שָׁלָה
to draw out or off, i.e. remove (the soul by death)
Definition
The Hebrew verb שָׁלָה (shâlâh) means 'to draw out' or 'to remove,' specifically in the context of extracting something. In its single biblical occurrence, it is used metaphorically to describe God removing the soul or life from a person through death (Job 27:8). The sense is one of forceful or decisive extraction, implying a complete taking away. While its primary meaning is to draw out, its specific application in Job gives it a grave theological weight concerning divine sovereignty over life and death.
Biblical Usage
This verb is used only once in the Old Testament, in Job 27:8. In this context, Job is defending his integrity and states, 'For what is the hope of the godless when God cuts him off, when God takes away his life?' Here, the word is used in a judicial or punitive sense, describing God's action in ending the life of the hypocrite. Its singular usage limits observable patterns, but it appears in wisdom literature during a discourse on divine justice.
Etymology
שָׁלָה is considered a primitive root. It is cognate by contraction to the base of נָשַׁל (nāšal, H5394), meaning 'to draw off' or 'to strip,' and שָׁלַל (šālal, H7997), meaning 'to plunder' or 'to strip.' This family of words shares the core idea of extracting, drawing out, or removing, often by force. The meaning of שָׁלָה developed from this basic sense of physical extraction to its specific, metaphorical application of removing the soul.
Semantic Range
This word is theologically significant as it directly addresses God's absolute sovereignty over human life and death. In Job 27:8, it underscores a key theme of the book: the justice of God even in suffering. Understanding this Hebrew term enriches reading by highlighting the forceful, decisive nature of divine judgment—it is not a passive end but an active 'drawing out' of life, emphasizing God's ultimate authority and the serious consequences of hypocrisy before Him.
In ancient Israelite culture, life and breath (נפש, nephesh) were intimately connected and seen as a gift from God. The concept of God 'drawing out' the soul would have been understood as a direct, sovereign act, not merely a natural process. This reflects a worldview where God was actively involved in all aspects of existence, including the precise moment of death, especially in the context of judgment.
נָשַׁל (nāšal, H5394) — More general term for drawing off or slipping away (e.g., a sandal). שָׁלַל (šālal, H7997) — Focuses on plundering or stripping spoils, often in a military context. לָקַח (lāqaḥ, H3947) — A very common, general verb for 'to take'; שָׁלָה implies a specific kind of extracting or drawing out.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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