ESTUDIO DE LA PALABRA HEBREA
Shalach (H7971) — Meaning & Usage in the Bible
Shalach is a common Hebrew verb meaning to send, send away, stretch out, or release, appearing 431 times across the Old Testament.
Significado de la palabra
Shalach (שָׁלַח) is a versatile Hebrew verb whose basic sense is to send or send away. Its range of meanings covers sending a person on a mission, dispatching a messenger, dismissing someone, and releasing an animal or object. The verb also extends to the physical action of stretching out or putting forth a hand, as seen in Genesis 3:22 where the man might 'reach out' his hand.
Beyond literal sending, shalach can imply authority and delegation: the one who sends commissions another to act. The Niphal stem is passive (to be sent), the Piel emphasizes directed action (to send off, dismiss, give over, or even shoot forth as of branches), the Pual describes what has been sent away or divorced, and the Hiphil further intensifies the causative sense of sending.
Uso en las Escrituras
In the early chapters of Genesis, shalach frames pivotal acts of sending: God sends Adam out of the garden (Genesis 3:23), Noah sends out the raven and the dove to test the receding floodwaters (Genesis 8:7-12), and God sends the two angels to destroy Sodom (Genesis 19:13), while also sending Lot out of the overthrow (Genesis 19:29). These uses highlight shalach as a verb of divine initiative and providential movement.
In narrative and legal texts, shalach also conveys dismissal, divorce, and the stretching out of a hand. Lot's visitors reach out to pull him into the house (Genesis 19:10), Abraham accompanies the visitors to 'set them on the way' (Genesis 18:16), and Pharaoh 'sends away' Abram with his wife and possessions (Genesis 12:20). Across 431 occurrences, shalach thus binds together sending, releasing, and reaching out into a single concept of purposeful movement under authority.
La palabra en detalle
- H7971 A frequent and broad Hebrew verb. Its core is sending or sending away, but it stretches to mean dismissing, releasing, divorcing, putting forth a hand, and even shooting forth branches. The shape of the meaning depends on the stem (Qal, Niphal, Piel, Pual, Hiphil) and the object of the verb.
Versículos de ejemplo
- Genesis 3:23 God sends Adam out of the garden of Eden. Shalach marks the first great 'sending away' in Scripture, the expulsion from Eden.
- Genesis 8:7 Noah sends out a raven from the ark. Shalach as a release that tests whether the floodwaters have receded.
- Genesis 19:13 The angels declare that Jehovah has sent them to destroy Sodom. Shalach here conveys divine commission and mission.
- Genesis 19:29 God sends Lot out of the overthrow, sparing him from Sodom's judgment. Shalach as merciful rescue from judgment.
Preguntas frecuentes
What does shalach literally mean?
Literally, shalach means to send or send away. In context it also covers dismissing, releasing, stretching out, and putting forth.
How many times does shalach appear in the Bible?
Shalach occurs 431 times across 403 distinct verses in the Old Testament, making it one of the most common Hebrew verbs of motion and agency.
Why is shalach important in Genesis?
Shalach shapes some of Genesis's key movements: the expulsion from Eden, Noah's sending of the birds, and God's sending of the angels and of Lot. The verb frames divine initiative, testing, and rescue.