Lexical Summary mei: Water Original Word: מְעִי Strong's Exhaustive Concordance heap From avah; a pile of rubbish (as contorted), i.e. A ruin (compare iy) -- heap. see HEBREW avah see HEBREW iy NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof uncertain derivation Definition perhaps ruin heap NASB Translation ruin (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs מְעִי only in מַמָּלָה ׳והיתה מ Isaiah 17:1; according to AV RV Thes and others noun [masculine] = עִי ruin-heap, but form very strange; ᵐ5 omits (ἔσται εἰς πτῶσιν); Gr proposes כְּעִי, Di לְעִי; < dittograph from מעיר LagSemitic i. 29 Che NöZMG xxxii. 1878, 401 Brd SS Buhl Guin Kau Du. מְעִי noun [masculine] ruin (si vera lectio); — וְהָֽיְתָה מְעִי מַמָּלָה consecutive Isaiah 17:1 Damascus shall become a ruinous heap (but strike out ׳מ ᵐ5 Lag Che SS Buhl). cf II. עוה (√ of following, compare Arabic Topical Lexicon Literal Sense and Imagery The single occurrence of מְעִי (Isaiah 17:1) presents a vivid image of an urban center reduced to a “heap of ruins.” The term evokes rubble, collapsed walls and smoldering remnants—visual shorthand for total desolation. In prophetic literature such imagery commonly communicates finality, helplessness and the irreversible outcome of divine judgment. Occurrence and Immediate Context Isaiah 17:1: “This is the burden against Damascus: ‘Behold, Damascus will no longer be a city, but will become a heap of ruins.’ ” The oracle stands at the head of a brief prophecy (Isaiah 17:1-3) declaring that the famed Syrian capital will lose its political identity and military strength. The shift from “city” to “heap” announces the collapse of everything that once gave Damascus its stature among the nations. Historical Background 1 Kings 15; 2 Kings 13–16 and extra-biblical Assyrian records portray Damascus as a regional power that often threatened Israel and Judah. Tiglath-Pileser III captured Damascus in 732 B.C., fulfilling Isaiah’s prediction roughly a decade after it was delivered. The archaeological layer of destruction at Tell Ramad and diminished references to Aram-Damascus in later inscriptions corroborate the biblical narrative of decline. Prophetic and Theological Themes Judgment on Pride: Damascus typified human arrogance and self-reliance. Isaiah’s oracle reminds readers that no fortress city is beyond the reach of the LORD’s decree (compare Proverbs 16:18). Sovereignty of God over Nations: The prophecy reinforces the consistent biblical message that God “removes kings and establishes them” (Daniel 2:21). Warning to Covenant People: Though directed at Damascus, the prophecy serves Israel and Judah as a cautionary mirror—if God judges the nations, He will also judge His own (1 Peter 4:17). Intertextual Connections Other passages that depict once-great cities as heaps of ruins include: Although these do not employ מְעִי, they echo the same motif, highlighting a recurring biblical pattern: when a city exalts itself against the LORD, ruin follows. Ministerial and Pastoral Applications • Sobriety about National Security: Modern believers may draw caution from the fact that political stability is never ultimate; only God’s kingdom is unshakable (Hebrews 12:28). Eschatological Perspective Prophecies against nations foreshadow the final day when every city, institution and person will stand before Christ’s judgment seat (2 Corinthians 5:10). The eventual gathering of all peoples under Messiah’s reign (Isaiah 11:10) contrasts with the scattering of proud cities into rubble, underscoring the ultimate triumph of God’s redemptive plan. Summary מְעִי powerfully captures the end-state of human pride under divine judgment—rubble in place of reputation. Set within Isaiah’s oracle against Damascus, the term speaks across centuries, urging nations and individuals alike to humble themselves, trust the Sovereign LORD and seek the enduring city “whose architect and builder is God” (Hebrews 11:10). Forms and Transliterations מְעִ֥י מעי mə‘î mə·‘î meILinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Isaiah 17:1 HEB: מֵעִ֔יר וְהָיְתָ֖ה מְעִ֥י מַפָּלָֽה׃ NAS: And will become a fallen ruin. KJV: and it shall be a ruinous heap. INT: A city and will become ruin A fallen |
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err from the way, Ethiopic 
: err; distinct from I. עוה, compare LagM. i. 236 f. Dr1Samuel 20:30 Gerber90).