The Meaning of Jeremiah 48:39 Explained

Jeremiah 48:39

KJV: They shall howl, saying, How is it broken down! how hath Moab turned the back with shame! so shall Moab be a derision and a dismaying to all them about him.

YLT: How hath it been broken down! they have howled, How hath Moab turned the neck ashamed, And Moab hath been for a derision. And for a terror to all round about her.

Darby: They howl, How is it broken down! how hath Moab turned the back with shame! And Moab shall be a derision and a terror to all that are round about him.

ASV: How is it broken down! how do they wail! how hath Moab turned the back with shame! so shall Moab become a derision and a terror to all that are round about him.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

They shall howl,  [saying], How is it broken down!  how hath Moab  turned  the back  with shame!  so shall Moab  be a derision  and a dismaying  to all them about  him. 

What does Jeremiah 48:39 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The nation would suffer defeat, the people would Lamentations , the inhabitants would repent out of shame, and the kingdom would become an object of ridicule and a fearful prospect for onlookers.

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 48:39 mean?

How she is broken down they shall wail has turned her back Moab with shame so shall be a derision and a dismay to all those about her -
אֵ֥יךְ ! חַ֙תָּה֙ הֵילִ֔ילוּ הִפְנָה־ עֹ֥רֶף מוֹאָ֖ב ! בּ֑וֹשׁ וְהָיָ֥ה לִשְׂחֹ֥ק וְלִמְחִתָּ֖ה לְכָל־ סְבִיבָֽיו ס

אֵ֥יךְ  How 
Parse: Interjection
Root: אֵיךְ 
Sense: how? interj.
! חַ֙תָּה֙  she  is  broken  down 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: חָתַת  
Sense: to be shattered, be dismayed, be broken, be abolished, be afraid.
הֵילִ֔ילוּ  they  shall  wail 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: יָלַל  
Sense: (Hiphil) to howl, wail, make a howling.
הִפְנָה־  has  turned 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: פֹּונֶה 
Sense: to turn.
עֹ֥רֶף  her  back 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֹרֶף  
Sense: neck, back of the neck, back.
מוֹאָ֖ב  Moab 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מֹואָב 
Sense: a son of Lot by his eldest daughter.
! בּ֑וֹשׁ  with  shame 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בֹּושׁ 
Sense: to put to shame, be ashamed, be disconcerted, be disappointed.
וְהָיָ֥ה  so  shall  be 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
לִשְׂחֹ֥ק  a  derision 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שְׂחֹוק  
Sense: laughter, laughing stock, mocking, derision.
וְלִמְחִתָּ֖ה  and  a  dismay 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Noun, feminine singular
Root: מְחִתָּה  
Sense: destruction, ruin, terror, a breaking.
לְכָל־  to  all  those 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
סְבִיבָֽיו  about  her 
Parse: Adverb, third person masculine singular
Root: מוּסָב 
Sense: places round about, circuit, round about adv.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation