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Isaiah 32:19 — Word Study

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WLCוּבָרַ֖ד בְּרֶ֣דֶת הַיָּ֑עַר וּבַשִּׁפְלָ֖ה תִּשְׁפַּ֥ל הָעִֽיר׃

BSABut hailbârad [coming down, a storm] will levelyârad [flatten, utterly lay low] the forestyaʻar [a copse of bushes, a wooded area] and the cityʻîyr [a place with a wall, a settlement] will sinkshâphêl [be brought low, humbled] to the depthsshiphlâh [a state of humiliation, a low place]

Word
Listen & take awayIsaiah 32
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 19 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (ha.'Ir) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Isaiah 32:19quick helps
In a sentenceHail will come down and flatten the forest, while the city will be brought low.
What is happeningA storm of hail is coming, and it will have devastating effects.
Where we areIn a passage that contrasts the outcomes of righteousness and judgment.
The hard wordבָּרַד
Take awayThe imagery of destruction emphasizes the seriousness of the judgment.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbבָּרַד The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

2 of 6 occur nowhere else in the Old Testament — words chosen on purpose.

Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.

Deep Study — Isaiah 32:19

Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.

Context — The Judgment of Godgenerated

17The work of righteousness will be peace; the service of righteousness will be quiet confidence forever.
18Then my people will dwell in a peaceful place, in safe and secure places of rest.
19But hail will level the forest, and the city will sink to the depths.
20Blessed are those who sow beside abundant waters, who let the ox and donkey range freely.

Isaiah 32:19 depicts a powerful storm bringing hail that flattens the forest and causes the city to sink into a state of humiliation. This imagery is part of a larger passage that contrasts the peace and security for the righteous with the destruction awaiting the wicked. The surrounding verses emphasize the blessings for those who live righteously and the dire consequences for those who do not.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Isaiah 25:4For You have been a refuge for the poor, a stronghold for the needy in distress, a refuge from the storm, a shade from the heat. For the breath of the ruthless is like rain against a wall,
2Isaiah 28:2–17Behold, the Lord has one who is strong and mighty. Like a hailstorm or destructive tempest, like a driving rain or flooding downpour, he will smash that crown to the ground.
3Isaiah 30:30And the LORD will cause His majestic voice to be heard and His mighty arm to be revealed, striking in angry wrath with a flame of consuming fire, and with cloudburst, storm, and hailstones.
4Isaiah 37:24Through your servants you have taunted the Lord, and you have said: “With my many chariots I have ascended to the heights of the mountains, to the remote peaks of Lebanon. I have cut down its tallest cedars, the finest of its cypresses. I have reached its farthest heights, the densest of its forests.
5Exodus 9:18–26Behold, at this time tomorrow I will rain down the worst hail that has ever fallen on Egypt, from the day it was founded until now.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 14 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word בָּרַד, u.va.Radgenerated

The verb בָּרַד (barad) means 'to hail' and is a primitive root used in the Qal form. It conveys the action of sending hail, often associated with divine judgment. In this verse, it describes the natural phenomenon of hail falling as a form of God's power.

The use of this word in Exodus 9:18-26 shows its connection to God's judgment upon Egypt. The imagery of hail emphasizes the severity of the storm and its destructive capabilities.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The finite verbs in this verse are בָּרַד (will hail) and תִּשְׁפַּ֥ל (will become low), which govern the actions described. The structure emphasizes the consequences of the hailstorm and the resulting humiliation of the city.

The main clause is followed by two phrases: a prepositional phrase describing the forest and a noun phrase indicating the city. This arrangement highlights the dramatic effects of the hailstorm on both the natural and urban environments.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates בָּרַד as ξάλαζα (chion), which also means hail. This choice maintains the focus on the destructive nature of the storm.

The translation of תִּשְׁפַּ֥ל as καταβῇ (to go down) emphasizes the action of sinking or being brought low, aligning with the themes of judgment present in both the Hebrew and Greek texts.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Isaiah 32:19 states that hail will come down and flatten the forest, while the city will sink into a state of humiliation. This verse illustrates the power of God's judgment and the consequences of sin, contrasting the peace promised to the righteous.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does the hail represent in this verse?

The hail represents God's judgment, coming down as a storm to level the forest and bring the city low.

What is the significance of the city sinking?

