Bishlam בִּשְׁלָם
Samaritan official who opposed the rebuilding of Jerusalem
Who is Bishlam in the Bible?
Bishlam was a Samaritan official who, together with Mithredath, Tabeel, and other associates, wrote a letter to King Artaxerxes of Persia opposing the Jewish rebuilding of Jerusalem (Ezr. 4:7). As inhabitants of the region north of Judah, the Samaritans viewed the Jewish reconstruction efforts as a threat and sought to undermine the project by appealing to the Persian king. In their Aramaic letter, they accused the Jews of rebuilding a rebellious city and warned that a rebuilt Jerusalem would lead to tax evasion and loss of royal revenue. Their opposition proved effective, as King Artaxerxes subsequently ordered the work to cease until further notice (Ezr. 4:21-22). Bishlam's role in this episode illustrates the external resistance the Jewish community faced during the post-exilic period as they attempted to restore their homeland.
Biography
Bishlam was a Samaritan official who, together with Tabeel and the rest of their associates, wrote a letter to King Artaxerxes of Persia to oppose the rebuilding of Jerusalem (Ezr. 4:7). This letter was written in Aramaic and translated, indicating that it was an official document. The Samaritans, who were the inhabitants of the region north of Judah, were adversaries of the Jews and sought to undermine their efforts to rebuild the city and the temple. In their letter, they accused the Jews of rebuilding a rebellious and wicked city, warning the king that if the city were rebuilt, the Jews would no longer pay taxes and would damage the king's revenues (Ezr. 4:12-13). As a result of this letter, the king ordered the work on the city to cease until further notice (Ezr. 4:21-22). Bishlam's actions demonstrate the political opposition and challenges faced by the Jews as they sought to restore their homeland after the Babylonian exile.
In Scripture
1 biblical book ; 1 with study contentEzra 1 verse
- Ezra 4:7
"And in the days of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his associates wrote a letter to Artaxerxes. It was written in Aramaic and then translated."
Study Ezra →
Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script |
|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | בִּשְׁלָם |
Encyclopedia Article
ISBE 1915 (Public Domain) Bishlam
is "Belemus." "And in the days of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his companions, unto Artaxerxes, king of Persia," etc. (Ezr 4:7). The Septuagint renders Bishlam as en eirene, "in peace," as though it were a phrase rather than a proper name; this is clearly an error.
bish'-up: The word is evidently an abbreviation of the Greek episkopos; Latin, episcopus.
General
1Use in the Septuagint and Classic Greek
The Septuagint gives it the generic meaning of "superinten