Jeremiah 48
48
A Message to Moab
1This message is to the country of Moab.
This is what the Lord All-Powerful, the God of Israel, says:
“How terrible it will be for the city of Nebo,
because it will be ruined.
The town of Kiriathaim will be disgraced and captured;
the strong city will be disgraced and shattered.
2Moab will not be praised again.
Men in the town of Heshbon plan Moab’s defeat.
They say, ‘Come, let us put an end to that nation!’
Town of Madmen, you will also be silenced.
The sword will chase you.
3Listen to the cries from the town of Horonaim,
cries of much confusion and destruction.
4Moab will be broken up.
Her little children will cry for help.
5Moab’s people go up the path to the town of Luhith,
crying loudly as they go.
On the road down to Horonaim,
cries of pain and suffering can be heard.
6Run! Run for your lives!
Go like a bush being blown through the desert.
7You trust in the things you do and in your wealth,
so you also will be captured.
The god Chemosh will go into captivity
and his priests and officers with him.
8The destroyer will come against every town;
not one town will escape.
The valley will be ruined,
and the high plain will be destroyed,
as the Lord has said.
9Give wings to Moab,
because she will surely leave her land.
Moab’s towns will become empty,
with no one to live in them.
10A curse will be on anyone who doesn’t do what the Lord says,
and a curse will be on anyone who holds back his sword from killing.
11“The people of Moab have never known trouble.
They are like wine left to settle;
they have never been poured from one jar to another.
They have not been taken into captivity.
So they taste as they did before,
and their smell has not changed.
12A time is coming,” says the Lord,
“When I will send people to pour you from your jars.
They will empty Moab’s jars
and smash her jugs.
13The people of Israel trusted that god in the town of Bethel,
and they were ashamed when there was no help.
In the same way Moab will be ashamed of their god Chemosh.
14“You cannot say, ‘We are warriors!
We are brave men in battle!’
15The destroyer of Moab and her towns has arrived.
Her best young men will be killed!” says the King,
whose name is the Lord All-Powerful.
16“The end of Moab is near,
and she will soon be destroyed.
17All you who live around Moab,
all you who know her, cry for her.
Say, ‘The ruler’s power is broken;
Moab’s power and glory are gone.’
18“You people living in the town of Dibon, come down from your place of honor
and sit on the dry ground,
because the destroyer of Moab has come against you.
And he has destroyed your strong, walled cities.
19You people living in the town of Aroer,
stand next to the road and watch.
See the man running away and the woman escaping.
Ask them, ‘What happened?’
20Moab is filled with shame, because she is ruined.
Cry, Moab, cry out!
Announce at the Arnon River
that Moab is destroyed.
21People on the high plain have been punished.
Judgment has come to these towns:
Holon, Jahzah, and Mephaath;
22Dibon, Nebo, and Beth Diblathaim;
23Kiriathaim, Beth Gamul, and Beth Meon;
24Kerioth and Bozrah.
Judgment has come to all the towns of Moab, far and near.
25Moab’s strength has been cut off,
and its arm broken!” says the Lord.
26“The people of Moab thought they were greater than the Lord,
so punish them until they act as if they are drunk.
Moab will fall and roll around in its own vomit,
and people will even make fun of it.
27Moab, you made fun of Israel.
Israel was caught in the middle of a gang of thieves.
When you spoke about Israel,
you shook your head and acted as if you were better than it.
28People in Moab, leave your towns empty
and go live among the rocks.
Be like a dove that makes its nest
at the entrance of a cave.
29“We have heard that the people of Moab are proud,
very proud.
They are proud, very proud,
and in their hearts they think they are important.”
30The Lord says,
“I know Moab’s great pride, but it is useless.
Moab’s bragging accomplishes nothing.
31So I cry sadly for Moab,
for everyone in Moab.
I moan for the people from the town of Kir Hareseth.
32I cry with the people of the town of Jazer
for you, the grapevines of the town of Sibmah.
In the past your vines spread all the way to the sea,
as far as the sea of Jazer.
But the destroyer has taken over
your fruit and grapes.
33Joy and happiness are gone
from the large, rich fields of Moab.
I have stopped the flow of wine from the winepresses.
No one walks on the grapes with shouts of joy.
There are shouts,
but not shouts of joy.
34“Their crying can be heard from Moabite towns,
from Heshbon to Elealeh and Jahaz.
It can be heard from Zoar as far away as Horonaim and Eglath Shelishiyah.
Even the waters of Nimrim are dried up.
35I will stop Moab
from making burnt offerings at the places of worship
and from burning incense to their gods,” says the Lord.
36“My heart cries sadly for Moab like a flute playing a funeral song.
It cries like a flute for the people from Kir Hareseth.
The money they made has all been taken away.
37Every head has been shaved
and every beard cut off.
Everyone’s hands are cut,
and everyone wears rough cloth around his waist.
38People are crying on every roof in Moab
and in every public square.
There is nothing but sadness,
because I have broken Moab
like a jar no one wants,” says the Lord.
39“Moab is shattered! The people are crying!
Moab turns away in shame!
People all around her make fun of her.
The things that happened fill them with great fear.”
40This is what the Lord says:
“Look! Someone is coming, like an eagle diving down from the sky
and spreading its wings over Moab.
41The towns of Moab will be captured,
and the strong, walled cities will be defeated.
At that time Moab’s warriors will be frightened,
like a woman who is having a baby.
42The nation of Moab will be destroyed,
because they thought they were greater than the Lord.
43Fear, deep pits, and traps wait for you,
people of Moab,” says the Lord.
44“People will run from fear,
but they will fall into the pits.
Anyone who climbs out of the pits
will be caught in the traps.
I will bring the year of punishment to Moab,” says the Lord.
45“People have run from the powerful enemy
and have gone to Heshbon for safety.
But fire started in Heshbon;
a blaze has spread from the hometown of Sihon king of Moab.
It burned up the leaders of Moab
and destroyed those proud people.
46How terrible it is for you, Moab!
The people who worship Chemosh have been destroyed.
Your sons have been taken captive,
and your daughters have been taken away.
47“But in days to come,
I will make good things happen again to Moab,” says the Lord.
This ends the judgment on Moab.
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Jeremiah 48: NCV
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The Holy Bible, New Century Version, Copyright © 2005 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.
Jeremiah 48
48
Judgment on Moab
1Against #Is. 15:1—16:14; 25:10; Ezek. 25:8–11; Amos 2:1–3; Zeph. 2:8–11Moab.
Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel:
“Woe to #Is. 15:2Nebo!
For it is plundered,
#Num. 32:37; Jer. 48:23; Ezek. 25:9Kirjathaim is shamed and taken;
The high stronghold is shamed and dismayed—
2#Is. 16:14No more praise of Moab.
In #Is. 15:4; Jer. 49:3Heshbon they have devised evil against her:
‘Come, and let us cut her off as a nation.’
You also shall be cut down, O #Is. 10:31Madmen!
The sword shall pursue you;
3A voice of crying shall be from #Is. 15:5; Jer. 48:5, 34Horonaim:
‘Plundering and great destruction!’
4“Moab is destroyed;
Her little ones have caused a cry to be heard;
5#Is. 15:5For 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 the #Jer. 17:6juniper in the wilderness.
7For because you have trusted in your works and your #Ps. 52:7; Is. 59:4; Jer. 9:23; (1 Tim. 6:17)treasures,
You also shall be taken.
And #Num. 21:29; Judg. 11:24; Jer. 48:13Chemosh shall go forth into captivity,
His #Jer. 49:3priests and his princes together.
8And #Jer. 6:26the 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#Ps. 55:6 wings to Moab,
That she may flee and get away;
For her cities shall be desolate,
Without any to dwell in them.
10#Judg. 5:23; 1 Sam. 15:3, 9; 1 Kin. 20:42Cursed 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 his youth;
He #Zeph. 1:12has 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 wine-workers
Who will tip him over
And empty his vessels
And break the bottles.
13Moab shall be ashamed of #1 Kin. 11:7Chemosh,
As the house of Israel #Hos. 10:6was ashamed of #1 Kin. 12:29; 13:32–34; Hos. 8:5, 6Bethel, their confidence.
14“How can you say, #Is. 16:6‘We are mighty
And strong men for the war’?
15Moab is plundered and gone up from her cities;
Her chosen young men have #(Is. 40:30, 31); Jer. 50:27gone down to the slaughter,” says #Jer. 46:18; 51:57; Mal. 1:14the King,
Whose name is the Lord of hosts.
16“The calamity of Moab is near at hand,
And his affliction comes quickly.
17Bemoan him, all you who are around him;
And all you who know his name,
Say, #Is. 9:4; 14:4, 5‘How the strong staff is broken,
The beautiful rod!’
18“O #Is. 47:1daughter inhabiting #Num. 21:30; Josh. 13:9, 17; Is. 15:2; Jer. 48:22Dibon,
Come down from your glory,
And sit in thirst;
For the plunderer of Moab has come against you,
He has destroyed your strongholds.
19O inhabitant of #Deut. 2:36; Josh. 12:2; Is. 17:2Aroer,
#1 Sam. 4:13, 14, 16Stand by the way and watch;
Ask him who flees
And her who escapes;
Say, ‘What has happened?’
20Moab is shamed, for he is broken down.
#Is. 16:7Wail and cry!
Tell it in #Num. 21:13Arnon, that Moab is plundered.
21“And judgment has come on the plain country:
On Holon and Jahzah and Mephaath,
22On Dibon and Nebo and Beth Diblathaim,
23On Kirjathaim and Beth Gamul and Beth Meon,
24On #Jer. 48:41; Amos 2:2Kerioth and Bozrah,
On all the cities of the land of Moab,
Far or near.
25#Ps. 75:10; Zech. 1:19–21The horn of Moab is cut off,
And his #Ezek. 30:21arm is broken,” says the Lord.
26“Make#Jer. 25:15 him drunk,
Because he exalted himself against the Lord.
Moab shall wallow in his vomit,
And he shall also be in derision.
27For #Zeph. 2:8was not Israel a derision to you?
#Jer. 2:26Was he found among thieves?
For whenever you speak of him,
You shake your head in #Lam. 2:15; (Mic. 7:8–10)scorn.
28You who dwell in Moab,
Leave the cities and #Ps. 55:6, 7dwell in the rock,
And be like #Song 2:14the dove which makes her nest
In the sides of the cave’s mouth.
29“We have heard the #Is. 16:6; Zeph. 2:8, 10pride of Moab
(He is exceedingly proud),
Of his loftiness and arrogance and #Jer. 49:16pride,
And of the haughtiness of his heart.”
30“I know his wrath,” says the Lord,
“But it is not right;
#Is. 16:6; Jer. 50:36His lies have made nothing right.
31Therefore #Is. 15:5; 16:7, 11I will wail for Moab,
And I will cry out for all Moab;
I will mourn for the men of Kir Heres.
32#Is. 16:8, 9O vine of Sibmah! I will weep for you with the weeping of #Num. 21:32; Is. 16:10Jazer.
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#Is. 16:10; Jer. 25:10; Joel 1:12Joy and gladness are taken
From the plentiful field
And from the land of Moab;
I have caused wine to fail from the winepresses;
No one will tread with joyous shouting—
Not joyous shouting!
34“From#Is. 15:4–6 the cry of Heshbon to #Num. 32:3, 37Elealeh and to Jahaz
They have uttered their voice,
#Is. 15:5, 6From Zoar to Horonaim,
Like 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
#Is. 15:2; 16:12The one who offers sacrifices in the high places
And burns incense to his gods.
36Therefore #Is. 15:5; 16:11My heart shall wail like flutes for Moab,
And like flutes My heart shall wail
For the men of Kir Heres.
Therefore #Is. 15:7the riches they have acquired have perished.
37“For #Is. 15:2, 3; Jer. 16:6; 41:5; 47:5every head shall be bald, and every beard clipped;
On all the hands shall be cuts, and #Gen. 37:34; Is. 15:3; 20:2on the loins sackcloth—
38A general lamentation
On all the #Is. 15:3housetops of Moab,
And in its streets;
For I have #Jer. 22:28broken 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.”
40For thus says the Lord:
“Behold, #Deut. 28:49; Jer. 49:22; Hos. 8:1; Hab. 1:8one shall fly like an eagle,
And #Is. 8:8spread his wings over Moab.
41Kerioth is taken,
And the strongholds are surprised;
#Is. 13:8; 21:3; Jer. 30:6; Mic. 4:9, 10The mighty men’s hearts in Moab on that day shall be
Like the heart of a woman in birth pangs.
42And Moab shall be destroyed #Ps. 83:4; Jer. 48:2as a people,
Because he exalted himself against the Lord.
43#Is. 24:17, 18; Lam. 3:47Fear 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 #1 Kin. 19:17; Is. 24:18; Amos 5:19snare.
For upon Moab, upon it #Jer. 11:23I will bring
The year of their punishment,” says the Lord.
45“Those who fled stood under the shadow of Heshbon
Because of exhaustion.
But #Num. 21:28, 29a fire shall come out of Heshbon,
A flame from the midst of #Num. 21:21, 26; Ps. 135:11Sihon,
And #Num. 24:17shall devour the brow of Moab,
The crown of the head of the sons of tumult.
46#Num. 21:29Woe 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
#Jer. 49:6, 39In the latter days,” says the Lord.
Thus far is the judgment of Moab.
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The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.