The Meaning of Isaiah 15:4 Explained

Isaiah 15:4

KJV: And Heshbon shall cry, and Elealeh: their voice shall be heard even unto Jahaz: therefore the armed soldiers of Moab shall cry out; his life shall be grievous unto him.

YLT: And cry doth Heshbon and Elealeh, Unto Jahaz heard hath been their voice, Therefore the armed ones of Moab do shout, His life hath been grievous to him.

Darby: And Heshbon crieth, and Elealeh: their voice is heard unto Jahaz. Therefore the armed men of Moab cry out: his soul trembleth in him.

ASV: And Heshbon crieth out, and Elealeh; their voice is heard even unto Jahaz: therefore the armed men of Moab cry aloud; his soul trembleth within him.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Heshbon  shall cry,  and Elealeh:  their voice  shall be heard  [even] unto Jahaz:  therefore the armed soldiers  of Moab  shall cry out;  his life  shall be grievous  unto him. 

What does Isaiah 15:4 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 15

1  The lamentable state of Moab

What do the individual words in Isaiah 15:4 mean?

And will cry out Heshbon and Elealeh as far as Jahaz shall be heard their voice upon thus the armed soldiers of Moab will cry out His life will be burdensome to him
וַתִּזְעַ֤ק חֶשְׁבּוֹן֙ וְאֶלְעָלֵ֔ה עַד־ יַ֖הַץ נִשְׁמַ֣ע קוֹלָ֑ם עַל־ כֵּ֗ן חֲלֻצֵ֤י מוֹאָב֙ יָרִ֔יעוּ נַפְשׁ֖וֹ יָ֥רְעָה לּֽוֹ

וַתִּזְעַ֤ק  And  will  cry  out 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: זָעַק  
Sense: to cry, cry out, call, call for help.
חֶשְׁבּוֹן֙  Heshbon 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: חֶשְׁבֹּון  
Sense: the capital city of Sihon, king of the Amorites, located on the western border of the high plain and on the border line between the tribes of Reuben and Gad.
וְאֶלְעָלֵ֔ה  and  Elealeh 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶלְעָלֵא 
Sense: a Reubenite village near Heshbon (in ruins).
עַד־  as  far  as 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
יַ֖הַץ  Jahaz 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: יַהַץ 
Sense: a place in Reuben east of the Dead Sea where Israel defeated Sihon king of the Amorites; site uncertain.
נִשְׁמַ֣ע  shall  be  heard 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
קוֹלָ֑ם  their  voice 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: קֹול 
Sense: voice, sound, noise.
עַל־  upon 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: 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.
כֵּ֗ן  thus 
Parse: Adverb
Root: כֵּן 
Sense: so, therefore, thus.
חֲלֻצֵ֤י  the  armed  soldiers 
Parse: Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, masculine plural construct
Root: חָלַץ 
Sense: to remove, draw out, draw off, take off, withdraw, equip (for war), arm for war, rescue, be rescued.
מוֹאָב֙  of  Moab 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מֹואָב 
Sense: a son of Lot by his eldest daughter.
יָרִ֔יעוּ  will  cry  out 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: רוּעַ  
Sense: to shout, raise a sound, cry out, give a blast.
נַפְשׁ֖וֹ  His  life 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: נֶפֶשׁ  
Sense: soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion.
יָ֥רְעָה  will  be  burdensome 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: יָרַע  
Sense: (Qal) to tremble, quiver.
לּֽוֹ  to  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular