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Prophecy Against Moab

48 Concerning Moab, thus says Adonai-Tzva’ot, the God of Israel:
Oy to Nebo! For it will be ravaged.
Kiriathaim will be disgraced and captured.
The fortress will be shamed, shattered.
There is no more praise for Moab.
In Heshbon they plotted evil against her:
‘Come, let’s cut her off as a nation.’
You too, Madmen, will be silenced—
the sword will chase you.
The sound of outcry from Horonaim,
devastation and great destruction!
Moab is shattered—
her little ones have raised a cry to be heard.
For at the ascent of Luhith
they go up with continual weeping.
For on the descent to Horonaim
they heard the foe’s shattering cry.
Flee! Escape with your lives!
Be like a tamarisk in the wilderness.
For because of your trust in your works and your treasures,
you will be captured, too.
Chemosh will go into exile,
together with his priests and princes.
The destroyer will come to every town.
No town will escape.
The valley will perish
and the plain will be destroyed,
as Adonai has said.
Give wings to Moab,
for she must fly and get away.
Her cities will become a wasteland,
with no one living in them.
10 Cursed is the one who does the work of Adonai with slackness,
and cursed is the one who withholds his sword from blood.
11 Moab has been at ease since his youth.
He has settled like wine on its dregs.
He has not been emptied from jar to jar,
nor gone into exile.
Therefore he retains his flavor,
and his aroma has not changed.
12 Therefore behold, days are coming”
—it is a declaration of Adonai
“when I will send to him those who will tip him up and over,
and they will empty his vessels,
and smash his jars in pieces.
13 So Moab will be ashamed of Chemosh
just as the house of Israel was ashamed
of Bethel their confidence.
14 How can you say: ‘We are warriors
and men valiant for battle’?
15 Moab is ravaged, its towns entered,
its choice young men gone down to slaughter”
—It is a declaration of the King, whose Name is Adonai-Tzva’ot.
16 “Moab’s calamity will come soon,
and his downfall hastens swiftly.
17 Mourn for him,
all who are around him,
all who know his name.
Say: ‘How the mighty scepter,
the splendid rod, is broken!’
18 O daughter dwelling in Dibon
come down from your glory
and sit in thirst!
For Moab’s destroyer has come to you.
He has devastated your strongholds.
19 O inhabitant of Aroer,
stand by the road and watch—
ask him fleeing and her escaping,
‘What has happened?’
20 Moab is disgraced, indeed shattered.
Wail and shriek!
Declare by the Arnon, Moab is ruined!
21 Judgment has come on the tableland
—on Holon, Jahzah, Mephaath,
22 on Dibon, Nebo, Beth-diblathaim,
23 on Kiriathaim, Beth-gamul, Beth-meon,
24 on Kerioth, Bozrah,
and all the towns of the land of Moab, far and near.
25 The horn of Moab is cut off
and his arm is broken!”
It is a declaration of Adonai.
26 “Make him drunk,
for he exalted himself against Adonai.
So Moab will wallow in his vomit
and also become a laughingstock.
27 After all, Israel is a laughingstock to you.
Was he ever found among thieves,
that whenever you speak of him,
you should wag the head?
28 Inhabitants of Moab, leave the towns and dwell in crags—
like a dove nesting in a cave’s mouth.
29 We have heard of the pride of Moab
—very proud he is—his haughtiness,
his arrogance, his insolence,
and his self-exalted heart.
30 I know his arrogance,” says Adonai,
“but it is dishonest—
his boasts really accomplish nothing.
31 Therefore I wail for Moab!
Yes, I cry out for all Moab,
for the men of Kir-heres I moan.
32 More than weeping of Jazer
will I weep for you, vine of Sibmah!
Your branches spread to the sea,
reached as far as the sea of Jazer.
On your summer fruits and your vintage
the destroyer has fallen.
33 So joy and gladness are taken away
from the fruitful field and from the land of Moab.
I stopped wine from the winepresses.
No one will tread with shouting—
any shouting is not a shout of joy.”

34 “From the outcry of Heshbon to Elealeh, as far as Jahaz they will raise their voice—from Zoar to Horonaim and a 3-year old heifer[a]—for the Waters of Nimrim also will be waste. 35 Moreover I will make an end in Moab”—it is a declaration of Adonai—“of the one offering on the high place and the one burning incense to his gods.”

