Original Word: שָׁלִישׁ
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: shaliysh
Pronunciation: shah-LEESH
Phonetic Spelling: (shaw-leesh')
KJV: captain, instrument of musick, (great) lord, (great) measure, prince, three (from the margin)
Word Origin: [from H7969 (שָׁלוֹשׁ שָׁלוֹשׁ שְׁלוֹשָׁה שְׁלוֹשָׁה - three)]

1. a triple
2. (as a musical instrument) a triangle, or perhaps three-stringed lute
3. (as an indefinite, great quantity) a three-fold measure (perhaps a treble ephah)
4. (as an officer) a general of the third rank (upward, i.e. the highest)

captain, instrument of music, great lord, great measure, prince, three

Or shalowsh (1 Chron. 11:11; 12:18) {shaw- loshe'}; or shalosh (2 Sam. 23:13) {shaw-loshe'}; from shalowsh; a triple, i.e. (as a musical instrument) a triangle (or perhaps rather three-stringed lute); also (as an indefinite, great quantity) a three-fold measure (perhaps a treble ephah); also (as an officer) a general of the third rank (upward, i.e. The highest) -- captain, instrument of musick, (great) lord, (great) measure, prince, three (from the margin).

see HEBREW shalowsh

I. שָׁלִ(י)שׁ noun [masculine] third (part, i.e. of ephah? dubious), name of a measure; — for dust Isaiah 40:12, tears Psalm 80:6 (in figurative), adverb accusative measure-wise.

II. [שָׁלִישׁ] noun [masculine] plural שָֽׁלִשִׁים, a (three-stringed ? three-barred? three-corned?) musical instrument, perhaps a sistrum (so ᵑ9), or 'triangle' (RVm: compare Prince^{EB iii. 3228}), 1 Samuel 18:6 (+ בְּתֻמִּים).

III. שָׁלִישׁ noun masculine adjutant or officer (best explained as third man (in chariot), see especially Hpt^{BAS iv. 586 f.} Bender^{ZAW xxiii (1903), 19} WMM^As.u.Eur.329; see also Kau^{M.N.,DPV.1904, 19}; doubted by Di^{Exodus 14:7} Baen^ib. Buhl¹⁴); — absolute ׳שׁ of king's personal attendant at court 2 Kings 7:2,17,19, suffix, military officer of king, שָֽׁלִשֹׁח 2 Kings 9:25, ָ(שׁלִישׁוֺ 2 Kings 15:25 (on abnormal ָ֯ see Ges^{§ 93xx} Kö^{ii. 1. 133, 449, 495}); plural שָֽׁלִישִׁים Ezekiel 23:15 + (sometimes שָֽׁלִשִׁם etc.) Ezekiel 23:23; Exodus 14:7; 2 Kings 10:25 (twice in verse), + (Qr) 2 Samuel 23:8 (> Kt שׁלשׁי), 1 Chronicles 11:11; 1 Chronicles 12:19 (18 van d. H.; Kt in both, שׁלושׁים), read in all three (ראֹשׁ) הַשִּׁלֹשָׁה chief of the three ᵐ5^L We Dr Bu Now. — שָֽׁלִשִׁים Proverbs 22:20 Qr see שִׁלְשֹׁם.

Overview

שָׁלִישׁ (shalish) appears seventeen times in the Old Testament, functioning chiefly in two spheres: (1) a title for select military or royal officers and (2) a metaphor for an exact, often abundant, measure. In both arenas the term points to what is outstanding—either the elite standing of a warrior or the fullness of a measured quantity—thereby underscoring themes of authority, trust, and completeness.

Usage in Military Hierarchy

1. Elite chariot corps of Egypt (Exodus 14:7; 15:4)

Pharaoh’s pursuit of Israel involves “all the elite officers of his army”. The word identifies a class distinct from the common soldier, indicating a strategic, highly trained cadre. Their destruction magnifies the Lord’s supremacy over even the most formidable human forces.

2. David’s mighty warriors (2 Samuel 23:8)

Josheb-Basshebeth is called “chief of the captains.” Here shalish marks the apex of Israelite valor. In David’s annals the title signals courage proven in covenant warfare and foreshadows the Messiah’s perfect kingship.

