Bible Location

Salem (Bible)

Also known as: Salem

Salem was the city ruled by Melchizedek, the priest-king who blessed Abraham after Abraham returned from defeating the coalition of eastern kings. Jewish and Christian tradition has long identified Salem with Jerusalem.

Psalm 76 places God's dwelling in Salem in parallel with Zion, providing the strongest biblical basis for associating Salem with Jerusalem.

The traditional identification is ancient and plausible, but alternative identifications have been proposed. AVWJ should therefore distinguish Salem from the similarly named Shalem or Salim unless the context clearly connects them.

Biblical Significance

Genesis 14 introduces Melchizedek as king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He brought bread and wine, blessed Abram, and praised God for delivering Abram's enemies into his hand.

Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of everything. The brief encounter became the foundation for later biblical reflection upon Melchizedek.

Psalm 76 declares that God's dwelling place is in Salem and His habitation in Zion, strongly associating Salem with Jerusalem in biblical poetic tradition.

Hebrews 7 returns to Genesis 14 and interprets Melchizedek as king of righteousness and king of Salem, which it explains as king of peace, using him as a theological pattern for the priesthood of Christ.

Historical Background

The identification of Salem with Jerusalem is ancient. Jewish interpretive tradition, Josephus, the Aramaic Targums, and early Christian writers commonly understood Melchizedek's Salem to be Jerusalem.

Psalm 76 provides important biblical support because its parallelism associates Salem directly with Zion.

Some scholars have proposed alternative locations, including a Salem or Salim in the Shechem region. The similar names appearing in other biblical passages should not automatically be assumed to designate Melchizedek's city.

No archaeological inscription has been discovered identifying a Bronze Age ruler Melchizedek or independently proving the location of his Salem.

Modern Identification

Salem is traditionally and commonly identified with Jerusalem.

This identification is supported particularly by Psalm 76:2, which places Salem and Zion in poetic parallelism, as well as by longstanding Jewish and Christian interpretation.

Alternative scholarly proposals exist, especially locations in the central hill country near Shechem. Consequently, AVWJ should describe Jerusalem as the traditional and likely identification without implying that the question has been archaeologically proven.

Scripture References

Genesis 14:18 Psalms 76:2 Hebrews 7:1

Related Resources

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Sources

Bible: Genesis 14:18-20, Psalm 76:1-2, Psalm 110:4, Hebrews 5-7; Josephus, Antiquities; ancient Jewish and Christian traditions concerning Melchizedek and Salem; historical and geographical studies concerning Jerusalem and alternative identifications of Salem