This guide covers how sandals were made, what the Bible does with them, and why some Jews still skip leather shoes on one day of the year.
Quick answer: Sandals were everyday footwear. The Bible uses them as signs of a finished deal, holy ground, grief, readiness and humility.
|
Verse |
What the sandal does |
|---|---|
|
Ruth 4:7-8 |
Seals a land deal |
|
Joshua 5:15 |
Comes off on holy ground |
|
2 Samuel 15:30 |
Left off in grief |
|
Exodus 12:11 |
Stays on for the first Passover |
|
Joshua 9:5 |
Worn and patched, part of a disguise |
|
Mark 6:9 |
Allowed on the road by the disciples |
What a biblical sandal was
The Hebrew word is na’al. The Greek is sandalion, and the New Testament also uses hypodema, a general word for footwear.
That fits Mark 1:7, where John the Baptist talks about stooping down to untie a strap.
For the full story of Jesus-style sandals, read our guide to Jesus sandals.
How they were made
Real sandals survive from the Dead Sea region. One sole from the Qumran area has three layers of leather held together with leather bindings. Tabs run through slits at the heel. A strap threads through more slits and ties near the toe.
Choosing a material today? See our comparison of leather vs suede biblical sandals.
A sandal sealed the deal
Ruth 4 has the clearest example.
A relative had the first right to buy a family field. Boaz wanted it. The relative said, “Buy it yourself,” and took off his sandal.
The writer explains that this was how Israel made a deal official. Read Ruth 4:7-8 in your own Bible, or in an olive wood covered Bible.
Deuteronomy 25:9-10 uses a sandal in a related family law.
Sandals and money
Footwear was cheap, which is why the Bible uses it for small amounts.
In Genesis 14:23, Abram refuses to keep even a sandal strap from the king of Sodom. He wants no one saying they made him rich.
Amos 2:6 and 8:6 accuse Israel of selling the needy for a pair of sandals.
In 2 Chronicles 28:15, men of Samaria clothe captives from Judah, give them sandals and send them home.
Holy ground
God tells Moses to take off his sandals at the burning bush (Exodus 3:5).
Joshua gets the same order near Jericho: take off your sandals, because the place is holy.
Stephen repeats the Moses story in Acts 7:33.
Barefoot in grief
When David fled Absalom, he climbed the Mount of Olives weeping, with his head covered and his feet bare (2 Samuel 15:30).
Ezekiel 24:17 shows the custom from the other side. God tells Ezekiel not to mourn in public, and to keep his sandals on his feet.
Isaiah 20:2 goes further. The prophet walks barefoot as a public sign, and verse 3 says it lasted three years.
Sandals on, ready to leave
God gives Israel odd orders for the first Passover meal.
Eat quickly, with your cloak tucked in, your staff in hand and sandals on your feet. The meal is a countdown to leaving Egypt.
Paul uses the same picture in Ephesians 6:15. Shoes in the armor of God mean readiness.
Worn sandals as a disguise
The Gibeonites wanted a peace treaty with Israel. They were neighbors, so they invented a story.
They showed up in old clothes and worn, patched sandals, and said they had come from far away.
Israel believed them and made the treaty (Joshua 9:3-15).
Worn sandals suggested a long trip, which is what they wanted Israel to believe.
Wear sandals or not?
Mark 6:9 tells the disciples to wear sandals on the road. Matthew 10:10 and Luke 10:4 say to take none.
One commentary offers two readings. Sandals and shoes were different things, or Jesus banned a spare pair, not footwear itself. See Gill’s notes on Mark 6:9.
Either way, the road meant sandals.
Too humble to carry them
John the Baptist said he was not worthy to carry Jesus’ sandals (Matthew 3:11).
Mark 1:7 adds that he was not worthy to stoop and untie the strap. He picked the smallest job he could think of.
The father who called for sandals
In Luke 15:22, the father in the prodigal son story calls for a robe, a ring and sandals for his returning son.
He puts sandals on the same list as the robe and the ring.
Why some Jews skip leather shoes on Yom Kippur
On Yom Kippur, observant Jews do not wear leather shoes. NJOP explains that this is one of five prohibitions tied to “afflicting the soul” in Leviticus 16:29-30.
The Talmud (Yoma 78a-b) records that the sages wore sandals of bamboo, reeds and palm branches that day.
Only leather is banned. Felt socks are allowed, and the shoe rule is the one ban that applies to children too.
Want a pair of your own?
Our Jesus biblical sandals are leather and handmade by craftsmen in the Holy Land.
They come in different colors and styles for casual or dressier wear.
