Shelomi is a name found in the King James Bible, appearing 1 time in the text.
Who This Was
Shelomi was an Israelite man of the tribe of Asher, known in Scripture only as the father of Ahihud. He is mentioned a single time in the King James Bible, in Numbers 34:27: “And the prince of the tribe of the children of Asher, Ahihud the son of Shelomi.” Beyond this brief notice, the Bible records nothing of his life, his deeds, or his death. He appears in the sacred text solely through his son, and his place in the story of Israel is preserved because of the role his son was appointed to fill.
The setting is the close of the wilderness wanderings, as the people of Israel camped in the plains of Moab east of the Jordan. God had instructed Moses to divide the land of Canaan among the tribes as an inheritance, and He named the men who would represent each tribe in that allotment. These were “the princes” or leaders of the tribes, one man chosen from each. For the tribe of Asher, that appointed leader was Ahihud, and Ahihud is identified as the son of Shelomi. Shelomi himself was not the prince; his son was. Yet the father’s name is woven into the record as part of the son’s identity, the way Scripture often anchors a person to his family line.
What Scripture says of Shelomi is therefore very little, and yet it is enough to place him within the redeemed community of Israel at a pivotal moment. He did not lead, speak, or act in the account. He belonged to the generation that entered the land, and his son stood among the men God Himself named to divide it. Shelomi’s legacy in the biblical record is simply this: he was the father of a faithful leader.
The Name
The name Shelomi is a Hebrew name, and its meaning is not as clearly established as some others in Scripture. It appears to be related to the Hebrew root *shalom*, which carries the sense of peace, wholeness, or completeness, and names built on this root often express something like “peaceful” or “my peace” or “peace belongs to God.” Some read Shelomi along these lines, understanding it as a name of peace or well-being. However, because the name occurs only once in the Bible and the exact form and derivation are not certain, its meaning cannot be stated with full confidence. What can be said honestly is that the name is likely connected to the idea of peace, but the precise sense is not clearly recoverable.
A Closing Thought
Most of us will never be the one whose name is remembered for a great deed. Shelomi never led a tribe, never spoke before Moses, never entered the promised land as a prince. He is remembered only as the father of a man who did. And yet God saw fit to write his name into Scripture. There is a quiet dignity in being the faithful parent behind a faithful child, the unseen root that holds up the visible branch. Whatever small and hidden part we play in God’s story, He does not forget it. The name of Shelomi stands as a gentle reminder that heaven keeps its own records.
At a Glance
- Gender: Male
- Testament: Old
- Mentions in the KJV: 1
Where It Appears in Scripture
- Numbers 34:27 — And the prince of the tribe of the children of Asher, Ahihud the son of Shelomi.