Original Word: שַׁלְוָה
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: shalvah
Pronunciation: shal-VAH
Phonetic Spelling: (shal-vaw')
KJV: abundance, peace(-ably), prosperity, quietness
NASB: ease, prosperity, time of tranquility, complacency, quietness
Word Origin: [from H7951 (שָׁלָה שָׁלַו - prosper)]

1. security (genuine or false)

abundance, peaceably, prosperity, quietness

From shalah; security (genuine or false) -- abundance, peace(-ably), prosperity, quietness.

see HEBREW shalah

Word Origin
from shalah
Definition
quietness, ease
NASB Translation
complacency (1), ease (2), prosperity (2), quietness (1), time of tranquility (2).

שַׁלְוָה noun feminine quietness, ease; — absolute ׳שׁ Psalm 122:7 +; construct שַׁלְוִת Ezekiel 16:49; Proverbs 1:32; plural suffix שַׁלְוֺתַ֫יִךְ Jeremiah 22:21(שַׁלְוָתֵךְ Vrss Gie); — quietnees, peace, Proverbs 17:1 (opposed to רִיב), Psalm 122:7, ("" שָׁלוֺם); ease, careless security, Ezekiel 16:49 (שַׁלְוַת הַשְׁקֵט), Proverbs 1:32; prosperity, Jeremiah 22:21; Daniel 8:25; Daniel 11:21,24; ׳בְּ in (time of) security (of sudden attack), if not unawares (Thes Ew Hi Ke and others); compare literally out of quiet, i.e. suddenly, unawares (e.g. 1 Macc 1:30 = ἐξάπινα), מִן שִׁלְיָא ᵑ7 Proverbs 3:25; Proverbs 6:15 ( = מִּתְאֹם), Psalm 30:7 see [ שָׁ֫לוּ]. Above

I. שֵׁלָה see שְׁאֵלָה.

Semantic Range and Nuance

שַׁלְוָה describes a state of undisturbed calm—outwardly translated as prosperity, security, quietness, or complacent ease. The term may connote a wholesome tranquility granted by God (Psalm 122:7) or an unholy smugness that dulls spiritual alertness (Proverbs 1:32). Context therefore determines whether שַׁלְוָה is a blessing to be sought or a danger to be resisted.

Occurrences in Wisdom Literature

Psalm 122:7 prays, “May there be peace within your walls, and prosperity inside your fortresses.” Here שַׁלְוָה parallels “peace,” portraying the ideal covenant environment where worshippers flourish.

In Proverbs 17:1, quietness is prized above luxury: “Better a dry morsel in quietness than a house full of feasting with strife.” God-given tranquility stabilizes family life and tempers material appetite.

Conversely, Proverbs 1:32 warns that “the complacency of fools will destroy them.” When tranquility becomes careless indifference to wisdom, it sets the stage for ruin.

Prophetic Usage: Warning against Complacent Ease

Jeremiah 22:21 confronts Judah’s leaders: “I warned you when you were secure. You said, ‘I will not listen!’” Shalvah here exposes a false sense of invulnerability that breeds obstinate rebellion.

Ezekiel 16:49 lists Sodom’s guilt: “arrogant, overfed, and unconcerned.” Their prosperous ease numbed them to the cries of the needy, illustrating how unguarded shalvah corrodes social justice.

Daniel intensifies the warning. The “little horn” (Daniel 8:25) “will destroy many in their prosperity,” proving that political powers exploit seasons of security for covert aggression. Likewise, the contemptible ruler of Daniel 11:21 “will invade the kingdom when its people feel secure,” and Daniel 11:24 predicts further predation “without warning … in a time of tranquility.”

Theological Insights on True Security

1. Shalvah is safest when grounded in Yahweh’s covenant faithfulness. Detached from Him, it mutates into self-sufficient complacency.
2. Scripture upholds vigilance within prosperity. Even God-bestowed rest (Joshua 21:44) demands continued obedience; the same is implied wherever shalvah appears positively.
3. The prophets show that judgment often arrives precisely when human peace seems strongest, underscoring that ultimate safety is not circumstantial but relational—anchored in the Lord.

Christological and Eschatological Considerations

The predatory peace of Daniel’s tyrants foreshadows antichristian strategies later echoed in 1 Thessalonians 5:3: “While people are saying, ‘Peace and security,’ destruction will come upon them suddenly.” By contrast, Jesus Christ offers a lasting rest (Matthew 11:28-29) that transcends transient shalvah and culminates in the promised “new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13).

Practical Ministry Applications

• Discernment: Congregations enjoying relative peace must evaluate whether it fosters godliness or dulls mission zeal.
• Stewardship: Material prosperity should translate into generosity (2 Corinthians 8:13-15), countering the Sodom-like neglect condemned in Ezekiel 16:49.
• Watchfulness: Leaders must prepare saints for spiritual conflict during tranquil seasons, echoing Paul’s charge to Timothy to be ready “in season and out of season” (2 Timothy 4:2).
• Worship: Psalm 122:7 invites prayer for communal tranquility that supports worship and witness—an enduring model for intercession today.

Shalvah, then, is a delicate gift: cherished when rooted in God, perilous when detached from Him.

בְּשַׁלְוָ֞ה בְּשַׁלְוֹתַ֔יִךְ בְשַׁלְוָ֔ה בשלוה בשלותיך וְשַׁלְוַ֖ת וְשַׁלְוַ֣ת וְשַׁלְוָה־ וּבְשַׁלְוָ֖ה ובשלוה ושלוה־ ושלות לוה שַׁ֝לְוָ֗ה bə·šal·wāh ḇə·šal·wāh bə·šal·wō·ṯa·yiḵ bəšalwāh ḇəšalwāh bəšalwōṯayiḵ beshalVah beshalvoTayich lə·wāh leVah ləwāh ū·ḇə·šal·wāh ūḇəšalwāh uvshalVah veshalvah veshalVat wə·šal·wāh- wə·šal·waṯ wəšalwāh- wəšalwaṯInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts