Jeremiah 50:22 — Word Study
WLCק֥וֹל מִלְחָמָ֖ה בָּאָ֑רֶץ וְשֶׁ֖בֶר גָּדֽוֹל׃
BSAThe noiseqôwl [sound, cry] of battlemilchâmâh [war, conflict] is in the landʼerets [country, territory] [the noise] of greatgâdôwl [sound, clamor, extensive, severe] destructionsheber [breaking, shattering]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| ק֥וֹל | a sound of | Noun common, masculine singular construct |
| מִלְחָמָ֖ה | battle | Noun common, feminine singular absolute |
| בָּאָ֑רֶץ | [will be] in the land | Preposition, noun common feminine singular absolute |
| וְשֶׁ֖בֶר | and destruction | Conjunction, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| גָּדֽוֹל׃ | great | Adj |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | “The noise of battle is in the land— the noise of great destruction. |
| KJV | A sound of battle is in the land, and of great destruction. |
| ASV | A sound of battle is in the land, and of great destruction. |
| YLT | A noise of battle [is] in the land, and of great destruction. |
| WEB | A sound of battle is in the land, and of great destruction. |
| BBE | There is a sound of war in the land and of great destruction. |
Where they part company is גָּדֽוֹל — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence consists of a main clause followed by a subordinate clause that elaborates on the nature of the destruction.
3 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
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 50:22
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 — Prophecy Against Babylongenerated
Jeremiah 50:22 speaks of a tumultuous scene in the land, marked by the sounds of battle and destruction. This verse is part of a larger prophecy against Babylon, where God declares judgment upon the nation for its actions. The surrounding verses emphasize the severity of the situation, as seen in Jeremiah 50:21 and Jeremiah 50:23, which depict the consequences of rebellion against the Lord.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jeremiah 4:19–21 | My anguish, my anguish! I writhe in pain! Oh, the pain in my chest! My heart pounds within me; I cannot be silent. For I have heard the sound of the horn, the alarm of battle. |
| 2 | Jeremiah 51:54–56 | “The sound of a cry comes from Babylon, the sound of great destruction from the land of the Chaldeans! |
| 3 | Isaiah 21:2–4 | A dire vision is declared to me: “The traitor still betrays, and the destroyer still destroys. Go up, O Elam! Lay siege, O Media! I will put an end to all her groaning.” |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 3 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — שֶׁ֫בֶר, shebergenerated
The word שֶׁ֫בֶר (sheber) is a noun meaning 'breaking' or 'shattering.' It conveys a sense of destruction or ruin, often used in contexts of physical damage or metaphorical collapse. Its parsing as a masculine singular absolute noun indicates it stands independently in the sentence, emphasizing the nature of the destruction being described.
The word appears in various contexts throughout the Bible, often linked to significant events of loss or devastation. Here, it underscores the gravity of the destruction accompanying the battle.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses destruction for שֶׁ֫בֶר. The KJV and ASV also use destruction, maintaining a consistent rendering.
Where translations differ is primarily with the word גָּדֽוֹל. The BSB, DRA, and others use great, while versions like the KJV and ASV opt for sound. This distinction highlights the nuances in interpreting the severity of the destruction.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The verse consists of two main clauses: the first introduces the sound of battle, and the second describes the noise of great destruction. The structure emphasizes the parallelism between the two sounds, linking them in the context of chaos.
The finite verb is implied in the context, with the subject understood from the preceding phrases. The use of conjunctions connects the ideas, creating a vivid auditory image of the tumult in the land.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, ק֥וֹל is rendered as φωνὴ, meaning 'voice' or 'sound.' This choice emphasizes the auditory nature of the event, aligning with the Hebrew meaning.
The Greek word מִלְחָמָ֖ה is translated as πολέμου, which also conveys the concept of war. This translation maintains the focus on conflict as a central theme of the verse.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Jeremiah 50:22 speaks about the sounds of battle and destruction in the land. This verse is part of a prophecy against Babylon, warning of the consequences of their actions. The imagery highlights the severity of the situation, emphasizing the chaos and ruin that will come.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
The noise of battle indicates conflict and impending destruction, reflecting the judgment upon Babylon.
