“Upon Edom I toss my Sandal,” says David – the David who wrote Psalm 23.

Have you ever wondered what that means?

Shoes

I found the meaning in the book STRANGE SCRIPTURES THAT PERPLEX THE WESTERN MIND by Barbara Bowen.

David says that actually twice, namely in Psalm 60:8 and Psalm 108:9, and he is talking there also about Moab and Philistia.

In the light of customs and conditions in Bible Lands, what is the meaning of “Upon Edom I toss my sandal?”

The shoe in the Bible days was considered unclean. Shoes were never worn in houses. They were left at a place near the door called mastaby. Shoes were spoken of in terms of great disrespect. Everything that was low and filthy was associated with shoes.

When David says, “Upon Edom I toss my sandal,” he says that Edom is like the place near the door, where the shoes are left, the mastaby. He degraded Edom to the highest degree.

Knowing this helps us to understand the following verses in the Bible better:

Exodus 3:5; Joshua 5:15; Amos 2:6; Amos 8:6; Isaiah 20:2 and Acts 7:33.