Jeremiah 51:4 — Word Study
WLCוְנָפְל֥וּ חֲלָלִ֖ים בְּאֶ֣רֶץ כַּשְׂדִּ֑ים וּמְדֻקָּרִ֖ים בְּחוּצוֹתֶֽיהָ׃
BSAAnd they will fallnâphal [be defeated, meet their end] slainchâlâl [killed, profaned] in the landʼerets [region, territory] of the ChaldeansKasdîy [inhabitants of Mesopotamia] and pierced throughdâqar [wounded, thrust through] in her streetschûwts [outside, in the open areas]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וְנָפְל֥וּ | and they will fall | Verb, Qal, sequential perfect third person common plural |
| חֲלָלִ֖ים | slain | Adj |
| בְּאֶ֣רֶץ | in [the] land of | Preposition, noun common feminine singular construct |
| כַּשְׂדִּ֑ים | [the] Chaldeans | Noun proper |
| וּמְדֻקָּרִ֖ים | and pierced through | Conjunction, verb pual participle (passive) masculine plural |
| בְּחוּצוֹתֶֽיהָ׃ | in streets its | Preposition, noun common feminine plural construct, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | And they will fall slain in the land of the Chaldeans, and pierced through in her streets. |
| KJV | Thus the slain shall fall in the land of the Chaldeans, and they that are thrust through in her streets. |
| ASV | And they shall fall down slain in the land of the Chaldeans, and thrust through in her streets. |
| YLT | And fallen have the wounded in the land of the Chaldeans, And the pierced-through in her streets. |
| WEB | They will fall down slain in the land of the Chaldeans, and thrust through in her streets. |
| BBE | And the dead will be stretched out in the land of the Chaldaeans, and the wounded in her streets. |
Where they part company is חֲלָלִ֖ים — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence has a main clause followed by a participial phrase, indicating the dual nature of the Chaldeans' fate.
5 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectחָלָל
verbנָפַל
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
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 51:4
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
Jeremiah 51:4 speaks of the impending destruction of the Chaldeans, emphasizing the consequences of their actions against Israel. This passage is part of a broader message where God declares His judgment on Babylon for its sins, as seen in the surrounding verses, particularly Jeremiah 51:3 and 51:5.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jeremiah 49:26 | For her young men will fall in the streets, and all her warriors will be silenced in that day,” declares the LORD of Hosts. |
| 2 | Jeremiah 50:30–37 | Therefore, her young men will fall in the streets, and all her warriors will be silenced in that day,” declares the LORD. |
| 3 | Isaiah 13:15 | Whoever is caught will be stabbed, and whoever is captured will die by the sword. |
| 4 | Isaiah 14:19 | But you are cast out of your grave like a rejected branch, covered by those slain with the sword, and dumped into a rocky pit like a carcass trampled underfoot. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 4 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — חֲלָלִ֖ים, cha.la.Limgenerated
The word חָלָל (chalal) primarily means 'pierced' or 'slain,' and it is often used in contexts of fatal wounding. Its root conveys the idea of being profaned or defiled, indicating both physical harm and spiritual implications.
In this verse, it describes those who have been killed, emphasizing the severity of their fate in the context of judgment. The use of this term underscores the gravity of the situation as the Chaldeans face their end.
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. The BSB has slain, which is consistent with the KJV and ASV, all of which retain the connotation of fatality.
Where others part company with the BSB, they differ on the rendering of חֲלָלִ֖ים. The FBV and ULB choose killed, which has a similar meaning but may lack the specific nuance of being slain in battle.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The verse contains two main clauses connected by 'and': וְנָפְל֥וּ (and they will fall) and וּמְדֻקָּרִ֖ים (and pierced through). Each clause describes the fate of the Chaldeans, with the first clause focusing on their falling in the land and the second on being pierced in the streets.
The structure emphasizes the dual nature of their demise: both in the land and in public spaces, highlighting the totality of their defeat.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates וְנָפְל֥וּ as πεσοῦνται (they will fall), which aligns closely with the Hebrew meaning, indicating a direct correspondence in the sense of defeat.
