Samlah
שִׂמְלָה/SAM-lah/
“A garment”
Summary
An ancient king of Edom who reigned before Israel had kings, ruling from the city of Masrekah.
☩Reign in Edom
Samlah was a king who reigned in Edom before the Israelites had a king. He was the successor of Hadad (or Hadar) and ruled from Masrekah, which was probably the chief city during his reign. His reign dates to sometime after 1618 BC.
Key verses:Genesis 36:36-371 Chronicles 1:47-48
☩Edomite Political Structure
The mention of a separate city belonging to each of the kings of Edom suggests that the Edomite kingdom consisted of a confederacy of tribes, with the chief city of the reigning tribe serving as the metropolis of the whole nation. This explains why different kings are associated with different cities.
Key verses:Genesis 36:36-37
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Samlah," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. IX (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.James Orr (ed.), "Samlah," in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. IV (Howard-Severance Company, 1915).