenon, as well as figuratively to describe whiteness, purity, or cleanness. In metaphorical expressions, it represents purity, cleansing, or a state of being made clean, as in comparisons to snow’s whiteness.

Semantic Range

snow as a natural phenomenon, whiteness, cleanness, purity (metaphorical), to be affected by snow (in post-biblical Hebrew); snowstorm (rare, poetic)

Root / Etymology

Root: שלג. The noun שֶׁלֶג (sheleg) derives from the root שלג, which appears only in this noun form in Biblical Hebrew. There is no explicitly attested verb form in the Hebrew Bible, though post-biblical Hebrew uses the verb שָׁלַג (to snow). Cognates appear in related Semitic languages: Aramaic (שַׁלְגָּא, shalga), and Arabic (ثلج, thalj), all referring to snow. The root itself is descriptive of the phenomenon rather than derived from a broader verbal idea.

Historical & Contextual Notes

שֶׁלֶג occurs in the Hebrew Bible primarily in narrative, poetic, and wisdom literature (e.g., Exodus 4:6, 2 Samuel 23:20, Job 6:16, Psalm 51:9, Isaiah 1:18). Literal uses refer to snow as a geographical or meteorological occurrence—rare but notable in ancient Israel and surrounding regions, typically associated with the highlands (cf. Mount Hermon or Lebanon). Figurative uses are particularly prominent in poetry and prophetic literature, where snow signifies whiteness, cleanliness, or purification (e.g., Isaiah 1:18, "though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow"). The association with purity likely stems from snow’s conspicuous whiteness in contrast to the region’s landscape. Later rabbinic and post-biblical texts retain and expand on both literal and metaphorical uses, sometimes developing further symbolic dimensions. In English translations, "snow" is accurate, but some metaphorical uses may be less vivid for readers in regions where snow is common, as snow was relatively rare in ancient Israel.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from שָׁלַג; snow (probably from its whiteness); snow(-y).

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

שלג (shâlag) — to be white like snow, to be dazzlingly white

Root שלג snow, to be white (by implication)
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H7949 שָׁלַג she will make snow-white

Word Forms

10 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H7950-08 שֶׁ֣לֶג sheleg HNcmsc snow snow snow 5
H7950-02 כַּ/שָּֽׁלֶג kashaleg HRd/Ncmsa like-snow like snow like snow 3
H7950-07 שָֽׁלֶג shaleg HNcmsa snow snow snow 3
H7950-01 הַ/שָּֽׁלֶג hashaleg HTd/Ncmsa of snow the snow of snow 2
H7950-03 כַּ/שֶּׁ֣לֶג kasheleg HRd/Ncmsa like snow like snow like snow 2
H7950-04 לַ/שֶּׁ֨לַג lashelag HRd/Ncmsa to the snow to the snow to the snow 1
H7950-05 מִ/שָּׁ֑לֶג mishaleg HR/Ncmsa of snow from snow of snow 1
H7950-06 מִ/שֶּׁ֔לֶג misheleg HR/Ncmsa than snow from snow than snow 1
H7950-09 וּ/מִ/שֶּׁ֥לֶג umisheleg HC/R/Ncmsa and from snow and from snow and from snow 1
H7950-10 וְ/הַ/שֶּׁ֜לֶג vehasheleg HC/Td/Ncmsa and the snow and the snow and the snow 1

Occurrences in Scripture

20 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H7950-02 Exodus 4:6 כַּ/שָּֽׁלֶג kashaleg HRd/Ncmsa like snow like snow like snow
H7950-02 Numbers 12:10 כַּ/שָּׁ֑לֶג kashaleg HRd/Ncmsa like-snow like snow like snow
H7950-01 2 Samuel 23:20 הַ/שָּֽׁלֶג hashaleg HTd/Ncmsa of snow the snow the snow
H7950-02 2 Kings 5:27 כַּ/שָּֽׁלֶג kashaleg HRd/Ncmsa as white as snow like snow like snow
H7950-03 Isaiah 1:18 כַּ/שֶּׁ֣לֶג kasheleg HRd/Ncmsa like-snow like snow like snow
H7950-10 Isaiah 55:10 וְ/הַ/שֶּׁ֜לֶג vehasheleg HC/Td/Ncmsa and the snow and the snow and the snow
H7950-08 Jeremiah 18:14 שֶׁ֣לֶג sheleg HNcmsc snow snow snow
H7950-09 Psalms 51:9 וּ/מִ/שֶּׁ֥לֶג umisheleg HC/R/Ncmsa and from snow and from snow and from snow
H7950-08 Psalms 147:16 שֶׁ֣לֶג sheleg HNcmsa snow snow snow
H7950-08 Psalms 148:8 שֶׁ֣לֶג sheleg HNcmsa snow snow snow
H7950-08 Proverbs 25:13 שֶׁ֨לֶג sheleg HNcmsa of snow snow snow
H7950-03 Proverbs 26:1 כַּ/שֶּׁ֤לֶג kasheleg HRd/Ncmsa like snow like snow like snow
H7950-05 Proverbs 31:21 מִ/שָּׁ֑לֶג mishaleg HR/Ncmsa of snow from snow of snow
H7950-07 Job 6:16 שָֽׁלֶג shaleg HNcmsa snow snow snow
H7950-07 Job 9:30 שָׁ֑לֶג shaleg HNcmsa snow snow snow
H7950-08 Job 24:19 שֶׁ֗לֶג sheleg HNcmsa snow snow snow
H7950-04 Job 37:6 לַ/שֶּׁ֨לַג lashelag HRd/Ncmsa to the snow to the snow to the snow
H7950-07 Job 38:22 שָׁ֑לֶג shaleg HNcmsa of snow snow snow
H7950-06 Lamentations 4:7 מִ/שֶּׁ֔לֶג misheleg HR/Ncmsa than snow from snow than snow
H7950-01 1 Chronicles 11:22 הַ/שָּֽׁלֶג hashaleg HTd/Ncmsa of snow the snow of snow
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