Jeremiah 48:14 — Word Study
WLCאֵ֚יךְ תֹּֽאמְר֔וּ גִּבּוֹרִ֖ים אֲנָ֑חְנוּ וְאַנְשֵׁי־ חַ֖יִל לַמִּלְחָמָֽה׃
BSAHowʼêyk [in what way] can you sayʼâmar▸ [declare, express] Weʼănachnûw [emphatically] are warriorsgibbôwr mightychayil ready for battlemilchâmâh
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| אֵ֚יךְ | how? | Particle |
| תֹּֽאמְר֔וּ | will you say | Verb, Qal, imperfect second person masculine plural |
| גִּבּוֹרִ֖ים | [are] warriors | Noun common, masculine plural absolute |
| אֲנָ֑חְנוּ | we | Pronoun |
| וְאַנְשֵׁי־ | and men of | Conjunction, noun common masculine plural construct |
| חַ֖יִל | strength | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| לַמִּלְחָמָֽה׃ | for battle | Preposition, noun common feminine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | How can you say, ‘We are warriors, mighty men ready for battle’? |
| KJV | ¶ How say ye, We are mighty and strong men for the war? |
| ASV | How say ye, We are mighty men, and valiant men for the war? |
| YLT | How do ye say, We [are] mighty, And men of strength for battle? |
| WEB | “How do you say, ‘We are mighty men, and valiant men for the war’? |
| BBE | How say you, We are men of war and strong fighters? |
Translations agree on the portrayal of Moab's warriors but differ in their phrasing of the question.
The sentence consists of a main clause followed by a subject and predicate, with additional descriptive elements providing context.
5 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectאֲנַחְנוּ
verbאָמַר
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
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 — Jeremiah 48:14
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 Prophecy Against Moabgenerated
Jeremiah 48:14 presents a rhetorical question that challenges the confidence of the Moabites, who claim to be strong warriors ready for battle. This verse is part of a larger oracle that describes the impending doom of Moab, emphasizing their false sense of security in the face of God's judgment. The surrounding verses illustrate the devastation that will come upon them, as seen in Jeremiah 48:13 and Jeremiah 48:15.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jeremiah 8:8 | How can you say, ‘We are wise, and the Law of the LORD is with us,’ when in fact the lying pen of the scribes has produced a deception? |
| 2 | Psalm 11:1 | In the LORD I take refuge. How then can you say to me: “Flee like a bird to your mountain! |
| 3 | Isaiah 36:4–5 | The Rabshakeh said to them, “Tell Hezekiah that this is what the great king, the king of Assyria, says: What is the basis of this confidence of yours? |
| 4 | Jeremiah 9:23 | This is what the LORD says: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, nor the strong man in his strength, nor the wealthy man in his riches. |
| 5 | Jeremiah 49:16 | The terror you cause and the pride of your heart have deceived you, O dwellers in the clefts of the rocks, O occupiers of the mountain summit. Though you elevate your nest like the eagle, even from there I will bring you down,” declares the LORD. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 11 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — גִּבּוֹרִ֖ים, gi.bo.Rimgenerated
The word גִּבּוֹר (gibbor) refers to a mighty man or warrior, emphasizing strength and valor. It is often used in contexts that describe individuals of great power or bravery, such as soldiers or champions in battle.
In this verse, it highlights the irony of Moab's claim to strength as they face imminent destruction. The parsing indicates that it is a common noun in the masculine plural form, referring to a group of strong men.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The verse is rendered in the Berean Standard Bible as a question challenging Moab's claim of strength.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb תֹּֽאמְר֔וּ (to.me.Ru), meaning 'will you say', governs the entire sentence, with the subject אֲנָ֑חְנוּ ('a.Na.che.nu) positioned before it for emphasis.
The structure is straightforward, with the adverbial phrase אֵ֚יךְ ('eikh) introducing the question, leading to the declaration of identity as warriors, followed by the prepositional phrase indicating readiness for battle.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates אֵ֚יךְ as πῶς (pōs), maintaining the interrogative form. This choice emphasizes the rhetorical nature of the question, reflecting the same challenge to Moab's confidence.