Destruction is emphasized to convey the seriousness of the situation and the consequences of rebellion against God.
This verse fits within a larger prophecy against Babylon, illustrating the chaos that will ensue due to their actions, as seen in the verses before and after.
This prophecy serves as a reminder of the consequences of turning away from God and the seriousness of spiritual rebellion.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What are some ways I can recognize the 'noise of battle' in my own life?
- How can I respond to situations of conflict and destruction with faith?
- What does this passage teach me about the consequences of turning away from God?
- In what ways can I seek peace in the midst of chaos?
Commentators on this verse — 3 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Jeremiah 50:22 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleA sound of battle [is] in the land,.... In the land of the Chaldeans, as it is expressed in the Septuagint and Arabic versions; the noise of warriors, the clashing of arms, and sound of trumpets,
Read John Gill on Jeremiah 50 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryA sound of battle is in the land, and of great destruction. No JFB commentary on this verse.
Read Robert Jamieson on Jeremiah 50 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJeremiah 50:22 A sound of battle [is] in the land, and of great destruction.Ver. 22. A sound of battle is in the land.] Barrites militaris; this is, not the joyful, but the woeful sound; for war is a woe which no words, however wide, can sufficiently set forth. Sequitur executio. - Oecol.
Read John Trapp on Jeremiah 50 →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
“The noise of battle is in the land— the noise of great destruction.
A sound of battle is in the land, and of great destruction.
“The noise of battle is in the land—the noise of great destruction.
The noise of battle can be heard in the land of Babylonia. There is the sound of great destruction.
Tyndale line
A sound of battle is in the land, and of great destruction.
A sound of battle is in the land, and of great destruction.
A sound of battle is in the land, and of great destruction.
A sound of battle is in the land, and of great destruction.
A crie of battell is in the land, and of great destruction.
Strictly literal
A sound of battle is in the land, and great destruction.
A noise of battle [is] in the land, and of great destruction.
A noise of battle [is] in the land, || And of great destruction.
A sound of battle [is heard] in the land, and of great destruction.
The sounds of battle and enormous destruction are in the land.
From the Latin
A noise of war in the land, and a great destruction.
Simplified
The noise of battle is heard in the country, the noise of terrible destruction.
There is a sound of war in the land and of great destruction.
Word by word, the decisions they made
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 word choices, with all five Hebrew words matched in the Greek translation. This alignment indicates a consistent understanding of the text across these traditions.
ק֥וֹל מִלְחָמָ֖ה בָּאָ֑רֶץ וְשֶׁ֖בֶר גָּדֽוֹל׃
5 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 50:22
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.
קוֹל (qol) primarily means 'voice' or 'sound,' encompassing various contexts such as music, noise, and even thunder. It can also denote lightness or frivolity. The word is built from a root meaning to call aloud and appears in various forms throughout the Old Testament, including a reference in Jeremiah 3:9.
ref
H6963a קוֹל sound, voice H6963b קֹל lightness, frivolity
6963 qowl kole
or qol {kole}; from an unused root meaning to call aloud; a
voice or sound:--+ aloud, bleating, crackling, cry (+ out),
fame, lightness, lowing, noise, + hold peace, (pro-)claim,
proclamation, + sing, sound, + spark, thunder(-ing), voice, +
yell.
קוֹל (qol) — voice.
: voice/shout/loud
1) voice, sound, noise
1a) voice
1b) sound (of instrument)
קֹל (qol) — frivolity.
lightness, frivolity
קוֹל (qol) — voice: sound.
: sound/noise
1) voice, sound, noise
1a) voice
1b) sound (of instrument)
קוֹל (qol) — voice: thunder.
: thunder
1) voice, sound, noise
1a) voice
1b) sound (of instrument)
קוֹל (qol) — voice: message.
: message/proclaim
1) voice, sound, noise
1a) voice
1b) sound (of instrument)
קוֹל (qol) — voice: [sound of].