The sinking of the city symbolizes humiliation and the consequences of sin, contrasting with the peace that the righteous will experience.

How does this verse relate to the surrounding context?

This verse is part of a section that contrasts the outcomes of righteousness and judgment, emphasizing the peace for the righteous and the destruction for the wicked.

What can we learn from the imagery of the storm?

The imagery of the storm serves as a reminder of God's power and the seriousness of His judgment against sin.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. How can I recognize the consequences of my actions in my life as reflected in this verse?
  2. In what ways can I seek to live righteously to experience the peace mentioned in the surrounding verses?
  3. What does it mean to be humbled, and how can I apply that understanding in my daily life?
  4. How does understanding God's judgment influence my perspective on justice and righteousness?

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Isaiah 32:19 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

When it shall hail, coming down on the forest,.... The people of God will be peaceable and quiet, safe and secure, when the judgments of God, signified by a "hail" storm, shall come upon antichrist,

Read John Gill on Isaiah 32 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

When it shall hail, coming down on the forest; and the city shall be low in a low place. When it shall hail, coming down on the forest; and the city shall be low in a low place.

Read Robert Jamieson on Isaiah 32 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

When it shall hail, coming down on the forest, Heb. And it shall hail, &c. As my blessings shall be poured down upon my people, who from a wilderness are turned into a fruitful field, as it is said, ; so my wrath and judgments (which are signified by hail, ,17, and elsewhere) shall fall upon them, who were a fruitful field, but are turned into a forest, as was said, , i.e. upon the unbelieving and rebellious Jews, who seem there to be designed under that notion. The city; either, 1. Babylon, the great enemy and oppressor of God’ s people. Or, 2. Jerusalem, which, though now it was the seat of God’ s worship and people, yet he foresaw by the Spirit of prophecy that it would be the great…

Read Matthew Poole on Isaiah 32 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Isaiah 32:19 When it shall hail, coming down on the forest; and the city shall be low in a low place.Ver. 19. When it shall hail, coming down on the forest.] When reprobates - here compared to a forest or tall wood - shall be hail beaten, that is, grievously plagued, as those Egyptians once were, it shall be hale, or well, with the elect. The Church, as a city that standeth in a low bottom, is secure and safe, her afflictions also working together for her good. In humbling her, God remembereth her, for his mercy endureth for ever.

Read John Trapp on Isaiah 32 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(19) When it shall hail, coming down on the forest.—Better, But it shall hail. A time of sharp judgment, “hailstones and coals of fire,” is to precede that of blessedness and peace. Of such a judgment “hail” was the natural symbol. (Comp. Isaiah 30:30; Ezekiel 13:13.) The “forest” stands in the symbolism of prophecy for the rulers and princes of any kingdom, as in Isaiah 10:34 for those of Assyria, and here probably of Judah. Not a few commentators refer the words here also to Assyria, but the city that follows is clearly Jerusalem, and the interpretation given above harmonises accordingly better with the context. Of that city Isaiah says that it shall be “brought down to a low estate,” its…

Read Charles John Ellicott on Isaiah 32 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 19. The city shall be low in a low place. - "The city shall be laid level with the plain."] For ובשפלה ubashephelah, the Syriac reads וכשפלה ukeshephelah. The city - probably Nineveh or Babylon: but this verse is very obscure. Saltus; Assyriorum regnum: civitas; magnifica Assyriorum castra. Ephrem Syr. in loc. For וברד ubarad, a MS. has וירד vaiyered; and so conjectured Abp. Secker, referring to Zechariah 11:2.

Read AdamClarke on Isaiah 32 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

19. The verse reads: And it shall hail at the falling of the forest, and in lowliness shall the city be laid low. According to most commentators the “forest” is a symbol for Assyria, as in ch. Isaiah 10:18 f., 33 f. But this is suggested by nothing in the context, and the “city” in the next line cannot be Nineveh, which is never referred to by Isaiah, and is far from his thoughts here. The verse as a whole must (if genuine) be taken as an announcement of judgment on Jerusalem; but it comes in so awkwardly between Isaiah 32:18; Isaiah 32:20, that it may not unreasonably be regarded as an interpolation. On the “hail” as a synonym for Divine judgment see ch. Isaiah 28:2; Isaiah 28:17, Isaiah…

Read Cambridge on Isaiah 32 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

When it shall hail - Hebrew, ברדת ברד bârad beredeth - ‘And it shall hail in coming down.

