Lexical Summary shalah: To be at ease, to be secure, to be tranquil Original Word: שָׁלָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance thing amiss (Aramaic) from a root corresponding to shalah; a wrong -- thing amiss. see HEBREW shalah NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origin(Aramaic) see shalu. shelah Definition see NH7596. Brown-Driver-Briggs שָׁלוּ noun feminine neglect, remissness (ᵑ7 id.); — absolute ׳שׁ Ezra 4:22; Ezra 6:9; Daniel 6:5 + Daniel 3:29 Qr; Kt שׁלה usually thought an error for שׁלו; Hi Bev M (perhaps) explained as שֵׁלָה = שְׁאֵלָה = thing, affair (Dan 4:14). Topical Lexicon Semantic Nuance and Range of Meaning שָׁלָה conveys the idea of being whole, unharmed, safe, or secure. It is not the calm that comes from inactivity but the soundness that results from purposeful divine protection. While the Aramaic cognate appears only once, its semantic field touches Hebrew concepts such as שָׁלוֹם (shalom, “peace, well-being”) and שָׁלַם (shalam, “make whole, complete”), suggesting an all-embracing safety that stems from God’s oversight. Occurrence in Daniel 3 Daniel 3:29 sits at the climax of the furnace narrative. Nebuchadnezzar has just witnessed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego emerge from the flames completely intact. In his decree he admits, “there is no other god who is able to deliver in this way” (Daniel 3:29). The adjective שָׁלָה underlines the state in which the three exiles stand before him—entirely unharmed—demonstrating the totality of God’s deliverance. Historical and Cultural Setting The Babylonian practice of ordeal by fire was meant to prove guilt and display the unquestioned authority of the king. By preserving His servants “whole,” the LORD reverses the intended humiliation and exposes the impotence of Babylonian deities. Nebuchadnezzar’s public proclamation turns an imperial spectacle into a testimonial for Yahweh among “any people or nation or tongue” (Daniel 3:29), broadcasting the miracle across the empire’s vast linguistic and ethnic diversity. Theological Significance 1. Divine Sovereignty: The narrative asserts that true safety lies not in political power but under God’s rule (Psalm 4:8; Proverbs 18:10). Intertextual Echoes • Job 3:26 and Psalm 30:6 use related Hebrew roots to describe false security; Daniel 3 portrays true security grounded in fidelity to God. Christological and Eschatological Dimensions Many Christian readers see in the “fourth man” of Daniel 3:25 a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ, embodying the ultimate source of שָׁלָה. Revelation 1:15 later portrays the risen Christ with feet “like bronze glowing in a furnace,” recalling His mastery over fire and judgment. Believers share this promised wholeness fully in the new creation, where “nothing accursed” will threaten (Revelation 22:3). Pastoral and Devotional Implications • Courage under Persecution: Like the three exiles, modern believers may face cultural pressure to compromise. The furnace episode assures that obedience is never futile (Matthew 10:28-31). Summary שָׁלָה in Daniel 3:29 encapsulates total safety granted by the living God. Though only a single occurrence, it crystallizes a biblical pattern: the LORD makes His people whole amid hostile powers, turning arenas of oppression into platforms for His glory and pledging ultimate security to all who trust Him. Forms and Transliterations שָׁלוּ֙ שלו šā·lū šālū shaLuLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Daniel 3:29 HEB: [שֵׁלָה כ] (שָׁלוּ֙ ק) עַ֣ל INT: who speaks thing amiss against the God |
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