For חֲלָלִ֖ים, the LXX uses τραυματίαι (wounds), which shifts the focus slightly from the act of being slain to the resulting injuries, suggesting a broader interpretation of the consequences of their actions.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Jeremiah 51:4 describes how the Chaldeans will be defeated and killed in their own land. They will fall slain and be pierced through in the streets, highlighting the severity of their judgment.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It indicates that the Chaldeans will face a violent end, emphasizing the severity of God's judgment against them.
The land of the Chaldeans represents the heart of Babylon, the empire that oppresses Israel, making their defeat particularly poignant.
The mention of the streets suggests that their defeat will be public and visible, emphasizing the totality of their downfall.
This verse is part of a larger prophecy declaring God's judgment on Babylon, showing that their actions have consequences.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What does this verse teach about the consequences of turning away from God?
- How can we apply the lessons from the fate of the Chaldeans to our lives today?
- In what ways do we see God's judgment in our world, and how should we respond?
- What does it mean to be 'pierced through' in a spiritual sense?
Commentators on this verse — 5 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Jeremiah 51:4 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThus the slain shall fall in the land of the Chaldeans,.... By the sword, or by the arrows and darts of the Medes and Persians: and [they that are] thrust through in her streets; either by the one or
Read John Gill on Jeremiah 51 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThus the slain shall fall in the land of the Chaldeans, and they that are thrust through in her streets.
Read Robert Jamieson on Jeremiah 51 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleThus all of them shall be destroyed, some in the fields, some in the streets of their cities.
Read Matthew Poole on Jeremiah 51 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJeremiah 51:4 Thus the slain shall fall in the land of the Chaldeans, and [they that are] thrust through in her streets.Ver. 4. Thus the slain shall fall.] Both within the walls and without, τωνφονωνουταριθμοςουθορος, there shall be neither measure nor end of manslaughter, as Plutarch saith of Rome in Sulla’ s time.
Read John Trapp on Jeremiah 51 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleTranslate it: “And they,” i. e., the young men who form her host Jeremiah 51:3, “shall fall slain in the land of the Chaldaeans, and pierced through in her streets,” i. e., the streets of Babylon.
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
And they will fall slain in the land of the Chaldeans, and pierced through in her streets.
They will fall down slain in the land of the Chaldeans, and thrust through in her streets.
And they will fall slain in the land of the Chaldeans, and pierced through in her streets.
Let them fall slain in the land of Babylonia, mortally wounded in the streets of her cities.
Tyndale line
Thus the slain shall fall in the land of the Chaldeans, and they that are thrust through in her streets.
And they shall fall down slain in the land of the Chaldeans, and thrust through in her streets.
And they shall fall down slain in the land of the Chaldeans, and thrust through in her streets.
Thus the slain shall fall in the land of the Chaldeans, and they that are thrust through in her streets.
Thus the slaine shall fall in the lande of the Caldeans, and they that are thrust through in her streetes.
Strictly literal
And the slain shall fall in the land of the Chaldeans, and they that are thrust through in her streets.
And fallen have the wounded in the land of the Chaldeans, And the pierced-through in her streets.
And the wounded have fallen in the land of the Chaldeans, || And the pierced-through in her streets.
And the slain shall fall in the land of the Chaldeans, and they that are pierced through, in her streets.
For the wounded people will fall in the land of the Chaldeans; those who are killed will fall in her streets.
From the Latin
And the slain shall fall in the land of the Chaldeans, and the wounded in the regions thereof.
Simplified
They will fall down wounded in her streets, killed in the country of Babylonia.
And the dead will be stretched out in the land of the Chaldaeans, and the wounded in her streets.
Word by word, the decisions they made
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.
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 on the wording of this verse, with all six words matched. This consistency indicates a shared understanding of the prophecy's message across these ancient texts.
