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Lamentations 5:18 — Word Study

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WLCעַ֤ל הַר־ צִיּוֹן֙ שֶׁשָּׁמֵ֔ם שׁוּעָלִ֖ים הִלְּכוּ־ בֽוֹ׃ פ

BSAbecause ofʻal Mounthar [the mountain of Jerusalem] ZionTsîyôwn [the mountain in Jerusalem, another name for the city] which lies desolateshâmêm [is left, has been made, destroyed, devastated, a place of emptiness] patrolledhâlak [walked upon, roamed] by foxesshûwʻâl [small to medium-sized, jackals, wild mammals]

Word
Listen & take awayLamentations 5
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 18 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 (vo) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Lamentations 5:18quick helps
In a sentenceThe verse laments the desolation of Mount Zion, now overrun by foxes.
Where we areThis verse is part of a lament, expressing sorrow over the state of Jerusalem.
The hard wordשָׁמֵם
Take awayMount Zion, once a place of glory, is now desolate.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectשׁוּעָל verbהָלַךְ 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 — Lamentations 5:18

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 Lament Over Ziongenerated

17Because of this, our hearts are faint; because of these, our eyes grow dim—
18because of Mount Zion, which lies desolate, patrolled by foxes.
19You, O LORD, reign forever; Your throne endures from generation to generation.
20Why have You forgotten us forever? Why have You forsaken us for so long?

Lamentations 5:18 expresses deep sorrow over the state of Mount Zion, which lies desolate and is now patrolled by foxes. This reflects the devastation experienced by Jerusalem after the Babylonian conquest, highlighting the loss of its former glory and the sense of abandonment felt by its people. The surrounding verses further amplify this sense of despair, as the hearts of the people grow faint and their eyes dim in mourning for their city.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Lamentations 2:8–9The LORD determined to destroy the wall of the Daughter of Zion. He stretched out a measuring line and did not withdraw His hand from destroying. He made the ramparts and walls lament; together they waste away.
21 Kings 9:7–8then I will cut off Israel from the land that I have given them, and I will banish from My presence this temple I have sanctified for My Name. Then Israel will become an object of scorn and ridicule among all peoples.
3Psalm 74:2–3Remember Your congregation, which You purchased long ago and redeemed as the tribe of Your inheritance— Mount Zion where You dwell.
4Jeremiah 17:3O My mountain in the countryside, I will give over your wealth and all your treasures as plunder, because of the sin of your high places, within all your borders.
5Jeremiah 26:9How dare you prophesy in the name of the LORD that this house will become like Shiloh and this city will be desolate and deserted!” And all the people assembled against Jeremiah in the house of the LORD.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 9 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word שָׁמֵם, she.sha.Memgenerated

The word שָׁמֵם (*shamem*) is a verb that means to be desolate or devastated. It conveys a sense of emptiness and destruction, often used in contexts of ruin following conflict or calamity. The parsing as a particle indicates its role in describing the state of Zion — it has been made desolate, emphasizing the severity of the destruction.

This word captures the profound loss felt by the people of Jerusalem. It does not merely denote physical desolation but also reflects the emotional and spiritual devastation experienced by the community.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

The translations agree on the meaning of שָׁמֵם, consistently rendering it as 'desolate' or 'destroyed.'

Where translations differ is in the rendering of שׁוּעָלִ֖ים: while the BSB, KJV, ASV, and WEB use 'foxes,' the YLT translates it as 'jackals,' reflecting a subtle difference in interpretation.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb of the verse is הִלְּכוּ (*they have prowled*), which governs the action of the subject שׁוּעָלִ֖ים (*foxes*). The structure emphasizes the desolation of Zion, with the verb indicating ongoing action.

The prepositional phrase עַל הַר־צִיּוֹן (*on Mount Zion*) introduces the location of the lament, while the participial phrase שֶׁשָּׁמֵ֔ם describes the state of that location.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In the Septuagint, שָׁמֵם is rendered as ἠφανίσθη (*was made invisible*), which suggests a more profound sense of loss, as if Zion has not only become desolate but has also disappeared from view.

The choice of ἀλώπεκες for שׁוּעָלִ֖ים indicates a broader interpretation, encompassing both foxes and jackals, which may reflect the translators' understanding of the landscape and wildlife of the region.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Lamentations 5:18 speaks of the sadness over Mount Zion, which is now desolate and overrun by foxes. This reflects the devastation of Jerusalem after its destruction, showing how far it has fallen from its former glory.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does the desolation of Mount Zion signify?

The desolation signifies the loss of Jerusalem's glory and the sorrow of its people after the Babylonian conquest.

Why are foxes mentioned in this verse?

Foxes symbolize the abandonment and ruin of the city, as they roam freely in a place once filled with life.

How does this verse connect to the overall theme of Lamentations?

This verse encapsulates the deep sorrow and mourning found throughout Lamentations, reflecting on the destruction and desolation of Jerusalem.

What can we learn from the lament over Zion?

The lament teaches about the consequences of sin and the importance of repentance, as well as the deep emotional impact of loss and desolation.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. How do I respond to feelings of desolation in my own life?
  2. What are some ways I can support those who are experiencing loss or devastation?
  3. In what ways can I help restore hope in places that seem desolate?
  4. How can I learn from the lament over Zion to appreciate the blessings in my life?

The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it

Thomas Aquinas reflects on the lament over Mount Zion, emphasizing the sadness of its desolation and the presence of jackals.

Thomas Aquinas 1225–1274
Here is indeed cause for sadness: "For Mount Zion which lies desolate; jackals prowl over it." That is, where the temple is. And: "jackals prowl over it." As if they were residing in remote desert places.
Early Church Fathers on Lamentations 5 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Lamentations 5:18 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

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

Because of the mountain of Zion, which is desolate,.... Meaning either the city of Jerusalem in general, or the temple in particular, which both lay in ruins: but the latter gave the truly godly the

Read John Gill on Lamentations 5 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Because of the mountain of Zion, which is desolate, the foxes walk upon it. The mountain of Zion ... foxes walk upon it - they frequent desolate places, where they can freely and fearlessly roam.

Read Robert Jamieson on Lamentations 5 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Foxes and other wild beasts, which flee from places inhabited for fear of men inhabiting, and are much in desolate places. The mountain of Zion, where the temple once stood, and people met to worship God, was now a desolate, unfrequented place, so as will beasts ran up and down there.

Read Matthew Poole on Lamentations 5 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Lamentations 5:18 Because of the mountain of Zion, which is desolate, the foxes walk upon it.Ver. 18. Because of the mountain of Zion, which is desolate,] q.d., Next unto our sins (which are our greatest sorrow), nothing troubleth us more than this, that the public exercises of piety are put down; Zion, the seat of God’ s sanctuary, is desolate.

Read John Trapp on Lamentations 5 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(18) Foxes.—Better, jackals, who are thought of as haunting the ruins of Jerusalem. (Comp. Psalms 63:10.)

Read Charles John Ellicott on Lamentations 5 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 18. The foxes walk upon it.] Foxes are very numerous in Palestine, see on Judges 15:4. It was usual among the Hebrews to consider all desolated land to be the resort of wild beasts; which is, in fact, the case every where when the inhabitants are removed from a country.

Read AdamClarke on Lamentations 5 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

18. foxes] mg. jackals. The words imply that a considerable time has passed since the overthrow of the Temple.

Read Cambridge on Lamentations 5 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The foxes - Or, jackals. As these animals live among ruins, and shun the presence of man, it shows that Zion is laid waste and deserted.

Read Albert Barnes on Lamentations 5 →

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

because of Mount Zion, which lies desolate, patrolled by foxes.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

for the mountain of Zion, which is desolate. The foxes walk on it.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

because of Mount Zion, which lies desolate, patrolled by foxes.

NETBNew English Translation2006

For wild animals are prowling over Mount Zion, which lies desolate.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Because of the mountain of Zion, which is desolate, the foxes walk upon it.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

For the mountain of Zion, which is desolate: The foxes walk upon it.

RVARevised Version, American1894

For the mountain of Zion, which is desolate; the foxes walk upon it.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Because of the mountain of Zion, which is desolate, the foxes walk upon it.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Because of the mountaine of Zion which is desolate: the foxes runne vpon it.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Because of the mountain of Zion, which is desolate: foxes walk over it.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

For the mount of Zion — that is desolate, Foxes have gone up on it.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

For the Mount of Zion—that is desolate, || Foxes have gone up on it.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Because of the mount of Zion which is wasted, foxes walk about on it.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

for Mount Zion lies desolate, with jackals prowling over it.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

For mount Sion, because it is destroyed, foxes have walked upon it.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Because of Mount Zion, which has been abandoned, and where only foxes roam.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Because of the mountain of Zion which is a waste; jackals go over 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.

clauseprepositional phrase · prepositionalעַ֤לonnoun phrasenoun phraseהַרthe.mountainצִיּוֹן֙of.Zionrelpשֶׁwhich.[is]clausepredicateשָּׁמֵ֔םdesolatesubjectשׁוּעָלִ֖יםfoxesverbהִלְּכוּthey.have.prowledprepositional phrase · prepositionalבֽonוֹit

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 closely, with all seven words matched. The Dead Sea Scrolls show one word on the leather, with the rest partly restored, indicating a similar lament over Zion's desolation.

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

עַ֤ל הַר־ צִיּוֹן֙ שֶׁשָּׁמֵ֔ם שׁוּעָלִ֖ים הִלְּכוּ־ בֽוֹ׃ פ

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
עַ֤לἐπ’הַר־ὄροςצִיּוֹן֙σιωνשֶׁשָּׁמֵ֔םἠφανίσθηשׁוּעָלִ֖יםἀλώπεκεςהִלְּכוּ־διῆλθονבֽוֹ׃ פαὐτῇ

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.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 5Q6a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

על הר [ציון] [ששמם] [שועלים] [הלכו] [ב׳ו]

1 word on the leather — 1 partly restored, 5 supplied entire by an editor.

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


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

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

Lamentations 5:18עַלononעַלהַר[the] mount[the] mountain הַרצִיּוֹןZionZionצִיּוֹןשָׁמֵםthat [is] dthat [is] desolשָׁמֵםשׁוּעָלfoxesfoxesשׁוּעָלהָלַךְthey have pthey have prowlהָלַךְוֹon iton itוֹעַלheightheightעַלהַרmountainmountainהַרצִיוּןsignpostsignpostצִיוּןשֹׁ֫עַלhandfulhandfulשֹׁ֫עַלהָלַךְto walkto walkהָלַךְכִּפֶּרto atoneto atoneכִּפֶּרכִּסֵּאthronethroneכִּסֵּאגִּבְעָהGibeatGibeatגִּבְעָהאֶפְרַ֫יִםEphraimEphraimאֶפְרַ֫יִםגִּילto rejoiceto rejoiceגִּילקִנְאָהjealousyjealousyקִנְאָהשָׁרַקto whistleto whistleשָׁרַקנָוֶהpasturepastureנָוֶהחָבַלto pledgeto pledgeחָבַלדֶּ֫רֶךְway: roadway: roadדֶּ֫רֶךְחֻקָּהstatutestatuteחֻקָּה
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 Lamentations 5:18

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.

on [the] mountain of Zion that [is] desolate foxes they have prowled on it
עַ֤ל'al on H5921 Preposition
5,774× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means on or above something, like a physical object or a situation. It can also imply a sense of responsibility or accountability, as in being on behalf of someone.
Tyndale gloss
upon
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עַל (*al*) is a preposition meaning 'upon' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including 'on account of,' 'beside,' 'above,' and 'against.' It can indicate physical placement, emotional burdens, or duties imposed on a person. The entries also note its use in idiomatic expressions and with verbs of motion. There is a mention of its function as a conjunction in certain contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

base

עַל, עָ֑ל

subst. height

As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against

Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed

of clothing, etc., which any one wears

With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it

Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him

Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him

על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him

חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5921a עַל, עָ֑ל . As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against . Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed . — . of clothing, etc., which any one wears

. With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it

. Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him

. Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him

. על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him

. חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5921 `al al

properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the

singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a

particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always

in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great

variety of applications (as follow):--above, according

to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, X as, at, because

of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, X both

and, by (reason of), X had the charge of, concerning for, in

(that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-)on, over, than,

through(-out), to, touching, X with.

see HEBREW for 05920

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עַל (al) — upon.

prep

1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against

1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards

1b) above, beyond, over (of excess)

1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence)

1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition)

1e) over (of suspension or extension)

1f) by, adjoining, next, at, over, around (of contiguity or proximity)

1g) down upon, upon, on, from, up upon, up to, towards, over towards, to, against (with verbs of motion)

1h) to (as a dative)

[כִּי] עַל [כֵּן] ([ki] al [ken]) — as.

conj

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep — Preposition
HR
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

On

Light; the sun, (Gen. 41:45, 50), the great seat of sun-worship, called also Bethshemesh (Jer. 43:13) and Aven (Ezek. 30:17), stood on the east bank of the Nile, a few miles north of Memphis, and near Cairo, in the north-east. The Vulgate and the LXX. Versions have “Heliopolis” (“city of the sun”) instead of On in Genesis and of Aven in Ezekiel. The “city of destruction” Isaiah speaks of (19:18, marg. “of Heres;” Heb. ‘Ir-ha-heres, which some MSS. read Ir-ha-heres, i.e., “city of the sun”) may be the name given to On, the prophecy being that the time will come when that city which was known as the “city of the sun-god” shall become the “city of destruction” of the sun-god, i.e., when idolatry shall cease, and the worship…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(abode or city of the sun), a town of lower Egypt, called BETH-SHEMESH in (Jeremiah 43:13) On is better known under its Greek name Heliopolis. It was situated on the east side of the Pelusiac branch of the Nile, just below the point of the Delta, and about twenty miles northeast of Memphis. The chief object of worship at Heliopolis was the sun, whose temple, described by Strabo, is now only represented by the single beautiful obelisk, of red granite so feet 2 inches high above the pedestal which has stood for more than 4000 years, having been erected by Usirtesen, the second king of the twelfth dynasty. Heliopolis was anciently famous for its learning, and Eudoxus and Plato studied under its priests. The first mention of this place in the Bible is in the history of Joseph, to whom we read Pharaoh gave "to wife Asenath the daughter…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

See HELIOPOLIS.

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

pain; force; iniquity

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
on [the] mountain of Zion that [is] desolate foxes they have prowled on it
הַר־har- [the] mountain of H2022 Noun common · masculine singular construct
546× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A mountain or hill, sometimes used to describe a spiritual high point. In the Bible, it can refer to a real mountain or a figurative one. The word is often translated as hill or mount.
Amplified meaning
the mountain of Jerusalem
Tyndale gloss
mountain: mount
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

הַר (har) means 'mountain' or 'hill,' and can refer to a range of hills or hill-country. It is derived from a root that suggests elevation and can be used figuratively. The entries consistently highlight its geographical connotations without significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הַר 568 n.m. mountain, hill, hill-country

mountain, hill

hill-country, mountain-region

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2022 הַר mountain, hill, hill-country

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2022 har har

a shortened form of 2042; a mountain or range of hills

(sometimes used figuratively):--hill (country), mount(-ain), X

promotion.

see HEBREW for 02042

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הַר (har) — mountain: mount.

: mount/hill

hill, mountain, hill country, mount

הַר (har) — mountain: hill country.

: hill_country

hill, mountain, hill country, mount

A sub-meaning of har (הַר ": mount" H2022)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — 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…

on [the] mountain of Zion that [is] desolate foxes they have prowled on it
צִיּוֹן֙tzi.yOn Zion H6726 Noun proper
154× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Zion refers to a mountain in Jerusalem, often used as another name for the city, especially in prophetic books like Isaiah and Jeremiah.
Amplified meaning
the mountain in Jerusalem, another name for the city
Tyndale gloss
Zion
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

צִיּוֹן (Tsiyyôn) refers to Zion, often identified as a mountain in Jerusalem and a symbolic name for the city itself, particularly in prophetic contexts. The term is linked to the Hebrew word for Jerusalem and is noted for meaning 'parched place.' It is consistently recognized across lexicons as a proper noun.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

צִיּוֹן 154 n.pr.loc. Ṣiyyôn, Zion

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6726 צִיּוֹן Ṣiyyôn, Zion

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6726 Tsiyown tsee-yone'

the same (regularly) as 6725; Tsijon (as a permanent

capital), a mountain of Jerusalem:--Zion.

see HEBREW for 06725

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

צִיּוֹן (tsiy.yon) — Zion.

Zion = "parched place"

another name for Jerusalem especially in the prophetic books

Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper
HNpl
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

zi'-on (tsiyon; Sion):

1. Meaning of the Word

2. The Zion of the Jebusites

3. Zion of the Prophets

4. Zion in Later Poetical Writings and Apocrypha

5. Omission of Name by Some Writers

6. The Name "Zion" in Christian Times

LITERATURE

1. Meaning of the Word:

A name applied to Jerusalem, or to certain parts of it, at least since the time of David. Nothing certain is known of the meaning. Gesenius and others have derived it from a Hebrew root tsahah, "to be dry"; Delitzsch from tsiwwah, "to set up" and Wetzstein from tsin, "to protect." Gesenius finds a more hopeful suggestion in the Arabic equivalent cihw, the Arabic cahwat signifying "ridge of a mountain" or "citadel," which at any rate suitably applies to what we know to have been the original Zion (compare Smith, HGHL, under the word).

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Zion

Sunny; height, one of the eminences on which Jerusalem was built. It was surrounded on all sides, except the north, by deep valleys, that of the Tyropoeon (q.v.) separating it from Moriah (q.v.), which it surpasses in height by 105 feet. It was the south-eastern hill of Jerusalem.

When David took it from the Jebusites (Josh. 15:63; 2 Sam. 5:7) he built on it a citadel and a palace, and it became “the city of David” (1 Kings 8:1; 2 Kings 19:21, 31; 1 Chr. 11:5). In the later books of the Old Testament this name was sometimes used (Ps. 87:2; 149:2;

on [the] mountain of Zion that [is] desolate foxes they have prowled on it
שֶׁשָּׁמֵ֔םshe.sha.Mem that [is] desolate H8074 Particle
86× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The word 'shamem' means to be desolate or devastated, like a place left empty and destroyed, often used to describe the aftermath of war or disaster.
Amplified meaning
is left, has been made, destroyed, devastated, a place of emptiness
Tyndale gloss
be desolate: destroyed
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׁמֵם (shamem) is a Hebrew verb meaning to be desolated or appalled. It is built from a primitive root and encompasses a range of meanings including to stun, devastate, and cause horror. The verb appears in various forms, such as Qal, Niphal, and Hiphil, indicating different nuances like being made desolate or causing desolation.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[שָׁמֵם] vb. be desolated, appalled

Qal

be desolated

be appalled, awestruck

Niph.

be desolated

be appalled

Pō‛.

I sat appalled

transit. appalling, causing horror

Hiph.

devastate, ravage

appal

inwardly trans., shewing horror

Hoph. all the days of (its) being desolate

Hithpō‛.

be appalled, astounded

cause oneself desolation, ruin

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8074 [שָׁמֵם] be desolated, appalled

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8074 shamem shaw-mame'

a primitive root; to stun (or intransitively, grow numb),

i.e. devastate or (figuratively) stupefy (both usually in a

passive sense):--make amazed, be astonied, (be an)

astonish(-ment), (be, bring into, unto, lay, lie, make)

desolate(-ion, places), be destitute, destroy (self), (lay,

lie, make) waste, wonder.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁמֵם (sha.mem) — be desolate: destroyed.

: destroyed/deserted

1) to be desolate, be appalled, stun, stupefy

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to be desolated, be deflowered, be deserted, be appalled

1a2) to be appalled, be awestruck

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be desolated, be made desolate

1b2) to be appalled

1c) (Polel)

1c1) to be stunned

1c2) appalling, causing horror (participle)

1c2a) horror-causer, appaller (subst)

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to devastate, ravage, make desolated

1d2) to appal, show horror

1e) (Hophal) to lay desolate, be desolated

1f) (Hithpolel)

1f1) to cause to be desolate

1f2) to be appalled, be astounded

1f3) to cause oneself desolation, cause oneself ruin

שָׁמֵם (sha.mem) — be desolate: appalled.

: appalled

1) to be desolate, be appalled, stun, stupefy

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to be desolated, be deflowered, be deserted, be appalled

1a2) to be appalled, be awestruck

1b) (Niphal)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Rel | V-Qal-Perf-3ms — Particle
HTr/Aamsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

des'-o-lat (very frequently in the Old Testament for shamem, and its derivatives; less frequently, charebh, and its derivatives, and other words. In the New Testament it stands for eremos (Mt 23:38; Ac 1:20; Ga 4:27) eremoo (Re 17:16), and monoo (1Ti 5:5)): From Latin de, intens., solus, alone. Several shades of meaning can be distinguished:

(1) Its primary sense is "left lonely," "forlorn," e. g. Ps 25:16, "Have mercy upon me; for I am desolate" (Hebrew yachidh, "alone"); 1Ti 5:5, "she that is a widow indeed, and…

on [the] mountain of Zion that [is] desolate foxes they have prowled on it
שׁוּעָלִ֖יםshu.'a.Lim foxes H7776 Noun common · masculine plural absolute
7× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The word for fox refers to a burrower, possibly also a jackal. It describes a small to medium-sized mammal that digs holes. In the Bible, it is translated as fox.
Amplified meaning
small to medium-sized, jackals, wild mammals
Tyndale gloss
fox
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שׁוּעָל (shuw'al) refers to a fox, and may also denote a jackal. The word is derived from a root meaning to burrow, highlighting its association with digging or burrowing animals. The entries consistently emphasize its primary meaning as a fox, with some suggesting a possible connection to jackals.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שׁוּעָל n.m. fox, perhaps also jackal

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7776 שׁוּעָל

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7776 shuw`al shoo-awl'

or shunal {shoo-awl'}; from the same as 8168; a jackal (as a

burrower):--fox.

see HEBREW for 08168

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שׁוּעָל (shu.al) — fox.

1) fox, a burrower

1a) fox

1b) perhaps also jackal

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural absolute
HNcmpa
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
on [the] mountain of Zion that [is] desolate foxes they have prowled on it
הִלְּכוּ־hi.le.khu- they have prowled H1980 Verb · Piel · perfect third person common plural
1,549× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Means to walk or go, used in many different contexts in the Bible. It can describe physical movement, but also spiritual or emotional journeys. Appears in various forms, such as 'to go' or 'to walk'.
Amplified meaning
walked upon, roamed
Tyndale gloss
to go: walk
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