: [sound_of](THING)
1) voice, sound, noise
1a) voice
1b) sound (of instrument)
קוֹל (qol) — voice: listen.
: listen
1) voice, sound, noise
1a) voice
1b) sound (of instrument)
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular constructHNcmsc
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…
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
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular absoluteHNcfsa
See WAR.
אֶ֫רֶץ (erets) is a feminine noun meaning 'earth' or 'land.' It encompasses various meanings, including the whole earth, specific territories like Canaan, and even inhabitants of the land. It can refer to soil, ground, or regions, and is used in phrases related to distance and the living. There is a note on the plural form אֲרָצוֹת, which mainly appears in later texts to denote multiple lands.
אֶ֫רֶץ n. f. & (seld.) m. earth, land
earth, whole earth (opp. to a part)
earth, opp. to heaven, sky
earth = inhabitants of earth
land =
country, territory
district, region
trial territory
piece of ground
specif. land of Canaan, or Israel
= inhabitants of land
used even of Shᵉʼôl
ground, surface of ground
soil, as productive
אֶרֶץ in phrases
people of the land
in measurements of distance
the country of the plain, level or plain country
land of the living
end(s) of the earth
pl. אֲרָצוֹת is almost wholly late; it denotes lands, countries, often in contrast to Canaan, lands of the nations, etc.
base
H776 אֶ֫רֶץ n. f. & (seld.) m. earth, land . . earth, whole earth (opp. to a part)
. earth, opp. to heaven, sky
. earth = inhabitants of earth
. land = . country, territory
. district, region
. trial territory
. piece of ground
. specif. land of Canaan, or Israel
. = inhabitants of land
. used even of Shᵉʼôl
. . ground, surface of ground
. soil, as productive
. אֶרֶץ in phrases . people of the land
. in measurements of distance
. the country of the plain, level or plain country
. land of the living
. end(s) of the earth
. pl. אֲרָצוֹת is almost wholly late; it denotes lands, countries, often in contrast to Canaan, lands of the nations, etc.
776 'erets eh'-rets
from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth
(at large, or partitively a land):--X common, country, earth,
field, ground, land, X natins, way, + wilderness, world.
אֶ֫רֶץ (e.rets) — land: country/planet.
: country/field
1) land, earth
1a) earth
1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part)
1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven)
1a3) earth (inhabitants)
1b) land
1b1) country, territory
1b2) district, region
1b3) tribal territory
1b4) piece of ground
1b5) land of Canaan, Israel
1b6) inhabitants of land
1b7) Sheol, land without return, (under) world
1b8) city (-state)
1c) ground, surface of the earth
1c1) ground
1c2) soil
1d) (in phrases)
1d1) people of the land
1d2) space or distance of country (in measurements of distance)
1d3) level or plain country
1d4) land of the living
1d5) end(s) of the earth
1e) (almost wholly late in usage)
1e1) lands, countries
1e1a) often in contrast to Canaan
אֶ֫רֶץ (e.rets) — land: soil.
: soil
1) land, earth
1a) earth
1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part)
1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven)
1a3) earth (inhabitants)
1b) land
1b1) country, territory
Prep | N-cs — Preposition · noun common feminine singular absoluteHRd/Ncfsa
((1) 'erets;
(2) 'adhamah;
(3) sadheh,
"a piece of land";
(4) ge, "earth";
(5) agros, "field";
(6) chora, "region";
(7) chorion, diminutive of chora;
(8) xeros, "dry land";
(9) 'ezrach, "native" the King James Version "born in the land," "born among you," the Revised Version (British and American) "home-born" (Le 19:34; 14:16; Nu 15:30); "like a green tree in its native soil" (Ps 37:35)):
→ Appeared on the third creative day Ge 1:9
→ Original title to, from God Ge 13:14-17; 15:7; Ex 23:31; Le 25:23
→ Bought and sold Ge 23:3-18; 33:19; Ac 4:34; 5:1-8
→ Sale and redemption of, laws concerning Le 25:15,16,23-33; 27:17-24; Nu 36:4; Jer 32:7-16,25,44; Eze 46:18
שֶׁ֫בֶר (sheber) refers to breaking or fracturing, encompassing meanings like crash, ruin, and destruction. It can also denote the breaking of a dream and its interpretation. The term appears in various contexts, including physical damage and emotional distress.
