Jeremiah 48
Christian Standard Bible
Prophecies against Moab
48 About Moab,(A) this is what the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says:
Woe to Nebo,(B) because it is about to be destroyed;
Kiriathaim will be put to shame;(C) it will be taken captive.
The fortress will be put to shame and dismayed!
2 There is no longer praise for Moab;
they plan harm against her in Heshbon:(D)
Come, let’s cut her off from nationhood.
Also, Madmen, you will be silenced;
the sword will follow(E) you.
3 A voice cries out from Horonaim,(F)
“devastation and a crushing blow!” (G)
4 Moab will be shattered;
her little ones will cry out.
5 For on the Ascent to Luhith
they will be weeping continually,[a]
and on the descent to Horonaim
will be heard cries of distress over the destruction:(H)
6 Flee! Save your lives!(I)
Be like a juniper bush[b](J) in the wilderness.
7 Because you trust in your works and treasures,
you will be captured also.
Chemosh(K) will go into exile
with his priests and officials.(L)
8 The destroyer(M) will move against every town;
not one town will escape.
The valley will perish,
and the plain will be annihilated,(N)
as the Lord has said.
9 Make Moab a salt marsh,[c](O)
for she will run away;[d]
her towns will become a desolation,
without inhabitant.(P)
10 The one who does
the Lord’s business deceitfully[e] is cursed,(Q)
and the one who withholds
his sword from bloodshed is cursed.
11 Moab has been left quiet since his youth,
settled like wine on its dregs.(R)
He hasn’t been poured from one container to another
or gone into exile.
So his taste has remained the same,
and his aroma hasn’t changed.
12 Therefore look, the days are coming(S)—
this is the Lord’s declaration—
when I will send pourers to him, who will pour him out.
They will empty his containers
and smash his jars.
13 Moab will be put to shame because of Chemosh,
just as the house of Israel was put to shame
because of Bethel(T) that they trusted in.
14 How can you say, “We are warriors—
valiant men for battle”?
15 The destroyer of Moab and its towns
has come up,[f]
and the best of its young men
have gone down to slaughter.
This is the King’s declaration;
the Lord of Armies is his name.(U)
16 Moab’s calamity is near at hand;
his disaster is rushing swiftly.
17 Mourn for him, all you surrounding nations,
everyone who knows his name.
Say, “How the mighty scepter(V) is shattered,
the glorious staff!”
18 Come down from glory; sit on parched ground,
resident of the daughter of Dibon,(W)
for the destroyer of Moab has come against you;
he has destroyed your fortresses.
19 Stand by the highway and watch,
resident of Aroer!(X)
Ask him who is fleeing or her who is escaping,(Y)
“What happened?”
20 Moab is put to shame, indeed dismayed.
Wail and cry out!(Z)
Declare by the Arnon
that Moab is destroyed.
21 “Judgment has come to the land of the plateau(AA)—to Holon, Jahzah, Mephaath, 22 Dibon, Nebo, Beth-diblathaim, 23 Kiriathaim, Beth-gamul, Beth-meon,(AB) 24 Kerioth,(AC) Bozrah, and all the towns of the land of Moab, those far and near. 25 Moab’s horn is chopped off;(AD) his arm is shattered.”(AE)
This is the Lord’s declaration.
26 “Make him drunk, because he has exalted himself against the Lord.(AF) Moab will wallow in his own vomit, and he will also become a laughingstock. 27 Wasn’t Israel a laughingstock to you?(AG) Was he ever found among thieves?(AH) For whenever you speak of him you shake your head.”(AI)
28 Abandon the towns! Live in the cliffs,
residents of Moab!
Be like a dove
that nests inside the mouth of a cave.(AJ)
29 We have heard of Moab’s pride,
great pride, indeed—
his insolence, arrogance, pride,
and haughty heart.
30 I know his outburst.
This is the Lord’s declaration.
It is empty.
His boast is empty.
31 Therefore, I will wail over Moab.
I will cry out for Moab, all of it;
he will moan for the men of Kir-heres.
32 I will weep for you, vine of Sibmah,
with more than the weeping for Jazer.
Your tendrils have extended to the sea;
they have reached to the sea and to Jazer.[g]
The destroyer has fallen on your summer fruit and grape harvest.
33 Gladness and celebration are taken from the fertile field
and from the land of Moab.
I have stopped the flow of wine from the winepresses;
no one will tread with shouts of joy.
The shouting is not a shout of joy.(AK)
34 “There is a cry from Heshbon to Elealeh; they make their voices heard as far as Jahaz(AL)—from Zoar to Horonaim and Eglath-shelishiyah—because even the Waters of Nimrim have become desolate. 35 In Moab, I will stop”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“the one who offers sacrifices on the high place and burns incense to his gods.(AM) 36 Therefore, my heart moans like flutes for Moab,(AN) and my heart moans like flutes for the people of Kir-heres. And therefore, the wealth he has gained has perished. 37 Indeed, every head is bald and every beard is chopped short.(AO) On every hand is a gash(AP) and sackcloth(AQ) around the waist. 38 On all the rooftops of Moab and in her public squares, everyone is mourning because I have shattered Moab like a jar no one wants.”(AR) This is the Lord’s declaration. 39 “How broken it is! They wail! How Moab has turned his back! He is ashamed. Moab will become a laughingstock and a shock to all those around him.”(AS)
40 For this is what the Lord says:
Look! He will swoop down like an eagle
and spread his wings against Moab.(AT)
41 The towns have[h] been captured,
and the strongholds seized.
In that day the heart of Moab’s warriors
will be like the heart of a woman with contractions.(AU)
42 Moab will be destroyed as a people
because he has exalted himself against the Lord.(AV)
43 Panic,(AW) pit, and trap
await you, resident of Moab.
This is the Lord’s declaration.
44 He who flees from the panic will fall in the pit,
and he who climbs from the pit
will be captured in the trap,
for I will bring against Moab
the year of their punishment.(AX)
This is the Lord’s declaration.(AY)
45 Those who flee will stand exhausted in Heshbon’s shadow
because fire has come out from Heshbon
and a flame from within Sihon.
It will devour Moab’s forehead
and the skull of the noisemakers.
46 Woe to you, Moab!
The people of Chemosh have perished
because your sons have been taken captive
and your daughters have gone into captivity.(AZ)
47 Yet, I will restore the fortunes[i] of Moab in the last days.(BA)
This is the Lord’s declaration.
The judgment on Moab ends here.
Footnotes
- 48:5 Lit Luhith, weeping goes up with weeping
- 48:6 Or like Aroer; Is 17:2; Jr 48:19
- 48:9 LXX reads a sign; Vg reads a flower; Syr, Tg read a crown
- 48:9 Hb obscure
- 48:10 Or negligently
- 48:15 Or Moab is destroyed; he has come up against its cities
- 48:32 Some Hb mss read reached as far as Jazer
- 48:41 Or Kerioth has
- 48:47 Or will end the captivity
Jeremiah 48
International Standard Version
A Prophecy against Moab
48 To Moab: This is what the Lord of the Heavenly Armies, the God of Israel, says:
“How terrible for Nebo, for it’s laid waste.
Kiriathaim is put to shame, it’s captured.
The fortress is put to shame, it’s shattered.
2 The pride of Moab is no more.
In Heshbon they plotted evil against her:
‘Come and let’s eliminate her as a nation.’
Madmen[a] will also be silenced,
and the sword will pursue you.
3 The sound of crying will come from Horonaim,
devastation and great destruction.
4 Moab will be destroyed;
her little ones will cry out.
5 Indeed, at the ascent of Luhith
people will go up with bitter weeping.
At the descent of Horonaim
the anguished cries over the destruction will be heard.
6 Flee, save your lives,
and you will be like a wild donkey[b] in the desert.
7 But, because you trust in your deeds and your riches,
you will also be captured.
