Focused Passage

Jeremiah 48:1-10

Moab Brought Low: Pride, False Security, and the LORD’s Lament over Judgment

The chapter moves from announced ruin over Moab’s cities, to calls for flight and warning against trusting works and treasures, to the humiliation of Chemosh, to the image of Moab poured out like settled wine, to repeated laments over Moab’s devastation, to the exposure of Moab’s pride against the LORD, to the final declaration that Moab’s fortunes will be restored in days to come.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

1 Concerning Moab, this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: “Woe to Nebo, for it will be devastated. Kiriathaim will be captured and disgraced; the fortress will be shattered and dismantled.

2 There is no longer praise for Moab; in Heshbon they devise evil against her: ‘Come, let us cut her off from nationhood.’ You too, O people of Madmen, will be silenced; the sword will pursue you.

3 A voice cries out from Horonaim: ‘Devastation and great destruction!’

4 Moab will be shattered; her little ones will cry out.

5 For on the ascent to Luhith they weep bitterly as they go, and on the descent to Horonaim cries of distress resound over the destruction:

6 ‘Flee! Run for your lives! Become like a juniper in the desert.’

7 Because you trust in your works and treasures, you too will be captured, and Chemosh will go into exile with his priests and officials.

8 The destroyer will move against every city, and not one town will escape. The valley will also be ruined, and the high plain will be destroyed, as the LORD has said.

9 Put salt on Moab, for she will be laid waste; her cities will become desolate, with no one to dwell in them.

10 Cursed is the one who is remiss in doing the work of the LORD, and cursed is he who withholds his sword from bloodshed.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Original words

Concerning Moab לְמוֹאָ֡ב H4124 Preposition-l | Noun - proper - feminine singular this is what כֹּֽה־ H3541 Adverb the LORD יְהוָ֨ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular of Hosts צְבָא֜וֹת H6635 Noun - common plural the God אֱלֹהֵ֣י H430 Noun - masculine plural construct of Israel יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל H3478 Noun - proper - masculine singular says אָמַר֩ H559 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular Woe ה֤וֹי H1945 Interjection to אֶל־ H413 Preposition Nebo נְבוֹ֙ H5015 Noun - proper - feminine singular for כִּ֣י H3588 Conjunction it will be devastated שֻׁדָּ֔דָה H7703 Verb - Pual - Perfect - third person feminine singular Kiriathaim קִרְיָתָ֑יִם H7156 Noun - proper - feminine singular will be captured נִלְכְּדָ֖ה H3920 Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person feminine singular and disgraced הֹבִ֥ישָׁה H954 Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person feminine singular the fortress הַמִּשְׂגָּ֖ב H4869 Article | Noun - masculine singular will be shattered וָחָֽתָּה׃ H2865 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular and dismantled הֹבִ֥ישָׁה H954 Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person feminine singular
Verse 2

Original words

There is no אֵ֣ין H369 Adverb longer עוֹד֮ H5750 Adverb praise תְּהִלַּ֣ת H8416 Noun - feminine singular construct for Moab מוֹאָב֒ H4124 Noun - proper - feminine singular in Heshbon בְּחֶשְׁבּ֗וֹן H2809 Preposition-b | Noun - proper - feminine singular they devise חָשְׁב֤וּ H2803 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural evil רָעָ֔ה H7451 Adjective - feminine singular against her עָלֶ֙יהָ֙ H5921 Preposition | third person feminine singular Come לְכ֖וּ H1980 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural let us cut her off וְנַכְרִיתֶ֣נָּה H3772 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common plural | third person feminine singular from nationhood מִגּ֑וֹי H1471 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular You too גַּם־ H1571 Conjunction O [people of] Madmen מַדְמֵ֣ן H4086 Noun - proper - feminine singular will be silenced תִּדֹּ֔מִּי H1826 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person feminine singular the sword חָֽרֶב׃ H2719 Noun - feminine singular will pursue אַחֲרַ֖יִךְ H310 Preposition | second person feminine singular you תֵּ֥לֶךְ H1980 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular

BSB notes

  • The Hebrew for Heshbon sounds like the Hebrew for plot.
  • The name of the Moabite town Madmen sounds like the Hebrew for silenced.
Verse 3

Original words

A voice ק֥וֹל H6963 Noun - masculine singular construct cries out צְעָקָ֖ה H6818 Noun - feminine singular from Horonaim מֵחֹֽרוֹנָ֑יִם H2773 Preposition-m | Noun - proper - feminine singular Devastation שֹׁ֖ד H7701 Noun - masculine singular and great גָּדֽוֹל׃ H1419 Adjective - masculine singular destruction וָשֶׁ֥בֶר H7667 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 4

