Salu is a name found in the King James Bible, appearing 1 time in the text.
Who This Was
Salu was an Israelite of the tribe of Simeon, identified in Scripture only as the father of Zimri. His sole appearance in the King James Bible comes in Numbers 25:14, where the text records the name of the man slain during Israel’s grievous sin at Baal-peor: “Now the name of the Israelite that was slain, even that was slain with the Midianitish woman, was Zimri, the son of Salu, a prince of a chief house among the Simeonites.” Salu himself performs no action in the narrative; he is named because his son’s identity and standing in Israel are established through him.
The setting is one of Israel’s darkest hours in the wilderness. While camped on the plains of Moab, the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab and to bow down to their gods, and the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel. In the midst of this calamity, Zimri brazenly brought a Midianite woman, Cozbi, into his family tent in the sight of Moses and the whole congregation. Phinehas, the son of Eleazar the priest, rose up and slew them both, and the plague that had broken out among the people was stayed.
What Scripture says of Salu is confined to this one verse. He is not described as participating in the sin, nor is any word of praise or blame attached to him personally. He is remembered as the father of a prince of a chief house among the Simeonites—a man of rank whose son’s public immorality brought judgment upon Israel.
The Name
The name Salu is a Hebrew name whose meaning is not clearly recoverable from the biblical text. It appears only once in Scripture, and the Hebrew form does not yield a meaning that scholars affirm with confidence. Some have suggested possible connections to roots relating to exaltation, elevation, or weighing, but none of these is well established, and no proposed meaning can be stated as certain. It is best to say plainly that the meaning of this name is uncertain.
A Closing Thought
Salu’s brief mention is a quiet reminder that our lives are bound up with those we raise and influence. He is remembered not for any deed of his own, but as the father of a son whose reckless sin brought death and judgment. This is not a word of condemnation against Salu, for Scripture never charges him with guilt. It is instead a gentle summons to faithfulness in the unseen work of shaping those entrusted to us, and a comfort that even when a child wanders, the LORD remains the righteous judge who sees the heart.
At a Glance
- Gender: Male
- Testament: Old
- Mentions in the KJV: 1
Where It Appears in Scripture
- Numbers 25:14 — Now the name of the Israelite that was slain, even that was slain with the Midianitish woman, was Zimri, the son of Salu, a prince of a chief house among the Simeonites.