Chemosh[c] will go out into exile,
along with his priests and officials.
8 A destroyer will come to every town
and no town will escape.
The valley will be ruined and the plateau destroyed.”
This[d] is what the Lord has said!
9 “Put salt[e] on Moab[f]
for she will surely fall.
Her towns will become desolate places,[g]
without any inhabitants in them.
10 Cursed is the one who is slack
in doing the Lord’s work.
Cursed is the one who holds back his sword
from shedding[h] blood.
11 Moab has been at ease from his youth.
He has been undisturbed like wine[i] on its dregs
and not poured from vessel to vessel.
He has not gone into exile.
Therefore, his flavor has remained,
and his aroma has not changed.
12 “Therefore, look, days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I’ll send those who tip over vessels[j] to him, and they’ll tip him over. They’ll empty his vessels and shatter his jars. 13 Moab will be ashamed because of Chemosh just as the house of Israel was ashamed because of Bethel, their confidence.
14 “How can you say, ‘We’re strong warriors,
and soldiers ready[k] for battle’?
15 Moab will be destroyed,
and the enemy[l] will come up against her cities.
Her finest young men will go down to slaughter,”
declares the King,
whose name is the Lord of the Heavenly Armies.
16 “Moab’s disaster is near at hand,
and his calamity is coming very quickly.
17 Mourn for him, all who live around him,
and all who know his name.
Say, ‘Oh how the mighty rod is broken,
the glorious staff.’
18 “Come down from glory, and sit on parched ground,
O woman who lives in Dibon,
for the destroyer of Moab will come up
against you to destroy you.
He will destroy your strongholds.
19 Stand by the road and keep watch,
O woman who lives in Aroer.
Ask the man who flees and the woman who escapes.
Say, ‘What happened’?
20 Moab will be put to shame,
for it will be destroyed.
Wail and cry out.
Announce by the Arnon that Moab is destroyed.
21 Judgment has come to the plateau:[m]
to Holon and Jahzah,
and against Mephaath,
22 Dibon, Nebo, and Beth-diblathaim,
23 against Kiriathaim, Beth-gamul, and Beth-meon,
24 against Kerioth, Bozrah,
and all the towns in the land of Moab,
both far and near.
25 The strength[n] of Moab is cut off, and his arm is broken,”
declares the Lord.
26 “Make him drunk for he has exalted himself
against the Lord.
Moab will wallow in his vomit,
and he will be the object of mocking.
27 Wasn’t Israel an object of mocking for you?
Wasn’t he treated like a thief,[o]
so that whenever you spoke about him
you shook your head in contempt?[p]
28 Abandon the cities, and live on the cliffs,[q]
you inhabitants of Moab.
Be like a dove that builds a nest
by the mouth of a cave.
29 We have heard about Moab’s pride—
he’s very proud—
his haughtiness, his arrogance,
his insolence, and his conceit.[r]
30 I know his gall,”
declares the Lord,
“and it’s futile;
the boasting that they do is futile.
31 Therefore, I’ll wail for Moab,
and for the whole of Moab I’ll cry out,
for the men of Kir-heres I’ll moan.
32 More than the weeping for Jazer,[s]
I’ll weep for you, vine of Sibmah.[t]
Your branches spread out to the sea,
and reached as far as the Sea of Jazer.[u]
On your summer fruit and grapes[v]
the destroyer will fall.
33 Gladness and rejoicing will be taken away
from the fruitful land.[w]
From the land of Moab I’ll cause the wine
in the wine presses to stop flowing.[x]
The workers won’t tread[y] the grapes with a loud shout.[z]
There will be no shout!
