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Jeremiah 51:37 — Word Study

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WLCוְהָיְתָה֩ בָבֶ֨ל׀ לְגַלִּ֧ים׀ מְעוֹן־ תַּנִּ֛ים שַׁמָּ֥ה וּשְׁרֵקָ֖ה מֵאֵ֥ין יוֹשֵֽׁב׃

BSABabylonBâbel [a city of confusion, Babel] will becomehâyâh a heap of rubblegal [piles, ruins] a hauntmâʻôwn [dwelling place, habitation] for jackalstannîyn [dragons, monsters] an object of horrorshammâh [consternation, astonishment] and scornshᵉrêqâh [a hissing sound, contempt] withoutʼayin [having no, devoid of] inhabitantyâshab [one who dwells, a resident]

Word
Listen & take awayJeremiah 51
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 37 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 (yo.Shev) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Jeremiah 51:37quick helps
In a sentenceJeremiah proclaims the complete desolation of Babylon.
Who is speakingThe LORD, delivering a message through Jeremiah.
Where we areA prophecy concerning the fate of Babylon, a city known for its pride and opposition to God.
The hard wordבָבֶל
Take awayBabylon's glory will turn to ruin, leaving it empty and desolate.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectבָּבֶל verbהָיָה The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

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 51:37

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 Babylongenerated

36Therefore this is what the LORD says: “Behold, I will plead your case and take vengeance on your behalf; I will dry up her sea and make her springs run dry.
37Babylon will become a heap of rubble, a haunt for jackals, an object of horror and scorn, without inhabitant.
38They will roar together like young lions; they will growl like lion cubs.
39While they are flushed with heat, I will serve them a feast, and I will make them drunk so that they may revel; then they will fall asleep forever and never wake up, declares the LORD.

Jeremiah 51:37 describes the impending destruction of Babylon, a city that once stood as a symbol of power and confusion. The LORD declares that it will become a desolate heap, uninhabited and a place of horror, emphasizing the totality of its downfall. This prophecy serves as a warning against pride and rebellion against God, paralleling other prophetic declarations found in Jeremiah 50:12-13 and Isaiah 13:19-22.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Jeremiah 51:25–26“Behold, I am against you, O destroying mountain, you who devastate the whole earth, declares the LORD. I will stretch out My hand against you; I will roll you over the cliffs and turn you into a charred mountain.
2Jeremiah 25:9–12behold, I will summon all the families of the north, declares the LORD, and I will send for My servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, whom I will bring against this land, against its residents, and against all the surrounding nations. So I will devote them to destruction and make them an object of horror and contempt, an everlasting desolation.
3Jeremiah 50:12–13your mother will be greatly ashamed; she who bore you will be disgraced. Behold, she will be the least of the nations, a wilderness, a dry land, and a desert.
4Isaiah 13:19–22And Babylon, the jewel of the kingdoms, the glory of the pride of the Chaldeans, will be overthrown by God like Sodom and Gomorrah.
5Isaiah 14:23“I will make her a place for owls and for swamplands; I will sweep her away with the broom of destruction,” declares the LORD of Hosts.

The Key Word בָבֶל, va.Velgenerated

The word בָבֶל (Babel) refers to Babylon, an ancient city and capital of Babylonia, which is associated with confusion. It is derived from a root meaning 'confusion' and is mentioned in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, particularly in Genesis 11:9.

In this verse, Babylon is depicted as a city that will face utter ruin, emphasizing its transformation from a place of power to a desolate heap. This reflects the broader biblical theme of divine judgment against nations that oppose God.


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 verb וְהָיְתָה֩, and it will become, governs the entire verse, indicating the transformation of Babylon. The structure presents a series of noun phrases that describe the state of Babylon after its destruction.

The sentence emphasizes the fate of Babylon through a series of descriptors: a heap of rubble, a haunt for jackals, and an object of horror, illustrating the totality of its desolation.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates בָבֶל as βαβυλὼν, maintaining the connection to the original Hebrew meaning of confusion. This choice reflects the translators' intent to convey the same sense of judgment and destruction associated with Babylon.

