שׁוֹלָל (sho.lal)
sho.lal
barefoot
H:AQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 3 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:A
Word Overview
The Hebrew word sho.lal describes a person who is barefoot, specifically in the context of mourning or deep distress. It appears only three times in the Bible, with its most notable occurrence in Micah 1:8.
In this passage, the prophet uses the image to express profound grief over the fall of Samaria. Walking without shoes was a common sign of humility and sorrow in ancient Israel, stripping away comfort and status to display inner pain. The term captures both the physical reality and the emotional weight of being exposed and vulnerable.
Though rare, sho.lal provides a vivid snapshot of how bodily posture reflected spiritual and social upheaval. Its limited use underscores the intensity of the situations in which it appears, marking moments when normal life was suspended by tragedy.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The image of going barefoot in ancient Israel was not merely about lacking shoes; it was a public declaration of profound grief or vulnerability. When Micah declares he will go stripped and naked, he is adopting a posture of total humility before God and the reality of judgment. This physical exposure mirrors an inner state where comfort is set aside to acknowledge deep sorrow.
For your faith life, this word reminds us that true repentance and mourning often require stripping away our defenses. It invites you to bring your rawest emotions to God without pretense. In seasons of loss or conviction, there is dignity in acknowledging pain rather than hiding it behind social status or comfort.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 3 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- barefoot3×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- שׁוֹלָ֑ל2×
- שׁוֹלָ֖ל1×
Key Verses
-
Micah 1:8
For this I will lament and wail. I will go stripped and naked. I will howl like the jackals and mourn like the ostriches.
This verse uses the term to describe Micah's personal lament for Samaria, linking physical nakedness directly to spiritual mourning.