Lexical Definition

‎בִּשְׁלָם‎ Bishlâm (bish-lawm') Bishlam ^N:N-M-P
of foreign derivation

Bishlam.

• § Bishlam = "in peace"
• Bishlam, a Persian

1) a Persian officer in Palestine in the time of Ezra

Extended Information

• A man living at the time of Exile and Return, only mentioned at Ezr.4.7

Brown-Driver-Briggs

‎בִּשְׁלָם‎ proper name, masculine (= ‎בֶּןשְֿׁלָם‎ son of peace? compare below ‎בן‎) a Persian officer in Canaan Ezra 4:7.

Brown-Driver-Briggs References

Profile

Male • Samaritan official who opposed the rebuilding of Jerusalem

Man living at the time of Exile and Return

Bishlam was a Samaritan official who, along with others, wrote to King Artaxerxes to oppose the rebuilding of Jerusalem.

• A man living at the time of Exile and Return, only mentioned at Ezr.4.7;
• only referred to as Bishlam בִּשְׁלָם.

Bishlam was a Samaritan official who, together with Tabeel and the rest of their associates, wrote a letter to King Artaxerxes of Persia to oppose the rebuilding of Jerusalem (Ezr. 4:7). This letter was written in Aramaic and translated, indicating that it was an official document. The Samaritans, who were the inhabitants of the region north of Judah, were adversaries of the Jews and sought to undermine their efforts to rebuild the city and the temple. In their letter, they accused the Jews of rebuilding a rebellious and wicked city, warning the king that if the city were rebuilt, the Jews would no longer pay taxes and would damage the king's revenues (Ezr. 4:12-13). As a result of this letter, the king ordered the work on the city to cease until further notice (Ezr. 4:21-22). Bishlam's actions demonstrate the political opposition and challenges faced by the Jews as they sought to restore their homeland after the Babylonian exile.

All entries for Bishlam: בִּשְׁלָם