English · KJV
H5274

נָעַל

nâʻal /naw-al'/ Ask about this word
Roota primitive root · also denominative from נַעַל
Meaningproperly, to fasten up, i.e. with abar or cord; hence, to sandal, i.e. furnish with slippers
KJV usagebolt, inclose, lock, shoe, shut up.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of nâʻal — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word nâʻal, represented by H5274, is a root word with a primary meaning to fasten up. It appears 8 times in 7 verses. Its usage covers both the literal act of securing something, such as to bolt or lock a door, and the denominative sense of putting on footwear, to shoe or sandal.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In scripture, H5274 is used in two distinct physical contexts: securing a location and providing footwear. The first is seen when Ehud locked the doors of the parlor after killing the king Judges 3:23, and again when Amnon's servant bolted the door after tragically expelling Tamar 2 Samuel 13:18. The second meaning, to shoe, appears as an act of provision. God describes His care for Jerusalem as having shod her with badgers' skin Ezekiel 16:10. This same act of mercy is shown by the Israelites who shod their naked captives from the spoil 2 Chronicles 28:15. Metaphorically, the word is used to describe the bride in Song of Solomon as a "garden inclosed" and a "spring shut up," signifying purity and exclusivity Song of Solomon 4:12.

Related Words & Concepts

Several words help clarify the meaning of H5274 in its contexts:

  • H1817 deleth (door): This is the object that is physically secured. It is the door that is bolted in the account of Tamar 2 Samuel 13:18 and the doors that are locked by Ehud Judges 3:24.
  • H5462 çâgar (to shut up): This word is used in close connection with H5274 to emphasize a complete seal. For instance, Ehud first shut the doors and then locked them, creating a double barrier Judges 3:23.
  • H3847 lâbash (to put on agarment or clothe): The act of being shod H5274 is often part of a larger sequence of being cared for, listed alongside being clothed Ezekiel 16:10 or arrayed 2 Chronicles 28:15.

Theological Significance

The applications of H5274 carry significant theological and symbolic weight.

  • Security and Separation: The act of locking or bolting creates a physical and symbolic separation. This can be for strategic safety, as with Ehud Judges 3:23, or for cruel finality, as when Tamar was shut out 2 Samuel 13:18. It establishes an impassable boundary.
  • Divine Provision and Mercy: To be shod is an image of tender care and complete provision. God's covenant love for Israel is detailed down to the providing of footwear made of badgers' skin Ezekiel 16:10. This same principle of mercy is demonstrated when the men of Israel cared for their captives, giving them food, drink, and shoes 2 Chronicles 28:15.
  • Sacred Exclusivity: In its metaphorical sense, the word describes the sacred purity of the bride, who is a "garden inclosed" Song of Solomon 4:12. This moves the meaning from physical security to relational faithfulness, indicating she is set apart exclusively for her beloved.

Summary

In summary, H5274 nâʻal demonstrates a duality of meaning, from the physical act of fastening a lock to the personal act of putting on a shoe. Each use is rich with implication, whether it is conveying the finality of a bolted door, the detailed care in God's provision for His people, or the precious exclusivity of a bride's devotion. It shows how a simple word for fastening can be used to illustrate profound concepts of security, mercy, and sacredness.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a verb across 8 occurrences, inflected in 6 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

  • נָעָל
  • נָעוּל
  • יַּנְעִלוּ
  • אֶנְעֲלֵ
  • נְעֹל
  • נְעֻלוֹת

Related Words

Related

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

H1817 דֶּלֶת from דָּלָה; something swinging, i.e. the valve of adoor; door (two-leaved), gate, leaf, lid. (Psalm 141:3). H5462 סָגַר a primitive root; to shut up; figuratively, to surrender; close up, deliver (up), give over (up), inclose, [idiom] pure, H3847 לָבַשׁ or לָבֵשׁ; a primitive root; properly, wrap around, i.e. (by implication) to put on agarment or clothe (oneself, or anot

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 7 verses across 5 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Judges and 2 Samuel (2 verses each); never once in the other 34.

2
Judges
2
2 Samuel
1
2 Chronicles
1
Song of Solomon
1
Ezekiel

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.