Jeremiah Chapter 48
1 About Moab
The LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says,
“Misfortune awaits Nebo—laid waste;
Kiriathaim will be disgraced—taken;
the fortress will be humiliated—torn down.
2No more renown for Moab;
disaster’s in store for Heshbon
to cease being a nation!
Put Madmen to silence too;
chase it with a sword.
Jer 48:1-2
3“An outcry from Horonaim,
‘Devastation and destruction!’
4Moab’s to be destroyed;
its little ones cry out in terror.
5At the ascent to Luhith,
Moab’s refugees go up crying;
at the descent to Horonaim
they’ve heard the anguished cry.
6Run, save yourselves
so you can be a juniper in the countryside.
Jer 48:3-6
7Because you trusted in your wealth and skill,
you’ll be captured too.
Chemosh will go into exile
with his priests and officials.
8A destroyer will come on every city;
no city will escape.
The valley will perish;
the plateau will be destroyed like the LORD said.
9Give Moab wings so it can fly away;
its towns will be desolate without residents.
10A curse on the one that does the LORD’s work halfheartedly;
a curse on the one that restrains his sword from blood.
Jer 48:7-10
11“Moab hasn’t been disturbed since it was founded;
its dregs haven’t been unsettled.
It hasn’t been poured from jug to jug—
or carried into exile.
So it still tastes clean;
its aroma has body.
12 “But the times coming,” the LORD says, “when I’ll send it to the ones that upset jugs, and they’ll turn it upside down. They’ll empty its jugs and shatter its jars. 13 Moab will be disillusioned with Chemosh like Israel lost confidence in Bethel.
14How can you claim to be great soldiers,
brave men in battle?
15Moab will be destroyed;
its towns will be under attack;
its elite young men will go down in slaughter,”
the King says, whose name is Yahveh of Hosts.
16“Moab’s disaster is on its way;
its destruction will be swift.
17Mourn for it, you that live near it,
you that know its name.
Say, ‘How the powerful scepter has broken
that splendid staff!’
Jer 48:11-17
18“Come down from your glory
and sit on parched dirt,
people in Dibon;
the one that destroyed Moab
is coming after you.
He’ll destroy your fortresses.
19Stand by the road and watch,
people in Aroer;
ask him that’s fleeing and her that’s escaping,
‘What’s happened?’
20‘Moab has been disgraced;
it’s shattered.
Wail and cry out;
declare by the Arnon,
‘Moab’s been destroyed.’
Jer 48:18-20
21 “Judgment has also come on the plateau—on Holon and Jahzah, on Mephaath, 22 Dibon, Nebo, and Beth-diblathaim, 23 on Kiriathaim, Beth-gamul, and Beth-meon, 24 on Kerioth, Bozrah, and the towns in Moab near and far. 25 Moab’s horn has been cut off and his arm broken,” the LORD says.
26 “Get him drunk because he’s gotten arrogant toward the LORD. So Moab will wallow in his own vomit, something to be ridiculed. 27 Wasn’t Israel someone you ridiculed? Was he a thief caught stealing? Every time you spoke about him, you shook your head in scorn.
Jer 48:21-27
28 “Leave the towns and live in caves, people in Moab;
be like pigeons nesting in the cliffs along the gorge.
29We’ve heard about Moab’s great pride,
his haughtiness, arrogance, and self-exaltation.
30I know his insolence,” the LORD says,
“but it’s pointless;
his idle boasts are empty claims.
31So I’ll wail can cry out for Moab;
I’ll moan for the people of Kir-heres/hareseth.
32“More than for Jazer,
I’ll weep for you, vine of Sibmah!
Your branches once reached the sea,
the Sea of Jazer [Dead Sea].
The destroyer has destroyed
your summer fruits and grape harvest.
Jer 48:28-32
33So happiness and joy have been taken away
from Moab’s fertile fields.
I’ve made wine quit flowing from the winepresses;
nobody will tread them with shouts of joy;
the shouts won’t be shouts of joy.
34 “From Heshbon, Elealeh, and Jahaz, from Zoar, Horonaim, and Eglath-shelishiyah, they’ve raised their voice; because even the water in Nimrim will dry up. 35 I’ll put an end to Moab that offers sacrifice on the high place and burns incense to its god. 36 So my heart wails like a flute for Moab and the people in Kir-heres. They’ve lost the abundance it produced. 37 Every head’s bald; every beard’s shaved off. Everybody has gashes on their hands and burlap around their waists. 38 There’s mourning everywhere in Moab’s streets and on its housetops, because I’ve broken it like a pot nobody cares about. 39 How shattered it is! How they wail! How Moab has turned its back in humiliation. So it’s something to laugh at, an object of terror to everyone around it.”
Jer 48:33-39
40 The LORD says,
“One will fly fast like an eagle
and spread its wings against Moab.
41Its towns will be taken,
its fortresses seized.
So the hearts of the strong men of Moab
will be like the heart of a woman in labor.
42Moab will be destroyed from being a people
because it’s become arrogant toward the LORD.
43Terror, pit, and snare are coming on you.
44The one that runs from the terror
will fall into a pit.
The one that climbs out of the pit
will step in a snare.
That’s what I’ll bring on Moab
when I punish it.
Jer 48:40-44
45“Refugees will stand in the shadow of Heshbon
with no strength to flee any farther;
fire has erupted from Heshbon,
a flame from Sihon.
46Misfortune awaits you, Moab!
The people of Chemosh will perish;
your sons will be taken captive,
your daughters too.
47Yet later I’ll restore Moab’s fortunes.”
That’s the judgment on Moab.
Jer 48:45-47