34 “From the cry of Heshbon, to Elealeh, to Jahaz they have lifted up their voice. From Zoar to Horonaim and to Eglath-shelishiyah, even the waters of Nimrim will become a desolate place. 35 In Moab,” declares the Lord, “I’ll put an end to the one who offers a burnt offering on the high place and to the one who burns incense to his gods. 36 Therefore my heart wails for Moab like flutes[aa] and my heart wails for the men of Kir-heres like flutes. Therefore they’ll lose the abundance they produced. 37 Indeed every head will be bald[ab] and every beard cut short.[ac] There will be gashes on all the hands[ad] and sackcloth on the loins. 38 On all the housetops of Moab and in the streets there will be nothing but mourning, for I’ll break Moab like a vessel that no one wants,” declares the Lord. 39 “How it will be shattered! How they’ll wail! How Moab will turn his back in shame! Moab will be an object of ridicule and terror to all those around him.”
40 For this is what the Lord says:
“Look, like an eagle one will fly swiftly
and spread his wings against Moab.
41 The towns[ae] will be captured
and the strongholds seized.
On that day the hearts of the warriors of Moab
will be like the heart of a woman in labor.
42 Moab will be destroyed as a nation[af]
because he exalted himself against the Lord.
43 Terror, pit, and trap will be used[ag] against you
who live in Moab,”
declares the Lord.
44 “The one who flees from the terror
will fall into a pit.
And the one who comes up out of the pit
will be caught in a trap.
For I’ll bring upon her, that is upon Moab,
the time of her[ah] punishment,”
declares the Lord.
45 “The fugitives will stand without strength
in the shadow of Heshbon,
for fire will go out from Heshbon
and a flame from the middle of Sihon.
It will devour the forehead of Moab
and the heads of the rebellious people.[ai]
46 How terrible for you, Moab!
The people of Chemosh[aj] will perish.
Indeed, your sons will be taken into captivity,
and your daughters as well.[ak]
47 But I’ll restore the fortunes of Moab in the latter days,”
declares the Lord.
This concludes the judgment on Moab.
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 48:2 Madmen was a town in Moab. The name sounds like the Heb. word silenced
- Jeremiah 48:6 So LXX; MT reads Aroer
- Jeremiah 48:7 Chemosh was the chief Moabite deity.
- Jeremiah 48:8 The Heb. lacks this.
- Jeremiah 48:9 Or take wing
- Jeremiah 48:9 I.e. as a sign of destruction
- Jeremiah 48:9 Lit. a desolation
- Jeremiah 48:10 The Heb. lacks shedding
- Jeremiah 48:11 The Heb. lacks like wine
- Jeremiah 48:12 The Heb. lacks vessels
- Jeremiah 48:14 The Heb. lacks ready
- Jeremiah 48:15 Lit. he
- Jeremiah 48:21 Moab was located on a plateau overlooking the Jordan River.
- Jeremiah 48:25 Lit. horn
- Jeremiah 48:27 Lit. found among thieves
- Jeremiah 48:27 The Heb. lacks in contempt
- Jeremiah 48:28 Or among the crags; i.e. on the face of a cliff
- Jeremiah 48:29 Lit. the elevation of his heart
- Jeremiah 48:32 Jazer was a town in Moab.
- Jeremiah 48:32 Sibmah was a town in Moab noted for its vineyards.
- Jeremiah 48:32 I.e. the Dead Sea
- Jeremiah 48:32 Lit. your vintage
- Jeremiah 48:33 Or from Carmel
- Jeremiah 48:33 The Heb. lacks flowing
- Jeremiah 48:33 Lit. He won’t tread
- Jeremiah 48:33 Lit. with a shout, shout
- Jeremiah 48:36 I.e. flutes were played as a part of mourning for the dead
- Jeremiah 48:37 I.e. heads were shaved as a sign of mourning
- Jeremiah 48:37 I.e. beards were cut short as a sign of mourning
- Jeremiah 48:37 I.e. people cut themselves as a sign of mourning
- Jeremiah 48:41 Or Kerioth
- Jeremiah 48:42 Lit. from being a nation
- Jeremiah 48:43 The Heb. lacks used
- Jeremiah 48:44 Lit. their
- Jeremiah 48:45 Lit. sons of tumult
- Jeremiah 48:46 Chemosh was the chief deity of Moab.
- Jeremiah 48:46 Lit. daughters into captivity
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