### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **yâlal**, represented by `{{H3213}}`, is a primitive root that means **to howl**. It appears **31 times** across **29 unique verses** in the Bible. The definition specifies a howl "with a wailing tone" or a yell "with a boisterous one," indicating an intense and audible expression of anguish, grief, or reaction to sudden calamity.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In scripture, `{{H3213}}` is overwhelmingly used in the context of prophetic warnings and pronouncements of judgment. Prophets command nations, cities, and groups of people to **howl** in anticipation of their imminent destruction. This is seen in the prophecies against Babylon [[Jeremiah 51:8]], Moab [[Isaiah 15:2]], and Tyre [[Isaiah 23:1]]. The cry is a response to being "laid waste" `{{H7703}}` or "spoiled" `{{H7703}}`. The word also contrasts the coming sorrow with past joy or pride, as when the songs of the temple are prophesied to become **howlings** [[Amos 8:3]], and God’s enemies will **howl** for "vexation of spirit" while His servants sing for joy [[Isaiah 65:14]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words are frequently used alongside `{{H3213}}` to paint a fuller picture of devastation and mourning:
* `{{H7703}}` **shâdad** (to ravage; ...spoil... waste): This word often describes the cause of the howling. Nations are told to howl *because* they are "laid waste" or "spoiled," directly linking the audible cry to the physical destruction ([[Isaiah 23:1]], [[Zechariah 11:2]]).
* `{{H2199}}` **zâʻaq** (to shriek from anguish or danger): This term for crying out is often paired with howling, intensifying the scene of vocal distress. Leaders and inhabitants of a land are commanded to both **howl** and "cry" in the face of slaughter and destruction ([[Jeremiah 25:34]], [[Jeremiah 48:20]]).
* `{{H2296}}` **châgar** (to gird on): This action, specifically of girding with sackcloth, is a ritual expression of mourning that accompanies howling. Priests and people are commanded to "gird" themselves with sackcloth `{{H8242}}` and then **howl** and lament ([[Joel 1:13]], [[Jeremiah 4:8]]).
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H3213}}` is significant, highlighting the severe consequences of sin and divine judgment.
* **The Sound of Judgment:** Howling is the prescribed, audible reaction to the "day of the LORD" [[Isaiah 13:6]]. It is not merely a sign of sadness but a public acknowledgment of the arrival of God's overwhelming judgment upon cities and nations.
* **A Mark of Reversal:** The word signifies a total reversal of fortune. Mighty cedars [[Zechariah 11:2]], wealthy ships of Tarshish [[Isaiah 23:14]], and even the figure of Lucifer [[Isaiah 14:12]] are associated with howling at their fall. It is the sound of pride being broken down.
* **The Fruit of Rebellion:** The act of howling is presented as a consequence of turning from God. In Hosea, the people **howled** on their beds but did not cry to God from their hearts, demonstrating an insincere grief rooted in their rebellion [[Hosea 7:14]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H3213}}` represents more than a simple cry of pain. It is a powerful, prophetic symbol of the end result of pride, rebellion, and sin. From the commanded wails of doomed nations to the anguished cries of fallen leaders, **yâlal** serves as the definitive sound of a world undone by divine judgment, a stark reminder of the desolation that follows when human strength and security are laid waste.
TRV