Salmon שַׂלְמָא
Son of Nahshon; husband of Rahab; ancestor of David
Who is Salmon in the Bible?
Salmon was the son of Nahshon, a leader of the tribe of Judah during Israel's wilderness wanderings, and the husband of Rahab, the Canaanite woman who sheltered the Israelite spies at Jericho (1 Chronicles 2:11, Ruth 4:20-21). Their son was Boaz, who married Ruth the Moabite woman, and through this line came Obed, Jesse, and King David (Ruth 4:13-22). Salmon appears in multiple biblical genealogies, including Matthew 1:4-5 and Luke 3:32, as a crucial link in the ancestry of Jesus Christ. His marriage to Rahab, a foreigner and former resident of a pagan city, demonstrates God's grace and the inclusion of Gentiles in the lineage of the Messiah, showing that salvation history embraces people from all nations who respond to God's call.
Biography
Salmon (or Sala) is mentioned in several genealogies in the Bible, including 1Ch.2.11, Rut.4.20-21, Mat.1.4-5, and Luk.3.32. He was the son of Nahshon, who was a leader of the tribe of Judah during the Israelites' wilderness wanderings (Num.1.7; 2.3; 7.12). Salmon married Rahab, the Canaanite woman who helped the Israelite spies in Jericho (Joshua 2; Num.6.22-25). This marriage is significant because it demonstrates God's grace and the inclusion of Gentiles in the lineage of the Messiah. Salmon and Rahab's son was Boaz, who married Ruth, the Moabite woman (Rut.4.13, 21). Boaz and Ruth's son was Obed, the father of Jesse, who was the father of King David (Rut.4.17, 22). Thus, Salmon is an important figure in the genealogy of David and, consequently, in the lineage of Jesus Christ (Mat.1.5-6, 16). The variations in the spelling of his name (Salmon or Sala) in different passages may be due to linguistic differences or scribal traditions.
Family
Partners
In Scripture
4 biblical books ; 2 with study content1 Chronicles 1 verse
- 1 Chronicles 2:11
"Nahshon was the father of Salmon, and Salmon was the father of Boaz."
Ruth 2 verses
- Ruth 4:21
"Salmon was the father of Boaz, Boaz was the father of Obed,"
- Ruth 4:20
"Amminadab was the father of Nahshon, Nahshon was the father of Salmon,"
Matthew 2 verses
- Matthew 1:4
"Ram was the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon."
Study Matthew → - Matthew 1:5
"Salmon was the father of Boaz by Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse,"
Study Matthew →
Luke 1 verse
- Luke 3:32
"the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Sala, the son of Nahshon,"
Study Luke →
Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script |
|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | שַׂלְמָא |
| Spelled | Hebrew | שַׂלְמוֹן |
| Spelled | Hebrew | שַׂלְמָה |
| Greek | Greek | Σαλμών |
| Named | Greek | Σαλά |
| (same ref[s] as previous) | Greek | Σαλμών |