וְנָפְל֥וּ חֲלָלִ֖ים בְּאֶ֣רֶץ כַּשְׂדִּ֑ים וּמְדֻקָּרִ֖ים בְּחוּצוֹתֶֽיהָ׃
6 of the 6 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.
Lexicons — every word in Jeremiah 51:4
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.
נָפַל (naphal) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to fall,' encompassing a wide range of applications, including falling by accident, experiencing violent death, or going to ruin. It can also refer to prostrating oneself, attacking, or causing someone to fall. The term appears in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, often indicating physical or metaphorical downfall.
נָפַל 433 vb. fall, lie
Qal 366
fall, by accident
Esp. of violent death
fig. = go to ruin, perish, etc.
fig. = experience calamity
fall, of a city
Fall prostrate
fall = prostrate oneself before
fall upon one's neck, in embrace
Fall upon = attack
desert or fall away to, go over to
Fig., of deep sleep
Other idiomatic uses
= lie; = lie prostrate
Hiph.
cause to fall
Of causing death; = overthrow, bring to destruction
Esp. of casting lot
Fig., let drop, cause to fail
cause deep sleep to fall
Other idioms
Hithp. throw, or prostrate oneself
base
H5307 נָפַל fall, lie .. fall, by accident
. . Esp. of violent death
. fig. = go to ruin, perish, etc.
. fig. = experience calamity
. fall, of a city
. . Fall prostrate
. fall = prostrate oneself before
. fall upon one's neck, in embrace
. . Fall upon = attack
. desert or fall away to, go over to
. Fig., of deep sleep
. Other idiomatic uses
. = lie; = lie prostrate
. . cause to fall
. Of causing death; = overthrow, bring to destruction
. Esp. of casting lot
. Fig., let drop, cause to fail
. cause deep sleep to fall
. Other idioms
. throw, or prostrate oneself
5307 naphal naw-fal'
a primitive root; to fall, in a great variety of applications
(intransitive or causative, literal or figurative):--be
accepted, cast (down, self, (lots), out), cease, die, divide
(by lot), (let) fail, (cause to, let, make, ready to) fall
(away, down, -en, -ing), fell(-ing), fugitive, have
(inheritance), inferior, be judged (by mistake for 6419), lay
(along), (cause to) lie down, light (down), be (X hast) lost,
lying, overthrow, overwhelm, perish, present(-ed, -ing), (make
to) rot, slay, smite out, X surely, throw down.
see HEBREW for 06419
נָפַל (na.phal) — to fall: fall.
: fall/drop/fail
1) to fall, lie, be cast down, fail
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to fall
1a2) to fall (of violent death)
1a3) to fall prostrate, prostrate oneself before
1a4) to fall upon, attack, desert, fall away to, go away to, fall into the hand of
1a5) to fall short, fail, fall out, turn out, result
1a6) to settle, waste away, be offered, be inferior to
1a7) to lie, lie prostrate
1b) (Hiphil)
1b1) to cause to fall, fell, throw down, knock out, lay prostrate
1b2) to overthrow
1b3) to make the lot fall, assign by lot, apportion by lot
1b4) to let drop, cause to fail (fig.)
1b5) to cause to fall
1c) (Hithpael)
1c1) to throw or prostrate oneself, throw oneself upon
1c2) to lie prostrate, prostrate oneself
1d) (Pilel) to fall
נָפַל (na.phal) — to fall: deserting.
: deserting
1) to fall, lie, be cast down, fail
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to fall
1a2) to fall (of violent death)
Conj | V-Qal-3cp — Verb · Qal · sequential perfect third person common pluralHc/Vqq3cp
fol (vb.): The idea of falling is most frequently expressed in Hebrew by naphal, but also by many other words; in Greek by pipto, and its compounds. The uses of the word in Scripture are very varied. There is the literal falling by descent; the falling of the countenance in sorrow, shame, anger, etc. (Ge 4:5,6); the falling in battle (Ge 14:10; Nu 14:3, etc.); the falling into trouble, etc. (Pr 24:16,17); prostration in supplication and reverence (Ge 17:3; Nu 14:5, etc.); falling of the Spirit of Yahweh (Eze 11:5…
חָלָל (chalal) primarily means 'pierced' or 'slain,' often in a context of fatal wounding. It can also refer to something that is 'profaned' or 'defiled.' The word is built from the root associated with piercing and carries both literal and figurative meanings related to death and pollution.
חָלָל 90 n.m. pierced
pierced, fatally wounded
slain
base
חָלָל adj. profaned
base
H2491a חָלָל pierced H2491b חָלָל profaned
2491 chalal khaw-lawl'
from 2490; pierced (especially to death); figuratively,
polluted:--kill, profane, slain (man), X slew, (deadly)
wounded.
see HEBREW for 02490
חָלָל (cha.lal) — slain: killed.
: killed
1) slain, fatally wounded, pierced
1a) pierced, fatally wounded
1b) slain
Also means: cha.lal (חָלָל ": wounded" H2491H)
חָלָל (cha.lal) — profaned.
adj
1) (CLBL) profaned
1a) defiled, profaned (by divorce)
חָלָל (cha.lal) — slain: wounded.
: wounded
1) slain, fatally wounded, pierced
1a) pierced, fatally wounded
1b) slain
Adj — AdjHAampa
אֶ֫רֶץ (erets) is a feminine noun meaning 'earth' or 'land.' It encompasses various meanings, including the whole earth, specific territories like Canaan, and even inhabitants of the land. It can refer to soil, ground, or regions, and is used in phrases related to distance and the living. There is a note on the plural form אֲרָצוֹת, which mainly appears in later texts to denote multiple lands.
אֶ֫רֶץ n. f. & (seld.) m. earth, land
earth, whole earth (opp. to a part)
earth, opp. to heaven, sky
earth = inhabitants of earth
land =
country, territory
district, region
trial territory
piece of ground
specif. land of Canaan, or Israel
= inhabitants of land
used even of Shᵉʼôl
ground, surface of ground
soil, as productive
אֶרֶץ in phrases
people of the land
in measurements of distance
the country of the plain, level or plain country
land of the living
end(s) of the earth
pl. אֲרָצוֹת is almost wholly late; it denotes lands, countries, often in contrast to Canaan, lands of the nations, etc.
base
H776 אֶ֫רֶץ n. f. & (seld.) m. earth, land . . earth, whole earth (opp. to a part)
. earth, opp. to heaven, sky
. earth = inhabitants of earth
. land = . country, territory
. district, region
. trial territory
. piece of ground
. specif. land of Canaan, or Israel
. = inhabitants of land
. used even of Shᵉʼôl
. . ground, surface of ground
. soil, as productive
. אֶרֶץ in phrases . people of the land
. in measurements of distance
. the country of the plain, level or plain country
. land of the living
. end(s) of the earth
. pl. אֲרָצוֹת is almost wholly late; it denotes lands, countries, often in contrast to Canaan, lands of the nations, etc.
776 'erets eh'-rets
from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth
(at large, or partitively a land):--X common, country, earth,
field, ground, land, X natins, way, + wilderness, world.
אֶ֫רֶץ (e.rets) — land: country/planet.
: country/field
1) land, earth
1a) earth
1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part)
1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven)
1a3) earth (inhabitants)
1b) land
1b1) country, territory
1b2) district, region
1b3) tribal territory
1b4) piece of ground
1b5) land of Canaan, Israel
1b6) inhabitants of land
1b7) Sheol, land without return, (under) world
1b8) city (-state)
1c) ground, surface of the earth
1c1) ground
1c2) soil
1d) (in phrases)
1d1) people of the land
1d2) space or distance of country (in measurements of distance)
1d3) level or plain country
1d4) land of the living
1d5) end(s) of the earth
1e) (almost wholly late in usage)
1e1) lands, countries
1e1a) often in contrast to Canaan
אֶ֫רֶץ (e.rets) — land: soil.
