The Word of the Lord to Jeremiah

Chapter 48

The judgment of Moab, 1-6, for their pride, 7-10; for their security, 11-13; for their carnal confidence, 14-25; and for their contempt of God and his people, 26-46. The restoration of Moab, 47.

1 [Against Moab.] Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: "Woe to Nebo! For it is laid waste. 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, 'Devastation and great destruction.'

4 Moab is destroyed. Her little ones have caused a cry to be heard.

5 For in the ascent of Luhith continual weeping shall go up. For in the descent 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 also shall be taken. And Chemosh shall go forth into captivity with his priests and his princes together.

8 And the destroyer shall come upon every city, and no city shall escape. The valley shall also perish, and the plain shall be destroyed, as the LORD has spoken.

9 Give wings to Moab so that it may flee and get away, for its cities shall be desolate without any to dwell in them.

10 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 his youth, and he has settled on his dregs 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 who 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 Beth-el their confidence.

14 "How do you say, 'We are mighty and strong men for the war'?

15 Moab is laid waste and gone up out of her cities, and his chosen young men have 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 who are around him bemoan him, and all you who know his name, say, 'How the strong staff is broken, and the beautiful rod!'

18 You daughter who inhabits Dibon, come down from your glory and sit in thirst, for the destroyer of Moab shall come upon you and he shall destroy your strongholds.

19 O inhabitant of Aroer, stand by the way and watch. Ask him who flees and her who escapes, and say, 'What has been done?'

20 Moab is confounded, for it is broken down. Howl and cry. Tell it in Arnon that Moab is laid waste.

21 "And judgment has come upon the plain country: upon Holon, upon Jahazah, upon Mephaath, 22 Upon Dibon, upon Nebo, upon Beth-diblathaim, 23 Upon Kiriathaim, upon Beth-gamul, upon Beth-meon, 24 Upon Kerioth, upon Bozrah, and upon 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 him drunken, for he magnified himself against the LORD. Moab shall also wallow in his vomit and shall also be in derision. 27 For was Israel not a derision to you? Was he found among thieves? For since you have spoken of him, you have leaped for joy.

28 "O you who dwell in Moab, leave the cities, 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 exceedingly proud), his loftiness, his arrogance, his pride, and the haughtiness of his heart.

30 I know his wrath," says the LORD, "that it is nothing. His boastings have wrought nothing.

31 Therefore, I will 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 have gone over the sea. They reach even to the sea of Jazer. The destroyer has fallen upon your summer fruits and upon 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 wine-presses. No one shall tread with shouting. Their shouting shall be no shouting.

34 "From the cry of Heshbon even to Elealeh, and even to Jahaz, they have uttered their voice, from Zoar even to Horonaim, as a 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 who offers in the high places and him who 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 have perished. 37 For every head shall be bald and every beard clipped. Upon all the hands shall be cuttings and upon the loins sackcloth. 38 There shall be lamentation generally upon all the house-tops of Moab and in its streets, for I have broken Moab like a vessel in which there is no pleasure," says the LORD. 39 "They shall howl, saying, 'How it is broken down! How Moab has turned the back with shame!' So Moab shall be a derision and a dismaying to all who are around 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 strongholds 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, 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 taken in the snare. For I will bring upon it, even upon Moab, the year of their visitation," says the LORD.

45 "Those who fled stood under the shadow of Heshbon because of the force. But a fire shall come out of Heshbon, and a flame from the midst of Sihon, and shall devour the corner of Moab and the crown of the head of the tumultuous ones.

46 Woe to you, O Moab! The people of Chemosh perish, for your sons are taken as captives and your daughters as captives.

47 Yet I will bring back the captivity of Moab in the latter days," says the LORD. [Thus far is the judgment of Moab.]

Commentary

Matthew Henry Commentary - Jeremiah, Chapter 48[➚]

Notes

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