Jeremiah 48
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Judgment on Moab
48 Concerning Moab.
Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel:
Alas for Nebo, it is laid waste!
Kiriathaim is put to shame; it is taken;
the fortress is put to shame and broken down;(A)
2 the renown of Moab is no more.
In Heshbon they planned evil against her:
“Come, let us cut her off from being a nation!”
You also, O Madmen, shall be brought to silence;[a]
the sword shall pursue you.(B)
3 Listen! A cry goes up from Horonaim:
“Desolation and great destruction!”(C)
4 “Moab is destroyed!”
her little ones cry out.
5 For at the ascent of Luhith
they go[b] up weeping bitterly;
for at the descent of Horonaim
they have heard the distressing cry of anguish.(D)
6 Flee! Save yourselves!
Be like a wild ass[c] in the desert!(E)
7 Surely, because you trusted in your strongholds[d] and your treasures,
you also shall be taken;
Chemosh shall go out into exile,
with his priests and his attendants.(F)
8 The destroyer shall come upon every town,
and no town shall escape;
the valley shall perish,
and the plain shall be destroyed,
as the Lord has spoken.(G)
9 Set aside salt for Moab,
for she will surely fall;
her towns shall become a desolation,
with no inhabitant in them.(H)
10 Accursed is the one who is slack in doing the work of the Lord, and accursed is the one who keeps back the sword from bloodshed.(I)
11 Moab has been at ease from his youth,
settled like wine[e] on its dregs;
he has not been emptied from vessel to vessel,
nor has he gone into exile;
therefore his flavor has remained,
and his aroma is unspoiled.(J)
12 Therefore, the time is surely coming, says the Lord, when I shall send to him decanters to decant him and empty his vessels and break his jars in pieces. 13 Then Moab shall be ashamed of Chemosh, as the house of Israel was ashamed of Bethel, their confidence.(K)
14 How can you say, “We are heroes
and mighty warriors”?(L)
15 Moab is destroyed, and his towns have gone up,
and the choicest of his young men have gone down to slaughter,
says the King, whose name is the Lord of hosts.(M)
16 The calamity of Moab is near at hand,
and his doom approaches swiftly.(N)
17 Mourn over him, all you his neighbors,
and all who know his name;
say, “How the mighty scepter is broken,
the glorious staff!”(O)
18 Come down from glory
and sit on the parched ground,
enthroned daughter Dibon!
For the destroyer of Moab has come up against you;
he has destroyed your strongholds.(P)
19 Stand by the road and watch,
you inhabitant of Aroer!
Ask the man fleeing and the woman escaping;
say, “What has happened?”(Q)
20 Moab is put to shame, for it is broken down;
wail and cry!
Tell it by the Arnon
that Moab is laid waste.(R)
21 Judgment has come upon the tableland, upon Holon, and Jahzah, and Mephaath, 22 and Dibon, and Nebo, and Beth-diblathaim, 23 and Kiriathaim, and Beth-gamul, and Beth-meon, 24 and Kerioth, and Bozrah, and all the towns of the land of Moab, far and near.(S) 25 The horn of Moab is cut off, and his arm is broken, says the Lord.(T)
26 Make him drunk because he magnified himself against the Lord; let Moab wallow in his vomit; he, too, shall become a laughingstock.(U) 27 Israel was a laughingstock for you, though he was not caught among thieves, but whenever you spoke of him you shook your head!(V)
28 Leave the towns, and live on the rock,
O inhabitants of Moab!
Be like the dove that nests
on the sides of the mouth of a gorge.(W)
29 We have heard of the pride of Moab—
he is very proud—
of his loftiness, his pride, and his arrogance,
and the haughtiness of his heart.(X)
30 I myself know his insolence, says the Lord;
his boasts are false;
his deeds are false.(Y)
31 Therefore I wail for Moab;
I cry out for all Moab;
for the people of Kir-heres I mourn.(Z)
32 More than for Jazer I weep for you,
O vine of Sibmah!
Your branches crossed over the sea,
reached as far as Jazer;[f]
upon your summer fruits and your vintage
the destroyer has fallen.(AA)
33 Gladness and joy have been taken away
from the fruitful land of Moab;
I have stopped the wine from the winepresses;
no one treads them with shouts of joy;
the shouting is not the shout of joy.(AB)
34 From the cry of Heshbon to Elealeh as far as Jahaz they utter their voice, from Zoar to Horonaim and Eglath-shelishiyah. For even the waters of Nimrim have become desolate.(AC) 35 And I will bring to an end in Moab, says the Lord, those who offer sacrifice at a high place and make offerings to their gods.(AD) 36 Therefore my heart moans for Moab like a flute, and my heart moans like a flute for the people of Kir-heres, for the riches they gained have perished.(AE)
37 For every head is shaved and every beard cut off; on all the hands there are gashes and on the loins sackcloth.(AF) 38 On all the housetops of Moab and in the squares there is nothing but lamentation, for I have broken Moab like a vessel that no one wants, says the Lord.(AG) 39 How it is broken! How they wail! How Moab has turned his back in shame! So Moab has become a derision and a horror to all his neighbors.(AH)
40 For thus says the Lord:
Look, he shall swoop down like an eagle
and spread his wings against Moab;(AI)
41 the towns[g] shall be taken
and the strongholds seized.
The hearts of the warriors of Moab, on that day,
shall be like the heart of a woman in labor.(AJ)
42 Moab shall be destroyed as a people,
because he magnified himself against the Lord.(AK)
43 Terror, pit, and trap
are before you, O inhabitants of Moab!
says the Lord.(AL)
44 Everyone who flees from the terror
shall fall into the pit,
and everyone who climbs out of the pit
shall be caught in the trap.
For I will bring these things[h] upon Moab
in the year of their punishment,
says the Lord.(AM)
45 In the shadow of Heshbon
fugitives stop exhausted,
for a fire has gone out from Heshbon,
a flame from the house of Sihon;
it has destroyed the forehead[i] of Moab,
the scalp of the people of tumult.[j](AN)
46 Woe to you, O Moab!
The people of Chemosh have perished,
for your sons have been taken captive
and your daughters into captivity.(AO)
47 Yet I will restore the fortunes of Moab
in the latter days, says the Lord.
Thus far is the judgment on Moab.(AP)
Jeremiah 48
New King James Version
Judgment on Moab
48 Against (A)Moab.
Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel:
“Woe to (B)Nebo!
For it is plundered,
(C)Kirjathaim is shamed and taken;
[a]The high stronghold is shamed and dismayed—
2 (D)No more praise of Moab.
In (E)Heshbon they have devised evil against her:
‘Come, and let us cut her off as a nation.’
You also shall be cut down, O (F)Madmen![b]
The sword shall pursue you;
3 A voice of crying shall be from (G)Horonaim:
‘Plundering and great destruction!’
4 “Moab is destroyed;
[c]Her little ones have caused a cry to be heard;
5 (H)For in the Ascent of Luhith they ascend with continual weeping;
For in the descent of Horonaim the enemies have heard a cry of destruction.
6 “Flee, save your lives!
And be like [d]the (I)juniper in the wilderness.
7 For because you have trusted in your works and your (J)treasures,
You also shall be taken.
And (K)Chemosh shall go forth into captivity,
His (L)priests and his princes together.
8 And (M)the plunderer shall come against every city;
No one shall escape.
The valley also shall perish,
And the plain shall be destroyed,
As the Lord has spoken.
9 “Give(N) wings to Moab,
That she may flee and get away;
For her cities shall be desolate,
Without any to dwell in them.
10 (O)Cursed is he who does the work of the Lord deceitfully,
And cursed is he who keeps back his sword from blood.
11 “Moab has been at ease from [e]his youth;
He (P)has settled on his dregs,
And has not been emptied from vessel to vessel,
Nor has he gone into captivity.
Therefore his taste remained in him,
And his scent has not changed.
12 “Therefore behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord,
“That I shall send him [f]wine-workers
Who will tip him over
And empty his vessels
And break the bottles.
13 Moab shall be ashamed of (Q)Chemosh,
As the house of Israel (R)was ashamed of (S)Bethel, their confidence.
14 “How can you say, (T)‘We are mighty
And strong men for the war’?
15 Moab is plundered and gone up from her cities;
Her chosen young men have (U)gone down to the slaughter,” says (V)the King,
Whose name is the Lord of hosts.
16 “The calamity of Moab is near at hand,
And his affliction comes quickly.
17 Bemoan him, all you who are around him;
And all you who know his name,
Say, (W)‘How the strong staff is broken,
The beautiful rod!’
18 “O (X)daughter inhabiting (Y)Dibon,
Come down from your glory,
And sit in thirst;
For the plunderer of Moab has come against you,
He has destroyed your strongholds.
19 O inhabitant of (Z)Aroer,
(AA)Stand by the way and watch;
Ask him who flees
And her who escapes;
Say, ‘What has happened?’
20 Moab is shamed, for he is broken down.
(AB)Wail and cry!
Tell it in (AC)Arnon, that Moab is plundered.