Read Albert Barnes on Isaiah 32 →

The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company

Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.

Modern formal

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

But hail will level the forest, and the city will sink to the depths.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

though hail flattens the forest, and the city is leveled completely.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

But hail will level the forest, and the city will sink to the depths.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Even if the forest is destroyed and the city is annihilated,

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

When it shall hail, coming down on the forest; and the city shall be low in a low place.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

But it shall hail in the downfall of the forest; and the city shall be utterly laid low.

RVARevised Version, American1894

But it shall hail, in the downfall of the forest; and the city shall be utterly laid low.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

When it shall hail, coming down on the forest; and the city shall be low in a low place.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

When it haileth, it shall fall on the forest, and the citie shall be set in the lowe place.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And it shall hail, coming down on the forest; and the city shall be low in a low place.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And it hath hailed in the going down of the forest, And in the valley is the city low.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And it has hailed in the going down of the forest, || And the city is low in the valley.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And it shall spread itself out in the declivity of the forest; and far down in the lowlands shall the city descend.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

But even if it hails and the forest is destroyed, and the city is completely annihilated,

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

But hail shall be in the descent of the forest, and the city shall be made very low.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Even though hail can destroy a forest, and a town can be demolished,

BBEBible in Basic English1949

But the tall trees will come down with a great fall, and the town will be low in a low place.

Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.


The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank

This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.

וּandclauseverbבָרַ֖דit.will.hailprepositional phrase · prepositionalבְּwhenclauseverbרֶ֣דֶתcomes.downnoun phrase · subjectהַtheיָּ֑עַרforestוּandclauseprepositional phrase · prepositionalבַwithnoun phrase(the)שִּׁפְלָ֖הlownessverbתִּשְׁפַּ֥לit.will.become.lownoun phrase · subjectהָtheעִֽירcity

Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.


The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran

The Masoretic Text reads: וּבָרַ֖ד בְּרֶ֣דֶת הַיָּ֑עַר וּבַשִּׁפְלָ֖ה תִּשְׁפַּ֥ל הָעִֽיר׃. The Dead Sea Scrolls — 1Qisaa agrees with the Masoretic Text, while 1Q8 has all words supplied by an editor, indicating some textual variation.

Masoretic TextLeningrad Codex, c. AD 1008 — the text this page is built on

וּבָרַ֖ד בְּרֶ֣דֶת הַיָּ֑עַר וּבַשִּׁפְלָ֖ה תִּשְׁפַּ֥ל הָעִֽיר׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וּבָרַ֖דξάλαζαבְּרֶ֣דֶתκαταβῇהַיָּ֑עַרδρυμοῖςוּבַשִּׁפְלָ֖הἐν

4 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 1Qisaaa copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

וברד ברדת היער ובשפלה תשפל היער

6 words on the leather.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 1Q8a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[וברד] [ברדת] [היער] [ובשפלה] [תשפל] [העיר]

nothing on the leather here — 6 supplied entire by an editor.

Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.


The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.

Isaiah 32:19בָּרַדand it willand it will haiבָּרַדיָרַדwhen comes when comes downיָרַדיַ֫עַרthe forestthe forestיַ֫עַרשִׁפְלָהand with loand with lownesשִׁפְלָהשָׁפֵלit will becit will become שָׁפֵלעִירthe citythe cityעִירעוּרto rouseto rouseעוּרשֵׁ֫פֶלpovertypovertyשֵׁ֫פֶלשְׁאוֹלhell: Sheohell: Sheolשְׁאוֹלבּוֹרpitpitבּוֹרכַּרְמֶלplantationplantationכַּרְמֶללְבָנוֹן(Valley of(Valley of) Lebלְבָנוֹןשָׁחַחto bowto bowשָׁחַחגַּאֲוָהprideprideגַּאֲוָהמִגְרָשׁpasturepastureמִגְרָשׁלָכַדto captureto captureלָכַד
meets it a little oftener than chancemeets it far oftener than chancebuilt from the same roottwo words of the verse share ita word of this versea related word

Lexicons — every word in Isaiah 32:19

One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.

Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.

and it will hail when comes down the forest and with lowness it will become low the city
וּבָרַ֖דu.va.Rad and it will hail H1258 Verb · Qal · sequential perfect third person masculine singular
1× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to send hail, like a storm. It is used in the Bible to describe God's power and judgment.
Amplified meaning
coming down, a storm
Tyndale gloss
to hail
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בָּרַד (barad) is a verb meaning 'to hail.' It is a primitive root and is used in the Qal form. The only specific reference noted is Isaiah 32:19, where it describes the act of hailing.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בָּרַד vb. denom. hail, Is 32:19

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1258 בָּרַד vb. denom. hail

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1258 barad baw-rad'

a primitive root, to hail:--hail.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בָּרַד (ba.rad) — to hail.

(Qal) to hail

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential perfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqq3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Hail!

A salutation expressive of a wish for the welfare of the person addressed; the translation of the Greek Chaire, “Rejoice” (Luke 1:8). Used in mockery in Matt. 27:29.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A salutation, importing a wish for the welfare of the person addressed. It is now seldom used among us; but was customary among our Saxon ancestors, and imported "joy to you," or "health to you," including in the term health all kind of prosperity.

and it will hail when comes down the forest and with lowness it will become low the city
בְּרֶ֣דֶתbe.Re.det when comes down H3381 Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common
381× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To go down or descend, like going to a lower place or falling. It appears in Genesis and Exodus, describing people and things moving downwards.
Amplified meaning
flatten, utterly lay low
Tyndale gloss
to go down
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word יָרַד (yarad) means to come or go down, covering various contexts such as descending from mountains, going to battle, or sinking in water. It can also refer to divine manifestations descending or being prostrated. The word has different forms including Qal, Hiphil, and Hophal, which indicate various nuances of bringing down or being brought down.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָרַד 380 vb. come or go down, descend

Qal 306

come or go down

go down (usu. from mountain or hill-country into plain), to battle

go down to (acc.) threshing-floor

go down (abs.) from Palestine to Egypt

from Jerusalem

from altar

go down

= sink, in water

go down to She’ôl

fig. going down (dissolving) in tears

= be prostrated

of divine manifestations: descend

of inanimate things

Hiph.

cause to come or go down

bring down

send down rain = cause to flow down

= lay prostrate to (acc.) threshing-floor

bring down to She’ôl

take down (from cart)

let down

Hoph.

be brought down

be taken down

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3381 יָרַד come or go down, descend .. . come or go down

. go down (usu. from mountain or hill-country into plain), to battle

. go down to (acc.) threshing-floor

. go down (abs.) from Palestine to Egypt

. from Jerusalem

. from altar

. go down

. = sink, in water

. go down to She’ôl

. fig. going down (dissolving) in tears

. = be prostrated

. of divine manifestations: descend

. of inanimate things

. . cause to come or go down . bring down

. send down rain = cause to flow down

. = lay prostrate to (acc.) threshing-floor

. bring down to She’ôl

. take down (from cart)

. let down

. . be brought down

. be taken down

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3381 yarad yaw-rad'

a primitive root; to descend (literally, to go downwards; or

conventionally to a lower region, as the shore, a boundary,

the enemy, etc.; or figuratively, to fall); causatively, to

bring down (in all the above applications); -X abundantly,

bring down, carry down, cast down, (cause to) come(-ing) down,

fall (down), get down, go(-ing) down(-ward), hang down, X

indeed, let down, light (down), put down (off), (cause to,

let) run down, sink, subdue, take down.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָרַד (ya.rad) — to go down.

1) to go down, descend, decline, march down, sink down

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go or come down

1a2) to sink

1a3) to be prostrated

1a4) to come down (of revelation)

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to bring down

1b2) to send down

1b3) to take down

1b4) to lay prostrate

1b5) to let down

1c) (Hophal)

1c1) to be brought down

1c2) to be taken down

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a — Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common
HR/Vqcc
and it will hail when comes down the forest and with lowness it will become low the city
הַיָּ֑עַרhai.Ya.'ar the forest H3293 Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
59× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word Yaar refers to a forest or a copse of bushes, and also to a honeycomb. It is associated with Kiriath-jearim, a place name in the Bible. This word is used to describe natural environments.
Amplified meaning
a copse of bushes, a wooded area
Tyndale gloss
Jaar
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יַ֫עַר (ya'ar) refers to both a wood or forest and a honeycomb. The word is derived from a root suggesting thick vegetation. It encompasses meanings related to wooded areas and also has a specific reference to honeycomb, possibly due to its association with trees. Some entries connect it to specific locations or phrases in the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יַ֫עַר n.m. wood, forest, thicket

base

יַ֫עַר n.[m.] honeycomb

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3293a יַ֫עַר wood, forest, thicket H3293b יַ֫עַר honeycomb

