Original Word: שְׁלַח
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: shlach
Pronunciation: sheh-lakh'
Phonetic Spelling: (shel-akh')
NASB: sent, send
Word Origin: [(Aramaic) corresponding to H7971 (שָׁלַח - sent)]

1. put, send

put, send

(Aramaic) corresponding to shalach -- put, send.

see HEBREW shalach

Word Origin
(Aramaic) corresponding to shalach
Definition
to send
NASB Translation
attempts* (1), send (1), sent (12).

Concept and Scope

Shəlach denotes the deliberate dispatch of a person, decree, or object with authoritative intent. In the Aramaic portions of Ezra and Daniel the verb consistently conveys purposeful commission, whether by earthly monarchs or by God Himself, thus underscoring the theme of sovereignty exercised through sending.

Usage in Ezra: Restoring Covenant Community

1. Diplomatic Dispatches (Ezra 4:11, 4:14, 4:17, 4:18; 5:6, 5:7)

Persian officials “sent” letters to Artaxerxes or Darius, attempting either to hinder or to clarify the Jews’ rebuilding efforts. The verb frames imperial communications as channels through which God’s providence ultimately preserves His redemptive plan.

2. Appeal for Royal Authorization (Ezra 5:17)

“If it seems good to the king, let a search be made… and let the king send us his decision”. The community acknowledges that human approval is required, yet Scripture portrays the true authority as divine, guiding the king’s response.

3. Decree of Protection and Empowerment (Ezra 6:12-13)

After Darius’ favorable verdict is dispatched, Tattenai “carried it out with diligence.” The sending of a royal command becomes the turning point from opposition to advancement, illustrating how God directs the hearts of kings (Proverbs 21:1).

4. Commissioning Ezra (Ezra 7:14)

Artaxerxes “sent” Ezra to Jerusalem to oversee Law observance. Here shəlach initiates a covenant-renewal mission, foreshadowing later apostolic patterns of being sent with Scriptural authority.

Usage in Daniel: Preserving the Faithful

1. Political Assembly (Daniel 3:2)

Nebuchadnezzar “sent” to gather officials for idol worship. The verb highlights state power wielded against godly conviction.

2. Divine Rescue (Daniel 3:28)

“He sent His angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him”. God’s counter-sending triumphs over imperial coercion, stressing His supremacy.

3. Judgment upon Belshazzar (Daniel 5:24)

“Therefore He sent the hand…” The dispatched hand writes Mene-Tekel, assuring that arrogant rule meets swift accountability.

4. Angelic Protection (Daniel 6:22)

“My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths.” The verb ties Daniel’s survival to a heavenly mandate, reinforcing trust in God’s active guardianship.

Theological Themes

• Sovereign Initiative: Whether by Persian kings or by God, sending conveys rule, authorization, and purposeful direction over history.
• Mediation: Letters, decrees, and angels function as intermediaries, preparing the way for the ultimate Mediator whom the Father “sent” (John 3:17).
• Covenant Continuity: The rebuild of Temple and city after exile hinges on royal edicts that God prompts and “sends,” affirming His unbroken commitment to His people.
• Spiritual Warfare: Earthly sends (idolatrous summons, hostile letters) are answered by divine sends (angelic deliverance), illustrating the unseen battle behind historical events.

Ministry Implications

1. Confidence in Mission: As Ezra was commissioned with Scriptural authority, so every believer sent into ministry carries divine backing (Matthew 28:19-20).
2. Prayer for Authorities: God channels His will even through secular rulers; intercession shapes the decrees they “send” (1 Timothy 2:1-2).
3. Expectation of Intervention: Daniel’s experiences teach believers to anticipate angelic aid and providential acts when faithfulness is tested.

Canonical Connections

Shəlach in Aramaic aligns with Hebrew shalach (Strong’s 7971), joining a biblical arc from the “sending” of Moses (Exodus 3:10) to the sending of the Son (Galatians 4:4) and the Spirit (John 15:26). Each occurrence in Ezra and Daniel seeds this larger narrative, inviting readers to trace the consistent pattern of a God who sends to redeem, restore, and reign.

יִשְׁלַ֣ח יִשְׁלַ֥ח ישלח שְׁלִ֔יחַ שְׁלִ֖יַחַ שְׁלַ֖חְנָא שְׁלַ֞ח שְׁלַ֡ח שְׁלַ֣ח שְׁלַ֣חוּ שְׁלַ֤ח שְׁלַחְתּ֖וּן שלח שלחו שלחנא שלחתון שליח šə·la·ḥū šə·laḥ šə·laḥ·nā šə·laḥ·tūn šə·lî·aḥ šə·li·ya·aḥ šəlaḥ šəlaḥnā šəlaḥtūn šəlaḥū šəlîaḥ šəliyaaḥ sheLach sheLachna shelachTun sheLachu sheLiach sheLiyaach yiš·laḥ yishLach yišlaḥInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts