Hebrew · Strong's H7998
שָׁלָל
(shah-LAHL)
noun, masculine
This noun refers to plunder, spoil, or booty taken in battle or raids, often signifying valuable possessions seized from an enemy.
The Hebrew noun *shalal* broadly refers to that which is taken from an enemy, specifically spoil, plunder, or booty. Its semantic range emphasizes material goods, livestock, and other possessions acquired through military conquest, raiding, or even personal theft within a broader context of conflict. The term often carries the implication of a victor’s gains from the vanquished. It can describe items ranging from clothing and precious metals to cattle, and sometimes even people, taken captive. The theological weight of *shalal* is frequently tied to divine judgment and the consequences of disobedience, as seen when Israel is warned against taking forbidden *shalal* or when God orchestrates events where nations become *shalal* for others. Sometimes, however, the acquisition of *shalal* is presented as a legitimate reward for military success, often divinely sanctioned, particularly in early Israelite history. The distribution of *shalal* among warriors was a significant practice, reflecting both communal sharing and individual recompense for participation in conflict. The concept of *shalal* also appears in prophetic literature, often in contexts of future judgment or restoration, where nations will be plundered or God’s people will divide the spoils.
Common English renderings
- prey
- spoil
- booty
Key verses
"Have they not found, have they not divided the spoil? A damsel, two damsels to every man; To Sisera a spoil of dyed garments, A spoil of dyed garments embroidered, Of dyed garments embroidered on both sides, on the necks of the spoil?"
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"Therefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Behold, I will give the land of Egypt unto Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon; and he shall carry off her multitude, and take her spoil, and take her prey; and it shall be the wages for his army."
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"Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of Jehovah, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah?"
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"And when he had brought him down, behold, they were spread abroad over all the ground, eating and drinking, and dancing, because of all the great spoil that they had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Judah."
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"Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he poured out his soul unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors: yet he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors."
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"and spake unto them, saying, Return with much wealth unto your tents, and with very much cattle, with silver, and with gold, and with brass, and with iron, and with very much raiment: divide the spoil of your enemies with your brethren."
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Related words