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3293 ya`ar yah'-ar

from an unused root probably meaning to thicken with verdure;

a copse of bushes; hence, a forest; hence, honey in the comb

(as hived in trees):--(honey-)comb, forest, wood.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יַ֫עַר (ya.ar) — wood.

forest, wood, thicket, wooded height

Also means: ya.or (יָעוֹר "wood" H3264)

יַ֫עַר (ya.ar) — honeycomb.

honeycomb

יַ֫עַר (ya.ar) — Jaar.

honeycomb

Another name of qir.yat ye.a.rim (קִרְיַת יְעָרִים "Kiriath-jearim" H7157)

יַ֫עַר (ya.ar) — (Ephraim) Forest.

Combined with eph.ra.yim (אֶפְרַ֫יִם " of Ephraim" H0669K)

§ honeycomb

יַ֫עַר (ya.ar) — (House of) the Forest.

Combined with ba.yit (בַּ֫יִת "House" H1004J)

§ honeycomb

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | N-ms — Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
HTd/Ncmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

for'-est:

(1) choresh (compare proper name Harosheth), 2Ch 27:4. In 1Sa 23:15 ff translated "wood"; in Isa 17:9, "wood"; in Eze 31:3, "forest-like shade." Applied to any thick growth of vegetation but not necessarily so extensive as (3).

(2) pardec: Ne 2:8, margin "park"; Ec 2:5, the King James Version "orchards," the Revised Version (British and American) "parks"; So 4:13, English Versions of the Bible "orchard," the Revised Version, margin "paradise." A word of Persian origin signifying probably an enclosure.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Forest

Heb. ya’ar, meaning a dense wood, from its luxuriance. Thus all the great primeval forests of Syria (Eccl. 2:6; Isa. 44:14; Jer. 5:6; Micah 5:8). The most extensive was the trans-Jordanic forest of Ephraim (2 Sam. 18:6, 8; Josh. 17:15, 18), which is probably the same as the wood of Ephratah (Ps. 132:6), some part of the great forest of Gilead. It was in this forest that Absalom was slain by Joab. David withdrew to the forest of Hareth in the mountains of Judah to avoid the fury of Saul (

and it will hail when comes down the forest and with lowness it will become low the city
וּבַשִּׁפְלָ֖הu.va.shif.Lah and with lowness H8218 Conjunction · preposition · noun common feminine singular absolute
1× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This term refers to a state of being humiliated or brought low, often used to describe a low or humble position. It appears in the Old Testament, such as in the book of Job, to describe a low place or state of humility. It emphasizes a sense of modesty or lack of pride.
Amplified meaning
a state of humiliation, a low place
Tyndale gloss
humiliation
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שִׁפְלָה (shiphlah) refers to humiliation or a low place, indicating a sense of lowliness or depression. It is noted in Isaiah 32:19, where it describes a city. The word is feminine and is derived from a related term.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שִׁפְלָה n.f. humiliation;—Is 32:19 (of city).

done

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8218 שִׁפְלָה humiliation

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8218 shiphlah shif-law'

feminine of 8216; depression:--low place.

see HEBREW for 08216

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שִׁפְלָה (shiph.lah) — humiliation.

lowliness, humiliation, a low place

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | Prep | N-fs — Conjunction · preposition · noun common feminine singular absolute
HC/Rd/Ncfsa
and it will hail when comes down the forest and with lowness it will become low the city
תִּשְׁפַּ֥לtish.Pal it will become low H8213 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person feminine singular
31× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To humble or abase oneself, to lower one's expectations or pride. In the Bible, it can mean to bring someone or something down, like in Proverbs 29:23, where a person's pride is humbled.
Amplified meaning
be brought low, humbled
Tyndale gloss
to abase
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׁפֵל (shaphel) is a Hebrew verb meaning to be or become low or abased. It can refer to both a physical lowering and a figurative humbling, with usages in different forms indicating actions like laying low or humbling oneself. The entries emphasize its application in contexts of humiliation and lowering one's status.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁפֵל vb. be or become low, be abased

Qal

all Is: become (be brought, laid) low

to be lowly of spirit

of sound

Hiph.

usu. fig., lay low

hum. subj. set one in a lower place

as helping vb.: make low, sit down = take low seat

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8213 שָׁפֵל be or become low, be abased

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8213 shaphel shaw-fale'

a primitive root; to depress or sink (expec. figuratively, to

humiliate, intransitive or transitive):--abase, bring (cast,

put) down, debase, humble (self), be (bring, lay, make, put)

low(-er).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁפֵל (sha.phel) — to abase.

