The Meaning of Jeremiah 48:34 Explained

Jeremiah 48:34

KJV: From the cry of Heshbon even unto Elealeh, and even unto Jahaz, have they uttered their voice, from Zoar even unto Horonaim, as an heifer of three years old: for the waters also of Nimrim shall be desolate.

YLT: Because of the cry of Heshbon unto Elealeh, Unto Jahaz they have given their voice, From Zoar unto Horonaim, A heifer of the third year, For even waters of Nimrim become desolations.

Darby: Because of the cry from Heshbon, unto Elaleh, unto Jahaz have they uttered their voice, from Zoar unto Horonaim, unto Eglath-shelishijah: for even the waters of Nimrim shall become desolations.

ASV: From the cry of Heshbon even unto Elealeh, even unto Jahaz have they uttered their voice, from Zoar even unto Horonaim, to Eglath-shelishiyah: for the waters of Nimrim also shall become desolate.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

From the cry  of Heshbon  [even] unto Elealeh,  [and even] unto Jahaz,  have they uttered  their voice,  from Zoar  [even] unto Horonaim,  [as] an heifer  of three years old:  for the waters  also of Nimrim  shall be desolate. 

What does Jeremiah 48:34 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The Moabites in Heshbon, Elealeh, and Jahaz would mourn her destruction, as would those in Zoar, Horonaim, and Eglath-shelishiyah. Even the waters near Nimrim, evidently one of Moab"s more popular sites, would become desolate.

Chapter Summary: Jeremiah 48

1  The judgment of Moab
7  for their pride
11  for their security
14  for their carnal confidence
26  and for their contempt of God and his people
47  The restoration of Moab

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 48:34 mean?

From the cry of Heshbon to Elealeh and to Jahaz they have uttered their voice from Zoar Horonaim [Like] a three-year-old heifer of three years old for also the waters of Nimrim desolate shall be
מִזַּעֲקַ֨ת חֶשְׁבּ֜וֹן עַד־ אֶלְעָלֵ֗ה עַד־ יַ֙הַץ֙ נָתְנ֣וּ קוֹלָ֔ם מִצֹּ֙עַר֙ חֹ֣רֹנַ֔יִם עֶגְלַ֖ת שְׁלִֽשִׁיָּ֑ה כִּ֚י גַּם־ מֵ֣י נִמְרִ֔ים לִמְשַׁמּ֖וֹת יִהְיֽוּ

מִזַּעֲקַ֨ת  From  the  cry 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: זְעָקָה  
Sense: cry, outcry.
חֶשְׁבּ֜וֹן  of  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.
אֶלְעָלֵ֗ה  Elealeh 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶלְעָלֵא 
Sense: a Reubenite village near Heshbon (in ruins).
עַד־  and  to 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
יַ֙הַץ֙  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.
נָתְנ֣וּ  they  have  uttered 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
קוֹלָ֔ם  their  voice 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: קֹול 
Sense: voice, sound, noise.
מִצֹּ֙עַר֙  from  Zoar 
Parse: Preposition-m, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: צָעֹור 
Sense: a city at the southeast end of the Dead Sea grouped with Sodom and Gomorrah as being one of the 5 cities slated for destruction by God; spared at Lot’s plea as his place of refuge.
חֹ֣רֹנַ֔יִם  Horonaim 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: חֹורֹנַיִם  
Sense: a town of Moab.
עֶגְלַ֖ת  [Like]  a  three-year-old  heifer 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: עֶגְלָה 
Sense: heifer.
שְׁלִֽשִׁיָּ֑ה  of  three  years  old 
Parse: Number, masculine singular
Root: שְׁלִישִׁי 
Sense: third, one third, third part, third time.
גַּם־  also 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
מֵ֣י  the  waters 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: מַיִם  
Sense: water, waters.
נִמְרִ֔ים  of  Nimrim 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: נִמְרִים  
Sense: a stream or brook in the territory of Moab.
לִמְשַׁמּ֖וֹת  desolate 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, feminine plural
Root: מְשַׁמָּה  
Sense: devastation, horror.
יִהְיֽוּ  shall  be 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.