The Greek term used for גִּבּוֹרִ֖ים is ἰσξυροί (ischyroi), which also conveys strength, aligning closely with the Hebrew meaning.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Jeremiah 48:14 asks Moab how they can claim to be strong warriors when destruction is coming. The verse highlights their misplaced confidence in their might, as they are about to face judgment.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
The question suggests that Moab's confidence in their strength is unfounded, as they will soon face destruction.
This verse is part of a prophecy that outlines the impending doom of Moab, emphasizing their false sense of security.
The term 'warriors' underscores the irony of Moab's claim to strength in the face of certain defeat.
Moab's situation serves as a warning against overconfidence and reliance on one's own strength rather than on God.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what areas of my life might I be overconfident, like the Moabites?
- How can I ensure that my strength comes from God rather than my own abilities?
- What lessons can I learn from the consequences faced by Moab?
- How can I apply the warning in this verse to my own life?
Commentators on this verse — 5 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Jeremiah 48:14 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleHow say ye, we [are] mighty and strong men for the war?] The Moabites were proud, haughty, and arrogant; boasted much of their strength and valour; of the strength of their bodies, and fitness for
Read John Gill on Jeremiah 48 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryHow say ye, We are mighty and strong men for the war? No JFB commentary on this verse.
Read Robert Jamieson on Jeremiah 48 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleHow can ye justify what you say, or why say you so, or to what purpose do you brag of your valour?
Read Matthew Poole on Jeremiah 48 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJeremiah 48:14 How say ye, We [are] mighty and strong men for the war?Ver. 14. How say ye, We are mighty?] q.d., Ye have great cause to crack, and to stand upon your pantofle. A slipper or sandle.
Read John Trapp on Jeremiah 48 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(14-17) How say ye . . .—In the boast that follows we trace the characteristic pride of Moab. The prophet points to the fact that the pride is brought low. She, too, is subject, like other nations, to invasion and defeat. He summons her people to wail for her overthrow. The “staff” is the sceptre of the ruler, as in Psalms 110:2. The “rod” is the stick with which a man walks (Genesis 32:10; Exodus 12:11), but which may also be used as a weapon. The epithet “beautiful” perhaps points to the splendour of a royal staff or wand of ivory and gold.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Jeremiah 48 →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
How can you say, ‘We are warriors, mighty men ready for battle’?
“How do you say, ‘We are mighty men, and valiant men for the war’?
How can you say, ‘We are warriors, mighty men ready for battle’?
How can you men of Moab say, ‘We are heroes, men who are mighty in battle?’
Tyndale line
¶ How say ye, We are mighty and strong men for the war?
How say ye, We are mighty men, and valiant men for the war?
How say ye, We are mighty men, and valiant men for the war?
How say ye, We are mighty and strong men for the war?
Howe thinke you thus, We are mightie and strong men of warre?
Strictly literal
How do ye say, We are mighty, and men of valour for the war?
How do ye say, We [are] mighty, And men of strength for battle?
How do you say, We [are] mighty, || And men of strength for battle?
How can ye say, We are mighty and men of bravery for the war?
How can you say, 'We are soldiers, powerful fighting men'?
From the Latin
How do you say: We are valiant, and stout men in battle?
Simplified
How on earth can you Moabites say, “We're heroes, strong men ready to fight in battle”?
How say you, We are men of war and strong fighters?
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.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree in their wording for this verse, with all seven words matched. The Septuagint preserves the original meaning while presenting it in a different syntactical order.
אֵ֚יךְ תֹּֽאמְר֔וּ גִּבּוֹרִ֖ים אֲנָ֑חְנוּ וְאַנְשֵׁי־ חַ֖יִל לַמִּלְחָמָֽה׃
7 of the 7 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.
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.
Lexicons — every word in Jeremiah 48:14
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.
אֵיךְ (*'eyk*) and its variants express the concept of 'how?' in various contexts, functioning as both interrogative and exclamatory forms. The entries indicate that it can also imply 'where' and is used in expressions of lamentation or satisfaction. The word appears in different spellings, reflecting its usage in the Old Testament.
אֵיךְ 69 adv.
interrog. How?
as an exclam. How!
base
אֵיכָה adv.
interrog. In what manner?
exclam. How!
Where?
base
אֵיכָ֫כָה (Ct) אֵֽיכָכָ֫ה (Est) How?
base
H349a אֵיךְ . interrog. How?
. as an exclam. How!
H349b אֵיכָה . interrog. In what manner?
. as an exclam. How!
H349c אֵיכָ֫כָה (Ct) אֵֽיכָכָ֫ה (Est) How?
349 'eyk ake
also eykah {ay-kaw'}; and teykakah {ay-kaw'-kah}; prolonged
from 335; how? or how!; also where:--how, what.
see HEBREW for 0335
אֵיךְ (ekh) — how?.
interrog adv
how?
אֵיכָה (e.khah) — how?.
interrog adv
1) how?
interj
2) how! (in lamentation)
3) expression of satisfaction
אֵיכָ֫כָה (e.kha.khah) — how?.
how?
Another spelling of ekh (אֵיךְ "how?" H0349A)
Part — ParticleHTi
Represents various Hebrew and Greek words, interrogative, interjectional and relative. Its different uses refer to
(1) the manner or way, e.g. Ge 44:34, "How shall I go up to my father?" ('ekh); Mt 6:28, "how they grow" (pos); 1Co 15:35, "How are the dead raised?";
(2) degree, extent, frequently, "how great" (Da 4:3, mah; Mr 5:19, hosos, "how much"); "how many" (Mt 27:13, posos); "how much" (Ac 9:13, hosos); "how much more" (Mt 7:11, posos;
אָמַר (amar) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to say' or 'to utter,' with a broad range of uses including to promise, command, or even boast. It appears in various forms, such as in the Qal (to say), Niphal (to be told), and Hiphil (to avow). The entries highlight its versatility in both spoken and internal contexts, though no specific verse is noted.
אָמַר 5287 vb. utter, say
Qal
Say
Say in the heart (= think)
Promise
Command (esp. late)
Niph. be said, told
Hiph. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)
Hithp. act proudly, boast
base
H559 אָמַר utter, say .. Say
. Say in the heart (= think)
. Promise
. Command (esp. late)
. be said, told
. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)
. act proudly, boast
559 'amar aw-mar'
a primitive root; to say (used with great
latitude):--answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call,
certify, challenge, charge, + (at the, give) command(-ment),
commune, consider, declare, demand, X desire, determine, X
expressly, X indeed, X intend, name, X plainly, promise,
publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), X still, X
suppose, talk, tell, term, X that is, X think, use (speech),
utter, X verily, X yet.
אָמַר (a.mar) — to say.
1) to say, speak, utter
1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend
1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called
1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly
1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch
Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)
V-Qal-Imperf-2mp — Verb · Qal · imperfect second person masculine pluralHVqi2mp
גִּבּוֹר (gibbor) means strong or mighty, and can refer to a powerful person, such as a warrior or chief. It is built from a root that implies strength and valor, covering meanings related to strength and bravery. The entries consistently emphasize its use to describe a strong man or mighty figure.
גִּבּוֹר 159 adj. strong, mighty
base
H1368 גִּבּוֹר strong, mighty
1368 gibbowr ghib-bore'
or (shortened) gibbor {ghib-bore'}; intensive from the same
as 1397; powerful; by implication, warrior, tyrant:--
champion, chief, X excel, giant, man, mighty (man, one),
strong (man), valiant man.
see HEBREW for 01397
גִּבּוֹר (gib.bor) — mighty man.
adj
1) strong, mighty
n m
2) strong man, brave man, mighty man
Adj — Noun common · masculine plural absoluteHNcmpa
אֲנַ֫חְנוּ (anachnuw) is the first-person plural pronoun meaning 'we' or 'ourselves.' It is used for emphasis and is derived from another Hebrew word, אֲנִי (ani), meaning 'I.' The entries consistently define it as a pronoun without significant disagreement.
