Original Word: שָׁלוֹשׁ
Part of Speech: Noun
Transliteration: shalowsh
Pronunciation: shah-LOHSH
Phonetic Spelling: (shaw-loshe')
KJV: + fork, + often(-times), third, thir(-teen, -teenth), three, + thrice
NASB: three, third, three things, thirty, three-year-old
Word Origin: [a primitive number]

1. three
2. occasionally (ordinal) third, or (multipl.) thrice

fork, oftentimes, third, thirteen three, thrice

Or shalosh {shaw-loshe'}; masculine shlowshah {shel-o-shaw'}; or shloshah {shel-o-shaw'}; a primitive number; three; occasionally (ordinal) third, or (multipl.) Thrice -- + fork, + often(-times), third, thir(-teen, -teenth), three, + thrice. Compare shaliysh.

see HEBREW shaliysh

Word Origin
of uncertain derivation
Definition
a three, triad
NASB Translation
1,335* (1), 1,365* (1), 123* (2), 13* (1), 153,600* (1), 2,300* (1), 2,322* (1), 22,273* (1), 223* (2), 23,000* (1), 273* (1), 3,000* (11), 3,023* (2), 3,200* (1), 3,300* (2), 3,600* (2), 3,630* (1), 3,700* (1), 3,930* (1), 300* (11), 300,000* (4), 307,500* (1), 320* (2), 323* (2), 324* (1), 328* (1), 337,500* (2), 345* (2), 372* (2), 392* (2), 42,360* (2), 43,730* (1), 53,400* (3), 59,300* (2), 603,550* (2), 623* (1), 64,300* (1), 7,337* (2), 743* (2), 973* (2), forks* (1), oftentimes* (1), third (11), thirteen* (12), thirteenth* (11), thirty (2), thirty-three* (7), three (267), three things (6), three-pronged* (1), three-tenths* (8), three-year-old (1), twenty-third* (7), twenty-three* (6).

שָׁלשׁ, שָׁלוֺשׁ, שְׁלשָׁה₄₃₀

noun masculine and feminine a three, triad (Late Hebrew id.; שלש SI²; שלשן30MI²; Phoenician שלש; Assyrian šalaštu, šalatu; Sabean שלתֿ Hom^{Chr 47, 124}, but also תֿלתֿ, etc., Id.^{47, A. u. A. ii. 175} SabDenkm^{No. 31, 8}; Arabic , ; Ethiopic Aramaic תְּלָתָא, ; Nabataean תלת Lzb³⁷⁷; Palmyrene תלת (in תלת מאה) Reckend^{ZMg xiii (1888), 408}; see also Kö^{ii. 1. 208}); — masculine שָׁלשׁ וֺשׁ- rare, chiefly late), with

noun feminine Amos 4:8 90t., also construct שְׁלשׁ Genesis 18:6 65t. (but Genesis 38:24 read perhaps שְׁלשֶׁת Samaritan, compare Di and others), שְׁלָשֿׁ Exodus 21:11; feminine שְׁלשָׁה (וֺשָׁה- rare, chiefly late), with

noun masculine Genesis 6:10 149t., also construct שְׁלשֶׁת Amos 4:4 92t. (3 1013are additional; on rare exceptions to rule of Gender compare Ges^{§ 97c}), suffix שְׁלָשְׁתְּכֶם Numbers 12:4, שְׁלָשְׁתָּם Numbers 12:4; Ezekiel 40:10; Ezekiel 41:16; — three (Hexateuch chiefly P):

1 no other number:

a. before plural noun, שָׁלשׁ51t., e.g. אַמוֺת ׳שׁ Exodus 27:1 +, בָּאַמָּה ׳שׁ 1 Kings 7:27, שְׁלשָׁה90t., e.g. Genesis 18:2 + (so always שְׁלשׁ, שְׁלשֶׁת; read מִשְׁלשֶׁת Genesis 38:24 Sam Di; = ׳מִשְּׁ, from מִןֿ); after noun (late: on 1 Samuel 1:24 see [שִׁלֵּשׁ) 1 Chronicles 25:5 17t.; noun omitted 1 Samuel 17:4; 2 Samuel 24:12 42t.

b. = ordinal יָמִים ׳לִשׁ Exodus 19:5 on third day; ׳הַיּוֺם שׁ הַיָּמִים 1 Samuel 9:20, ׳הַיּוֺם הַשּׁ 1 Samuel 30:13, both = three days ago; especially לְ ׳בִּשְׁנַת שׁ 1 Kings 15:28 7t. (Ges^{§ 134o}).

2 13, with

noun feminine: שְׁלשׁ עֶשְׂרֵהשָׁנַה Genesis 17:25; 1 Kings 7:1 #NAME? Genesis 14:4 ( שְׁלשֿׁ), Jeremiah 1:2; Jeremiah 25:3; before ערים Joshua 21:19; after, Joshua 19:16 3t., before עִיר Joshua 21:33; 1 Chronicles 6:43, אַמּוֺת Ezekiel 40:11; with

noun masculine שְׁלשָׁה עָשָׂר before מָּרִים Numbers 29:14; after, Numbers 29:13; ordinal before יוֺם Esther 3:12; Esther 9:1; after, Esther 9:17; יוֺם omitted Esther 3:13; Esther 8:12; Esther 9:18; גוֺרָל omitted 1 Chronicles 24:13; 1 Chronicles 25:20; 1 Chronicles 26:11.

3300= שְׁלשׁ מֵאוֺת Genesis 5:22 59t. (1 Chronicles 11:11 perhaps intentional change [HPS^Sm] from שְׁמֹנֶה "" 2 Samuel 23:8 which certainly original, Vrss Th We Dr and modern); 3000 = שְׁלשֶׁת אֲלָפִים Exodus 32:28 28t.

4 c. tens, ׳שׁ following Numbers 1:43 11t., precedes Leviticus 12:4 17t., + (as ordinal) 3 20 Jeremiah 52:30 3t.; 20 32Ki Jeremiah 12:7 2t.

5 as round, or conventional, number: 2 (or) 3, Amos 4:8; Deuteronomy 17:6; Joshua 7:3; 2 Kings 9:32; Isaiah 17:6; 3(and) 4, Proverbs 30:15,18,21,29; three days' journey Exodus 3:18; Exodus 5:3; Exodus 8:23, etc.

Three as a Sign of Divine Completeness

From the opening pages of Scripture, “three” functions as a numeric shorthand for fullness and stability. The created order is first said to be “good” for the third time on the third day (Genesis 1:9-13). The seraphic cry “Holy, holy, holy” (Isaiah 6:3) magnifies divine perfection through triple repetition, and Jeremiah’s temple saying repeats the phrase “the temple of the LORD” three times to expose false assurance (Jeremiah 7:4). Throughout Israel’s worship and narrative history, a triadic structure signals that a matter is settled and complete.

Patriarchal and Familial Triads

• Noah’s three sons—Shem, Ham, and Japheth—carry the seed of post-flood humanity (Genesis 6:10).
• Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob form a covenant triad frequently invoked in later revelation (Exodus 3:15).
• In Genesis 15:9 the covenant animals are each “three years old,” anticipating a finished covenant act.

Such triads anchor Israel’s collective memory and underscore God’s unfolding promise through successive generations.

Covenant and Cultic Regulations

• Three primary pilgrimage feasts regulate Israel’s calendar: Unleavened Bread, Harvest (Weeks), and Ingathering (Booths) (Exodus 23:14-17).
• Leviticus employs threefold guilt remedies—sin offering, burnt offering, and guilt offering—to portray comprehensive atonement (Leviticus 5).
• A Nazirite defilement requires the head to be shaved and re-consecrated on the “third day” and the “seventh day,” framing the cycle with a smaller and larger perfection (Numbers 6:9-10).

