שׁוּעָל
𐤔𐤅𐤏𐤋
shûwʻâl
H7776 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A small, wild, carnivorous mammal, typically identified in the Hebrew Bible as a jackal, particularly characterized by scavenging and nocturnal behavior. In some contexts, may refer more generally to small wild canids. The term is used in narrative, poetic, and prophetic texts to evoke images of desolation, ruin, and abandonment, due to the animal’s presence in deserted places.
Semantic Range
jackal; (less commonly) fox; wild scavenging canid; symbol of desolation and ruin; literal animal noted for burrowing or den-dwelling behavior; metaphor for abandonment or wildness
Root / Etymology
The term שׁוּעָל (shûwʻâl) is derived from the root שֹׁעַל (shoʻal), likely related to concepts of hollowness, burrowing, or digging, though the precise root sense is debated. The word refers specifically to the animal, whereas the root refers to the idea of a cavity or hollow place, possibly alluding to the animal’s habitat or behavior (burrowing or den-dwelling).
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, שׁוּעָל occurs in both prose and poetic contexts (e.g., Judges 15:4; Song of Songs 2:15; Lamentations 5:18). While some older English translations rendered the term as 'fox,' zoological and contextual scholarship now indicates that the jackal (Canis aureus or related species native to the region) is the more accurate identification. Foxes were less common in ancient Canaan, and the behaviors described (group scavenging, habitation among ruins) align with jackals. In prophetic and lament texts, שׁוּעָל is associated with abandonment and judgment, as in images of jackals inhabiting the ruins of cities (e.g., Psalm 63:11[10]; Lamentations 5:18). The term is used both in the literal sense (as in the Samson narrative of Judges 15, where living animals are caught and released) and as a symbol of desolation. Later translations (post-biblical Greek and Latin) sometimes retained ambiguity or read 'fox.' In post-exilic and Second Temple Hebrew (and early rabbinic literature), the interpretation of שׁוּעָל continued to fluctuate, but consistently referenced small wild canids native to the Levant.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
or שֻׁעָל; from the same as שֹׁעַל; a jackal (as a burrower); fox.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
שעל (sh-ʿ-l) — to hollow out, to dig, to burrow
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7776-03 |
שׁוּעָלִ֑ים | shualim | HNcmpa |
foxes | jackals | 5 |
H7776-02 |
שׁוּעָ֔ל | shual | HNcmsa |
a fox | Jackal | 1 |
H7776-01 |
כְּ/שֻׁעָלִ֖ים | keshualim | HR/Ncmpa |
like foxes | like burrowing-jackals | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
7 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7776-03 |
Judges 15:4 | שׁוּעָלִ֑ים | shualim | HNcmpa |
foxes | jackals |
H7776-01 |
Ezekiel 13:4 | כְּ/שֻׁעָלִ֖ים | keshualim | HR/Ncmpa |
like foxes | like burrowing-jackals |
H7776-03 |
Psalms 63:11 | שֻׁעָלִ֣ים | shualim | HNcmpa |
jackals | jackals |
H7776-03 |
Song of Songs 2:15 | שֽׁוּעָלִ֔ים | shualim | HNcmpa |
the foxes | jackals |
H7776-03 |
Song of Songs 2:15 | שֽׁוּעָלִ֥ים | shualim-2 | HNcmpa |
the foxes | jackals |
H7776-03 |
Lamentations 5:18 | שׁוּעָלִ֖ים | shualim | HNcmpa |
foxes | jackals |
H7776-02 |
Nehemiah 3:35 | שׁוּעָ֔ל | shual | HNcmsa |
a fox | Jackal |