Bible Strands
Isaiah 15:4
Heshbon and Elealeh cry out; their voices are heard as far as Jahaz. Therefore the soldiers of Moab cry out; their souls tremble within.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Isaiah delivers a prophetic oracle concerning Moab, describing the immediate aftermath of an invading army's approach as urban centers and military units react to impending defeat.
The words — The Hebrew תִזְעַק (tizʿaq) translates "it cries out," while נִשְׁמַע (nishmaʿ) means "it is heard," structuring the verse to show panic propagating audibly from one location to another.
The thread — The identical geographic sequence reappears in Jeremiah 48:34, where the same cities mark the extent of Moab's distress during a parallel judgment oracle.
Why it lands — The text records how military collapse and internal terror spread beyond a single city, demonstrating that localized judgment rapidly consumes an entire nation's infrastructure and morale.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
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.
Cross-references
- Jeremiah 48:34 There is a cry from Heshbon to Elealeh; they raise their voices to Jahaz, from Zoar to Horonaim and Eglath-shelishiyah; for even the waters of Nimrim have dried up.
- Genesis 27:46 Then Rebekah said to Isaac, “I am weary of my life because of these Hittite women. If Jacob takes a Hittite wife from among them, what good is my life?”
- Numbers 11:15 If this is how You are going to treat me, please kill me right now—if I have found favor in Your eyes—and let me not see my own wretchedness.”
- Numbers 21:23 But Sihon would not let Israel pass through his territory. Instead, he gathered his whole army and went out to confront Israel in the wilderness. When he came to Jahaz, he fought against Israel.
- Numbers 32:3 “Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo, and Beon,
- Deuteronomy 2:32 So Sihon and his whole army came out for battle against us at Jahaz.
- Joshua 13:18 Jahaz, Kedemoth, Mephaath,
- Judges 11:20 But Sihon would not trust Israel to pass through his territory. So he gathered all his people, encamped in Jahaz, and fought with Israel.
- 1 Kings 19:4 while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He sat down under a broom tree and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, LORD,” he said. “Take my life, for I am no better than my fathers.”
- Job 3:20 Why is light given to the miserable, and life to the bitter of soul,