Original words

Moab מוֹאָ֑ב H4124 Noun - proper - feminine singular . . . הִשְׁמִ֥יעוּ H8085 Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common plural will be shattered נִשְׁבְּרָ֖ה H7665 Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person feminine singular her little צְעוֹרֶיהָ׃ H6810 Adjective - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular ones will cry out זְּעָקָ֖ה H2201 Noun - feminine singular

BSB notes

  • Hebrew; LXX her cries are heard as far away as Zoar
Verse 5

Original words

For כִּ֚י H3588 Conjunction on the ascent מַעֲלֵ֣ה H4608 Noun - masculine singular construct to Luhith הַלֻּחוֹת H3872 Article | Noun - proper - feminine singular they weep בֶּ֑כִי H1065 Noun - masculine singular bitterly בִּבְכִ֖י H1065 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular as they go יַֽעֲלֶה־ H5927 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular and כִּ֚י H3588 Conjunction on the descent בְּמוֹרַ֣ד H4174 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct to Horonaim חוֹרֹנַ֔יִם H2773 Noun - proper - feminine singular cries צַֽעֲקַת־ H6818 Noun - feminine singular construct of distress צָרֵ֥י H6862 Noun - masculine plural construct resound שָׁמֵֽעוּ׃ H8085 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural over the destruction שֶׁ֖בֶר H7667 Noun - masculine singular
Verse 6

Original words

Flee נֻ֖סוּ H5127 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural Run מַלְּט֣וּ H4422 Verb - Piel - Imperative - masculine plural for your lives נַפְשְׁכֶ֑ם H5315 Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine plural Become וְתִֽהְיֶ֕ינָה H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person feminine plural like a juniper כַּעֲרוֹעֵ֖ר H6176 Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular in the desert בַּמִּדְבָּֽר׃ H4057 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular

BSB notes

  • Or like a wild donkey or like Aroer
Verse 7

Original words

- כִּ֠י H3588 Conjunction Because יַ֣עַן H3282 Adverb you trust בִּטְחֵ֤ךְ H982 Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | second person feminine singular in your works בְּמַעֲשַׂ֙יִךְ֙ H4639 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person feminine singular and treasures וּבְא֣וֹצְרוֹתַ֔יִךְ H214 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person feminine singular you אַ֖תְּ H859 Pronoun - second person feminine singular too גַּם־ H1571 Conjunction will be captured תִּלָּכֵ֑דִי H3920 Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - second person feminine singular and Chemosh כְמִישׁ H3645 Noun - proper - masculine singular will go וְיָצָ֤א H3318 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular into exile בַּגּוֹלָ֔ה H1473 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular with יַחַד׃ H3162 Adverb his priests כֹּהֲנָ֥יו H3548 Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular and officials וְשָׂרָ֖יו H8269 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Verse 8

Original words

The destroyer שֹׁדֵ֜ד H7703 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular will move וְיָבֹ֨א H935 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine singular against אֶל־ H413 Preposition every כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct city עִ֗יר H5892 Noun - feminine singular and not לֹ֣א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle one town וְעִיר֙ H5892 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular will escape תִמָּלֵ֔ט H4422 Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular The valley הָעֵ֖מֶק H6010 Article | Noun - masculine singular will also be ruined וְאָבַ֥ד H6 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular and the high plain הַמִּישֹׁ֑ר H4334 Article | Noun - masculine singular will be destroyed וְנִשְׁמַ֣ד H8045 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular as אֲשֶׁ֖ר H834 Pronoun - relative the LORD יְהוָֽה׃ H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular has said אָמַ֥ר H559 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Verse 9

Original words

Put תְּנוּ־ H5414 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural salt צִ֣יץ H6731 Noun - masculine singular on Moab לְמוֹאָ֔ב H4124 Preposition-l | Noun - proper - feminine singular for כִּ֥י H3588 Conjunction she will be laid waste נָצֹ֖א H5323 Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute . . . תֵּצֵ֑א H3318 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular her cities וְעָרֶ֙יהָ֙ H5892 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine plural construct | third person feminine singular will become תִֽהְיֶ֔ינָה H1961 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine plural desolate לְשַׁמָּ֣ה H8047 Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular with no one מֵאֵ֥ין H369 Preposition-m | Adverb to dwell יוֹשֵׁ֖ב H3427 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular in them בָּהֵֽן׃ Preposition-b | Pronoun - third person feminine plural

BSB notes

  • Or Give wings to Moab, for she would fly away
Verse 10

Original words

Cursed [is the one] אָר֗וּר H779 Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular who is remiss רְמִיָּ֑ה H7423 Noun - feminine singular in doing עֹשֶׂ֛ה H6213 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular the work מְלֶ֥אכֶת H4399 Noun - feminine singular construct of the LORD יְהוָ֖ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular and cursed is וְאָר֕וּר H779 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular he who withholds מֹנֵ֥עַ H4513 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular his sword חַרְבּ֖וֹ H2719 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular from bloodshed מִדָּֽם׃ H1818 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.