3. Royal aides in the Northern Kingdom (2 Kings 7:2, 17, 19; 9:25; 10:25; 15:25)

These passages portray shalishîm as confidants who stand “by the king’s hand” or execute sensitive orders. Their proximity to power brings either privilege or peril; the officer who scoffs at Elisha’s prophecy in 2 Kings 7 is trampled in fulfillment of the prophet’s word, illustrating that no rank exempts one from divine verdict.

4. Administrative officers under Solomon (1 Kings 9:22; 2 Chronicles 8:9)

Solomon refrains from enslaving Israelites, yet appoints them “men of war, commanders and captains, and commanders of his chariots and cavalry.” Shalishîm help structure a peaceful yet prepared kingdom, modeling balanced governance.

5. Assyrian and Babylonian imagery (Ezekiel 23:15, 23)

In Ezekiel’s allegory of Oholah and Oholibah, the prophet names shalishîm among the oppressors’ ranks, warning that misdirected trust in foreign “officers” invites judgment.

Measure and Metaphor

Outside military contexts the term shifts to measurement, yet retains the idea of something notable:

• Psalm 80:5: “You have made them drink their fill of tears.”
• Isaiah 40:12: God “held the dust of the earth in a measure.”

Both verses employ shalish to express superlative fullness—either sorrow poured out in discipline or creation held with effortless precision. The juxtaposition exalts God’s sovereignty in both chastening His people and measuring the cosmos.

Narrative Function and Theological Threads

• Human reliance vs. divine reliability—Egypt’s shalishîm perish, whereas Israel’s survival rests solely on the LORD (Exodus 14–15).
• Accountability of leadership—high-ranking aides fall when they oppose prophetic truth (2 Kings 7; 9; 10).
• Foreshadowing the Servant-King—David’s chief shalish prefigures the ultimate Captain of salvation who “leads many sons to glory.”
• Fullness in judgment and mercy—whether abundant tears or cosmic dust, every measure is in God’s hand (Psalm 80:5; Isaiah 40:12).

Practical Ministry Applications

1. Leadership carries privilege and peril; position must marry humility and obedience to God’s word.
2. Congregational overseers, like ancient shalishîm, serve near the “royal hand” of Christ; faithfulness, not status, secures lasting honor.
3. The Lord alone sets true measures. Pastoral care should help believers interpret both abundance and scarcity under God’s precise governance.
4. Scripture’s consistency—from Exodus through the prophets—warns against misplaced confidence in human strength and invites trust in the Captain of our salvation.

Conclusion

Shalish traces a path from the chariots of Pharaoh to the cosmic scales of Isaiah, consistently spotlighting what is select, weighty, or complete. Its every appearance directs attention to the ultimate Commander who appoints leaders, measures destinies, and commands history for His redemptive purposes.

בַּשָּׁלִ֖שׁ בשלש הַשָּׁלִ֜ישׁ הַשָּׁלִ֡ישׁ הַשָּׁלִשִׁ֗י השליש השלשי וְהַשָּׁ֣לִשִׁ֔ים וְלַשָּׁלִשִׁ֜ים וְשָׁלִשִׁ֖ם וְשָׁלִשָׁ֔יו וּבְשָׁלִשִֽׁים׃ ובשלשים׃ והשלשים ולשלשים ושלשיו ושלשם שָֽׁלִשִׁים֙ שָֽׁלִשָׁ֖יו שָׁלִֽישׁ׃ שָׁלִישָׁ֔יו שָׁלִישׁ֗וֹ שָׁלִשִׁ֖ים שָֽׁלִשֹׁ֔ו שליש׃ שלישו שלישיו שלשו שלשיו שלשים baš·šā·liš bashshaLish baššāliš haš·šā·li·šî haš·šā·lîš hashshaLish hashshaliShi haššālîš haššālišî šā·li·šāw šā·lî·šāw šā·li·šîm šā·li·šōw šā·lî·šōw šā·lîš šālîš šālišāw šālîšāw šālišîm šālišōw šālîšōw shaLish shaliShav shaliShim shaliSho ū·ḇə·šā·li·šîm ūḇəšālišîm uveshaliShim vehashShaliShim velashshaliShim veshaliShav veshaliShim wə·haš·šā·li·šîm wə·laš·šā·li·šîm wə·šā·li·šāw wə·šā·li·šim wəhaššālišîm wəlaššālišîm wəšālišāw wəšālišimInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts