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.

A Message About Ammon

49 Concerning the Ammonites:(DD)

This is what the Lord says:

“Has Israel no sons?
    Has Israel no heir?
Why then has Molek[k](DE) taken possession of Gad?(DF)
    Why do his people live in its towns?
But the days are coming,”
    declares the Lord,
“when I will sound the battle cry(DG)
    against Rabbah(DH) of the Ammonites;
it will become a mound of ruins,(DI)
    and its surrounding villages will be set on fire.
Then Israel will drive out
    those who drove her out,(DJ)
says the Lord.
“Wail, Heshbon,(DK) for Ai(DL) is destroyed!
    Cry out, you inhabitants of Rabbah!
Put on sackcloth(DM) and mourn;
    rush here and there inside the walls,
for Molek(DN) will go into exile,(DO)
    together with his priests and officials.
Why do you boast of your valleys,
    boast of your valleys so fruitful?
Unfaithful Daughter Ammon,(DP)
    you trust in your riches(DQ) and say,
    ‘Who will attack me?’(DR)
I will bring terror on you
    from all those around you,”
declares the Lord, the Lord Almighty.
“Every one of you will be driven away,
    and no one will gather the fugitives.(DS)

“Yet afterward, I will restore(DT) the fortunes of the Ammonites,”
declares the Lord.

A Message About Edom(DU)(DV)

Concerning Edom:(DW)

This is what the Lord Almighty says:

“Is there no longer wisdom in Teman?(DX)
    Has counsel perished from the prudent?
    Has their wisdom decayed?
Turn and flee, hide in deep caves,(DY)
    you who live in Dedan,(DZ)
for I will bring disaster on Esau
    at the time when I punish him.
If grape pickers came to you,
    would they not leave a few grapes?
If thieves came during the night,
    would they not steal only as much as they wanted?
10 But I will strip Esau bare;
    I will uncover his hiding places,(EA)
    so that he cannot conceal himself.
His armed men are destroyed,
    also his allies and neighbors,
    so there is no one(EB) to say,
11 ‘Leave your fatherless children;(EC) I will keep them alive.
    Your widows(ED) too can depend on me.’”

12 This is what the Lord says: “If those who do not deserve to drink the cup(EE) must drink it, why should you go unpunished?(EF) You will not go unpunished, but must drink it. 13 I swear(EG) by myself,” declares the Lord, “that Bozrah(EH) will become a ruin and a curse,[l] an object of horror(EI) and reproach;(EJ) and all its towns will be in ruins forever.”(EK)

14 I have heard a message from the Lord;
    an envoy was sent to the nations to say,
“Assemble yourselves to attack it!
    Rise up for battle!”

15 “Now I will make you small among the nations,
    despised by mankind.
16 The terror you inspire
    and the pride(EL) of your heart have deceived you,
you who live in the clefts of the rocks,(EM)
    who occupy the heights of the hill.
Though you build your nest(EN) as high as the eagle’s,
    from there I will bring you down,”
declares the Lord.
17 “Edom will become an object of horror;(EO)
    all who pass by will be appalled and will scoff
    because of all its wounds.(EP)
18 As Sodom(EQ) and Gomorrah(ER) were overthrown,
    along with their neighboring towns,”
says the Lord,
“so no one will live there;
    no people will dwell(ES) in it.

19 “Like a lion(ET) coming up from Jordan’s thickets(EU)
    to a rich pastureland,
I will chase Edom from its land in an instant.
    Who is the chosen one I will appoint for this?
Who is like(EV) me and who can challenge me?(EW)
    And what shepherd(EX) can stand against me?”

20 Therefore, hear what the Lord has planned against Edom,(EY)
    what he has purposed(EZ) against those who live in Teman:(FA)
The young of the flock(FB) will be dragged away;
    their pasture will be appalled at their fate.(FC)
21 At the sound of their fall the earth will tremble;(FD)
    their cry(FE) will resound to the Red Sea.[m]
22 Look! An eagle will soar and swoop(FF) down,
    spreading its wings over Bozrah.(FG)
In that day the hearts of Edom’s warriors(FH)
    will be like the heart of a woman in labor.(FI)

A Message About Damascus

23 Concerning Damascus:(FJ)

“Hamath(FK) and Arpad(FL) are dismayed,
    for they have heard bad news.
They are disheartened,
    troubled like[n] the restless sea.(FM)
24 Damascus has become feeble,
    she has turned to flee
    and panic has gripped her;
anguish and pain have seized her,
    pain like that of a woman in labor.(FN)
25 Why has the city of renown not been abandoned,
    the town in which I delight?
26 Surely, her young men(FO) will fall in the streets;
    all her soldiers will be silenced(FP) in that day,”
declares the Lord Almighty.
27 “I will set fire(FQ) to the walls of Damascus;(FR)
    it will consume(FS) the fortresses of Ben-Hadad.(FT)

A Message About Kedar and Hazor

28 Concerning Kedar(FU) and the kingdoms of Hazor,(FV) which Nebuchadnezzar(FW) king of Babylon attacked:

This is what the Lord says:

“Arise, and attack Kedar
    and destroy the people of the East.(FX)
29 Their tents and their flocks(FY) will be taken;
    their shelters will be carried off
    with all their goods and camels.
People will shout to them,
    ‘Terror(FZ) on every side!’

30 “Flee quickly away!
    Stay in deep caves,(GA) you who live in Hazor,(GB)
declares the Lord.
“Nebuchadnezzar(GC) king of Babylon has plotted against you;
    he has devised a plan against you.

31 “Arise and attack a nation at ease,
    which lives in confidence,”
declares the Lord,
“a nation that has neither gates nor bars;(GD)
    its people live far from danger.
32 Their camels(GE) will become plunder,
    and their large herds(GF) will be spoils of war.
I will scatter to the winds(GG) those who are in distant places[o](GH)
    and will bring disaster on them from every side,”
declares the Lord.
33 “Hazor(GI) will become a haunt of jackals,(GJ)
    a desolate(GK) place forever.
No one will live there;
    no people will dwell(GL) in it.”

A Message About Elam

34 This is the word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning Elam,(GM) early in the reign of Zedekiah(GN) king of Judah:

35 This is what the Lord Almighty says:

“See, I will break the bow(GO) of Elam,
    the mainstay of their might.
36 I will bring against Elam the four winds(GP)
    from the four quarters of heaven;(GQ)
I will scatter them to the four winds,
    and there will not be a nation
    where Elam’s exiles do not go.
37 I will shatter Elam before their foes,
    before those who want to kill them;
I will bring disaster on them,
    even my fierce anger,”(GR)
declares the Lord.
“I will pursue them with the sword(GS)
    until I have made an end of them.
38 I will set my throne in Elam
    and destroy her king and officials,”
declares the Lord.

39 “Yet I will restore(GT) the fortunes of Elam
    in days to come,”
declares the Lord.

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
  11. Jeremiah 49:1 Or their king; also in verse 3
  12. Jeremiah 49:13 That is, its name will be used in cursing (see 29:22); or, others will see that it is cursed.
  13. Jeremiah 49:21 Or the Sea of Reeds
  14. Jeremiah 49:23 Hebrew on or by
  15. Jeremiah 49:32 Or who clip the hair by their foreheads

Paul and Timothy,(A) servants of Christ Jesus,

To all God’s holy people(B) in Christ Jesus at Philippi,(C) together with the overseers(D) and deacons[a]:(E)

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.(F)

Thanksgiving and Prayer

I thank my God every time I remember you.(G) In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray(H) with joy because of your partnership(I) in the gospel from the first day(J) until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion(K) until the day of Christ Jesus.(L)

It is right(M) for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart(N) and, whether I am in chains(O) or defending(P) and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. God can testify(Q) how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

And this is my prayer: that your love(R) may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,(S) 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,(T) 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness(U) that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

Paul’s Chains Advance the Gospel

12 Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters,[b] that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. 13 As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard[c] and to everyone else that I am in chains(V) for Christ. 14 And because of my chains,(W) most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear.(X)

15 It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. 16 The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel.(Y) 17 The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition,(Z) not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains.(AA) 18 But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.

Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, 19 for I know that through your prayers(AB) and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ(AC) what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.[d](AD) 20 I eagerly expect(AE) and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage(AF) so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body,(AG) whether by life or by death.(AH) 21 For to me, to live is Christ(AI) and to die is gain. 22 If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23 I am torn between the two: I desire to depart(AJ) and be with Christ,(AK) which is better by far; 24 but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. 25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me.

Life Worthy of the Gospel

27 Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy(AL) of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm(AM) in the one Spirit,[e] striving together(AN) as one for the faith of the gospel 28 without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God. 29 For it has been granted to you(AO) on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer(AP) for him, 30 since you are going through the same struggle(AQ) you saw(AR) I had, and now hear(AS) that I still have.

Footnotes

  1. Philippians 1:1 The word deacons refers here to Christians designated to serve with the overseers/elders of the church in a variety of ways; similarly in Romans 16:1 and 1 Tim. 3:8,12.
  2. Philippians 1:12 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family; also in verse 14; and in 3:1, 13, 17; 4:1, 8, 21.
  3. Philippians 1:13 Or whole palace
  4. Philippians 1:19 Or vindication; or salvation
  5. Philippians 1:27 Or in one spirit

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