“On the Third Day” as Redemptive Pattern

1. Genesis 22:4: “On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance.” The binding of Isaac foreshadows substitutionary atonement.
2. Exodus 19:11: “and be prepared by the third day, for on the third day the LORD will come down upon Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.” Revelation is tied to the third-day marker.
3. Joshua 3:2-4: Officers command readiness “after three days” before Israel crosses the Jordan.
4. Esther 5:1: Esther stands before the king “on the third day,” risking her life for covenant people.
5. Hosea 6:2: “After two days He will revive us; on the third day He will raise us up, that we may live in His presence.” A corporate resurrection hope that the New Testament directly echoes.

This recurring cadence climaxes in the Gospels, where Jesus rises “on the third day” in accordance with the Scriptures (Luke 24:46).

Judicial and Temporal Measures

Legal waiting periods underscore certainty: circumcision on the eighth day is preceded by three complete days of life; unclean persons cleanse on day three and seven (Numbers 19:12). David flees Saul and is expected back “on the third day” (1 Samuel 20:5-12), while Jonah’s sign hinges on “three days and three nights” (Jonah 1:17).

Military and Political Organization

• Saul divides his troops “into three companies” for a dawn assault (1 Samuel 11:11).
• David’s general Joab deploys forces “a third under Joab, a third under Abishai … and a third under Ittai” (2 Samuel 18:2), highlighting balance and coordination.
• Gideon’s three hundred men break jars, blow trumpets, and hold torches—three simultaneous actions—signaling God’s decisive, minority victory (Judges 7:16-22).

Prophetic and Poetic Usage

Amos repeatedly announces judgment “for three transgressions of Damascus, even for four” (Amos 1:3), piling offense upon offense until iniquity overflows. Proverbs 30 arranges wisdom sayings around “three things … four that…” to communicate cumulative insight (Proverbs 30:15-33). Job’s comforters sit in silence for “seven days and seven nights,” yet their failed counsel arrives after a notable threefold cycle of speeches (Job 32:1).

Worship and Prayer

Psalm 55:17 attests, “Evening, morning, and noon I cry out in distress, and He hears my voice.” Daniel kneels and prays “three times a day” (Daniel 6:10), establishing a devotional rhythm later mirrored in Christian practice. The Aaronic blessing is delivered in a triadic form—three lines that progressively expand (Numbers 6:24-26).

Eschatological Overtones

Zechariah foresees a purifying judgment where “two-thirds will be cut off and perish, but one-third will be left” (Zechariah 13:8-9), suggesting a remnant refined through fire. Revelation, in turn, sequences divine judgments in triads of seals, trumpets, and bowls, each set complete in seven but unfolding in threes.

Christological Fulfillment

Old Testament uses of שָׁלוֹשׁ converge typologically in the Messiah. Jesus remains in the grave “three days,” prays three times in Gethsemane, and restores Peter with a threefold question, “Do you love Me?” The full-orbed salvation He accomplishes displays the perfected work anticipated in Hebrew Scripture’s triads.

Practical Ministry Implications

• Discipleship: A three-fold pattern—evangelize, establish, equip—reflects a holistic approach.
• Preaching: Introduction, exposition, application often yield clarity through tripartite structure.
• Worship: Adoration, confession, thanksgiving echo biblical triadic prayers.

Representative Concordance (selected from 429 uses)

Genesis 18:2; Genesis 40:12; Exodus 3:18; Exodus 5:3; Exodus 21:11; Leviticus 19:23; Numbers 22:28; Deuteronomy 17:6; Joshua 18:4; Judges 16:15; 1 Samuel 17:13; 2 Samuel 21:19; 1 Kings 17:21; 2 Kings 13:19; 1 Chronicles 21:12; 2 Chronicles 31:15; Ezra 6:4; Nehemiah 2:13; Esther 4:16; Job 2:11; Psalm 63:11; Proverbs 22:20; Ecclesiastes 4:12; Isaiah 17:1; Jeremiah 36:23; Ezekiel 4:5; Daniel 3:23; Hosea 13:1; Amos 4:8; Zechariah 6:13.

The pervasive presence of שָׁלוֹשׁ weaves a thread of divine completeness through law, history, poetry, and prophecy, ultimately finding its fullest expression in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ—the definitive “third-day” event that secures eternal redemption.

