A Name of God in the Bible: Jehovah-Shalom

“Shalom” is a Hebrew word that means “peace.” Jehovah-Shalom means “The Lord is Peace.” The original word for “peace” in the Bible means peace, harmony, no war, no danger, and prosperity. It is often used as a greeting when meeting and a blessing when departing. It means “free from illness or trouble” (Luke 15:27; 5:31), “healthy” (3 John 1:2), and “mercy and prosperity” (Daniel 4:1, 4:37). The word appears at least 365 times in the Old and New Testaments—one for every day of the year. Yet, God is the giver of peace, and true peace is about being reconciled with God (Romans 5:1), being at peace with others, and finding rest for yourself.

In the Old Testament book of Judges, we see that during the time of the judges, Israel had no king and was constantly being invaded and oppressed by foreign nations, leaving them without peace. God often raised up judges to help them defeat their enemies. Chapter 6 of Judges records that the Israelites were being attacked by the Midianites, the Amalekites, and other peoples from the East who destroyed their crops and stole their livestock. God called Gideon, a mighty warrior. The Lord told Gideon that He would give him the power to save Israel from the Midianites. Gideon’s first reaction upon recognizing God was not to praise Him, but to cry out, “Alas, O Lord God! For I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face” (Judges 6:22). Gideon knew that God was awesome and had told Moses, “no one may see me and live” (Exodus 33:20). But God, in His grace, removed the fear from Gideon’s heart and gave him peace. Only by understanding the awesomeness of God can a person have true peace. For everyone who fears God, He “will fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope” (Romans 15:13). Gideon confessed his inability and humble origins. His admission of being poor and having nothing—”how can I save Israel?”—was the beginning of receiving grace.

The Lord said to him, “Peace be with you; do not fear; you shall not die.” So Gideon built an altar there to the Lord and called it Jehovah-Shalom, which means “The Lord is Peace” (Judges 6:23-24). For God’s people, the restoration of peace in His presence is the beginning of salvation.