Jeremiah Chapter 48
1 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 is put to shame and broken down.
2 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.
3 The sound of a cry from Horonaim, desolation and great destruction!
4 Moab is destroyed. Her little ones have caused a cry to be heard.
5 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.
6 Flee! Save your lives! Be like the juniper bush in the wilderness.
7 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.
8 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.
9 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.
10 "Cursed is he who does the work of the LORD negligently; 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 lees, 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.
12 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.
13 Moab will be ashamed of Chemosh, as the house of Israel was ashamed of Bethel, their confidence.
14 "How do you say, 'We are mighty men, and valiant men for the war?'
15 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.
16 "The calamity of Moab is near to come, and his affliction hurries fast.
17 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!'
18 "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.
19 Inhabitant of Aroer, stand by the way and watch. Ask him who flees, and her who escapes; say, 'What has been done?'
20 Moab is disappointed; for it is broken down. Wail and cry! Tell it by the Arnon, that Moab is laid waste.
21 Judgement has come on the plain country, on Holon, on Jahzah, on Mephaath,
22 on Dibon, on Nebo, on Beth Diblathaim,
23 on Kiriathaim, on Beth Gamul, on Beth Meon,
24 on Kerioth, on Bozrah, and on 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 will wallow in his vomit, and he also will be in derision.
27 For wasn't Israel a derision to you? Was he found amongst thieves? For as often as you speak of him, you shake your head.
28 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.
29 "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.
30 I know his wrath," says the LORD, "that it is nothing; his boastings have done nothing.
31 Therefore I will wail for Moab. Yes, I will cry out for all Moab. They will mourn for the men of Kir Heres.
32 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.
33 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.
34 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.
35 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.
36 Therefore my heart sounds for Moab like pipes, and my heart sounds like pipes for the men of Kir Heres. Therefore the abundance that he has gotten has perished.
37 For every head is bald, and every beard clipped. There are cuttings on all the hands, and sackcloth on the waist.
38 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.
39 "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."
40 For the LORD says: "Behold, he will fly as an eagle, and will spread out his wings against Moab.
41 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.
42 Moab will be destroyed from being a people, because he has magnified himself against the LORD.
43 Terror, the pit, and the snare are on you, inhabitant of Moab," says the LORD.
44 "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.
45 "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.
46 Woe to you, O Moab! The people of Chemosh are undone; for your sons are taken away captive, and your daughters into captivity.
47 "Yet I will reverse the captivity of Moab in the latter days," says the LORD. Thus far is the judgement of Moab.
Footnotes
- Verse 1 (Misgab)
- or, The stronghold
Version: World English Bible
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Jeremiah Chapter 48 Guide
The word of the Lord concerning Moab is a judgment, which nevertheless closes with a gleam of hope. The judgment is described, first, from the standpoint of the scourge. The widespread extent of it is foretold, and the diction and helplessness are graphically set forth.
The judgment is then spoken of from the standpoint of Moab, that is to say, the long security of Moab and his freedom from affliction are recognized, as is also his self-confidence. In contrast with this, the judgment is announced. All his past security is to end and his strength is to vanish. Finally, in a long passage full of tremendous power, the judgment of Moab from the standpoint of the onlooker is described. Surrounding nations are called on to observe and to lament, while yet they recognize the justice of the judgment, as it is a punishment for Moab for the sin of magnifying himself against the Lord.
The prophet himself, observing the judgment, broke out into mourning and lamentation, with sobs describing the desolation, until at last, in one brief sentence, he announced the promise of Jehovah that finally He would restore the captivity of Moab, and indicated that until that time of the divine intervention the judgment of Moab must continue.
From "An Exposition of the Whole Bible" by G. Campbell Morgan.
Jeremiah Chapter 48 Commentary
Chapter Outline
- Prophecies against Moab for pride and security. -- (1-13)
- For carnal confidence and contempt of God. -- (14-47)
Verses 1-13
The Chaldeans are to destroy the Moabites. We should be thankful that we are required to seek the salvation of men's lives, and the salvation of their souls, not to shed their blood; but we shall be the more without excuse if we do this pleasant work deceitfully. The cities shall be laid in ruins, and the country shall be wasted. There will be great sorrow. There will be great hurry. If any could give wings to sinners, still they could not fly out of the reach of Divine indignation. There are many who persist in unrepented iniquity, yet long enjoy outward prosperity. They had been long corrupt and unreformed, secure and sensual in prosperity. They have no changes of their peace and prosperity, therefore their hearts and lives are unchanged, Ps. 55:19.
Verses 14-47
The destruction of Moab is further prophesied, to awaken them by national repentance and reformation to prevent the trouble, or by a personal repentance and reformation to prepare for it. In reading this long roll of threatenings, and mediating on the terror, it will be of more use to us to keep in view the power of God's anger and the terror of his judgments, and to have our hearts possessed with a holy awe of God and of his wrath, than to search into all the figures and expressions here used. Yet it is not perpetual destruction. The chapter ends with a promise of their return out of captivity in the latter days. Even with Moabites God will not contend for ever, nor be always wroth. The Jews refer it to the days of the Messiah; then the captives of the Gentiles, under the yoke of sin and Satan, shall be brought back by Divine grace, which shall make them free indeed.
From the "Concise Commentary on the Bible" by Matthew Henry.