Jeremiah 48:4 — Word Study
WLCנִשְׁבְּרָ֖ה מוֹאָ֑ב הִשְׁמִ֥יעוּ זְּעָקָ֖ה צְעִירֶֽיהָ׃
BSAMoabMôwʼâb [will be utterly destroyed, ruined] will be shatteredshâbar■ [broken, smashed] her littletsâʻîyr ones will cry outzaʻaq [young, insignificant, helpless, with a loud outcry, in distress, with a shriek]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| נִשְׁבְּרָ֖ה | it will be broken | Verb, Niphal, perfect third person feminine singular |
| מוֹאָ֑ב | Moab | Noun proper |
| הִשְׁמִ֥יעוּ | they will make heard | Verb, Hiphil, perfect third person common plural |
| זְּעָקָ֖ה | a cry of distress | Noun common, feminine singular absolute |
| צְעִירֶֽיהָ׃ | servants its | Suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Moab will be shattered; her little ones will cry out. |
| KJV | Moab is destroyed; her little ones have caused a cry to be heard. |
| ASV | Moab is destroyed; her little ones have caused a cry to be heard. |
| YLT | Destroyed hath been Moab, Caused a cry to be heard have her little ones. |
| WEB | Moab is destroyed. Her little ones have caused a cry to be heard. |
| BBE | Moab is broken; her cry has gone out to Zoar. |
Where they part company is in the rendering of נִשְׁבְּרָ֖ה — see How Translations Differ.
The verse consists of a main clause followed by a noun phrase and a verb phrase, clearly outlining the subject and action.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectמוֹאָב
verbשָׁבַר
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 48:4
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 48:4 speaks of the destruction that will come upon Moab, a nation known for its conflict with Israel. This verse portrays the intensity of the coming judgment, emphasizing the sorrow of the innocent, particularly the children, as they respond to the devastation surrounding them. The surrounding verses elaborate on the calamity that will befall Moab, reflecting the consequences of their actions and the divine judgment they face.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Numbers 21:27–30 | That is why the poets say: “Come to Heshbon, let it be rebuilt; let the city of Sihon be restored. |
| 2 | Esther 8:11 | By these letters the king permitted the Jews in each and every city the right to assemble and defend themselves, to destroy, kill, and annihilate all the forces of any people or province hostile to them, including women and children, and to plunder their possessions. |
| 3 | Psalm 137:9 | Blessed is he who seizes your infants and dashes them against the rocks. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 3 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — נִשְׁבְּרָ֖ה, nish.be.Rahgenerated
The verb נִשְׁבְּרָ֖ה (nish.be.Rah) is a Niphal perfect form, indicating a passive action: it will be broken. The root שָׁבַר (shabar) conveys the idea of breaking or shattering, often in a violent or destructive manner. This word captures the essence of total ruin, both physically and emotionally, and is frequently used in contexts of calamity.
The use of the passive voice suggests that Moab's destruction is not just a natural occurrence but a divinely orchestrated event. The intensity of the word indicates significant suffering and loss, aligning with the broader themes of judgment found throughout the prophetic literature.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
In this study, we reference the Berean Standard Bible (BSB), which uses the term shattered for נִשְׁבְּרָ֖ה.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The structure of the verse centers around the finite verb נִשְׁבְּרָ֖ה, it will be broken, which serves as the main action. The subject, מוֹאָ֑ב (Moab), follows, indicating who will experience this breaking. The second verb, הִשְׁמִ֥יעוּ, they will make heard, introduces the action of the children, who will cry out, forming a direct object with זְּעָקָ֖ה (a cry of distress).
This construction highlights the fate of Moab while simultaneously drawing attention to the emotional response of its children, emphasizing the gravity of the situation.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates נִשְׁבְּרָ֖ה as συνετρίβη (synetreibē), meaning 'was shattered.' This choice conveys a similar sense of destruction but may also imply a more thorough or complete breaking.
The translation of הִשְׁמִ֥יעוּ as ἀναγγείλατε (anaggeilate) suggests a focus on the proclamation of the distress, emphasizing the act of making the cry heard.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Jeremiah 48:4 states that Moab will face destruction, and its children will cry out in distress. This verse highlights the tragic consequences of judgment, emphasizing the emotional turmoil of those affected.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It indicates complete destruction and ruin for the nation of Moab, symbolizing the consequences of their actions.
The 'little ones' refer to the children of Moab, representing the innocent victims of the impending judgment.
The cries highlight the emotional pain and suffering that accompany the destruction, emphasizing the gravity of the situation.
It reflects the themes of judgment and the consequences of sin, which are prevalent throughout the book of Jeremiah.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways can we see the consequences of actions in our own lives or communities?
- How do we respond to the suffering of the innocent in times of conflict or judgment?
- What can we learn from the fate of Moab about the importance of righteousness?
- How does this verse challenge us to consider the impact of our choices on future generations?
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Jeremiah 48:4 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleMoab is destroyed,.... Either the whole nation in general; so the Targum, "the kingdom of Moab is broken;'' and so Abarbinel; or a city so called, which some take to be the city Areopolis.
Read John Gill on Jeremiah 48 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryMoab is destroyed; her little ones have caused a cry to be heard. Her little ones have caused a cry - heightening the distress of the scene. The foe do not spare even infants.
Read Robert Jamieson on Jeremiah 48 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleMoab was both the name of the whole country, and of a principal city in it. Some by it here understand the city; by her little ones some understand little children; others, inferior magistrates, or the common people.
Read Matthew Poole on Jeremiah 48 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJeremiah 48:4 Moab is destroyed; her little ones have caused a cry to be heard.Ver. 4. Moab is destroyed,] i.e., Shall be shortly. Her little ones have caused a cry to be heard.] While they either are forsaken of their parents, or else see them to be slain or carried away captives.
Read John Trapp on Jeremiah 48 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(4) Her little ones.—The Hebrew adjective is the same as the Zoar, the little one, of Genesis 19:20, and that city may probably have been, as in Isaiah 15:5, in the prophet’s mind. In any case the “little ones” are cities, and not children.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Jeremiah 48 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges4, 5. Both these vv. are probably later than Jeremiah.
Read Cambridge on Jeremiah 48 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleMoab - Probably the city elsewhere called Ar-Moab. See the Septuagint of this verse.
Read Albert Barnes on Jeremiah 48 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible4. Moab — Some understand here the city Ar-Moab, of Numbers 21:15, etc.; but this is unnecessary. It is better to take it in its ordinary sense, the name of the country.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon 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
Moab will be shattered; her little ones will cry out.
Moab is destroyed. Her little ones have caused a cry to be heard.
Moab will be shattered; her little ones will cry out.
“Moab will be crushed. Her children will cry out in distress.
Tyndale line
Moab is destroyed; her little ones have caused a cry to be heard.
Moab is destroyed; her little ones have caused a cry to be heard.
Moab is destroyed; her little ones have caused a cry to be heard.
Moab is destroyed; her little ones have caused a cry to be heard.
Moab is destroyed: her litle ones haue caused their crie to be heard.
Strictly literal
Moab is destroyed; her little ones have caused a cry to be heard.
Destroyed hath been Moab, Caused a cry to be heard have her little ones.
Moab has been destroyed, || Her little ones have caused a cry to be heard.
Broken down is Moab: her little ones send forth a cry of distress.
Moab has been destroyed. Her children have made their cries heard.
From the Latin
Moab is destroyed: proclaim a cry for her little ones.
Simplified
Moab will be smashed. Hear the little ones crying for help.
Moab is broken; her cry has gone out to Zoar.
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 largely agree in their wording for this verse, with four out of five words matching. The Septuagint's translation reflects the same themes of destruction and outcry, although its word order differs.
נִשְׁבְּרָ֖ה מוֹאָ֑ב הִשְׁמִ֥יעוּ זְּעָקָ֖ה צְעִירֶֽיהָ׃
4 of the 5 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 48:4
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.
שָׁבַר (shabar) means to break or shatter, with various nuances including breaking in pieces, causing to break out (like bringing to birth), and being broken or crushed. It appears in different forms, such as Qal, Niphal, Piel, Hiphil, and Hophal, indicating active and passive meanings. The lexicons do not present any significant disagreements.
שָׁבַר 148 vb. break, break in pieces
Qal 53 break, lit.
Niph. 57 be broken
Pi. 26 shatter, break
Hiph. cause to break out, i.e. bring to the birth
Hoph. be broken, shattered (in heart)
base
H7665 שָׁבַר break, break in pieces .break, lit.
. be broken
. shatter, break
. cause to break out, i.e. bring to the birth
. be broken, shattered (in heart)
7665 shabar shaw-bar'
a primitive root; to burst (literally or
figuratively):--break (down, off, in pieces, up),
broken((-hearted)), bring to the birth, crush, destroy, hurt,
quench, X quite, tear, view (by mistake for 7663).
see HEBREW for 07663
שָׁבַר (sha.var) — to break.
1) to break, break in pieces
1a) (Qal)
1a1) break, break in or down, rend violently, wreck, crush, quench
1a2) to break, rupture (fig)
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be broken, be maimed, be crippled, be wrecked
1b2) to be broken, be crushed (fig)
1c) (Piel) to shatter, break
1d) (Hiphil) to cause to break out, bring to the birth
1e) (Hophal) to be broken, be shattered
Aramaic equivalent: te.var (תְּבַר "to break" H8406)
V-Niphal-Perf-3fs — Verb · Niphal · perfect third person feminine singularHVNp3fs
bro'-k'-n: Occurs both as past participle of the verb translated "to break" and as an adjective, the former use will be dealt with here only so far as verbs occur which are thus translated but do not present the non-participial forms. Such are: meroach = "bruised," "emasculated" (Le 21:20); chathath = "to frustrate," hence, "to break down" either by violence or by confusion and fear (1Sa 2:10; Jer 48:20,39); dakhah = "to collapse" (Ps 44:19; 51:8); ratsats = "to crack in pieces" "crush" (Ec 12:6); kathath = "to bruise or violently strike," "break in pieces" (Isa…
מוֹאָב (Moab) refers to both a person and a territory. It denotes Moab, the son of Lot by his eldest daughter, and the nation and land descended from him. The name means 'of his father,' highlighting the incestuous origins of Moab. The term appears in various contexts in the Old Testament, including references to the Moabites and their territory.
מוֹאָב, מֹאָב 180 n.pr.gent. et terr. Moab
Moab as son of Lot by his elder daughter
Moab:
= nation of which Lot’s son is represented as ancestor
= territory of Moab
base
H4124 מוֹאָב, מֹאָב Moab
4124 Mow'ab mo-awb
from a prolonged form of the prepositional prefix m- and 1;
from (her (the mother's)) father; Moab, an incestuous son of
Lot; also his territory and descendants:--Moab.
see HEBREW for 01
מוֹאָב (mo.av) — Moab.
Moab = "of his father"
the nation descended from the son of Lot
Also named: mo.a.vi (מוֹאָבִי "Moab" H4125)
מוֹאָב (mo.av) — Moab.
A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.19.37;
son of: Lot (H3876) and his first daughter (H3876H);
half-brother of Ben-ammi (H1151);
§ Moab = "of his father"
1) a son of Lot by his eldest daughter
2) the nation descended from the son of Lot
3) the land inhabited by the descendants of the son of Lot
מוֹאָב (mo.av) — (Plains of) Moab.
Combined with a.ra.vah (עֲרָבָה " Plains" H6160I)
§ Moab = "of his father"
the land inhabited by the descendants of the son of Lot
N-proper — Noun properHNpl
Moab
The seed of the father, or, according to others, the desirable land, the eldest son of Lot (Gen. 19:37), of incestuous birth.
(2.) Used to denote the people of Moab (Num. 22:3-14; Judg. 3:30; 2 Sam. 8:2; Jer. 48:11, 13).
(3.) The land of Moab (Jer. 48:24), called also the “country of Moab” (Ruth 1:2, 6; 2:6), on the east of Jordan and the Dead Sea, and south of the Arnon (Num. 21:13, 26). In a wider sense it included the whole region that had been occupied by…
(of his father), Mo’abites. Moab was the son of the Lot’s eldest daughter, the progenitor of the Moabites. Zoar was the cradle of the race of Lot. From this centre the brother tribes spread themselves. The Moabites first inhabited the rich highlands which crown the eastern side of the chasm of the Dead Sea, extending as far north as the mountain of Gilead, from which country they expelled the Emims, the original inhabitants, (2:11) but they themselves were afterward driven southward by the warlike Amorites, who had crossed the Jordan, and were confined to the country south of the river Arnon, which formed their northern boundary. (Numbers 21:13; Judges 11:18) The territory occupied by Moab at the period of its greatest extent, before the invasion of the Amorites, divided itself…
of his father
The Hebrew word שָׁמַע (shama`) means 'to hear' and encompasses a range of meanings including listening, obeying, and proclaiming. It is built from a primitive root and can imply attention and understanding. The entries highlight various grammatical forms, such as Qal, Niphal, Piel, and Hiphil, indicating different nuances of hearing and obeying. There is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its meanings.
שָׁמַע 1152 vb. hear
Qal 1052
subj. pers. hum.
י׳ (God) subj.
Niph. 42 be heard, of voice, sound
be heard of
be regarded, obeyed
= (favourable) hearing was granted to their voice.
Pi. he caused the people to hear
Hiph. 63
of man
י׳ subj.
base
H8085 שָׁמַע hear
8085 shama` shaw-mah'
a primitive root; to hear intelligently (often with
implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to
tell, etc.):--X attentively, call (gather) together, X
carefully, X certainly, consent, consider, be content,
declare, X diligently, discern, give ear, (cause to, let, make
to) hear(-ken, tell), X indeed, listen, make (a) noise, (be)
obedient, obey, perceive, (make a) proclaim(-ation), publish,
regard, report, shew (forth), (make a) sound, X surely, tell,
understand, whosoever (heareth), witness.
שָׁמַע (sha.ma) — to hear: hear.
: hear
v
1) to hear, listen to, obey
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to hear (perceive by ear)
1a2) to hear of or concerning
1a3) to hear (have power to hear)
1a4) to hear with attention or interest, listen to
1a5) to understand (language)
1a6) to hear (of judicial cases)
1a7) to listen, give heed
1a7a) to consent, agree
1a7b) to grant request
1a8) to listen to, yield to
1a9) to obey, be obedient
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be heard (of voice or sound)
1b2) to be heard of
1b3) to be regarded, be obeyed
1c) (Piel) to cause to hear, call to hear, summon
1d) (Hiphil)
1d1) to cause to hear, tell, proclaim, utter a sound
1d2) to sound aloud (musical term)
1d3) to make proclamation, summon
1d4) to cause to be heard
n m
2) sound
שָׁמַע (sha.ma) — to hear: obey.
: obey
v
1) to hear, listen to, obey
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to hear (perceive by ear)
1a2) to hear of or concerning
1a3) to hear (have power to hear)
HVhp3cp — Verb · Hiphil · perfect third person common pluralHVhp3cp
זְעָקָה (ze'aqah) refers to a cry or outcry, often associated with distress or clamour. It is derived from the root word meaning to cry out, and its usage encompasses various forms of vocal expression, particularly in moments of urgency or need.
זְעָקָה n.f. cry, outcry
outcry, against
cry of distress
outcry, clamour
base
H2201 זְעָקָה cry, outcry
2201 za`aq zah'-ak
and (feminine) zoaqah {zeh-aw-kaw'}; from 2199; a shriek or
outcry:--cry(-ing).
see HEBREW for 02199
זְעָקָה (ze.a.qah) — outcry.
1) cry, outcry
1a) outcry
1b) cry of distress
1c) outcry, clamour
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular absoluteHNcfsa
צָעִיר (tsa`iyr) means little, insignificant, or young. It can refer to something that is small in size or number, as well as to youth or lower status. The entries consistently emphasize its meanings related to size and age, but do not indicate any significant disagreement among lexicons.
צָעִיר adj. little, insignificant, young
base
H6810 צָעִיר little, insignificant, young
6810 tsa`iyr tsaw-eer'
or tsanowr {tsaw-ore'}; from 6819; little; (in number) few;
(in age) young, (in value) ignoble:--least, little (one),
small (one), + young(-er, -est).
see HEBREW for 06819
צָעִיר (tsa.ir) — little.
1) little, insignificant, young
1a) little, insignificant
1b) insignificant, mean
1c) young, younger, youngest
Adj | Suff — SuffixHAampc/Sp3fs