The Hebrew word for equal is שָׁוֶה (shah-VEH), a Biblical Hebrew root that first appears in בְּרֵאשִׁית י”ד (beh-reh-SHEET), Genesis 14. That passage describes a war of Biblical proportions that takes place in עֵמֶק הַשָּׁוֶה (EH-mek hah-shah-VEH) – the Valley of Shaveh; this geographical location has become an expression in Modern Hebrew negotiation, meaning, we’ve reached a compromise – הִגַּעְנוּ לְעֵמֶק הַשָּׁוֶה – literally, we’ve arrived at the valley of equal (hee-GAH-noo leh-EH-mek hah-shah-VEH).


Using that root, Modern Hebrew also labels the modern concept of equality – made famous by Thomas Jefferson and still being hashed out to this day: שִׁוְיוֹן (sheev-YOHN). 


Likewise, the concept of equal rights is שִׁוְיוֹן זְכֻיּוֹת (sheev-YOHN zeh-khoo-YOHT) – literally, equality of rights.