36 “That is why my heart is moaning like funeral flutes for Moab,
and my heart moans like flutes
for the people of Kir-heres.
Thus the wealth he made is lost.
37 For every head is bald,
every beard clipped,
on all the hands are gashes,
and around the waist sackcloth.
38 On all the housetops of Moab
and in its squares—
lamentation everywhere!
For I have broken Moab like a jar
In which no one delights”
—it is a declaration of Adonai
39 “‘How shattered it is!’ they wailed!
‘How Moab turned his back in shame!’
So Moab will become a laughingstock
and a horror to all around him.”
40 For thus says Adonai: “Behold,
he will swoop down like a vulture
and spread out his wings against Moab.
41 The towns are captured,
the strongholds seized.
The hearts of Moab’s warriors in that day
will be like the heart of a woman in labor.
42 Moab will be destroyed as a people,
because he boasted against Adonai.
43 Panic, pit and trap, are upon you,
inhabitant of Moab,” declares Adonai.
44 “The one who flees from panic
will fall into the pit,
and one who climbs out of the pit
will be caught in the trap.
For I will bring on Moab
the year of their visitation.”
It is a declaration of Adonai.
45 “In the shadow of Heshbon
the fugitives stop, exhausted,
for fire breaks out of Heshbon
flame from within Sihon,
and it singes the foreheads
and the scalps of Moab’s noisy sons.
46 Oy to you, Moab!
The people of Chemosh have perished!
For your sons are taken away captive
and your daughters into exile.
47 Yet I will restore Moab from exile
in the end of days.”
It is a declaration of Adonai.
“Until then this is the judgment of Moab.”

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 48:34 Heb. Eglat-shlishiyah.

A Message About Moab(A)

48 Concerning Moab:(B)

This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says:

“Woe to Nebo,(C) for it will be ruined.
    Kiriathaim(D) will be disgraced and captured;
    the stronghold[a] will be disgraced and shattered.
Moab will be praised(E) no more;
    in Heshbon[b](F) people will plot her downfall:
    ‘Come, let us put an end to that nation.’(G)
You, the people of Madmen,[c] will also be silenced;
    the sword will pursue you.
Cries of anguish arise from Horonaim,(H)
    cries of great havoc and destruction.
Moab will be broken;
    her little ones will cry out.[d]
They go up the hill to Luhith,(I)
    weeping bitterly as they go;
on the road down to Horonaim(J)
    anguished cries over the destruction are heard.
Flee!(K) Run for your lives;
    become like a bush[e] in the desert.(L)
Since you trust in your deeds and riches,(M)
    you too will be taken captive,
and Chemosh(N) will go into exile,(O)
    together with his priests and officials.(P)
The destroyer(Q) will come against every town,
    and not a town will escape.
The valley will be ruined
    and the plateau(R) destroyed,
    because the Lord has spoken.
Put salt(S) on Moab,
    for she will be laid waste[f];(T)
her towns will become desolate,
    with no one to live in them.

10 “A curse on anyone who is lax in doing the Lord’s work!
    A curse on anyone who keeps their sword(U) from bloodshed!(V)

11 “Moab has been at rest(W) from youth,
    like wine left on its dregs,(X)
not poured from one jar to another—
    she has not gone into exile.
So she tastes as she did,
    and her aroma is unchanged.
12 But days are coming,”
    declares the Lord,
“when I will send men who pour from pitchers,
    and they will pour her out;
they will empty her pitchers
    and smash her jars.
13 Then Moab will be ashamed(Y) of Chemosh,(Z)
    as Israel was ashamed
    when they trusted in Bethel.(AA)

14 “How can you say, ‘We are warriors,(AB)
    men valiant in battle’?
15 Moab will be destroyed and her towns invaded;
    her finest young men(AC) will go down in the slaughter,(AD)
    declares the King,(AE) whose name is the Lord Almighty.(AF)
16 “The fall of Moab is at hand;(AG)
    her calamity will come quickly.
17 Mourn for her, all who live around her,
    all who know her fame;(AH)
say, ‘How broken is the mighty scepter,(AI)
    how broken the glorious staff!’

18 “Come down from your glory
    and sit on the parched ground,(AJ)
    you inhabitants of Daughter Dibon,(AK)
for the one who destroys Moab
    will come up against you
    and ruin your fortified cities.(AL)
19 Stand by the road and watch,
    you who live in Aroer.(AM)
Ask the man fleeing and the woman escaping,
    ask them, ‘What has happened?’
20 Moab is disgraced, for she is shattered.
    Wail(AN) and cry out!
Announce by the Arnon(AO)
    that Moab is destroyed.
21 Judgment has come to the plateau(AP)
    to Holon,(AQ) Jahzah(AR) and Mephaath,(AS)
22     to Dibon,(AT) Nebo(AU) and Beth Diblathaim,
23     to Kiriathaim,(AV) Beth Gamul and Beth Meon,(AW)
24     to Kerioth(AX) and Bozrah(AY)
    to all the towns(AZ) of Moab, far and near.
25 Moab’s horn[g](BA) is cut off;
    her arm(BB) is broken,”
declares the Lord.