The Greek term used in the Septuagint for the state of Babylon indicates a significant level of devastation, aligning with the Hebrew imagery of a city turned to ruins.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Jeremiah 51:37 tells us that Babylon will be completely destroyed, becoming a heap of rubble, a place where jackals live, and a sight of horror and scorn, with no one left to inhabit it. This verse emphasizes the total downfall of a once-great city.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that Babylon will become a heap of rubble?

It signifies the complete destruction and desolation of the city, leaving it in ruins and uninhabited.

Why is Babylon associated with confusion?

The name Babel, from which Babylon derives, means confusion, reflecting the city's history and its role in opposing God's purposes.

What does the term 'haunt for jackals' imply?

It suggests that the city will be so desolate that only wild animals, like jackals, will dwell there, emphasizing its abandonment.

How does this verse relate to other prophecies about Babylon?

It aligns with other prophetic declarations that predict Babylon's downfall, highlighting a consistent theme of divine judgment against pride and rebellion.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What lessons can we learn from the downfall of Babylon regarding pride and opposition to God?
  2. How does the imagery of desolation in this verse challenge our understanding of worldly power?
  3. In what ways can we guard against becoming like Babylon in our own lives?
  4. How might this prophecy encourage us to trust in God's justice and timing?

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Jeremiah 51:37 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

And Babylon shall become heaps,.... The houses should be demolished, and the stones lie in heaps one upon another, and become mere rubbish: a dwelling place for dragons; and other wild and savage creatures.

Read John Gill on Jeremiah 51 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And Babylon shall become heaps, a dwellingplace for dragons, an astonishment, and an hissing, without an inhabitant. Babylon shall become heaps, a dwelling-place for dragons - (Jeremiah 50:26; Jeremiah 50:39; Revelation 18:2).

Read Robert Jamieson on Jeremiah 51 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Babylon shall become heaps; heaps of rubbish. A dwelling-place for dragons, an astonishment, and an hissing, without an inhabitant. See Poole "", See Poole "", where the same thing was before said.

Read Matthew Poole on Jeremiah 51 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Jeremiah 51:37 And Babylon shall become heaps, a dwellingplace for dragons, an astonishment, and an hissing, without an inhabitant.Ver. 37. And Babylon shall become heaps.] See Jeremiah 50:39.

Read John Trapp on Jeremiah 51 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(37) Babylon shall become heaps . . .—It is significant, as emphasising the law of retribution, that the terms are the same as those used of Jerusalem in Jeremiah 9:11; Jeremiah 19:8; Jeremiah 25:9; Jeremiah 25:18. Nothing is more characteristic of the present aspect of Babylon than the “heaps” or mounds of brickwork, fragments of pottery and earth, that are now scattered over the plain, and are slowly yielding up their records of the past to explorers. The “dragons” here (not the same word as in Jeremiah 51:34) are the “jackals” that howl in the ruins. (See Note on Jeremiah 10:22.)

Read Charles John Ellicott on Jeremiah 51 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 37. Without an inhabitant.] See Jeremiah 50:39.

Read AdamClarke on Jeremiah 51 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

37. heaps] “Vast ‘heaps’ or mounds, shapeless and unsightly, are scattered at intervals over the entire region where it is certain that Babylon anciently stood.” (Rawl. Anc. Mon. II. 521.) hissing] See on Jeremiah 18:16.

Read Cambridge on Jeremiah 51 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Heaps - Of rubbish, formed in this case by the decay of the unburned bricks of which Babylon was built. It is these heaps which have yielded such a large wealth of historical documents in our own days.

Read Albert Barnes on Jeremiah 51 →

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

Babylon will become a heap of rubble, a haunt for jackals, an object of horror and scorn, without inhabitant.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Babylon will become heaps, a dwelling place for jackals, an astonishment, and a hissing, without inhabitant.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Babylon will become a heap of rubble, a haunt for jackals, an object of horror and scorn, without inhabitant.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Babylon will become a heap of ruins. Jackals will make their home there. It will become an object of horror and of hissing scorn, a place where no one lives.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And Babylon shall become heaps, a dwellingplace for dragons, an astonishment, and an hissing, without an inhabitant.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And Babylon shall become heaps, a dwelling-place for jackals, an astonishment, and a hissing, without inhabitant.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And Babylon shall become heaps, a dwelling place for jackals, an astonishment, and an hissing, without inhabitant.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And Babylon shall become heaps, a dwelling-place for dragons, an astonishment, and a hissing, without an inhabitant.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

And Babel shall be as heapes, a dwelling place for dragons, an astonishment, and an hissing, without an inhabitant.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And Babylon shall become heaps, a dwelling-place of jackals, an astonishment, and a hissing, without inhabitant.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And Babylon hath been for heaps, A habitation of dragons, An astonishment, and a hissing, without inhabitant.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And Babylon has been for heaps, || A habitation of dragons, || An astonishment, and a hissing, without inhabitant.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And Babylon shall become ruinous heaps, a dwelling-place for monsters, an astonishment, and a derision, without an inhabitant.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Babylon will become heaps of rubble, a den of jackals, a horror, an object of hissing, where there are no inhabitants.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And Babylon shall be reduced to heaps, a dwelling place for dragons, an astonishment and a hissing, because there is no inhabitant.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Babylon will be turned into a pile of rubble, a home for jackals, a place that horrifies people, a place they jeer at, a place where no one lives.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And Babylon will become a mass of broken walls, a hole for jackals, a cause of wonder and surprise, without a living man in it.

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.

וְandclauseverbהָיְתָה֩it.will.becomesubjectבָבֶ֨לBabylonprepositional phrase · prepositionalלְ(into).heapsnoun phraseגַלִּ֧יםof.stonesnoun phraseמְעוֹןa.habitationתַּנִּ֛יםof.jackalsשַׁמָּ֥הa.horrorוּandשְׁרֵקָ֖הa.hissingprepositional phrase · prepositionalמֵfromclausepredicateאֵ֥יןnotsubjectיוֹשֵֽׁבan.inhabitant

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 show agreement in the overall message of Babylon's destruction, though the Septuagint's wording differs in structure and emphasis. The Hebrew text presents a more vivid picture of desolation, while the Greek captures the essence of judgment.

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

וְהָיְתָה֩ בָבֶ֨ל׀ לְגַלִּ֧ים׀ מְעוֹן־ תַּנִּ֛ים שַׁמָּ֥ה וּשְׁרֵקָ֖ה מֵאֵ֥ין יוֹשֵֽׁב׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וְהָיְתָה֩ἔσταιבָבֶ֨ל׀βαβυλὼνשַׁמָּ֥הἀφανισμὸνמֵאֵ֥יןοὐיוֹשֵֽׁב׃κατοικηθήσεται

5 of the 9 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.

Jeremiah 51:37הָיָהand it willand it will becהָיָהבָּבֶ֫לBabylonBabylonבָּבֶ֫לגַּלheaps of stheaps of stonesגַּלמָעוֹןa habitatioa habitation ofמָעוֹןתַּןjackalsjackalsתַּןשַׁמָּהa horrora horrorשַׁמָּהשְׁרֵקָהand a hissiand a hissingשְׁרֵקָהאַ֫יִןfrom notfrom notאַ֫יִןיָשַׁבinhabitantinhabitantיָשַׁבבָּלַלto mixto mixבָּלַלגָּלַלto rollto rollגָּלַלשָׁמֵםbe desolatbe desolate: deשָׁמֵםשָׁרַקto whistleto whistleשָׁרַקהָוָאto fallto fallהָוָאעֹנָהcohabitaticohabitationעֹנָהתַּנִּיןתַּנִּיןאַ֫יִןwhere?where?אַ֫יִןנְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּרNebuchadneNebuchadnezzarנְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּרכַּשְׂדִּיםChaldeaChaldeaכַּשְׂדִּיםהָמָהto roarto roarהָמָהבָּצַרto gather/to gather/restrבָּצַרתַּןjackaljackalתַּןגַּלheapheapגַּליַעֲנָהostrichostrichיַעֲנָהמָעוֹןhabitationhabitationמָעוֹןשְׁרֵקָהhissinghissingשְׁרֵקָהקְלָלָהcursecurseקְלָלָה
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 Jeremiah 51:37

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 become Babylon heaps of stones a habitation of jackals a horror and a hissing from not inhabitant
וְהָיְתָה֩ve.ha.ye.Tah and it will become H1961 Verb · Qal · sequential perfect third person feminine singular
3,562× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for to be means to exist or come into being. It is used to describe something that happens or comes to pass, like in Genesis where God creates the world.
Tyndale gloss
to be
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word הָיָה (hayah) is a primitive root meaning to exist or become, and it encompasses a range of meanings including to happen, occur, and come to pass. It is often used in narrative contexts, particularly in phrases like "and it came to pass." The word can also denote a state of being or existence, and it appears frequently in various forms throughout the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הָיָה 3570 vb. fall out, come to pass, become, be

Qal

Fall out, happen

occur, take place, come about, come to pass

esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass

וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)

rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה

less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)

Come into being, become

abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come

sq. prep.

become

sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)

sq. pred. adj.

become like

sq. pred. לְ pers.

sq. לְ pred.

oft. c. לְ pred. לְ pers.

with עַל and לְ

sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of

Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming)

exist, be in existence

abide, remain, continue

with word of locality, be in or at a place, be situated, stand, lie

as copula, joining subj. & pred.

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1961 הָיָה fall out, come to pass, become, be .. . . Fall out, happen

. occur, take place, come about, come to pass

. esp. & very oft., come about, come to pass . . וַיְהִי and it came to pass that, most often (c. 292 t.)

. rarely also Pf. c. וְ conj. וְהָיָה

. less oft. וְהָיָה Pf. consec. and it shall come to pass, or frequentat. came to pass (repeatedly, etc.)

. Come into being, become . . abs., in lively narrative, arise, appear, come

. sq. prep.

. become . sq. pred. noun (to be viewed as implicit accus.)

. sq. pred. adj.

. become like

. sq. pred. + לְ pers.

. sq. לְ pred.

. oft. c. לְ pred. + לְ pers.

. with עַל and לְ

. sts. c. לְ pers. only = became the property of, come into the possession of

. Be (often with subbordinate idea of becoming) . exist, be in existence

. abide, remain, continue

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1961 hayah haw-yaw

a primitive root (compare 1933); to exist, i.e. be or become,

come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or

auxiliary):--beacon, X altogether, be(-come), accomplished,

committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint,

fall, + follow, happen, X have, last, pertain, quit

(one-)self, require, X use.

see HEBREW for 01933

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הָיָה (ha.yah) — to be.

1) to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out

1a) (Qal)

1a1) ---

1a1a) to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass

1a1b) to come about, come to pass

1a2) to come into being, become

1a2a) to arise, appear, come

1a2b) to become

1a2b1) to become

1a2b2) to become like

1a2b3) to be instituted, be established

1a3) to be

1a3a) to exist, be in existence

1a3b) to abide, remain, continue (with word of place or time)

1a3c) to stand, lie, be in, be at, be situated (with word of locality)

1a3d) to accompany, be with

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to occur, come to pass, be done, be brought about

1b2) to be done, be finished, be gone

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-Perf-3fs — Verb · Qal · sequential perfect third person feminine singular
Hc/Vqq3fs
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

be-kum':

(1) Greek ginomai, used in New Testament for a change of state, corresponding to Hebrew hayah of Old Testament. Compare Mt 18:3 with De 27:9.

(2) For what is fitting, suitable, proper, in New Testament: "prepei" (Mt 3:15; Eph 5:3; 1Ti 2:10); in Old Testament, na'awah, na'ah, Ps 93:5: "Holiness becometh thy house." in this sense, the adverb "becomingly" must be interpreted: "Walk becomingly toward them that are without" (1Th 4:12), i.e. in a way that is consistent with your profession.

and it will become Babylon heaps of stones a habitation of jackals a horror and a hissing from not inhabitant
בָבֶ֨ל׀va.Vel Babylon H894 Noun proper
262× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Babel refers to Babylon, a city and empire in the Bible, meaning confusion or mixing. It appears in Genesis 11:9 and is associated with the tower of Babel. The city was situated on the Euphrates River.
Amplified meaning
a city of confusion, Babel
Tyndale gloss
Babylon
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בָּבֶ֫ל (Babel) refers to Babylon, an ancient city and capital of Babylonia, associated with the idea of confusion. It is derived from a root meaning 'confusion' and is mentioned in various contexts throughout the Old Testament. The lexicons agree on its meaning and significance, with no noted disagreements.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בָּבֶ֫ל 262 n.pr.loc. Babel, Babylon

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H894 בָּבֶ֫ל Babel, Babylon

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

894 Babel baw-bel'

from 1101; confusion; Babel (i.e. Babylon), including

Babylonia and the Babylonian empire:--Babel, Babylon.

see HEBREW for 01101

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בָּבֶ֫ל, בָּבֶל (ba.vel) — Babylon.

