Shelomoth

Biblical Record

Shelomoth appears only in 1 Chronicles 26. First Chronicles 23–26 records how David, late in his reign, divided and assigned the duties of the Levites, and 26:20–28 introduces those who were in charge of the treasuries.

First Chronicles 26:25 gives the line of Eliezer, the son of Moses, in the order Rehabiah, Jeshaiah, Joram, Zichri, and Shelomith (KJV). Shelomoth is the last figure in this genealogy. According to the verses that follow (26:26–28), Shelomoth and his brothers were "over all the treasures of the dedicated things" (1 Chronicles 26:26). Dedicated things were objects set apart to be offered to God. These had been dedicated by King David, the heads of fathers' houses, the captains over thousands and hundreds, and the captains of the host. The text explains that some of them were taken from the spoils of war and dedicated "to maintain the house of the LORD" (1 Chronicles 26:27). The things dedicated by Samuel the seer, Saul the son of Kish, Abner the son of Ner, and Joab the son of Zeruiah were likewise all under the care of Shelomoth and his brothers (1 Chronicles 26:28).

Apart from this office, Scripture records nothing of Shelomoth's life or deeds.

Significance Within Scripture

Chronicles records that offerings dedicated from the days of Samuel and Saul through the time of David were gathered and administered in one place. In this way it portrays the devotion of several eras flowing into the worship of the temple. Shelomoth's name has been preserved as the steward entrusted with those offerings.

Within the same chapter the work is divided: the treasuries of the house of God were in the charge of the descendants of Gershon (1 Chronicles 26:21–22), while the treasuries of the dedicated things were in the charge of the descendants of Eliezer. This division shows that the duties of the Levites were finely subdivided. Shelomoth is not mentioned in the New Testament.

Interpretation and Issues

• Spelling of the name: In the written Hebrew text the name appears as Shelomoth, but the reading tradition is understood to direct that it be read Shelomith. For this reason, among English Bibles the King James Version reads Shelomith, while many modern translations read Shelomoth.
• Others of the same name: The Shelomoth of 1 Chronicles 24:22, a Levite of the line of Izhar, is regarded as a different person from this Shelomoth, the descendant of Eliezer.
• Nature of the genealogy: Whether the repeated "his son" in 26:25 indicates successive father-son relationships over several generations or a list of representative figures that skips generations cannot be determined from the text alone.
• Chronological question: Interpretations differ regarding the statement that Shelomoth administered even offerings from the times of Samuel, Saul, and Abner. Some read it to mean that offerings accumulated from earlier times were organized and entrusted to him in David's day; others see it as the Chronicler's way of bringing the devotion of various eras together in a temple-centered account.

In the Korean Church

Sermons or Sunday school lessons devoted specifically to Shelomoth are rare. He is usually mentioned in the course of whole-Bible reading programs or expository teaching that covers the assignment of Levitical duties in 1 Chronicles. Some sermons connect his responsibility for dedicated offerings with the faithfulness of a steward.