יְלָלָה H3215
howling, wailing; a loud cry of distress or lamentation
A feminine noun denoting loud, anguished wailing — the kind of collective outcry that accompanies catastrophe. Isaiah 15:8 describes Moab's devastation with howling reaching from one city to another. Jeremiah uses it for the wail of leaders (metaphorically 'shepherds') facing divine judgment (Jer 25:36). Zephaniah pairs it with the cry from the Fish Gate on the day of the LORD (Zeph 1:10). In Zechariah 11:3, it is the howling of shepherds whose glory is ruined. Spanish 'aullido' and French 'hurlement' both evoke the raw, animal-like quality of this lamentation.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Howling, wailing — a loud vocalization of distress and lamentation, often collective. Typically paired with parallel terms like זְעָקָה ('outcry') and צְעָקָה ('shriek') in prophetic judgment oracles. In Isa 15:8, the howling of Moab encircles the land; in Jer 25:36 and Zech 11:3, 'shepherds' (metaphor for rulers) howl over devastation. The Spanish 'aullido' and French 'hurlement' capture the visceral, wail-like quality that distinguishes this term from ordinary weeping. 5×
AR["وَ-عَوِيلِ", "وَ-وَلْوَلَةٌ", "وَلْوَلَةِ", "وَلْوَلَتُهَا"]·ben["আর-বিলাপ", "এবং-বিলাপ", "তার-বিলাপ", "বিলাপের"]·DE["[ויללה]", "[ויללת]", "[יללת]", "[יללתה]"]·EN["and-wailing", "and-wailing-of", "its-wailing", "wailing-of"]·FR["[ויללת]", "[יללתה]", "et-hurlement", "hurlement"]·heb["ו-יללה", "ו-יללת", "יללת", "יללתה"]·HI["और-विलाप", "और-हाय", "विलाप-उसका", "विलाप-करने-की"]·ID["dan-ratapan", "ratapan", "ratapannya"]·IT["[ויללת]", "[יללתה]", "e-lamento", "lamento"]·jav["lan-sesambat-ipun", "lan-tangis", "panguwuhipun", "tangis"]·KO["그리고-의-울부짖음의", "그리고-통곡", "그의-통곡이라", "그의-통곡이요", "통곡의"]·PT["e-lamento", "e-uivo-de-", "seu-lamento", "uivo-de"]·RU["и-рыдание", "рыдание-его", "рыдания"]·ES["aullido-de", "su-gemido", "y-aullido", "y-aullido-de"]·SW["kuomboleza-kwa", "maombolezo-yake", "na-maombolezo", "na-maombolezo-ya"]·TR["feryadini", "feryadının", "ve-feryadı", "ve-feryat"]·urd["اور-رونا", "اور-ویلا", "اُس-کی-واویلا", "رونے-کی"]
Related Senses
H3548 1. priest, cultic officiant (750×)G5547 1. Christ, Messiah, Anointed One (540×)H5030 1. Prophet, divine spokesperson (317×)H5930a 1. burnt offering (sacrifice) (286×)H3881 1. Levites (priestly class) (283×)G4396 1. prophet, spokesperson of God (146×)H6944 1. sanctuary, holy place (129×)G0749 1. high priest, chief priest (123×)H6944 2. holiness, sacredness (abstract quality) (123×)G5330 1. Pharisee (99×)G4336 1. pray to God (86×)H6944 3. holy things, sacred offerings (plural) (86×)H3722a 1. make ritual atonement (Piel) (85×)H6912 1. bury (Qal active) (82×)H6419 1. pray (Hitpael) (80×)H6944 4. holiness (with possessive pronoun) (77×)H6942 1. sanctify, consecrate (Piel factitive) (76×)H2930a 1. Qal: be/become unclean (75×)H7819a 1. slaughter an animal (Qal active) (72×)H1486 1. lot (object cast for decisions) (71×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
יְלָלָה n.f. howling;—וִילָלָה Zp 1:10; cstr. יִֽלֲלַת. Je 25:36; Zc 11:3; יִלְלָתָהּ Is 15:8(×2);—howling in distress Is 15:8(×2) (‖ זְעָקָה), Je 25:36 (of leaders of flock, metaph. for princes; ‖ קול צעקה), Zp 1:10 (‖ id.); קול יִֽלֲלַת הָרֹעִים Zc 11:3 (רעים metaph. for princes).