שִׁלֹחַ
𐤔𐤋𐤇
Shilocha
H7975 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A specific stream or water channel in Jerusalem, known in English as the 'Siloam' or 'Shiloah' conduit; also used as a proper noun for this location or spring. In biblical usage, שִׁלֹחַ denotes the watercourse or conduit that transports water from the Gihon Spring into the city, particularly to the pool of Siloam. Its semantic range includes both the physical rill or aqueduct, and the designation for the location or the waters themselves.
Semantic Range
stream, canal, watercourse, aqueduct, channel; proper noun designating the conduit or spring of Shiloah in Jerusalem; (rare) the waters themselves as resource or symbol
Root / Etymology
שִׁלֹחַ is derived from the root שָׁלַח (to send, send forth, let go), indicating 'sent' or 'sent forth' (water), likely referencing water sent or directed through a channel. The word is a noun of place or product, formed either directly or by analogical construction from the root. The alternate spelling שֶׁלַח in Nehemiah reflects possible dialectal or scribal variation.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, שִׁלֹחַ refers specifically to the water conduit in Jerusalem associated with the Gihon Spring and the pool of Siloam (cf. Isaiah 8:6; Nehemiah 3:15). In later Greek and English sources, the term is rendered as 'Siloam' or 'Siloah'. The word consistently refers to a specific architectural and natural feature rather than a general rill or stream. In Isaiah, 'the waters of Shiloah that flow gently' metaphorically evokes the quiet but essential lifeline of Jerusalem. In Nehemiah, the spelling variant שֶׁלַח appears, possibly reflecting pre-exilic or regional usage. English translations often reduce the nuance by simply transliterating or translating as 'Siloam' or 'Shiloah,' but the Hebrew term highlights the idea of water being 'sent' through an engineered channel. There is no evidence in biblical usage for the site or its waters being considered sacred in the First Temple period—the term is topographical and functional. Later association with the New Testament Pool of Siloam and the identification of the site in Jerusalem post-date the Hebrew Bible period.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
lemma שִׁלֹּחַ extra dagesh, corrected to שִׁלֹחַ; or (in imitation of שֶׁלַח) שֶׁלַח; (Nehemiah 3:15), from שָׁלַח; rill; Shiloach, a fountain of Jerusalem; Shiloah, Siloah.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
שלח (š-l-ḥ) — to send, dispatch, stretch out, let go
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4916 | מִשְׁלוֹחַ | for sending-forth of |
| H4917 | מִשְׁלַחַת | sending-forth of |
| H7964 | שִׁלּוּחַ | her sendings-away |
| H7971 | שָׁלַח | I will dispatch |
| H7972 | שְׁלַח | Sent-One |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7975-02 |
הַ/שִּׁלֹ֔חַ | hashilocha | HTd/Np |
of Shiloah | the Sent Channel | 1 |
H7975-01 |
הַ/שֶּׁ֨לַח֙ | hashelach | HTd/Ncmsa |
of Shelah | the sent-forth conduit | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7975-02 |
Isaiah 8:6 | הַ/שִּׁלֹ֔חַ | hashilocha | HTd/Np |
of Shiloah | the Sent Channel |
H7975-01 |
Nehemiah 3:15 | הַ/שֶּׁ֨לַח֙ | hashelach | HTd/Ncmsa |
of Shelah | the sent-forth conduit |