The Book of the Prophet Jeremiah

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- Chapter 48 -

(Isaiah 15:1–9)

To Moab, Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel, says this, “Woe to Nebo, for it has been devastated. Kiriathaim has been captured and humiliated. Her fortress has been crushed and disgraced.

The honor of Moab is no more. Their enemies in Heshbon plotted disaster against her. They said, ‘Come and let us destroy her as a nation. Madmen will also perish-a sword will go after you.’

Listen! A sound of screaming is coming from Horonaim, where there is ruin and great destruction.

Moab has been destroyed. Her children have made their cries heard.

They go up the hill of Luhith weeping, for on the way down to Horonaim, screams are heard because of the destruction.

Flee! Save your lives and become like a juniper bush in the wilderness.

For because of your trust in your practices and your wealth, you also will be captured. Then Chemosh will go away into captivity, together with his priests and leaders.

For the destroyer will come to every city; no city will escape. So the valley will perish and the plain will be devastated, as Yahweh has said.

Give wings to Moab, for she must certainly fly away. Her cities will become a wasteland, where there is no one to live in them.

May anyone who is lazy in doing Yahweh’s work be cursed! May anyone who keeps his sword back from shedding blood be cursed!

Moab has felt secure since he was young. He is like his wine that has never been poured from pot to pot. He has never gone into captivity. Therefore, he tastes as good as ever; his flavor remains unchanged.

So see, the days are coming-this is Yahweh’s declaration-when I will send him those who will tip him over and pour out all his pots and shatter his jars.

Then Moab will be ashamed of Chemosh just as the house of Israel was ashamed of Bethel, their object of trust.

How can you say, ‘We are soldiers, powerful fighting men’?

Moab will be devastated and its cities attacked. For its finest young men have gone down to the place of slaughter. This is the king’s declaration! Yahweh of hosts is his name.

Moab’s disaster is soon to happen; calamity is hurrying quickly.

All you who are around Moab, wail; and all you who know its fame, shout this, ‘Woe, the strong staff, the honored rod, has been broken.’

Come down from your honored place and sit on the dry ground, you daughter living in Dibon. For the one who will destroy Moab is attacking you, the one who will destroy your strongholds.

Stand on the road and watch, you people who live in Aroer. Ask the ones who are fleeing and escaping. Say, ‘What has happened?’

Moab has been shamed, for it has been shattered. Howl and lament; shout for help. Tell it to people by the Arnon River that Moab has been devastated.

Now punishment has come to the hill country, to Holon, Jachzah, and Mephaath,

to Dibon, Nebo, and Beth Diblathaim,

to Kiriathaim, Beth Gamul, and Beth Meon,

To Kerioth and Bozrah, and to all the cities in the land of Moab-the farthest and the closest cities.

The horn of Moab has been hacked off; its arm has been broken-this is Yahweh’s declaration.

Make him drunk, for he acted proudly against me, Yahweh. Now Moab claps his hands in disgust at his own vomit, so he also has become an object for laughter.

For did Israel not become an object for laughter to you? Was he found among thieves, that you shook your head at him as often as you spoke about him?

Abandon the cities and camp on the cliffs, inhabitants of Moab. Become like a dove that is nesting over the mouth of a hole in the rocks.

We have heard of Moab’s pride-his arrogance, his haughtiness, his pride, his self-glory and the conceit in his heart.

This is Yahweh’s declaration-I myself know his defiant speech, which amounts to nothing, like his deeds.

So I will howl a lament for Moab, and I will shout in sorrow for all of Moab. I will lament for the people of Kir Heresh.

I will weep for you more than I did for Jazer, vine of Sibmah! Your branches passed across the Salt Sea and reached as far as Jazer. The destroyers have attacked your summer fruit and your wine.

So celebration and rejoicing have been taken away from the fruit trees and the land of Moab. I have put an end to the wine from their winepresses. They will not tread with joyful shouts. Any shouts will not be shouts of joy.

From the shouts at Heshbon as far as Elealeh, their sound is heard at Jahaz, from Zoar to Horonaim and Eglath Shelishiyah, since even the waters of Nimrim have dried up.

For I will put an end to anyone in Moab who makes sacrifices on the high places and burns incense to his gods-this is Yahweh’s declaration.

So my heart is lamenting for Moab like a flute. My heart is lamenting like flutes for the people of Kir Heres. The riches they gained are gone.

For every head is bald and every beard shaved. Incisions are on every hand, and sackcloth is around their waists.

There is mourning everywhere, on every flat roof of Moab and in Moab’s plazas. For I have destroyed Moab like pots that no one wants-this is Yahweh’s declaration.

How it has been shattered! How they howl in their lamenting! Moab turns it back in shame! So Moab will become an object of derision and a terror to all those who are around him.”

For Yahweh says this, “See, the enemy will come flying like an eagle, spreading out his wings over Moab.

Kerioth has been captured, and its strongholds have been seized. For in that day the hearts of Moab’s soldiers will be like the hearts of women in birth labor.

So Moab will be destroyed as a people, since they became arrogant against me, Yahweh.

Terror and the pit, and a trap are coming on you, inhabitant of Moab-this is Yahweh’s declaration.

Anyone who flees because of terror will fall into the pit, and anyone who climbs out of the pit will be caught in the trap, for I will bring this on them in the year of my vengeance against them-this is Yahweh’s declaration.

The ones who flee will stand in the shadow of Heshbon without any strength, for fire will go out from Heshbon, flame from the middle of Sihon. It will devour the forehead of Moab and the top of the heads of the boastful people.