§ Babel or Babylon = "confusion (by mixing)"

Babel or Babylon, the ancient site and/or capital of Babylonia (modern Hillah) situated on the Euphrates

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper
HNpl
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Babylon

The Greek form of BABEL; Semitic form Babilu, meaning “The Gate of God.” In the Assyrian tablets it means “The city of the dispersion of the tribes.” The monumental list of its kings reaches back to B.C. 2300, and includes Khammurabi, or Amraphel (q.v.), the contemporary of Abraham. It stood on the Euphrates, about 200 miles above its junction with the Tigris, which flowed through its midst and divided it into two almost equal parts. The Elamites invaded Chaldea (i.e., Lower Mesopotamia, or Shinar, and Upper Mesopotamia, or Accad, now combined into one) and held it in subjection. At length Khammu-rabi delivered it from the foreign yoke, and founded the new empire of Chaldea (q.v.), making Babylon the capital of the united kingdom. This city gradually grew in extent and grandeur, but in process of time it became subject to Assyria. On the fall of Nineveh (B.C. 606) it threw off…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

in the Apocalypse, is the symbolical name by which Rome is denoted. (Revelation 14:8; 17:18) The power of Rome was regarded by the later Jews as was that of Babylon by their forefathers. Comp. (Jeremiah 51:7) with Reve 14:8 The occurrence of this name in (1 Peter 5:13) has given rise to a variety of conjectures, many giving it the same meaning as in the Apocalypse; others refer it to Babylon in Asia, and others still to Babylon in Egypt. The most natural supposition of all is that by Babylon is intended the old Babylon of Assyria, which was largely inhabited by Jews at the time in question.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

1. A celebrated city situated on the Euphrates, the original foundation of which is described under the word Babel. Wit this coincide many ancient traditions, while some speak of Semiramis as the founder, and others of Nebuchadnezzar. These accounts may all be reconciled, by supposing that Semiramis rebuilt the ancient city, and the Nebuchadnezzar. These accounts may all be reconciled, by supposing that Semiramis rebuilt the ancient city, and that Nebuchadnezzar afterwards greatly enlarged and adorned it.

Babylon lay in a vast and fertile plain watered by the Euphrates, with flowed through the city. Its walls are described as 60 miles in circumference, 300 feet high, and 75 feet wide, Jer 51:44- 58. A deep trench ran parallel with the walls. In each of the four sides were 25 brazen gates, from which roads crossed to the opposite…

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

same as Babel

and it will become Babylon heaps of stones a habitation of jackals a horror and a hissing from not inhabitant
לְגַלִּ֧ים׀le.ga.Lim heaps of stones H1530 Preposition · noun common masculine plural absolute
34× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A gal is a heap of stones, a spring of water, or a wave, used in various contexts like ratifying a covenant or describing God's chastisement.
Amplified meaning
piles, ruins
Tyndale gloss
heap
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

גַּל (gal) refers to a heap or pile, often of stones or dung, and can also denote waves or billows, particularly in a poetic context. It is derived from a root meaning something rolled and can signify a spring of water. The word is used in various contexts, including the ratification of covenants and metaphorically to describe the chastisement of Jehovah.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

גַּל n.m. heap, wave, billow

heap of stones

waves (rollers) poet.

spring

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1530 גַּל heap, wave, billow

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1530 gal gal

from 1556; something rolled, i.e. a heap of stone or dung

(plural ruins), by analogy, a spring of water (plural

waves):--billow, heap, spring, wave.

see HEBREW for 01556

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

גַּל (gal) — heap.

: heap/pile

1) heap, spring, wave, billow

1a) heap (of stones)

1a1) over dead body

1a2) alone

1a3) used in ratifying a covenant

1b) waves (fig. of chastisement of Jehovah)

1c) spring

Also means: gal (גַּל ": wave" H1530H)

גַּל (gal) — heap: wave.

