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שָׁלַל

𐤔𐤋𐤋

shâlal

H7997 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To strip or remove forcibly, especially in the context of taking goods, possessions, or valuables as spoils of war; to despoil, plunder, or seize. The term encompasses not only the act of physical removal but also the state of being stripped or left bare, particularly after conflict or defeat. In certain contexts, it can also refer to making something vulnerable to being seized, or figuratively to being made a victim or prey.

Semantic Range

to strip (in the sense of remove clothing or goods), to despoil, to plunder, to take as spoil, to make prey of, to be made vulnerable to seizure, to rob, to be stripped bare

Root / Etymology

Root: שׁ־ל־ל (שָׁלַל). The core meaning of the root is 'to draw off,' 'strip,' or 'pull away.' The verb derives literally from the act of pulling or tearing something away, especially in a forcible or aggressive context. From this root develop both the concrete noun for booty or spoil (שָׁלָל) and the verbal meaning 'to strip/plunder.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, שָׁלַל is most commonly used in narratives of warfare or raiding to describe the removal of goods or valuables from defeated enemies by Israelites, Judahites, or foreign powers. The term is predominant in historical texts (Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings, Chronicles) where the taking of spoils is an assumed part of military victory. In poetic and prophetic literature, the term can be employed metaphorically for vulnerability or exploitation. The nuance of 'making oneself a prey' or 'making oneself subject to plundering' appears in passages where the speaker or recipient is portrayed as exposed or defenseless (e.g., Isaiah 42:22). Unlike other Hebrew verbs for taking (e.g., לקח 'to take, seize' or בזז 'to despoil'), שָׁלַל especially focuses on the act of stripping or forcibly divesting, emphasizing the resulting state of the one dispossessed. Later English translations sometimes narrow the sense to 'spoil' or 'prey,' but the Hebrew can have a broader application including any form of forcibly removing goods or property. The semantic field remains largely stable over time, retaining its military and violent connotations throughout the First Temple and Second Temple periods.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to drop or strip; by implication, to plunder; let fall, make self a prey, [idiom] of purpose, (make a, (take)) spoil.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

שׁלם (Meshulam) — to be complete, to be whole, to be at peace

Root שׁלם to pull off, strip, remove forcibly
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4918 מְשֻׁלָּם Recompensed one
H4920 מְשֶׁלֶמְיָה Yah has made whole
H7759 שׁוּלַמִּית in the Peaceful One
H7965 שָׁלוֹם in the wholeness
H7966 שִׁלּוּם in the restitution-payment

Word Forms

13 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H7997-04 לִ/שְׁלֹ֥ל lishelol HR/Vqc to take to strip away to strip away 3
H7997-12 וְ/שָׁלְל֣וּ veshalelu HC/Vqq3cp and-they-will-plunder and they stripped away and they despoiled 2
H7997-01 אֶשְׁתּוֹלְל֨וּ eshetolelu HVrp3cp were plundered they stripped themselves bare they were plundered 1
H7997-02 הֲ/לִ/שְׁלֹ֤ל halishelol HTi/R/Vqc Have you come for spoil? to strip away forcibly to strip away forcibly 1
H7997-03 הַ/שֹּׁלְלִ֣ים hasholelim HTd/Vqrmpa who plundered the plunderers the plunderers 1
H7997-05 מִשְׁתּוֹלֵ֑ל mishetolel HVrrmsa makes himself a prey self-plundering one becomes a prey 1
H7997-06 שַׁלּ֨וֹתָ֙ shalota HVqp2ms have plundered you stripped away you plundered 1
H7997-07 שֹׁל shol HVqa pull out to strip off forcibly to pull out 1
H7997-08 שֹׁלְלֶ֥י/הָ sholeleyha HVqrmpc/Sp3fs her plunderers her plundering-ones her plunderers 1
H7997-09 שֹׁלְלֵי/הֶ֗ם sholeleyhem HVqrmpc/Sp3mp spoilers-of-them those stripping them those despoiling them 1

Occurrences in Scripture

16 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H7997-04 Isaiah 10:6 לִ/שְׁלֹ֤ל lishelol HR/Vqc to take to strip away to strip away
H7997-05 Isaiah 59:15 מִשְׁתּוֹלֵ֑ל mishetolel HVrrmsa makes himself a prey self-plundering one becomes a prey
H7997-08 Jeremiah 50:10 שֹׁלְלֶ֥י/הָ sholeleyha HVqrmpc/Sp3fs her plunderers her plundering-ones her plunderers
H7997-12 Ezekiel 26:12 וְ/שָׁלְל֣וּ veshalelu HC/Vqq3cp and-they-will-plunder and they stripped away and they plundered
H7997-11 Ezekiel 29:19 וְ/שָׁלַ֤ל veshalal HC/Vqq3ms and seize plunder and seize
H7997-04 Ezekiel 38:12 לִ/שְׁלֹ֥ל lishelol HR/Vqc to take to strip away to strip away
H7997-02 Ezekiel 38:13 הֲ/לִ/שְׁלֹ֤ל halishelol HTi/R/Vqc Have you come for spoil? to strip away forcibly to strip away forcibly
H7997-04 Ezekiel 38:13 לִ/שְׁלֹ֖ל lishelol HR/Vqc to seize to strip away to strip away
H7997-12 Ezekiel 39:10 וְ/שָׁלְל֣וּ veshalelu HC/Vqq3cp and-they-will-spoil and they stripped away and they despoiled
H7997-09 Ezekiel 39:10 שֹׁלְלֵי/הֶ֗ם sholeleyhem HVqrmpc/Sp3mp spoilers-of-them those stripping them those despoiling them
H7997-06 Habakkuk 2:8 שַׁלּ֨וֹתָ֙ shalota HVqp2ms have plundered you stripped away you plundered
H7997-13 Habakkuk 2:8 יְשָׁלּ֖וּ/ךָ yeshalukha HVqi3mp/Sp2ms will plunder you they will strip you they will plunder you
H7997-03 Zechariah 2:12 הַ/שֹּׁלְלִ֣ים hasholelim HTd/Vqrmpa who plundered the plunderers the plunderers
H7997-01 Psalms 76:6 אֶשְׁתּוֹלְל֨וּ eshetolelu HVrp3cp were plundered they stripped themselves bare they were plundered
H7997-07 Ruth 2:16 שֹׁל shol HVqa pull out to strip off forcibly to pull out
H7997-10 Ruth 2:16 תָּשֹׁ֥לּוּ tasholu HVqi2mp you shall pull you will strip away you shall pull out
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