### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **shâlal**, represented by `{{H7997}}`, is a primitive root primarily meaning to **drop** or **strip**. By implication, its most common usage is to **plunder** or take **spoil**. Appearing **16 times** across **12 unique verses**, its meaning ranges from the violent act of plundering in warfare to the idiomatic sense of making oneself a **prey** or letting something **fall** on purpose.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In biblical narratives, `{{H7997}}` is frequently used in the context of divine judgment and warfare. God commissions nations to act as instruments of His wrath, as in [[Isaiah 10:6]], where He sends a nation "to **take** the spoil, and to **take** the prey." The term also carries a principle of reciprocity; those who plunder will themselves be plundered. This is explicitly stated in [[Habakkuk 2:8]]: "Because thou hast **spoiled** many nations, all the remnant of the people shall **spoil** thee." In a striking contrast, the word is used to describe a gentle act of provision in [[Ruth 2:16]], where Boaz instructs his workers to "let **fall**... some of the handfuls of purpose for her." In a more figurative sense, it can describe the vulnerability of the righteous in a wicked world, where one who departs from evil "maketh himself a **prey**" [[Isaiah 59:15]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words clarify and expand upon the concept of plundering:
* `{{H7998}}` **shâlâl** (booty; prey, spoil): This is the noun form derived from the same root. It refers to the actual plunder or booty taken and is often the direct object of its verbal counterpart, as in the command to "**take** `{{H7997}}` a spoil `{{H7998}}`" [[Ezekiel 38:12]].
* `{{H962}}` **bâzaz** (to plunder): This verb is frequently used in parallel with `{{H7997}}` to describe the comprehensive act of robbing and spoiling an enemy. For example, God declares that the wages for Nebuchadrezzar's army would be to "**take** `{{H7997}}` her spoil, and **take** `{{H962}}` her prey" [[Ezekiel 29:19]].
* `{{H957}}` **baz** (plunder; booty, prey, spoil(-ed)): This noun, often paired with `{{H7998}}`, refers to the prey or plunder taken in conflict. The combination emphasizes the totality of what is seized, as seen in the plan to "**take** `{{H7997}}` a spoil `{{H7998}}`, and to **take** `{{H962}}` a prey `{{H957}}`" [[Isaiah 10:6]].
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of `{{H7997}}` is evident in several key themes:
* **Divine Sovereignty:** The act of plundering is not depicted as random chaos but often as an action under God's sovereign control. He can send a nation to **spoil** another as a form of judgment [[Isaiah 10:6]] or give a nation's wealth as "wages" for an army [[Ezekiel 29:19]].
* **Reciprocal Justice:** A clear principle is established that those who live by plundering will eventually be plundered themselves. God promises that those who **spoil** His people will in turn be **spoiled** [[Ezekiel 39:10]] and that "all that **spoil** her shall be satisfied" [[Jeremiah 50:10]].
* **Benevolent Provision:** The unique usage in the book of Ruth reveals another dimension of the word. The command to purposefully "let **fall**" handfuls of grain for Ruth to glean uses `{{H7997}}` to describe an intentional act of kindness and hidden provision [[Ruth 2:16]].
* **Consequences of Power:** The word is also applied to the powerful who are brought low, as "The stouthearted are **spoiled**" [[Psalms 76:5]], demonstrating that no human strength is secure from being stripped away.
### Summary
In summary, `{{H7997}}` **shâlal** carries a meaning far deeper than simple looting. It is a term that encompasses divine judgment, the consequences of national sin, and the outworking of justice. While most often associated with the violent stripping of assets during war, its application can range from the downfall of the mighty to the vulnerability of the righteous. The stark contrast between its use in the context of military conquest [[Habakkuk 2:8]] and its use in a quiet act of grace [[Ruth 2:16]] reveals the remarkable breadth of this Hebrew word.
TRV