H7776 H7776
shu'al -- fox or jackal; a small wild canid haunting ruins, raiding vineyards, and scavenging the dead
A masculine noun covering the small wild canids of the Levant -- both foxes and jackals, which Biblical Hebrew does not consistently distinguish. Samson famously caught three hundred of them to burn the Philistines' grain fields (Judg 15:4), a number that probably points to jackals, which are more gregarious than solitary foxes. The Song of Solomon warns of 'little foxes that ruin the vineyards' (Song 2:15), a beloved image of small threats that spoil tender growth. Ezekiel likens Israel's false prophets to foxes among ruins (Ezek 13:4), and Lamentations mourns that foxes prowl on desolate Mount Zion (Lam 5:18). The Psalmist declares that the wicked will become 'a portion for foxes' -- food for scavengers (Ps 63:10). Spanish zorras, French renards, and German Fuechse all default to 'fox,' though the biblical referent likely oscillates between the two canids.
Senses
1. fox, jackal (small wild canid) — A small wild canid, encompassing both foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and jackals (Canis aureus), since Biblical Hebrew does not lexically separate them. The large number Samson captured (Judg 15:4) suggests jackals, which are more social, while the 'little foxes' of Song 2:15 may envision the smaller, vineyard-raiding fox. False prophets are compared to foxes scavenging in ruins (Ezek 13:4), and desolate Zion is haunted by them (Lam 5:18). Spanish zorras, French renards, and German Fuechse uniformly render 'fox,' though the biblical creature's identity spans both species depending on context. 7×
AR["الثَّعالِبِ", "ثَعَالِبَ", "ثَعَالِبُ", "ثَعْلَبٌ", "شُوعَلِيم", "كَالثَّعَالِبِ"]·ben["-শেয়ালদের", "শিয়াল", "শিয়ালেরা", "শৃগালদের-মতো", "শৃগালের"]·DE["Fuchs", "Fuechse", "[כשעלים]", "jackals"]·EN["fox", "foxes", "jackals", "like-foxes"]·FR["[שועל]", "[שועלים]", "les-renards", "les-renards,", "renard", "renards"]·heb["כ-שועלים", "שועל", "שועלים"]·HI["गीदड़ों-का", "जैसे-लोमड़ी", "लोमड़ियाँ", "लोमड़ियां", "लोमड़ियों", "लोमड़ी", "सियार"]·ID["Seperti-rubah-rubah", "rubah", "rubah-rubah", "seekor-rubah", "serigala-serigala"]·IT["[כשעלים]", "[שועל]", "[שועלים]", "[שעלים]", "foxes", "volpi"]·jav["Kados-rubah-rubah", "asu-ajag", "asu-alas", "rubah"]·KO["여우-들-의", "여우가", "여우들", "여우들-을", "여우들-이", "여우들처럼-"]·PT["como-raposas", "de-raposas", "raposa", "raposas"]·RU["как-лисицы", "лисиц", "лисица", "лисицы", "станут"]·ES["Como-zorros", "zorras", "zorro", "zorros"]·SW["kama-mbweha", "la-mbweha", "mbweha"]·TR["gibi", "tilki", "tilkiler", "tilkileri", "tilkilerin"]·urd["لومڑی", "لومڑیاں", "لومڑیوں", "لومڑیوں-کی-طرح"]
Related Senses
H6629 1. flock, sheep/goats (small livestock) (274×)H1241 1. cattle, herd (bovine livestock) (183×)H0352a 1. ram (male sheep) (156×)H6499 1. young bull, bullock (130×)H3532 1. lamb, young male sheep (105×)H2543 1. donkey (male ass) (96×)H7794 1. ox, bull (79×)H7462b 1. shepherd (agent noun) (76×)H5795 1. she-goat(s), female goat(s) (68×)H7462b 2. to shepherd, tend, pasture (60×)H1581 1. camel (domestic animal) (54×)H0738b 1. lion (46×)G4263 1. sheep (39×)H5739 1. flock or herd of livestock (38×)H5695 1. calf, young bull (35×)H0738a 1. lion (large predatory feline) (34×)H0860 1. female donkey (34×)H3611 1. dog (animal) (32×)H3715a 1. young lion, lion cub (31×)G0721 1. Lamb (29×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† I. שׁוּעָל n.m. Ct 2:15 fox, perhaps also jackal;—abs. שׁ׳ Ne 3:25; pl. שׁוּעָלִים Ju 15:4 +, שֻׁ׳ Ez 13:4; Ct 2:15 b;—fox (prob.) Ne 3:25; Ct 2:15(×2); perhaps (from large no.) jackal Ju 15:4; as haunting ruins Ez 13:4; La 5:18; eating offal ψ 63:11.