: wave

1) heap, spring, wave, billow

1a) heap (of stones)

1a1) over dead body

1a2) alone

1a3) used in ratifying a covenant

1b) waves (fig. of chastisement of Jehovah)

1c) spring

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-mp — Preposition · noun common masculine plural absolute
HR/Ncmpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Smith's Bible Dictionary

Besides the ordinary uses to which stones were applied, we may mention that large stones were set up to commemorate any remarkable event. (Genesis 28:18; 35:14; 31:45; Joshua 4:9; 1 Samuel 7:12) Such stones were occasionally consecrated By anointing. (Genesis 28:18) Heaps of stones were piled up on various occasions, as in token of a treaty, (Genesis 31:47) or over the grave of some notorious offender. (Joshua 7:26; 8:29; 2 Samuel 18:17) The "white stone" noticed in (

→ Commandments engraved upon Ex 24:12; 31:18; 34:1-4; De 4:13; 5:22; 9:9-11; 10:1-3

→ The law of Moses written upon Jos 8:32

→ Houses built of Isa 9:10; Am 5:11

→ Temple built of 1Ki 5:17,18; 7:9-12; Mt 24:2; Lu 19:44; 21:5,6

→ Prepared in the quarries 1Ki 6:7

→ Hewn (cut) Ex 34:1; De 10:1;

and it will become Babylon heaps of stones a habitation of jackals a horror and a hissing from not inhabitant
מְעוֹן־me.'on- a habitation of H4583 Noun common · masculine singular construct
18× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means a dwelling place, like a home for people or animals, and can also refer to a safe haven or refuge, as seen in the Tabernacle or Temple.
Amplified meaning
dwelling place, habitation
Tyndale gloss
habitation
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מָעוֹן (ma`own) refers to a dwelling or habitation, encompassing places like homes for people and lairs for animals. It can also denote a refuge or asylum. The word is derived from a root associated with the concept of an abode, and it appears in contexts related to both divine and human residences.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מָעוֹן n.[m.] dwelling, habitation

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4583 מָעוֹן dwelling, habitation

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4583 ma`own maw-ohn'

or maiyn (1 Chronicles 4:41) {maw-een'}; from the same as

5772; an abode, of God (the Tabernacle or the Temple), men

(their home) or animals (their lair); hence, a retreat

(asylum):--den, dwelling((-)place), habitation.

see HEBREW for 05772

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מָעוֹן (ma.on) — habitation.

1) dwelling, habitation, refuge

1a) lair, refuge (of jackals)

1b) dwelling

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-cs — Noun common · masculine singular construct
HNcmsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

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.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

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…

and it will become Babylon heaps of stones a habitation of jackals a horror and a hissing from not inhabitant
תַּנִּ֛יםta.Nim jackals H8577 Noun common · masculine plural absolute
28× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to a monster or serpent, like a sea-serpent or dragon, as described in Psalm 74:13 and Isaiah 27:1. It can also mean a venomous snake or a whale, symbolizing powerful creatures.
Amplified meaning
dragons, monsters
Tyndale gloss
jackal
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

תַּן (tan) means jackal, while תַּנִּין (tan.nin) refers to a serpent, dragon, or sea monster. The entries suggest that the word can denote both land and marine creatures, including dragons and venomous snakes. Ezekiel 29:3 is specifically mentioned in relation to the term.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[תַּן] n.[m. et] f. jackal

base

תַּנִּין (erron. תַּנִּים) n.m. serpent, dragon, sea-monster

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8577a [תַּן] jackal H8577b תַּנִּין (erron. תַּנִּים) serpent, dragon, sea-monster

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8577 tanniyn tan-neen'

or tanniym (Ezek. 29:3) {tan-neem'}; intensive from the same

as 8565; a marine or land monster, i.e. sea-serpent or

jackal:--dragon, sea-monster, serpent, whale.

see HEBREW for 08565

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

תַּן (tan) — jackal.

jackal

Also means: tan.nah (תַּנָּה "dragon" H8568)

תַּנִּין (tan.nin) — Dragon.

This name means dragon, serpent, sea monster

תַּנִּין (tan.nin) — serpent: snake.

1) dragon, serpent, sea monster

1a) dragon or dinosaur

1b) sea or river monster

1c) serpent, venomous snake

Also means: tan.nin (תַּנִּין ": monster" H8577N)

תַּנִּין (tan.nin) — serpent: monster.

1) dragon, serpent, sea monster

1a) dragon or dinosaur

1b) sea or river monster

1c) serpent, venomous snake

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural absolute
HNcmpa
and it will become Babylon heaps of stones a habitation of jackals a horror and a hissing from not inhabitant
שַׁמָּ֥הsha.Mah a horror H8047 Noun common · feminine singular absolute
39× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Shammâh refers to a state of horror or ruin, often describing a waste or desolate land. It can also mean consternation or appalment, and is used in the Bible to describe the aftermath of war or disaster.
Amplified meaning
consternation, astonishment
Tyndale gloss
horror: destroyed
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שַׁמָּה (shammah) refers to concepts of waste and horror, indicating destruction or desolation. It encompasses meanings such as appalment and ruin, often related to land or cities. The word is derived from another Hebrew root, שָׁמַם (shamam), which also conveys similar themes of devastation.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שַׁמָּה n.f. waste, appalment

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8047 שַׁמָּה waste, appalment

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8047 shammah sham-maw'

from 8074; ruin; by implication,

consternation:--astonishment, desolate(-ion), waste,

wonderful thing.

see HEBREW for 08074

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שַׁמָּה (sham.mah) — horror: destroyed.

: destroyed/waste

1) waste, horror, appalment

1a) a waste (of land, city, etc)

1b) appalment, horror

Also means: sham.mah (שַׁמָּה ": appalled" H8047H)

שַׁמָּה (sham.mah) — horror: appalled.

: appalled

1) waste, horror, appalment

1a) a waste (of land, city, etc)

1b) appalment, horror

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular absolute
HNcfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

hor'-er ('emah, pallatsuth): In Ge 15:12 'emah (often rendered "terror") is translated "horror," "a horror of great darkness"; pallatsuth, "trembling," "horror" (Ps 55:5; Eze 7:18); zal`aphah, "glow," "heat" (Ps 119:53, the Revised Version (British and American) "hot indignation," margin "horror"); compare Ps 11:6; La 5:10. For "trembling" (Job 21:6) and for "fearfulness" (Isa 21:4) the Revised Version (British and American) has "horror." "Horror" does not…

and it will become Babylon heaps of stones a habitation of jackals a horror and a hissing from not inhabitant
וּשְׁרֵקָ֖הu.she.re.Kah and a hissing H8322 Conjunction · noun common feminine singular absolute
7× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means a hissing sound, often used to show contempt or mocking, like when people ridicule someone.
Amplified meaning
a hissing sound, contempt
Tyndale gloss
hissing
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שְׁרֵקָה (shreqah) refers to a sound of derision, specifically hissing or whistling. It is derived from the root word שָׁרַק (H8319). The entries consistently emphasize its meaning related to derisive sounds.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שְׁרֵקָה n.f. (object of derisive) hissing

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8322 שְׁרֵקָה

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8322 shreqah sher-ay-kaw'

from 8319; a derision:--hissing.

see HEBREW for 08319

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שְׁרֵקָה (she.re.qah) — hissing.

hissing, whistling

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | N-fs — Conjunction · noun common feminine singular absolute
HC/Ncfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

As a mode of calling an attendant to his master’s side, is a custom very prevalent in Palestine. Says Osborne, "Whenever a servant was wanted, the usual ‘shee!’ which is so common throughout the land, started two or three in an instant." The same custom is evidently alluded to in Isa 5:26; 7:18; "The Lord shall hiss for the fly that is in the uttermost part of the rivers of Egypt," etc.

and it will become Babylon heaps of stones a habitation of jackals a horror and a hissing from not inhabitant
מֵאֵ֥יןme.'Ein from not H369 Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
789× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means nothing or not, often used to indicate the absence of something, as in Genesis 1:2 where the earth was without form. It emphasizes the idea of something lacking or non-existent.
Amplified meaning
having no, devoid of
Tyndale gloss
nothing
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אַ֫יִן (ayin) primarily means 'nothing' or 'nought' and serves as a negative particle indicating absence or negation, such as 'is not' or 'there is not.' It can also express lack of possession or existence. The word is derived from a root meaning to be non-existent, and it appears frequently in various grammatical constructions.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אַ֫יִן, אָ֑֫יִן cstr. אֵין subst. prop. nothing, nought

to nothing, as nothing

cstr. אֵין, very freq. as particle of negation, is not, are not, was not, were not

אֵין לְ׳, with subst., or pron., there is (was) not to … = … have, has, had, etc. not

in circumst. clauses

with inf. and ל׳, it is not to …

with prefixes

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H369 אַ֫יִן, אָ֑֫יִן cstr. אֵין subst. prop. nothing, nought . to nothing, as nothing

. cstr. אֵין, very freq. as particle of negation, is not, are not, was not, were not

. אֵין לְ׳, with subst., or pron., there is (was) not to … = … have, has, had, etc. not

. in circumst. clauses

. with inf. and ל׳, it is not to …

. with prefixes

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

369 'ayin ah'-yin

as if from a primitive root meaning to be nothing or not

exist; a non-entity; generally used as a negative

particle:--else, except, fail, (father-)less, be gone,

in(-curable), neither, never, no (where), none, nor, (any,

thing), not, nothing, to nought, past, un(-searchable),

well-nigh, without. Compare 370.

see HEBREW for 0370

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אַ֫יִן (a.yin) — nothing.

1) nothing, not, nought n

1a) nothing, nought neg

1b) not

1c) to have not (of possession) adv

1d) without w/prep

1e) for lack of

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | Part — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct
HR/Ncmsc
and it will become Babylon heaps of stones a habitation of jackals a horror and a hissing from not inhabitant
יוֹשֵֽׁב׃yo.Shev inhabitant H3427 Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine singular
1,079× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to sit or dwell, and can also mean to remain or abide. It's used in the Bible to describe people living in a place or staying with someone, like in the book of Genesis.
Amplified meaning
one who dwells, a resident
Tyndale gloss
to dwell
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יָשַׁב (yashab) is a Hebrew verb meaning to sit, remain, or dwell. It encompasses a range of actions from simply sitting down to more complex ideas like establishing a home or causing a place to be inhabited. The entries indicate various forms, including Qal (to sit), Niphal (to be inhabited), and Hiphil (to cause to dwell). There is an Aramaic equivalent, יְתִב (ye.tiv), meaning 'to dwell'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יָשַׁב 1090 vb. sit, remain, dwell

Qal

sit

sit, sit down

sit down

sit = be set (as a jewel)

remain, stay, tarry

with special emphasis of qualifying phr.

dwell, have one’s abode

of a land or city, sit, abide, seated in its place, fig. for be inhabited

Niph. be inhabited, of land

Pi. and they shall set their encampments in thee

Hiph.

cause to sit

cause to abide

cause to dwell

cause cities to be inhabited

marry (prop. give a dwelling to)

Hoph. and ye be made to dwell alone in the midst of the land

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3427 יָשַׁב sit, remain, dwell

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3427 yashab yaw-shab'

a primitive root; properly, to sit down (specifically as

judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to

remain; causatively, to settle, to marry:--(make to)

abide(-ing), continue, (cause to, make to) dwell(-ing), ease

self, endure, establish, X fail, habitation, haunt, (make to)

inhabit(-ant), make to keep (house), lurking, X marry(-ing),

(bring again to) place, remain, return, seat, set(- tle),

(down-)sit(-down, still, -ting down, -ting (place) -uate),

take, tarry.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יָשַׁב (ya.shav) — to dwell.

1) to dwell, remain, sit, abide

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to sit, sit down

1a2) to be set

1a3) to remain, stay

1a4) to dwell, have one's abode

1b) (Niphal) to be inhabited

1c) (Piel) to set, place

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to cause to sit

1d2) to cause to abide, set

1d3) to cause to dwell

1d4) to cause (cities) to be inhabited

1d5) to marry (give an dwelling to)

1e) (Hophal)

1e1) to be inhabited

1e2) to make to dwell

Aramaic equivalent: ye.tiv (יְתִב "to dwell" H3488)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal — Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine singular
HVqrmsa
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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