The meaning of Shalom |
| Shalom (Shah-loam); Strong's #7965: Completeness, wholeness, peace, heath, welfare, safety, soundness, tranquility, prosperity, perfectness, fullness, rest, harmony, the absence of agitation or discord. Shalom comes from the root verb shalom, meaning "to be complete, perfect, and full." Thus, shalom is much more than the absence of war and conflict; it is the wholeness that the entire human race seeks. The word Shalom occurs about 250 times in the O.T (see Ps. 4:8; Is.48:18; Jer.29:11). In psalms 35:27, God takes delight in the Shalom (the wholeness, the total well-being) of his servant. In Isaiah 53:5, the chastisement necessary to bring us SHALOM was upon the suffering Messiah. The angels understood at his birth that Jesus was to be the great peace-bringer, as they called out, " Glory to God in the highest; and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!" ( Luke 2:14-17, compare Is. 9:7). |