Jeremiah 48

Judgment and Destruction Prophesied Against Moab.

6 min read

1 Against Moab thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Woe to Nebo! for it is spoiled: Kiriathaim is confounded and taken: Misgab is confounded and dismayed.
2 There shall be no more praise of Moab: in Heshbon they have devised evil against it; come, and let us cut it off from being a nation. Also you shall be cut down, O Madmen; the sword shall pursue you.
3 A voice of crying shall be from Horonaim, spoiling and great destruction.
4 Moab is destroyed; her little ones have caused a cry to be heard.
5 For in the going up of Luhith continual weeping shall go up; for in the going down of Horonaim the enemies have heard a cry of destruction.
6 Flee, save your lives, and be like the heath in the wilderness. ¶
7 For because you have trusted in your works and in your treasures, you shall also be taken: and Chemosh shall go forth into captivity with his priests and his princes together.
8 And the spoiler shall come on every city, and no city shall escape: the valley also shall perish, and the plain shall be destroyed, as the LORD has spoken.
9 Give wings to Moab, that it may flee and get away: for the cities thereof shall be desolate, without any to dwell therein.
10 Cursed be he that does the work of the LORD deceitfully, and cursed be he that keeps back his sword from blood. ¶
11 Moab has been at ease from his youth, and he has settled on his lees, and has not been emptied from vessel to vessel, neither has he gone into captivity: therefore his taste remained in him, and his scent is not changed.
12 Therefore, behold, the days come, says the LORD, that I will send to him wanderers, that shall cause him to wander, and shall empty his vessels, and break their bottles.
13 And Moab shall be ashamed of Chemosh, as the house of Israel was ashamed of Bethel their confidence. ¶
14 How say you, We are mighty and strong men for the war?
15 Moab is spoiled, and gone up out of her cities, and his chosen young men are gone down to the slaughter, says the King, whose name is the LORD of hosts.
16 The calamity of Moab is near to come, and his affliction hastens fast.
17 All you that are about him, bemoan him; and all you that know his name, say, How is the strong staff broken, and the beautiful rod!
18 You daughter that do inhabit Dibon, come down from your glory, and sit in thirst; for the spoiler of Moab shall come on you, and he shall destroy your strong holds.
19 O inhabitant of Aroer, stand by the way, and espy; ask him that flees, and her that escapes, and say, What is done?
20 Moab is confounded; for it is broken down: howl and cry; tell you it in Arnon, that Moab is spoiled,
21 And judgment is come on the plain country; on Holon, and on Jahazah, and on Mephaath,
22 And on Dibon, and on Nebo, and on Bethdiblathaim,
23 And on Kiriathaim, and on Bethgamul, and on Bethmeon,
24 And on Kerioth, and on Bozrah, and on all the cities of the land of Moab, far or near.
25 The horn of Moab is cut off, and his arm is broken, says the LORD. ¶
26 Make you him drunken: for he magnified himself against the LORD: Moab also shall wallow in his vomit, and he also shall be in derision.
27 For was not Israel a derision to you? was he found among thieves? for since you spoke of him, you skipped for joy.
28 O you that dwell in Moab, leave the cities, and dwell in the rock, and be like the dove that makes her nest in the sides of the hole’s mouth.
29 We have heard the pride of Moab, (he is exceeding proud) his loftiness, and his arrogance, and his pride, and the haughtiness of his heart.
30 I know his wrath, says the LORD; but it shall not be so; his lies shall not so effect it.
31 Therefore will I howl for Moab, and I will cry out for all Moab; my heart shall mourn for the men of Kirheres.
32 O vine of Sibmah, I will weep for you with the weeping of Jazer: your plants are gone over the sea, they reach even to the sea of Jazer: the spoiler is fallen on your summer fruits and on your vintage.
33 And joy and gladness is taken from the plentiful field, and from the land of Moab, and I have caused wine to fail from the winepresses: none shall tread with shouting; their shouting shall be no shouting.
34 From the cry of Heshbon even to Elealeh, and even to Jahaz, have they uttered their voice, from Zoar even to Horonaim, as an heifer of three years old: for the waters also of Nimrim shall be desolate.
35 Moreover I will cause to cease in Moab, says the LORD, him that offers in the high places, and him that burns incense to his gods.
36 Therefore my heart shall sound for Moab like pipes, and my heart shall sound like pipes for the men of Kirheres: because the riches that he has gotten are perished.
37 For every head shall be bald, and every beard clipped: on all the hands shall be cuttings, and on the loins sackcloth.
38 There shall be lamentation generally on all the housetops of Moab, and in the streets thereof: for I have broken Moab like a vessel wherein is no pleasure, says the LORD.
39 They shall howl, saying, How is it broken down! how has Moab turned the back with shame! so shall Moab be a derision and a dismaying to all them about him.
40 For thus says the LORD; Behold, he shall fly as an eagle, and shall spread his wings over Moab.
41 Kerioth is taken, and the strong holds are surprised, and the mighty men’s hearts in Moab at that day shall be as the heart of a woman in her pangs.
42 And Moab shall be destroyed from being a people, because he has magnified himself against the LORD.
43 Fear, and the pit, and the snare, shall be on you, O inhabitant of Moab, says the LORD.
44 He that flees from the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that gets up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for I will bring on it, even on Moab, the year of their visitation, says the LORD.
45 They that fled stood under the shadow of Heshbon because of the force: but a fire shall come forth out of Heshbon, and a flame from the middle of Sihon, and shall devour the corner of Moab, and the crown of the head of the tumultuous ones.
46 Woe be to you, O Moab! the people of Chemosh perishes: for your sons are taken captives, and your daughters captives. ¶
47 Yet will I bring again the captivity of Moab in the latter days, says the LORD. Thus far is the judgment of Moab.
Previous Next