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Person · Tribe of Judah

Salmon

Man living before Israel's Monarchy

Salmon (or Sala) was the son of Nahshon and husband of Rahab - an ancestor of King David and Jesus Christ.

🗺 Places mentioned alongside Salmon on the map →

Also known as Salma · Sala

Salmon (or Sala) is mentioned in several genealogies in the Bible, including 1Ch.2.11, Rut.4.20-21, Mat.1.4-5, and Luk.3.32. He was the son of Nahshon, who was a leader of the tribe of Judah during the Israelites' wilderness wanderings (Num.1.7; 2.3; 7.12). Salmon married Rahab, the Canaanite woman who helped the Israelite spies in Jericho (Joshua 2; Num.6.22-25). This marriage is significant because it demonstrates God's grace and the inclusion of Gentiles in the lineage of the Messiah. Salmon and Rahab's son was Boaz, who married Ruth, the Moabite woman (Rut.4.13, 21). Boaz and Ruth's son was Obed, the father of Jesse, who was the father of King David (Rut.4.17, 22). Thus, Salmon is an important figure in the genealogy of David and, consequently, in the lineage of Jesus Christ (Mat.1.5-6, 16). The variations in the spelling of his name (Salmon or Sala) in different passages may be due to linguistic differences or scribal traditions.

Family

Father
Nahshon
Spouse or partner
Rahab
Children
Boaz

Connections

Part of: Judges era and the road to David

Judah to David: Ruth 4 and Matthew 1

FamilyStated in the text

Ruth 4:18-22 lists ten generations from Perez to David, matching Matthew 1:3-6 and Luke 3:31-33. Scholars note that ten names cover about seven centuries, so the list is likely selective.

JudahSon of IsraelPerezSon of JudahHezronSon of PerezRamSon of HezronAmminadabSon of RamNahshonSon of AmminadabSalmonSon of NahshonBoazSon of SalmonObedSon of BoazJesseDavid's fatherDavidKing of Judah
Where the text shows it: Ruth 4:18-22 — Perez to David1 Chr 2:5-15 — Chronicles parallelMatt 1:3-6 — Matthew's versionLuke 3:31-33 — Luke's version

Sources: Ruth 4:18-22 · 1 Chr 2:5-15 · Matt 1:3-6 · Luke 3:31-33

Salmon and Rahab: the Jericho woman in David's ancestry

FamilyChurch tradition

Matthew names Rahab as the wife of Salmon and mother of Boaz. The identification with the Rahab of Jericho is the standard reading, but the Old Testament never says Salmon married her, and chronology is debated.

SalmonSon of NahshonRahabA Canaanite woman who helped the Israelite spies in JerichoBoazSon of SalmonNahshonSon of Amminadab
Where the text shows it: Matt 1:5 — Salmon fathered Boaz by RahabJosh 2:1 — Rahab hides the spies at JerichoJosh 6:25 — Rahab survives Jericho's fallRuth 4:20-21 — Nahshon, Salmon, Boaz
Ways people read this (2)
  • Standard reading: Matthew's Rahab is the Rahab of Jericho.
  • Some scholars note chronological tension (about 200 years between Jericho and David) and suggest either compressed genealogies or a different Rahab.

Sources: Matt 1:5 · Josh 2:1 · Josh 6:25 · Ruth 4:20-21

More background: search Wikipedia ↗

Bible dictionary

Salmon Easton Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897)

Garment, the son of Nashon (Ruth 4:20; Matt. 1:4, 5), possibly the same as Salma in 1 Chr. 2:51.

Shady; or Zalmon (q.v.), a hill covered with dark forests, south of Shechem, from which Abimelech and his men gathered wood to burn that city (Judg. 9:48). In Ps. 68:14 the change from war to peace is likened to snow on the dark mountain, as some interpret the expression. Others suppose the words here mean that the bones of the slain left unburied covered the land, so that it seemed to be white as if covered with snow. The reference, however, of the psalm is probably to Josh. 11 and 12. The scattering of the kings and their followers is fitly likened unto the snow-flakes rapidly falling on the dark Salmon. It is the modern Jebel Suleiman.

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Salmon Smith Smith’s Bible Dictionary (1863)

the father of Boar. [Salma, Or Salmon] a hill near Shechem, on which Abimelech and his followers cut down the boughs with which they set the tower of Shechem on fire. (Judges 9:48) Its exact position is not known. Referred to in (Psalms 68:14)

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Salmon Hitchcock Hitchcock’s Bible Names Dictionary (1869)

peaceable; perfect; he that rewards

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Salmon Hastings Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible (1898)

SAL'MON (shady), Ps 68:14, or ZAL'MON, Jud 9:48, was one of the high hills which environed the ancient Shechem and afforded pasturage for Jacob's flocks. See Zalmon.

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Salmon Schaff Schaff’s Dictionary of the Bible

SAL'MON (shady), Ps 68:14, or ZAL'MON, Jud 9:48, was one of the high hills which environed the ancient Shechem and afforded pasturage for Jacob's flocks. See Zalmon.

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Easton (1897), Smith (1863), Hitchcock (1869), Hastings (1898) and Schaff are in the public domain. Parsed text: neuu-org/bible-dictionary-dataset (CC BY 4.0). Headwords and whitespace normalised for this site.

Where Salmon appears

6 verses in 4 books · English text: BSB (change it from the menu at the top) · Strong’s H8007

Ruth2
1 Chronicles1
Matthew2
Luke1

Names, family links and references: STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Short descriptions were drafted with AI assistance by STEPBible. Family links follow STEPBible’s scholarly decisions where genealogies are ambiguous.