: soil
1) land, earth
1a) earth
1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part)
1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven)
1a3) earth (inhabitants)
1b) land
1b1) country, territory
Prep | N-cs — Preposition · noun common feminine singular constructHR/Ncfsc
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.
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…
כַּשְׁדִּים (Kasdim) refers to the Chaldeans or Chaldea, a region in lower Mesopotamia. The term can denote the inhabitants of this area, as well as those considered wise, such as astrologers. It is derived from כֶּסֶד (Kesed), indicating descent. The word appears in various contexts, emphasizing both the geographical and cultural significance of the Chaldeans.
כַּשְׂדִּים n.pr.gent. et terr. Kasdim = Chaldeans, Chaldea
base
H3778 כַּשְׂדִּים Kasdim = Chaldeans, Chaldea
3778 Kasdiy kas-dee'
(occasionally with enclitic) Kasdiymah {kas-dee'- maw};
towards the Kasdites:--into Chaldea), patronymically from 3777
(only in the plural); a Kasdite, or descendant of Kesed; by
implication, a Chaldaean (as if so descended); also an
astrologer (as if proverbial of that people:--Chaldeans,
Chaldees, inhabitants of Chaldea.
כַּשְׂדִּים (kas.di) — Chaldea.
§ Chaldea or Chaldeans = "clod-breakers"
1) a territory in lower Mesopotamia bordering on the Persian Gulf
2) the inhabitants of Chaldea, living on the lower Euphrates and Tigris
3) those persons considered the wisest in the land (by extension)
N-proper — Noun properHNpl
This name is taken, 1. For the people of Chaldea, and the subjects of that empire generally; 2. For philosophers, naturalists, or soothsayers, whose principal employment was the study of mathematics and astrology, by which they pretended to foretell the destiny of men born under certain constellations.
The Chaldeans were originally a warlike people, who at first inhabited the Carduchian or Koordish mountains north of Assyria and Mesopotamia, Jer 50:17. As the Assyrian monarchs extended their conquests towards the north and west, the Chaldeans also came under their dominion; and this rough and energetic people appear to have assumed, under the sway of their conquerors, a new character, and to have been transformed from a rude horde into a civilized people. A very vivid and graphic description of the Chaldean warriors is given by the…
דָּקַר (daqar) is a Hebrew verb meaning to pierce or stab. It encompasses various forms, including to pierce through (Qal), to be pierced (Niphal), and to be pierced or riddled (Pual). The entries suggest a range of meanings from physical piercing to figurative uses like reviling.
[דָּקַר] vb. pierce, pierce through
Qal pierce, run through
Niph. be pierced through
Pu. pierced, riddled
base
H1856 [דָּקַר] pierce, pierce through
1856 daqar daw-kar'
a primitive root; to stab; by analogy, to starve;
figuratively, to revile:--pierce, strike (thrust) through,
wound.
דָּקַר (da.qar) — to pierce.
1) to pierce, thrust through, pierce through
1a) (Qal) to pierce, run through
1b) (Niphal) to be pierced through
1c) (Pual) pierced, riddled (participle)
Conj | V-Pual-Inf-c — Conjunction · verb pual participle (passive) masculine pluralHC/VPsmpa
חוּץ (chuwts) refers to the concept of being outside or outward, often associated with streets or highways. It is derived from a root meaning to sever, indicating separation by a wall. The term covers various contexts, including outdoors and fields.
חוּץ n.[m.] the outside, sts., esp. in pl., spec. a street
base
H2351 חוּץ
2351 chuwts khoots
or (shortened) chuts {khoots}; (both forms feminine in the
plural) from an unused root meaning to sever; properly,
separate by a wall, i.e. outside, outdoors:--abroad, field,
forth, highway, more, out(-side, -ward), street, without.
חוּץ (chuts) — outside.
outside, outward, street, the outside
Prep | N-mp | Suff — Preposition · noun common feminine plural construct · suffixHR/Ncfpc/Sp3fs