נַ֫עַל (na.al)
na.al
sandal
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 16 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Definition
Definition
Brown-Driver-Briggs
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
What This Word Means for Your Faith
In the ancient world, sandals were more than just footwear; they were essential tools for travel, protection, and legal identity. When God told Moses to remove his sandals on holy ground, He was highlighting that human status and preparation must yield before divine presence. The dirt of our journeys does not make us unworthy to stand in His light, but it does remind us that we are pilgrims here.
This word also appears in moments of profound social reality. In Amos, the poor are sold for a pair of sandals, revealing how little some valued human dignity. Yet, even in these stark contrasts, the sandal points to our reliance on God. Whether we are walking in haste through danger or standing still in awe, He meets us where we stand.
We do not earn our place before Him by our readiness or our righteousness. Instead, we are invited to simply come as we are. The ground is holy because He is there, not because of the shoes we wear or the miles we have traveled.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 16 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- sandal/ his3×
- sandals/ your2×
- a pair of sandals2×
- the/ sandal1×
- sandals/ its1×
- sandal/ your1×
- in <the>/ sandals1×
- and/ sandals/ our1×
- and/ sandals1×
- and/ sandal[s]/ your1×
- and/ on/ sandal[s]/ his1×
- a sandal1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- נַֽעֲלֵי/כֶם֙1×
- נַעֲלֽ/וֹ\׃1×
- נַעֲלָֽיִם\׃1×
- נַעֲלָ֑יִם1×
- נַעֲל֖/וֹ1×
- נַעֲל/וֹ֙1×
- נַֽעַלְ/ךָ֙1×
- נַ֔עַל1×
- נְעָלָֽי/ו\׃1×
- נְעָלֶ֙י/ךָ֙1×
- וּֽ/בְ/נַעֲל֖/וֹ1×
- וּ/נְעָלֵ֔י/נוּ1×
Key Verses
-
Exodus 3:5
He said, “Don’t come close. Take off your sandals, for the place you are standing on is holy ground.”
This verse establishes the sandal as a symbol of human travel and status that must be removed to acknowledge God's holiness.
-
Amos 2:6
Yahweh says: “For three transgressions of Israel, yes, for four, I will not turn away its punishment, because they have sold the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals;
Here the word highlights the extreme devaluation of the poor, who were traded for something as cheap as footwear.
-
Ruth 4:7
Now this was the custom in former time in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning exchanging, to confirm all things: a man took off his sandal, and gave it to his neighbor; and this was the way of formalizing transactions in Israel.
The removal of the sandal serves as a legal signifier in Israel to confirm the transfer of rights and responsibilities.