Lexical Summary naal or naalah: Sandal, shoe Original Word: נַעַל Strong's Exhaustive Concordance dryshod, shoe latchet, Or (feminine) na;alah {nah-al-aw'}; from na'al; properly, a sandal tongue; by extens. A sandal or slipper (sometimes as a symbol of occupancy, a refusal to marry, or of something valueless) -- dryshod, (pair of) shoe((-latchet), -s). see HEBREW na'al NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom naal Definition a sandal, shoe NASB Translation dry-shod (1), sandal (7), sandals (9), shoe (2), shoes (3). Brown-Driver-Briggs נַ֫עַל noun feminineJoshua 9:5 sandal, shoe (Late Hebrew id.; Arabic  id. (also horse-shoe, etc.); Syriac  apparently only horse-shoe (rare; also NS) PS2405; compare possibly Ethiopic  (obsolete) wife of Levirate marriage Di676); — absolute ׳נ Genesis 14:23, נָ֑עַל Deuteronomy 25:10; suffix נַעֲלִי Psalm 60:10; Psalm 108:10, נַעַלְךָ Joshua 5:15, etc.; dual נַעֲלָ֑יִם Amos 2:6; Amos 8:6; plural נְעָילִם Isaiah 11:15; Songs 7:2, נְעָלוֺת Joshua 9:5; suffix נְעָלֶיךָ Exodus 3:5; Ezekiel 24:17, נְעָלָיו Isaiah 5:27, נְעָלֵינוּ Joshua 9:13, נַעֲלֵיכֶם Exodus 12:11; Ezekiel 24:23; — sandal Judges 9:13; Amos 2:6; Amos 8:6 (dual = pair of sandals; mentioned as of little worth); Deuteronomy 29:4; on (ב) feet Joshua 9:5 (JE), 1 Kings 2:5; Ezekiel 24:23; Exodus 12:11 (P); compare מְּעָמַיִךְ בַּנְּעָלִים Cant 7:2, ׳וְהִדְרִיךְ בַּנ Isaiah 11:15; put on sandal is בְּרֶגֶל ׳שִׂים נ Ezekiel 24:17; loose the sandal is חָלַץ Isaiah 20:2; Deuteronomy 25:9 compare Deuteronomy 25:10; שַׁל (Imperative) Exodus 3:5 (E), Joshua 5:15 (JE); שָׁלַף Ruth 4:7,8 (compare BurtonMidian ii. 197); sandal-thong is שְׂרוֺךְ Genesis 14:23; Isaiah 5:27; עַלאֱֿדוֺם אַשְׁלִיךְ נַעֲלִי Psalm 60:10 upon Edom do I cast my sandal = Psalm 108:10, denotes either contempt (Hup; עַל = unto, figurative of slave), or taking possession of (Fl in De, Che Bae), "" מוֺאָב סִיר רַחְצִי favoursformer. — On symbolic use of sandal see further GoldziherAbh. z. Arab. Philol. i. 47 f. JacobArab. Dicht. iv. 23. Topical Lexicon Physical Description and Cultural Background נַעַל denotes the sandal, a light, open shoe of leather or woven material secured by straps. In the climate of the Ancient Near East it provided basic foot protection, allowed mobility in stony deserts, and could be removed quickly when entering homes or holy precincts. The sandal’s strap (Genesis 14:23) and latchet (Isaiah 5:27) were essential components, and the whole article could symbolize either poverty when lacking (Isaiah 20:2) or beauty when finely crafted (Songs 7:1). Usage in Ordinary Life Sandals were a daily necessity for shepherds, travelers, and soldiers. The Lord reminded Israel, “During the forty years I led you in the wilderness, your clothes did not wear out, nor did the sandals on your feet” (Deuteronomy 29:5), highlighting divine provision. Even in military mobilization the sandal remained intact: “The strap of their sandals is not broken” (Isaiah 5:27). Removal as Sign of Reverence Twice the Lord commands His servants to remove their sandals because of holy ground: to Moses at Horeb (Exodus 3:5) and to Joshua near Jericho (Joshua 5:15). The act expresses humble acknowledgment that no human workmanship—even something as common as footwear—may