Judgment on Moab

48 Against aMoab. Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel:

“Woe to bNebo!

For it is plundered,

cKirjathaim is shamed and taken;

1The high stronghold is shamed and dismayed—

2 dNo more praise of Moab.

In eHeshbon they have devised evil against her:

‘Come, and let us cut her off as a nation.’

You also shall be cut down, O fMadmen! 2

The sword shall pursue you;

3 A voice of crying shall be from gHoronaim:

‘Plundering and great destruction!’

4 “Moab is destroyed;

3Her little ones have caused a cry to be heard;

5 hFor 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 4the ijuniper in the wilderness.

7 For because you have trusted in your works and your jtreasures,

You also shall be taken.

And kChemosh shall go forth into captivity,

His lpriests and his princes together.

8 And mthe 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 nwings to Moab,

That she may flee and get away;

For her cities shall be desolate,

Without any to dwell in them.

10 oCursed 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 5his youth;

He phas 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 6wine-workers

Who will tip him over

And empty his vessels

And break the bottles.

13 Moab shall be ashamed of qChemosh,

As the house of Israel rwas ashamed of sBethel, their confidence.

14 “How can you say, t‘We are mighty

And strong men for the war’?

15 Moab is plundered and gone up from her cities;

Her chosen young men have ugone down to the slaughter,” says vthe King,

Whose name is the Lord of hosts.

16 “The calamity of Moab is near at hand,

And his affliction comes quickly.

17 Bemoan him, all you who are around him;

And all you who know his name,

Say, w‘How the strong staff is broken,

The beautiful rod!’

18 “O xdaughter inhabiting yDibon,

Come down from your glory,

And sit in thirst;

For the plunderer of Moab has come against you,

He has destroyed your strongholds.

19 O inhabitant of zAroer,

aStand by the way and watch;

Ask him who flees

And her who escapes;

Say, ‘What has happened?’

20 Moab is shamed, for he is broken down.

bWail and cry!

Tell it in cArnon, that Moab is plundered.

21 “And judgment has come on the plain country:

On Holon and Jahzah and Mephaath,

22 On Dibon and Nebo and Beth Diblathaim,

23 On Kirjathaim and Beth Gamul and Beth Meon,

24 On dKerioth and Bozrah,

On all the cities of the land of Moab,

Far or near.

25 eThe 7horn of Moab is cut off,

And his farm is broken,” says the Lord.

26 “Make ghim drunk,

Because he exalted himself against the Lord.

Moab shall wallow in his vomit,

And he shall also be in derision.

27 For hwas not Israel a derision to you?

iWas he found among thieves?

For whenever you speak of him,

You shake your head in jscorn.

28 You who dwell in Moab,

Leave the cities and kdwell in the rock,

And be like lthe dove which makes her nest

In the sides of the cave’s mouth.

29 “We have heard the mpride of Moab

(He is exceedingly proud),

Of his loftiness and arrogance and npride,

And of the haughtiness of his heart.”

30 “I know his wrath,” says the Lord,

“But it is not right;

oHis 8lies have made nothing right.

31 Therefore pI will wail for Moab,

And I will cry out for all Moab;

9I will mourn for the men of Kir Heres.

32 qO vine of Sibmah! I will weep for you with the weeping of rJazer.

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 sJoy and gladness are taken

From the plentiful field

And from the land of Moab;

I have caused wine to 1fail from the winepresses;

No one will tread with joyous shouting—

Not joyous shouting!

34 “From tthe cry of Heshbon to uElealeh and to Jahaz

They have uttered their voice,

vFrom Zoar to Horonaim,

Like 2a 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

wThe one who offers sacrifices in the 3high places

And burns incense to his gods.

36 Therefore xMy heart shall wail like flutes for Moab,

And like flutes My heart shall wail

For the men of Kir Heres.

Therefore ythe riches they have acquired have perished.

37 “For zevery head shall be bald, and every beard clipped;

On all the hands shall be cuts, and aon the loins sackcloth—

38 A general lamentation

On all the bhousetops of Moab,

And in its streets;

For I have cbroken 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.”

40 For thus says the Lord:

“Behold, done shall fly like an eagle,

And espread his wings over Moab.

41 Kerioth is taken,

And the strongholds are surprised;

fThe mighty men’s hearts in Moab on that day shall be

Like the heart of a woman in birth pangs.

42 And Moab shall be destroyed gas a people,

Because he exalted himself against the Lord.

43 hFear 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 isnare.

For upon Moab, upon it jI will bring

The year of their punishment,” says the Lord.

45 “Those who fled stood under the shadow of Heshbon

Because of exhaustion.

But ka fire shall come out of Heshbon,

A flame from the midst of lSihon,

And mshall devour the brow of Moab,

The crown of the head of the sons of tumult.

46 nWoe 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

oIn the latter days,” says the Lord.

Thus far is the judgment of Moab.