בְּשָׁלֹ֤שׁ בִּשְׁלֹשָׁ֤ה בִּשְׁלֹשָׁ֥ה בִּשְׁלֹשָׁ֨ה בִּשְׁלֹשׁ֩ בִּשְׁלֹשׁ־ בִּשְׁלוֹשָׁ֣ה בִּשְׁלוֹשָׁ֥ה בִּשְׁלוֹשָׁ֨ה בַּשְּׁלֹשָֽׁה׃ בַּשְּׁלוֹשָֽׁה׃ בשלושה בשלושה׃ בשלש בשלש־ בשלשה בשלשה׃ הַשְּׁלֹשָׁ֔ה הַשְּׁלֹשָׁ֖ה הַשְּׁלֹשָׁ֜ה הַשְּׁלֹשָׁה֙ הַשְּׁלוֹשָׁ֔ה הַשְּׁלוֹשָׁ֖ה הַשְּׁלוֹשָׁ֤ה הַשָּׁלֹ֥שׁ השלושה השלש השלשה וְלִשְׁלֹ֥שׁ וְשָׁל֥וֹשׁ וְשָׁלֹ֖שׁ וְשָׁלֹ֛שׁ וְשָׁלֹ֤שׁ וְשָׁלֹ֥שׁ וְשָׁלֹֽשׁ׃ וְשָׁלֹשׁ֙ וְשָׁלֽוֹשׁ׃ וְשָׁלוֹשׁ֙ וּבִשְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת וּבִשְׁלֹשׁ־ וּשְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת וּשְׁלֹ֣שׁ וּשְׁלֹ֤שֶׁת וּשְׁלֹ֥שֶׁת וּשְׁלֹ֥שׁ וּשְׁלֹ֧שֶׁת וּשְׁלֹ֨שֶׁת וּשְׁלֹשָֽׁה׃ וּשְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה וּשְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה ׀ וּשְׁלֹשָׁ֤ה וּשְׁלֹשָׁ֥ה וּשְׁלֹשָׁה֙ וּשְׁלֹשָׁה֩ וּשְׁלֹשׁ־ וּשְׁלוֹשָׁה֩ ובשלש־ ובשלשת ולשלש ושלוש ושלוש׃ ושלושה ושלש ושלש־ ושלש׃ ושלשה ושלשה׃ ושלשת יָמִ֣ים ימים כְּמִשְׁלֹ֣שׁ כִּשְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת כִּשְׁלֹ֤שֶׁת כִּשְׁלֹ֥שֶׁת כמשלש כשלשת לְשָׁל֨וֹשׁ לְשָׁלֹ֨שׁ לִשְׁלָשְׁתָּ֑ם לִשְׁלָשְׁתָּ֔ם לִשְׁלֹ֖שׁ לִשְׁלֹ֙שֶׁת֙ לִשְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת לִשְׁלֹ֥שֶׁת לִשְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה לִשְׁלֹשָׁ֤ה לוש לשלוש לשלש לשלשה לשלשת לשלשתם שְֽׁלוֹשָׁה֩ שְׁל֥וֹשׁ שְׁלָ֨שׁ־ שְׁלָשְׁתְּכֶ֖ם שְׁלָשְׁתָּֽם׃ שְׁלֹ֖שֶׁת שְׁלֹ֙שֶׁת֙ שְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת שְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת ׀ שְׁלֹ֣שׁ שְׁלֹ֤שֶׁת שְׁלֹ֤שׁ שְׁלֹ֥שֶׁת שְׁלֹ֥שׁ שְׁלֹ֥שׁ־ שְׁלֹ֧שֶׁת שְׁלֹ֧שׁ שְׁלֹ֨שֶׁת שְׁלֹֽשֶׁת־ שְׁלֹשֶׁת֩ שְׁלֹשָֽׁה־ שְׁלֹשָֽׁה׃ שְׁלֹשָׁ֑ה שְׁלֹשָׁ֔ה שְׁלֹשָׁ֖ה שְׁלֹשָׁ֛ה שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה ׀ שְׁלֹשָׁ֤ה שְׁלֹשָׁ֥ה שְׁלֹשָׁ֧ה שְׁלֹשָׁ֨ה שְׁלֹשָׁה֙ שְׁלֹשׁ־ שְׁלוֹשָׁ֖ה שְׁלוֹשָׁ֛ה שְׁלוֹשָׁ֣ה שְׁלוֹשָׁ֤ה שְׁלוֹשָׁה֙ שָֽׁלֹשׁ־ שָׁ֭לוֹשׁ שָׁל֑וֹשׁ שָׁל֔וֹשׁ שָׁל֕וֹשׁ שָׁל֖וֹשׁ שָׁל֗וֹשׁ שָׁל֜וֹשׁ שָׁל֣וֹשׁ שָׁל֤וֹשׁ שָׁל֥וֹשׁ שָׁל֧וֹשׁ שָׁל֨וֹשׁ שָׁלֹ֔שׁ שָׁלֹ֕שׁ שָׁלֹ֣שׁ שָׁלֹ֤שׁ שָׁלֹ֥שׁ שָׁלֹ֧שׁ שָׁלֹ֨שׁ שָׁלֹֽשׁ׃ שָׁלֹשׁ֩ שָׁלֽוֹשׁ׃ שָׁלוֹשׁ֙ שָׁלוֹשׁ֩ שלוש שלוש׃ שלושה שלש שלש־ שלש׃ שלשה שלשה־ שלשה׃ שלשת שלשת־ שלשתכם שלשתם׃ baš·šə·lō·šāh baš·šə·lō·wō·šāh bashsheloShah baššəlōšāh baššəlōwōšāh bə·šā·lōš bəšālōš beshaLosh biš·lō·šāh biš·lō·wō·šāh biš·lōš biš·lōš- bishLosh bishloShah bišlōš bišlōš- bišlōšāh bišlōwōšāh haš·šā·lōš haš·šə·lō·šāh haš·šə·lō·wō·šāh hashshaLosh hashsheloShah haššālōš haššəlōšāh haššəlōwōšāh kə·miš·lōš kemishLosh kəmišlōš kiš·lō·šeṯ kishLoshet kišlōšeṯ lə·šā·lō·wōš lə·šā·lōš ləšālōš ləšālōwōš leshaLoosh leshaLosh liš·lā·šə·tām liš·lō·šāh liš·lō·šeṯ liš·lōš lishlasheTam lishLosh lishloShah lishLoshet lišlāšətām lišlōš lišlōšāh lišlōšeṯ lō·wōš loosh lōwōš šā·lō·wōš šā·lōš šā·lōš- šālōš šālōš- šālōwōš šə·lā·šə·tām šə·lā·šə·tə·ḵem šə·lāš- šə·lō·šāh šə·lō·šāh- šə·lō·šeṯ šə·lō·šeṯ- šə·lō·wō·šāh šə·lō·wōš šə·lōš šə·lōš- šəlāš- šəlāšətām šəlāšətəḵem šəlōš šəlōš- šəlōšāh šəlōšāh- šəlōšeṯ šəlōšeṯ- šəlōwōš šəlōwōšāh shaLoosh shaLosh shaloVosh sheLash shelasheTam shelasheteChem sheLoosh sheLosh sheloShah sheLoshet ū·ḇiš·lō·šeṯ ū·ḇiš·lōš- ū·šə·lō·šāh ū·šə·lō·šeṯ ū·šə·lō·wō·šāh ū·šə·lōš ū·šə·lōš- ūḇišlōš- ūḇišlōšeṯ ūšəlōš ūšəlōš- ūšəlōšāh ūšəlōšeṯ ūšəlōwōšāh usheLosh usheloShah usheLoshet uvishlosh uvishLoshet velishLosh veshaLoosh veshaLosh veshaloVosh wə·liš·lōš wə·šā·lō·wōš wə·šā·lōš wəlišlōš wəšālōš wəšālōwōš yā·mîm yaMim yāmîmInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts