Shelemiah שֶׁלֶמְיָהוּ

Who is Shelemiah in the Bible?

Shelemiah was an Israelite who married a foreign woman during the post-exilic period after the return from Babylonian captivity. He is mentioned in Ezra 10:41 as one of many Israelites who had taken foreign wives in violation of Jewish law. When the priest Ezra initiated religious reform to restore covenant faithfulness, Shelemiah was among those who agreed to send away his foreign wife as part of the community's repentance and purification. His inclusion in this account illustrates the challenge of maintaining religious identity during the vulnerable period of Israel's restoration and the serious measures taken to preserve the covenant community.