26 “Make her drunk,(BC)
    for she has defied(BD) the Lord.
Let Moab wallow in her vomit;(BE)
    let her be an object of ridicule.(BF)
27 Was not Israel the object of your ridicule?(BG)
    Was she caught among thieves,(BH)
that you shake your head(BI) in scorn(BJ)
    whenever you speak of her?
28 Abandon your towns and dwell among the rocks,
    you who live in Moab.
Be like a dove(BK) that makes its nest
    at the mouth of a cave.(BL)

29 “We have heard of Moab’s pride(BM)
    how great is her arrogance!—
of her insolence, her pride, her conceit
    and the haughtiness(BN) of her heart.
30 I know her insolence but it is futile,”
declares the Lord,
    “and her boasts(BO) accomplish nothing.
31 Therefore I wail(BP) over Moab,
    for all Moab I cry out,
    I moan for the people of Kir Hareseth.(BQ)
32 I weep for you, as Jazer(BR) weeps,
    you vines of Sibmah.(BS)
Your branches spread as far as the sea[h];
    they reached as far as[i] Jazer.
The destroyer has fallen
    on your ripened fruit and grapes.
33 Joy and gladness are gone
    from the orchards and fields of Moab.
I have stopped the flow of wine(BT) from the presses;
    no one treads them with shouts of joy.(BU)
Although there are shouts,
    they are not shouts of joy.

34 “The sound of their cry rises
    from Heshbon(BV) to Elealeh(BW) and Jahaz,(BX)
from Zoar(BY) as far as Horonaim(BZ) and Eglath Shelishiyah,
    for even the waters of Nimrim are dried up.(CA)
35 In Moab I will put an end
    to those who make offerings on the high places(CB)
    and burn incense(CC) to their gods,”
declares the Lord.
36 “So my heart laments(CD) for Moab like the music of a pipe;
    it laments like a pipe for the people of Kir Hareseth.(CE)
    The wealth they acquired(CF) is gone.
37 Every head is shaved(CG)
    and every beard(CH) cut off;
every hand is slashed
    and every waist is covered with sackcloth.(CI)
38 On all the roofs in Moab
    and in the public squares(CJ)
there is nothing but mourning,
    for I have broken Moab
    like a jar(CK) that no one wants,”
declares the Lord.
39 “How shattered(CL) she is! How they wail!
    How Moab turns her back in shame!
Moab has become an object of ridicule,(CM)
    an object of horror to all those around her.”

40 This is what the Lord says:

“Look! An eagle is swooping(CN) down,
    spreading its wings(CO) over Moab.
41 Kerioth[j](CP) will be captured
    and the strongholds taken.
In that day the hearts of Moab’s warriors(CQ)
    will be like the heart of a woman in labor.(CR)
42 Moab will be destroyed(CS) as a nation(CT)
    because she defied(CU) the Lord.
43 Terror(CV) and pit and snare(CW) await you,
    you people of Moab,”
declares the Lord.
44 “Whoever flees(CX) from the terror
    will fall into a pit,
whoever climbs out of the pit
    will be caught in a snare;
for I will bring on Moab
    the year(CY) of her punishment,”
declares the Lord.

45 “In the shadow of Heshbon
    the fugitives stand helpless,
for a fire has gone out from Heshbon,
    a blaze from the midst of Sihon;(CZ)
it burns the foreheads of Moab,
    the skulls(DA) of the noisy boasters.
46 Woe to you, Moab!(DB)
    The people of Chemosh are destroyed;
your sons are taken into exile
    and your daughters into captivity.

47 “Yet I will restore(DC) the fortunes of Moab
    in days to come,”
declares the Lord.

Here ends the judgment on Moab.

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 48:1 Or captured; / Misgab
  2. Jeremiah 48:2 The Hebrew for Heshbon sounds like the Hebrew for plot.
  3. Jeremiah 48:2 The name of the Moabite town Madmen sounds like the Hebrew for be silenced.
  4. Jeremiah 48:4 Hebrew; Septuagint / proclaim it to Zoar
  5. Jeremiah 48:6 Or like Aroer
  6. Jeremiah 48:9 Or Give wings to Moab, / for she will fly away
  7. Jeremiah 48:25 Horn here symbolizes strength.
  8. Jeremiah 48:32 Probably the Dead Sea
  9. Jeremiah 48:32 Two Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint; most Hebrew manuscripts as far as the Sea of
  10. Jeremiah 48:41 Or The cities