הָלַךְ (halak) means 'to go,' 'come,' or 'walk,' and covers a wide range of literal and figurative uses, including aspects of life and death. It can describe physical movement, moral conduct, and even influence on character. The verb appears in various forms, such as Qal, Piel, and Hithpael, indicating different nuances like leading or traversing.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

הָלַךְ 1546 vb. go, come, walk

Qal Impf. usually (629 t.) as if from ילך

lit.

of persons

Also of animals, in similar meanings and combinations

in like manner of inanimate things

The inf. abs. is often used

as in other vbs., quite independently

to intensify meaning of finite form

most noteworthy is the joining of the Inf. abs.

with a following Inf. abs. denoting a simutaneous action or process, and so emphasizing duration or continuance

with a foll. vb. fin. c. ו consec. (rare)

in cases where vb. fin. is foll. by Inf. abs. adj. denoting progress, advance

twice, where vb. fin. is not הלך, but another vb. denoting motion

quite by itself

13 t. the Inf. abs. = Imv. & is followed by Pf. consec.

akin to the use of Inf. abs. are some instances of Pt.

In combination with other verbal forms

Fig.; the most common uses follow; in most the origin in a literal meaning is evident:

pass away, die

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1980 הָלַךְ go, come, walk .Impf. usually (629 t.) as if from ילך . lit. . of persons

. Also of animals, in similar meanings and combinations

. in like manner of inanimate things

. The inf. abs. is often used . as in other vbs., quite independently

. to intensify meaning of finite form

. most noteworthy is the joining of the Inf. abs. . with a following Inf. abs. denoting a simutaneous action or process, and so emphasizing duration or continuance

. with a foll. vb. fin. c. ו consec. (rare)

. in cases where vb. fin. is foll. by Inf. abs. + adj. denoting progress, advance

. twice, where vb. fin. is not הלך, but another vb. denoting motion

. quite by itself

. 13 t. the Inf. abs. = Imv. & is followed by Pf. consec.

. akin to the use of Inf. abs. are some instances of Pt.

. In combination with other verbal forms

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1980 halak haw-lak'

akin to 3212; a primitive root; to walk (in a great variety

of applications, literally and figuratively):--(all) along,

apace, behave (self), come, (on) continually, be conversant,

depart, + be eased, enter, exercise (self), + follow, forth,

forward, get, go (about, abroad, along, away, forward, on,

out, up and down), + greater, grow, be wont to haunt, lead,

march, X more and more, move (self), needs, on, pass (away),

be at the point, quite, run (along), + send, speedily, spread,

still, surely, + tale-bearer, + travel(-ler), walk (abroad,

on, to and fro, up and down, to places), wander, wax,

(way-)faring man, X be weak, whirl.

see HEBREW for 03212

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) — to go: went.

: went/go[away]

1) to go, walk, come

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away

1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.)

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to walk

1b2) to walk (fig.)

1c) (Hithpael)

1c1) to traverse

1c2) to walk about

1d) (Niphal) to lead, bring, lead away, carry, cause to walk

הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) — to go: come.

: come[nearer]

1) to go, walk, come

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away

1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.)

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to walk

1b2) to walk (fig.)

1c) (Hithpael)

1c1) to traverse

1c2) to walk about

1d) (Niphal) to lead, bring, lead away, carry, cause to walk

הָלַךְ (ha.lakh) — to go: walk.

: walk/move

1) to go, walk, come

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away

1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.)

1b) (Piel)

1b1) to walk

1b2) to walk (fig.)

1c) (Hithpael)

1c1) to traverse

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Piel-Perf-3cp — Verb · Piel · perfect third person common plural
HVpp3cp
on [the] mountain of Zion that [is] desolate foxes they have prowled on it
בֽוֹ׃ פvo on it H9033 Preposition · suffix
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

וֹ (o) — him.

Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 3rd person masculine singular

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Sp3ms — Preposition · suffix
HR/Sp3ms
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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