SANDAL (san'dal), (Gr. eavadMop,san-dal'ee-on, 1,•?• representing the Heb. nah'al), is a covering for the feet, usually denoted by the word trans lated 'shoe' in the Authorized Version. It was usually a sole of hide, leather, or wood, hound on to the foot by thongs ; • but it may sometimes de note such shoes and buskins as eventually came into use.
Ladies of rank appear to have paid great atten tion to the beauty of their sandals (Cant. vii:1) ; though, if the bride in that book was an Egyp tian princess, as some suppose, the exclamation, beautiful are thy feet with sandals, 0 prince's daughter!' may imply admiration of a luxury properly Egyptian, as the ladies of that country were noted for their sumptuous sandals (Wilkinson, Ane. Egypt. ui. 364). But this taste was probably general ; for, at the present day, the dress slippers of ladies of rank are among the richest articles of their attire, being elaborately embroidered with flowers and other figures wrought in silk, silver, and gold.
It does not scent probable that the sandals of the Hebrews differed much front those used in Egypt, excepting, perhaps, that from the greater roughness of their country, they were usually of more substantial make and materials. The Egyp tian sandals varied slightly in form; those worn by the upper classes, and by women, were usually pointed and turned tip at the end, like our skates, and many of the Eastern slippers at the present day. They were made of a sort of woven or in terlaced work of palm-leaves and papyrus-stalks, or other similar materials, and sometimes of leather ; and were frequently lined with cloth, on which the figure of a captive was painted; that humiliating position being considered suited to the enemies of their country, whom they hated and despised. It is not likely that the Jews
adopted this practice; but the idea which it ex pressed, of treading their enemies under their feet, was familiar to them (Josh. x:24). Those of the middle classes who were in the habit of ing sandals, often preferred walking In transferring a possession or domain, it was customary to deliver a sandal ( Ruth iv :7), as in our middle ages, a glove. Hence the action of throwing down a shoe upon a region or territory was a symbol of occupancy. So Ps. lx :8, 'Upon the land of Edom do I cast my sandal ;' i. e., I possess, occupy it, claim it as my own. In Ruth, as above, the delivering of a sandal signified that the next of kin transferred to another a sacred obligation; and he was hence called 'sandal loosed.' It was undoubtedly the custom to take off the sandals on holy ground, in the act of worship, and in the presence of a superior. Hence the command to take the sandals fiom the feet under such circumstances (Exod. iii:5; Josh. v :15). This is still the well-known custom of the East— an Oriental taking off his shoe in cases in which a European would remove his hat. The shoes of the modern Orientals are, however, made to slip off easily, which was not the case with san dals, that required to be unbound with some trouble. This operation was usually performed by servants; and hence the act of unloosing the sandals of another became a familiar symbol of servitude (Mark i :7; Luke iii :16; John i :27).