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1Yahweh ’s message for the land of Moab. Yahweh , God of Israel, Commander of Angel Armies, says to you:[#48:1 Moab was a country east of the Dead Sea. Moab was a descendant of Lot, conceived out of incest with his daughter ( Moab means “seed of the father” or “from my father”; see Gen. 19:30–37). Moab helped Nebuchadnezzar against Judah, but Nebuchadnezzar eventually turned against Moab, devastating and subduing them. Years before Jeremiah’s ministry, Ruth, a Moabite, had a role in forming the house of David, for she was his great-grandmother (see Ruth 4:17–22). For other prophecies against Moab, see Isa. 15:1–16:14; 25:10–12; Ezek. 25:8–11; Amos 2:1–3; Zeph. 2:8–11.]
“Woe to the people of Nebo, for their city is destroyed!
Kiriathaim is captured and totally humiliated.
They have torn down her proud fortress and put it to shame.
2The fame of Moab is no more.
In Heshbon, the enemy plotted Moab’s doom:
‘Come, let’s wipe her off the map.’
For indeed, my sword will leave only silence
in your town named Silent.
3Listen, the people of Horonaim cry out:
‘Destruction and violence!’
4Moab is shattered,
and her little ones cry out in distress.
5Yes, they are weeping all the way up to Luhith.
Yes, all the way down from Horonaim they hear
a distressful, painful cry.
6The people of Moab shout, ‘Flee for your lives
and be like a lonely shrub in the desert.’
7Moab , you put your faith in your works and your wealth.
That is why you, too, will be conquered.
Your god Chemosh will go into captivity,
along with his priests and officials.
8The destroyer will attack every city;
not one will escape.
This enemy will ruin both the valleys and the plains,
just as Yahweh has said.
9Give Moab wings so she can fly away.
Her cities will be empty and desolate
with no one living in them.
10“Cursed be the one who does the work of Yahweh halfheartedly,
and cursed be the one who withholds his sword from blood.
11Moab has always lived securely
and has never been taken into exile.
Moab is like wine left to settle undisturbed,
and never poured from jar to jar.
It still has a good flavor,
and its taste has never changed.”
12But Yahweh declares, “The days are coming when I will send enemies who will pour her out like wine. They will empty her wine jar and smash it to pieces.
13Then Moab will be ashamed of their god Chemosh just as the house of Israel was ashamed of Bethel, the god who was once their confidence.
14“How, then, can you say, ‘We are heroes of Moab
and mighty men of war’?
15The destroyer has attacked the cities and destroyed Moab,
and the best of her young men have gone down to the slaughter,”
declares King Yahweh , Commander of Angel Armies.
16“The fall of Moab is at hand,
and soon she will be destroyed.
17Grieve for her, all you neighboring countries
and all you who know her fame.
How shattered is its rule, that mighty rod,
that splendid scepter!
18You who live in Fair Dibon,
come down from your prideful place and sit in the dust.
For the destroyer of Moab has come up against you
and has destroyed your fortresses.
19You who live in Aroer,
stand at the side of the road and wait.
Ask the fleeing men and women:
‘What has happened?’
20They answer, ‘Moab is humiliated.
Weep and cry for Moab, for she has been defeated!’
Announce the news beside the Arnon River:
‘Moab is devastated.’
21“Yahweh has judged the cities of the plateau and has punished them. Those cities include Holon, Jahzah, Mephaath,
22Dibon, Nebo, Beth Diblathaim,
23Kiriathaim, Beth Gamul, Beth Meon,
24Kerioth, and Bozrah. He has punished all the cities of Moab, far and near.”
25Yahweh declares: “All the strength of Moab is cut off, and her power is broken.”[#48:25 Or “horn,” a metaphor in Hebrew for strength and authority.; #48:25 Or “arm,” a metaphor in Hebrew for power and might.]
26“Make Moab drink from this cup until drunk because she exalted herself against Yahweh . Drunken Moab will wallow in her own vomit until she makes the world laugh at her.
27And they will say , ‘Didn’t you make fun of Israel in the past? Didn’t you say Israel was nothing but crooks? Whenever you spoke of her, didn’t you shake your head in disgust ?’
28“People of Moab, flee your cities and hide in the rocks.
Be like doves that make their nests among the cliffs.
29Everyone knows about the pride of Moab.
I have heard about how very proud, arrogant, and lofty she is.
How highly she thinks of herself!
30But I, Yahweh , know of her insolent defiance.
Her boasts are empty and accomplish nothing.”
31Therefore I wail for Moab;[#48:31 The godly prophet Jeremiah mourned for the lost. He cried out on behalf of Moab.]
I cry out for the whole country,
and I mourn for the people of Kir Hareseth.
32I will weep for you more than I wept for Jazer,[#48:32 Jazer was an Ammonite city east of the Jordan, once occupied by the tribe of Gad (see Num. 21:32; 32:35).]
O vine of Sibmah!
Your branches passed over the Dead Sea
and spread to the sea of Jazer.
An enemy has destroyed your figs and your grapes.
33“The people no longer experience joy and gladness
in the fruitful land of Moab;
for I have stopped the people from making wine.
They are no longer shouting happily as they tread the grapes,
for no wine is coming out of the wine presses.
People are indeed shouting but not for joy.
34“The loud cries of Heshbon are heard as far as Elealeh and Jahaz. Cries from Zoar are heard in Horonaim and Eglath Shelishiyah. The brook of Nimrim has dried up.
35I will eliminate Moab’s idolaters, those who offer sacrifices in the high place and make offerings to their god,” declares Yahweh .
36Therefore, my heart sobs for Moab like a mournful flute. My heart moans as a sad funeral song played on a flute for the people of Kir Hareseth. All the wealth they accumulated has disappeared.
37Every head is shaved, and every beard is cut off as a sign of mourning . And around the waist is sackcloth, on all the hands are gashes.
38“On all the housetops of Moab and in the streets, people are mourning because I have broken Moab like a discarded vessel for which no one cares,” declares Yahweh .
39How it is broken! How they wail! How Moab has turned her back in disgrace! All the surrounding nations find Moab a laughingstock and a thing of horror.
40For Yahweh says:
“Look, an enemy will swoop down
and attack Moab with no warning,
like an eagle diving from the sky.
41The enemy will capture the cities and the fortresses of Kerioth.
On that day, Moab’s warriors will be as frightened
as a woman in her birth pains.
42Moab will be destroyed,
wiped from the earth,
because she exalted herself against Yahweh .”
43For Yahweh declares,
“Terror, pit, and a snare
are waiting for you, people of Moab!
44The one who flees from the terror
will fall into the pit,
and the one who climbs out of the pit
will be caught in the snare.”
For Yahweh declares,
“I will bring upon Moab
the year of her punishment.
45In Heshbon’s shelter, exhausted refugees are helpless,
for fire came out from Heshbon,
a flame from the house of Sihon.
It has burned everything from the frontiers
to the mountain heights of those war-loving people,
the Moabites.
46Woe to you, O Moab!
The people who worshiped Chemosh are gone,
for your sons have been taken captive
and your daughters into exile.
47Yet in the days to come,
I will bring Moab’s captives home,”
declares Yahweh .
This ends Jeremiah’s prophecy concerning Moab.