1) to be or become low, sink, be humbled, be abased

1a) (Qal) to be or become low

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to lay or bring low, humiliate

1b2) to set in a lower place, show abasement

1b3) to make low, sit down

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-3fs — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person feminine singular
HVqi3fs
and it will hail when comes down the forest and with lowness it will become low the city
הָעִֽיר׃ha.'Ir the city H5892 Particle · noun common feminine singular absolute
1,090× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word refers to a city or town, often a place with a wall or a watchman. It is used to describe a settlement or encampment, like the city of Ai, which is mentioned in the book of Joshua. The word is used to identify specific locations in the Bible.
Amplified meaning
a place with a wall, a settlement
Tyndale gloss
excitement
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עִיר (*'iyr*) has meanings related to both excitement and city. It can denote excitement, particularly of terror or rage, as well as refer to a city or town, indicating a place that is guarded or inhabited. The entries suggest a broad application, from fortified cities to simple encampments. There is a specific mention of a man named Ir in 1 Chronicles 4:12.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עִיר n.[m.] excitement;—of terror; of rage

base

עִיר 1092 n.f. city, town

city, town, abode of men

of fortress in a city

appar. fortified place, of any size

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5892a עִיר excitement;—of terror; of rage H5892b עִיר city, town . city, town, abode of men

. of fortress in a city

. appar. fortified place, of any size

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5892 `iyr eer

or (in the plural) par {awr}; or ayar (Judges 10:4)

{aw-yar'}; from 5782 a city (a place guarded by waking or a

watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or

post):--Ai (from margin), city, court (from margin), town.

see HEBREW for 05782

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עִיר (ir) — excitement.

1) excitement, anguish

1a) of terror

עִיר (ir) — city.

1) city, town (a place of waking, guarded)

1a) city, town (a place of waking, guarded)

1a) city, town

עִיר (ir) — City (of On).

Combined with on (אֹן "On" H0204)

This name means city, town

Another name of on (אֹן "On" H0204)

עִיר (ir) — Ir-.

#A man of the tribe of Judah living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.4.12;

son of: Tehinnah (H8468)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | N-fs — Particle · noun common feminine singular absolute
HTd/Ncfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

sit'-i (`ir, qiryah; polis):

I. THE CANAANITE CITY

1. Origin

2. Extent

3. Villages

4. Sites

5. External Appearance

6. General

II. THE CITY OF THE JEWISH OCCUPATION

1. Tower or Stronghold

2. High Place

3. Broad Place

4. Streets

5. General Characteristics

III. STORE CITIES

IV. LEVITICAL CITIES

LITERATURE

I. The Canaanite City.

1. Origin:

The development of the Canaanite city has been traced by Macalister in his report on the excavation at Gezer (Palestine Exploration Fund Statement, 1904, 108 ff). It originated on the slopes of a bare rocky spur, in which the Neolithic Troglodytes quarried their habitations out of the solid rock, the stones therefrom being used to form a casing to the earthen ramparts, with which the site was afterwards surrounded and which served as a protection against the intrusion of enemies. Later Semitic intruders occupied the site, stone houses were built, and high stone defense…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

City

The earliest mention of city-building is that of Enoch, which was built by Cain (Gen. 4:17). After the confusion of tongues, the descendants of Nimrod founded several cities (10:10-12). Next, we have a record of the cities of the Canaanites, Sidon, Gaza, Sodom, etc. (10:12, 19; 11:3, 9; 36:31-39). The earliest description of a city is that of Sodom (19:1-22). Damascus is said to be the oldest existing city in the world. Before the time of Abraham there were cities in Egypt (Num. 13:22). The Israelites in Egypt were employed in building the “treasure cities” of Pithom and Raamses (Ex. 1:11); but it does not seem that they had any cities of their own in Goshen (Gen.…

Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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