Shalim, Land of

The land of Shalim (or Shalim) was one of three districts through which Saul passed while searching for his father Kish's lost donkeys, before being directed to Samuel (1 Sam. 9:4). The other districts were the hill country of Ephraim and the land of Shalisha. Shalim has not been identified with certainty; the name may be related to the Hebrew word for "foxes" or "jackals." Its brief appearance in this narrative underscores the providential character of Saul's meeting with Samuel, which occurred precisely because the donkeys were not found.