Woe to you, Moab! Chemosh’s people are destroyed, For your sons are taken as captives and your daughters into captivity.

But I will restore the fortunes of Moab in later days-this is Yahweh’s declaration.” The judgment on Moab ends here.

(Isaiah 15:1–9)

Of Moab. The LORD of Armies, the God of Israel, says: “Woe to Nebo! For it is laid waste. Kiriathaim is disappointed. It is taken. Misgab

(a)

is put to shame and broken down.

The praise of Moab is no more. In Heshbon they have devised evil against her: ‘Come! Let’s cut her off from being a nation.’ You also, Madmen, will be brought to silence. The sword will pursue you.

The sound of a cry from Horonaim, desolation and great destruction!

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

For they will go up by the ascent of Luhith with continual weeping. For at the descent of Horonaim they have heard the distress of the cry of destruction.

Flee! Save your lives! Be like the juniper bush in the wilderness.

For, because you have trusted in your works and in your treasures, you also will be taken. Chemosh will go out into captivity, his priests and his princes together.

The destroyer will come on every city, and no city will escape; the valley also will perish, and the plain will be destroyed, as the LORD has spoken.

Give wings to Moab, that she may fly and get herself away: and her cities will become a desolation, without anyone to dwell in them.

“Cursed is he who does the work of the LORD negligently; and cursed is he who keeps back his sword from blood.

“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 remains in him, and his scent is not changed.

Therefore behold, the days come,” says the LORD, “that I will send to him those who pour off, and they will pour him off; and they will empty his vessels, and break their containers in pieces.

Moab will be ashamed of Chemosh, as the house of Israel was ashamed of Bethel, their confidence.

“How do you say, ‘We are mighty men, and valiant men for the war’?

Moab is laid waste, and they have gone up into his cities, and his chosen young men have gone down to the slaughter,” says the King, whose name is the LORD of Armies.

“The calamity of Moab is near to come, and his affliction hurries fast.

All you who are around him, bemoan him; and all you who know his name, say, ‘How the strong staff is broken, the beautiful rod!’

“You daughter who dwells in Dibon, come down from your glory, and sit in thirst; for the destroyer of Moab has come up against you. He has destroyed your strongholds.

Inhabitant of Aroer, stand by the way and watch. Ask him who flees, and her who escapes; say, ‘What has been done?’

Moab is disappointed; for it is broken down. Wail and cry! Tell it by the Arnon, that Moab is laid waste.

Judgment has come on the plain country— on Holon, on Jahzah, on Mephaath,

on Dibon, on Nebo, on Beth Diblathaim,

on Kiriathaim, on Beth Gamul, on Beth Meon,

on Kerioth, on Bozrah, and on all the cities of the land of Moab, far or near.

The horn of Moab is cut off, and his arm is broken,” says the LORD.

“Make him drunk, for he magnified himself against the LORD. Moab will wallow in his vomit, and he also will be in derision.

For wasn’t Israel a derision to you? Was he found among thieves? For as often as you speak of him, you shake your head.

You inhabitants of Moab, leave the cities, and dwell in the rock. Be like the dove that makes her nest over the mouth of the abyss.

“We have heard of the pride of Moab. He is very proud in his loftiness, his pride, his arrogance, and the arrogance of his heart.

I know his wrath,” says the LORD, “that it is nothing; his boastings have done nothing.

Therefore I will wail for Moab. Yes, I will cry out for all Moab. They will mourn for the men of Kir Heres.

With more than the weeping of Jazer I will weep for you, vine of Sibmah. Your branches passed over the sea. They reached even to the sea of Jazer. The destroyer has fallen on your summer fruits and on your vintage.

Gladness and joy is taken away from the fruitful field and from the land of Moab. I have caused wine to cease from the wine presses. No one will tread with shouting. The shouting will be no shouting.

From the cry of Heshbon even to Elealeh, even to Jahaz they have uttered their voice, from Zoar even to Horonaim, to Eglath Shelishiyah; for the waters of Nimrim will also become desolate.

Moreover I will cause to cease in Moab,” says the LORD, “him who offers in the high place, and him who burns incense to his gods.

Therefore my heart sounds for Moab like flutes, and my heart sounds like flutes for the men of Kir Heres. Therefore the abundance that he has gotten has perished.

For every head is bald, and every beard clipped. There are cuttings on all the hands, and sackcloth on the waist.

On all the housetops of Moab, and in its streets, there is lamentation everywhere; for I have broken Moab like a vessel in which no one delights,” says the LORD.

“How it is broken down! How they wail! How Moab has turned the back with shame! So will Moab become a derision and a terror to all who are around him.”

For the LORD says: “Behold, he will fly as an eagle, and will spread out his wings against Moab.

Kerioth is taken, and the strongholds are seized. The heart of the mighty men of Moab at that day will be as the heart of a woman in her pangs.

Moab will be destroyed from being a people, because he has magnified himself against the LORD.

Terror, the pit, and the snare are on you, inhabitant of Moab,” says the LORD.

“He who flees from the terror will fall into the pit; and he who gets up out of the pit will be taken in the snare, for I will bring on him, even on Moab, the year of their visitation,” says the LORD.

“Those who fled stand without strength under the shadow of Heshbon; for a fire has gone out of Heshbon, and a flame from the middle of Sihon, and has devoured the corner of Moab, and the crown of the head of the tumultuous ones.

Woe to you, O Moab! The people of Chemosh are undone; for your sons are taken away captive, and your daughters into captivity.

“Yet I will reverse the captivity of Moab in the latter days,” says the LORD. Thus far is the judgment of Moab.

Footnotes

(a)48:1 or, The stronghold