שֶׁ֫בֶר, שֵׁ֫בֶר n.m. breaking, fracture, crushing, breach, crash
base
H7667 שֶׁ֫בֶר, שֵׁ֫בֶר breaking, fracture, crushing, breach, crash
7667 sheber sheh'-ber
or sheber {shay'-ber}; from 7665; a fracture, figuratively,
ruin; specifically, a solution (of a dream):--affliction,
breach, breaking, broken(-footed, -handed), bruise, crashing,
destruction, hurt, interpretation, vexation.
see HEBREW for 07665
שֶׁ֫בֶר (she.ver) — breaking.
1) breaking, fracture, crushing, breach, crash, ruin, shattering
1a) breaking, fracture, shattering, crushing
1b) crashing
1c) breaking (of a dream), interpretation
1d) quarries
Conj | N-ms — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular absoluteHC/Ncmsa
de-struk'-shun: In the King James Version this word translates over 30 Hebrew words in the Old Testament, and 4 words in the New Testament. Of these the most interesting, as having a technical sense, is 'abhaddon (from verb 'abhadh, "to be lost," "to perish"). It is found 6 times in the Wisdom Literature, and nowhere else in the Old Testament; compare Re 9:11. See ABADDON.
Destruction
In Job 26:6, 28:22 (Heb. abaddon) is sheol, the realm of the dead.
גָּדוֹל (gadol) means 'great' and covers a wide range of meanings, including large in size, number, intensity, sound, age, and importance. It can also refer to notable individuals or even God. Additionally, it appears as a proper noun in reference to a person named in Nehemiah 11:14. The lexicons note its use in various contexts, but do not present significant disagreement.
גָּדוֹל 622 adj. great
in magnitude and extent
in number
in intensity
in sound, loud
in age
in importance
in phrases
cstr.
as subst. concr. do great things
† as subst. neut. greatness of arm
H1419a גָּדוֹל great . in magnitude and extent
. in number
. in intensity
. in sound, loud
. in age
. in importance
. in phrases
. cstr.
. as subst. concr. do great things
. † as subst. neut. greatness of arm
H1419b הַגְּדוֹלִים father of Zabdiel
1419 gadowl gaw-dole'
or (shortened) gadol {gaw-dole'}; from 1431; great (in any
sense); hence, older; also insolent:--+ aloud, elder(-est), +
exceeding(-ly), + far, (man of) great (man, matter,
thing,-er,-ness), high, long, loud, mighty, more, much, noble,
proud thing, X sore, (X ) very.
see HEBREW for 01431
גָּדוֹל (ga.dol) — great: large.
adj
1) great
1a) large (in magnitude and extent)
1b) in number
1c) in intensity
1d) loud (in sound)
1e) older (in age)
1f) in importance
1f1) important things
1f2) great, distinguished (of men)
1f3) God Himself (of God)
subst
1g) great things
1h) haughty things
1i) greatness
Also means: ga.dol (גָּדוֹל ": old" H1419K)
§ Haggedolim = "the great one"
(CLBL) Haggedolim, the great man?, father of Zabdiel
גָּדוֹל (ga.dol) — Haggedolim.
A man living at the time of Exile and Return, only mentioned at Neh.11.14
§ Haggedolim = "the great one"
(CLBL) Haggedolim, the great man?, father of Zabdiel
גָּדוֹל (ga.dol) — Great (Sea).
adj
great
Also named: pe.lish.ti (פְּלִשְׁתִּי "(Sea of the )Philistines" H6430I)
גָּדוֹל (ga.dol) — great: old.
adj
1) great
1a) large (in magnitude and extent)
1b) in number
1c) in intensity
1d) loud (in sound)
Adj — AdjHAamsa