Sheva
שְׁוָא/SHEE-vuh/
“Vanity or falsehood; some suggest 'Jehovah contends'”
Summary
The name of two men in the Old Testament: a son of Caleb who founded two towns, and a royal secretary under King David.
☩Son of Caleb
The first Sheva was the last named of four sons born to Caleb ben-Hezron by his concubine Maachah. He is described as the 'father'—meaning founder or chief—of Machbena and Gibea, indicating he established or led these communities.
Key verses:1 Chronicles 2:49
☩David's Secretary
The second Sheva served as the scribe or royal secretary under King David. This same official appears under different names elsewhere in Scripture: Seraiah in 2 Samuel 8:17, Shisha in 1 Kings 4:3, and Shavsha in 1 Chronicles 18:16. These variations likely reflect different transliterations of the same Babylonian or foreign name.
Key verses:2 Samuel 20:252 Samuel 8:171 Chronicles 18:16
See Also
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Sheva," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. IX (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.James Orr (ed.), "Sheva," in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. IV (Howard-Severance Company, 1915).
- 3.Andrew Robert Fausset, "Sheva," in The Englishman's Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopædia (Hodder & Stoughton, 1878).