שֹׁ֫בֶל (sho.vel)
sho.vel
skirt
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun sho.vel refers to the flowing skirt or train of a garment. It appears only once in the entire Bible, in Isaiah 47:2, where it describes the lower part of clothing that drags behind the wearer.
In this context, the word highlights the physical act of uncovering one’s legs and tearing down the skirt to wade through water or perform manual labor. The image contrasts sharply with the modesty and dignity associated with wearing such a garment properly. By using sho.vel, the text emphasizes a loss of status and privacy, as the royal figure is stripped of her dignified appearance.
Translators typically render this word as "skirt" or "train," capturing the specific detail of the fabric’s movement. This single usage serves as a powerful visual metaphor for humiliation and the stripping away of pride in the prophetic judgment against Babylon.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word sho.vel describes the long, flowing train of a garment that marked dignity and status in ancient times. In Isaiah 47:2, this skirt is lifted up to wade through rivers, signaling a sudden loss of royal privacy and pride. It reminds us that true worth does not come from outward appearance or social standing.
When we feel our own dignity threatened or our status questioned, this image offers comfort. God sees beyond the layers we wear to protect ourselves. He values the heart over the hemline, offering peace when the world tries to strip away our confidence.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- a skirt1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- שֹׁ֛בֶל1×
Key Verses
-
Isaiah 47:2
Take the millstones and grind flour. Remove your veil, lift up your skirt, uncover your legs, and wade through the rivers.
This verse uses the word to depict Babylon's humiliation as she is forced to abandon her dignified attire and perform menial labor.