Meaning
Goods, property, or valuables taken from an enemy or defeated people; the word can also mean to damage, ruin, or diminish something.
Biblical Usage
In Scripture, spoil commonly refers to property, goods, livestock, or other possessions taken from an enemy after victory in battle. The amount and treatment of spoil could be regulated by God’s commands, particularly in Israel’s warfare.
The Bible also uses spoil as a verb meaning to take property from another or to ruin or damage something. In the New Testament, the word can describe the stripping or taking away of possessions or powers.
Key References
- Deuteronomy 20:14 — Israel is permitted to take spoil from certain conquered cities.
- Joshua 8:27 — Israel takes the spoil of Ai.
- 1 Samuel 15:19 — Saul is rebuked for taking spoil from the Amalekites.
- 1 Samuel 30:20 — David’s recovered possessions are called his spoil.
- 2 Chronicles 20:25 — Judah gathers abundant spoil after the battle.
- Proverbs 31:11 — The word is used in a non-military context.
- Colossians 2:15 — The verb is used of stripping or spoiling principalities and powers.
Related Terms
- Plunder
- Captive
- Victory
- Warfare
- Possession