אֲנַ֫חְנוּ, אֲנָ֑חְנוּ pron. 1pl. comm. we
base
H587 אֲנַ֫חְנוּ, אֲנָ֑חְנוּ we
587 'anachnuw an-akh'-noo
apparently from 595; we:--ourselves, us, we.
see HEBREW for 0595
אֲנַ֫חְנוּ (a.nach.nu) — we.
we (first pers. pl. -usually used for emphasis)
Pron — PronounHPp1bp
אֱנוֹשׁ (enowsh) refers to man or mankind, often used in a poetic context. It denotes a mortal individual, distinguishing humans from more dignified terms for man. The word encompasses both singular and collective meanings, indicating people or persons in general. Its Aramaic equivalent is אֱנָשׁ (e.nash), also meaning 'man'.
אֱנוֹשׁ n.m. man, mankind, mostly poet.
of individ.
coll. men
man, mankind
base
H582 אֱנוֹשׁ man, mankind, mostly poet.
582 'enowsh en-oshe'
from 605; properly, a mortal (and thus differing from the
more dignified 120); hence, a man in general (singly or
collectively):--another, X (blood-)thirsty, certain,
chap(-man); divers, fellow, X in the flower of their age,
husband, (certain, mortal) man, people, person, servant, some
( X of them), + stranger, those, + their trade. It is often
unexpressed in the English versions, especially when used in
apposition with another word . Compare 376.
see HEBREW for 0605
see HEBREW for 0120
see HEBREW for 0376
אֱנוֹשׁ (e.nosh) — human.
1) man, mortal man, person, mankind
1a) of an individual
1b) men (collective)
1c) man, mankind
Aramaic equivalent: e.nash (אֱנָשׁ "man" H0606)
HC/Ncmpc — Conjunction · noun common masculine plural constructHC/Ncmpc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
The Hebrew word חַ֫יִל (*chayil*) encompasses meanings related to strength, efficiency, wealth, and army. It is derived from a root meaning force and can refer to physical might, moral virtue, or resources. The entries consistently highlight its application to soldiers and military forces, with no significant disagreement noted among the lexicons.
חַ֫יִל 244 n.m. strength, efficiency, wealth, army
strength, usu. physical
ability, efficiency, often involving moral worth
wealth
force, army
base
H2428 חַ֫יִל strength, efficiency, wealth, army
2428 chayil khah'-yil
from 2342; probably a force, whether of men, means or other
resources; an army, wealth, virtue, valor, strength:--able,
activity, (+) army, band of men (soldiers), company, (great)
forces, goods, host, might, power, riches, strength, strong,
substance, train, (+)valiant(-ly), valour, virtuous(-ly), war,
worthy(-ily).
see HEBREW for 02342
חַ֫יִל (cha.yil) — strength: soldiers.
: soldiers/army
1) strength, might, efficiency, wealth, army
1a) strength
1b) ability, efficiency
1c) wealth
1d) force, army
חֵילֵךְ (che.lek) — Helech.
§ Helech = "your army"
a place near Arvad and Gammad
חַ֫יִל (cha.yil) — strength.
: strong
1) strength, might, efficiency, wealth, army
1a) strength
1b) ability, efficiency
1c) wealth
1d) force, army, soldiers/army
חַ֫יִל (cha.yil) — strength: rich.
: rich/wealth
1) strength, might, efficiency, wealth, army
1a) strength
1b) ability, efficiency
1c) wealth
1d) force, army
חַ֫יִל (cha.yil) — strength: worthy.
: worthy
1) strength, might, efficiency, wealth, army
1a) strength
1b) ability, efficiency
1c) wealth
1d) force, army
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
→ A title given to Jehovah 1Sa 15:29
מִלְחָמָה (milchamah) means 'battle' or 'war.' It is derived from the root word for fighting and encompasses both specific engagements and the broader concept of warfare. The entries consistently define it in this way, with no significant disagreement among the lexicons.
מִלְחָמָה 319 n.f. battle, war
base
H4421 מִלְחָמָה battle, war
4421 milchamah mil-khaw-maw'
from 3898 (in the sense of fighting); a battle (i.e. the
engagement); generally, war (i.e. warfare):--battle,
fight(-ing), war((-rior)).
see HEBREW for 03898
מִלְחָמָה (mil.cha.mah) — battle.
battle, war
Prep | N-fs — Preposition · noun common feminine singular absoluteHRd/Ncfsa
See WAR.