21 “And judgment has come on the plain country:
On Holon and Jahzah and Mephaath,
22 On Dibon and Nebo and Beth Diblathaim,
23 On Kirjathaim and Beth Gamul and Beth Meon,
24 On (AD)Kerioth and Bozrah,
On all the cities of the land of Moab,
Far or near.
25 (AE)The [g]horn of Moab is cut off,
And his (AF)arm is broken,” says the Lord.
26 “Make(AG) him drunk,
Because he exalted himself against the Lord.
Moab shall wallow in his vomit,
And he shall also be in derision.
27 For (AH)was not Israel a derision to you?
(AI)Was he found among thieves?
For whenever you speak of him,
You shake your head in (AJ)scorn.
28 You who dwell in Moab,
Leave the cities and (AK)dwell in the rock,
And be like (AL)the dove which makes her nest
In the sides of the cave’s mouth.
29 “We have heard the (AM)pride of Moab
(He is exceedingly proud),
Of his loftiness and arrogance and (AN)pride,
And of the haughtiness of his heart.”
30 “I know his wrath,” says the Lord,
“But it is not right;
(AO)His [h]lies have made nothing right.
31 Therefore (AP)I will wail for Moab,
And I will cry out for all Moab;
[i]I will mourn for the men of Kir Heres.
32 (AQ)O vine of Sibmah! I will weep for you with the weeping of (AR)Jazer.
Your plants have gone over the sea,
They reach to the sea of Jazer.
The plunderer has fallen on your summer fruit and your vintage.
33 (AS)Joy and gladness are taken
From the plentiful field
And from the land of Moab;
I have caused wine to [j]fail from the winepresses;
No one will tread with joyous shouting—
Not joyous shouting!
34 “From(AT) the cry of Heshbon to (AU)Elealeh and to Jahaz
They have uttered their voice,
(AV)From Zoar to Horonaim,
Like [k]a three-year-old heifer;
For the waters of Nimrim also shall be desolate.
35 “Moreover,” says the Lord,
“I will cause to cease in Moab
(AW)The one who offers sacrifices in the [l]high places
And burns incense to his gods.
36 Therefore (AX)My heart shall wail like flutes for Moab,
And like flutes My heart shall wail
For the men of Kir Heres.
Therefore (AY)the riches they have acquired have perished.
37 “For (AZ)every head shall be bald, and every beard clipped;
On all the hands shall be cuts, and (BA)on the loins sackcloth—
38 A general lamentation
On all the (BB)housetops of Moab,
And in its streets;
For I have (BC)broken Moab like a vessel in which is no pleasure,” says the Lord.
39 “They shall wail:
‘How she is broken down!
How Moab has turned her back with shame!’
So Moab shall be a derision
And a dismay to all those about her.”
40 For thus says the Lord:
“Behold, (BD)one shall fly like an eagle,
And (BE)spread his wings over Moab.
41 Kerioth is taken,
And the strongholds are surprised;
(BF)The mighty men’s hearts in Moab on that day shall be
Like the heart of a woman in birth pangs.
42 And Moab shall be destroyed (BG)as a people,
Because he exalted himself against the Lord.
43 (BH)Fear and the pit and the snare shall be upon you,
O inhabitant of Moab,” says the Lord.
44 “He who flees from the fear shall fall into the pit,
And he who gets out of the pit shall be caught in the (BI)snare.
For upon Moab, upon it (BJ)I will bring
The year of their punishment,” says the Lord.
45 “Those who fled stood under the shadow of Heshbon
Because of exhaustion.
But (BK)a fire shall come out of Heshbon,
A flame from the midst of (BL)Sihon,
And (BM)shall devour the brow of Moab,
The crown of the head of the sons of tumult.
46 (BN)Woe to you, O Moab!
The people of Chemosh perish;
For your sons have been taken captive,
And your daughters captive.
47 “Yet I will bring back the captives of Moab
(BO)In the latter days,” says the Lord.
Thus far is the judgment of Moab.
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 48:1 Heb. Misgab
- Jeremiah 48:2 A city of Moab
- Jeremiah 48:4 So with MT, Tg., Vg.; LXX Proclaim it in Zoar
- Jeremiah 48:6 Or Aroer, a city of Moab
- Jeremiah 48:11 Heb. uses masc. and fem. pronouns interchangeably in this chapter.
- Jeremiah 48:12 Lit. tippers of wine bottles
- Jeremiah 48:25 Strength
- Jeremiah 48:30 idle talk
- Jeremiah 48:31 So with DSS, LXX, Vg.; MT He
- Jeremiah 48:33 cease
- Jeremiah 48:34 Or The Third Eglath, an unknown city, Is. 15:5
- Jeremiah 48:35 Places for pagan worship
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