intrude between a worshiper and God’s sanctity. Legal and Covenant Symbolism Deuteronomy 25:9–10 institutes the levirate ceremony in which the widow removes her brother-in-law’s sandal, publicly shaming him for refusing to raise offspring for his deceased brother. Centuries later, Ruth 4:7–8 records a related custom of transfer of property: “So the redeemer removed his sandal and said to Boaz, ‘Buy it for yourself.’” The sandal thus functioned as a tangible token of relinquished rights and responsibilities. Military and Territorial Metaphor In Psalm 60:8 (repeated in Psalm 108:9) the Lord declares, “Moab is My washbasin; upon Edom I cast My sandal,” signifying ownership and subjugation. Casting a sandal over conquered soil figuratively stakes divine claim, much as soldiers might place their foot upon a vanquished foe. Poetic and Prophetic Imagery The Song of Songs extols the beloved: “How beautiful are your feet in sandals, O daughter of a prince!” (Songs 7:1). Conversely, Amos condemns social injustice where the needy are sold “for a pair of sandals” (Amos 2:6; 8:6), exposing how cheaply oppressors value human life. Ezekiel is commanded not to remove his sandals while mourning (Ezekiel 24:17, 24:23) to portray Israel’s stunned silence at Jerusalem’s fall—grief without customary expression. Messianic and Ministry Implications John the Baptist alludes to נַעַל when he confesses unworthiness to untie Messiah’s sandal (a servant’s task), reflecting the humility already foreshadowed in Genesis 14:23 where Abram refuses even a “strap of a sandal” from the king of Sodom lest God’s glory be diminished. Believers are likewise equipped “with the readiness of the gospel of peace” (Ephesians 6:15), an image rooted in the protective and mobile nature of the sandal. Spiritual Lessons for Believers 1. Holiness requires removing every earthly barrier (Exodus 3:5). Forms and Transliterations בַּנְּעָלִ֖ים בַּנְּעָלִֽים׃ בנעלים בנעלים׃ הַנָּֽעַל׃ הנעל׃ וְנַֽעֲלֵיכֶם֙ וְנַֽעַלְךָ֥ וְנַעַלְךָ֥ וּֽבְנַעֲל֖וֹ וּנְעָל֨וֹת וּנְעָלֵ֔ינוּ וּנְעָלֶ֖יךָ ובנעלו ונעלות ונעליך ונעליכם ונעלינו ונעלך נְעָלֶ֙יךָ֙ נְעָלָֽיו׃ נַ֔עַל נַֽעֲלֵיכֶם֙ נַֽעַלְךָ֙ נַעֲל֖וֹ נַעֲלִ֑י נַעֲלָ֑יִם נַעֲלָֽיִם׃ נַעֲלֽוֹ׃ נַעֲלוֹ֙ נעל נעלו נעלו׃ נעלי נעליו׃ נעליך נעליכם נעלים נעלים׃ נעלך ban·nə·‘ā·lîm bannə‘ālîm banneaLim han·nā·‘al hannā‘al hanNaal na‘al na‘ălāyim na‘ălêḵem na‘ălî na‘alḵā na‘ălōw na·‘ă·lā·yim na·‘ă·lê·ḵem na·‘ă·lî na·‘ă·lōw na·‘al na·‘al·ḵā Naal naaLayim naalCha naaleiChem naaLi naaLo nə‘ālāw nə‘āleḵā nə·‘ā·lāw nə·‘ā·le·ḵā neaLav neaLeicha ū·ḇə·na·‘ă·lōw ū·nə·‘ā·le·ḵā ū·nə·‘ā·lê·nū ū·nə·‘ā·lō·wṯ ūḇəna‘ălōw ūnə‘āleḵā ūnə‘ālênū ūnə‘ālōwṯ uneaLeicha uneaLeinu uneaLot uvenaaLo venaalCha venaaleiChem wə·na·‘ă·lê·ḵem wə·na·‘al·ḵā wəna‘ălêḵem wəna‘alḵāLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 14:23 HEB: וְעַ֣ד שְׂרֽוֹךְ־ נַ֔עַל וְאִם־ אֶקַּ֖ח NAS: a thread or a sandal thong INT: against thong A sandal will not take Exodus 3:5 Exodus 12:11 Deuteronomy 25:9 Deuteronomy 25:10 Deuteronomy 29:5 Joshua 5:15 Joshua 9:5 Joshua 9:13 Ruth 4:7 Ruth 4:8 1 Kings 2:5 Psalm 60:8 Psalm 108:9 Songs 7:1 Isaiah 5:27 Isaiah 11:15 Isaiah 20:2 Ezekiel 24:17 Ezekiel 24:23 Amos 2:6 Amos 8:6 22 Occurrences |
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