1 Concerning the Ammonites:

This is what the Lord says:

“Has Israel no sons?

Has Israel no heir?

Why then has Molek taken possession of Gad?

Why do his people live in its towns?

2 But the days are coming,”

declares the Lord,

“when I will sound the battle cry

against Rabbah of the Ammonites;

it will become a mound of ruins,

and its surrounding villages will be set on fire.

Then Israel will drive out

those who drove her out,”

says the Lord.

3 “Wail, Heshbon, for Ai is destroyed!

Cry out, you inhabitants of Rabbah!

Put on sackcloth and mourn;

rush here and there inside the walls,

for Molek will go into exile,

together with his priests and officials.

1 Concerning the Ammonites, thus saith the Lord;

Hath Israel no sons? hath he no heir?

Why then doth their king inherit Gad,

And his people dwell in his cities?

2 Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord,

That I will cause an alarm of war to be heard in Rabbah of the Ammonites;

And it shall be a desolate heap,

And her daughters shall be burned with fire:

Then shall Israel be heir unto them that were his heirs, saith the Lord.

3 Howl, O Heshbon, for Ai is spoiled:

Cry, ye daughters of Rabbah, gird you with sackcloth;

Lament, and run to and fro by the hedges;

For their king shall go into captivity,

And his priests and his princes together.

1 This message was given concerning the Ammonites. This is what the Lord says:

“Are there no descendants of Israel

to inherit the land of Gad?

Why are you, who worship Molech,

living in its towns?

2 In the days to come,” says the Lord,

“I will sound the battle cry against your city of Rabbah.

It will become a desolate heap of ruins,

and the neighboring towns will be burned.

Then Israel will take back the land

you took from her,” says the Lord.

3 “Cry out, O Heshbon,

for the town of Ai is destroyed.

Weep, O people of Rabbah!

Put on your clothes of mourning.

Weep and wail, hiding in the hedges,

for your god Molech, with his priests and officials,

will be hauled off to distant lands.

1 Against the Ammonites. Thus says the Lord:

“Has Israel no sons?

Has he no heir?

Why then does Milcom inherit Gad,

And his people dwell in its cities?

2 Therefore behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord,

“That I will cause to be heard an alarm of war

In Rabbah of the Ammonites;

It shall be a desolate mound,

And her villages shall be burned with fire.

Then Israel shall take possession of his inheritance,” says the Lord.

3 “Wail, O Heshbon, for Ai is plundered!

Cry, you daughters of Rabbah,

Gird yourselves with sackcloth!

Lament and run to and fro by the walls;

For Milcom shall go into captivity

With his priests and his princes together.

1 This message is to the Ammonite people.

This is what the Lord says:

“Do you think that Israel has no children?

Do you think there is no one to take the land when the parents die?

If that were true, why did Molech take Gad’s land

and why did Molech’s people settle in Gad’s towns?”

2 The Lord says,

“The time will come when I will make Rabbah,

the capital city of the Ammonites, hear the battle cry.

It will become a hill covered with ruins,

and the towns around it will be burned.

Those people forced Israel out of that land,

but now Israel will force them out!” says the Lord.

3 “People in the town of Heshbon, cry sadly because the town of Ai is destroyed!

Those who live in Rabbah, cry out!

Put on your rough cloth to show your sadness, and cry loudly.

Run here and there for safety inside the walls,

because Molech will be taken captive

and his priests and officers with him.

1 Of the children of Ammon. Thus saith Jehovah: Hath Israel no sons? hath he no heir? why then doth Malcam possess Gad, and his people dwell in the cities thereof? 2 Therefore, behold, the days come, saith Jehovah, that I will cause an alarm of war to be heard against Rabbah of the children of Ammon; and it shall become a desolate heap, and her daughters shall be burned with fire: then shall Israel possess them that did possess him, saith Jehovah. 3 Wail, O Heshbon, for Ai is laid waste; cry, ye daughters of Rabbah, gird you with sackcloth: lament, and run to and fro among the fences; for Malcam shall go into captivity, his priests and his princes together.

1 Concerning the children of Ammon. Thus saith Jehovah: Hath Israel no sons? hath he no heir? Why is Malcam heir of Gad, and his people dwell in the cities thereof? 2 Therefore behold, days come, saith Jehovah, that I will cause the clamour of war to be heard in Rabbah of the children of Ammon; and it shall be a desolate heap; and her towns shall be burned with fire; and Israel shall possess them that possessed him, saith Jehovah. 3 Howl, Heshbon! for Ai is laid waste; cry, daughters of Rabbah, gird you with sackcloth, lament and run to and fro within the enclosures: for Malcam shall go into captivity, his priests and his princes together.

1 This is what the Lord says about the people of Ammon: 

Doesn’t Israel have any children? Doesn’t it have any heirs? 

Why, then, has the god Milcomtaken over the inheritance 

of Gad’s descendants? 

Why do Milcom’s people live in Gad’s cities? 

2 That is why the days are coming, declares the Lord, 

when I will sound the battle cry against Rabbah, 

where the people of Ammon live. 

It will become a pile of rubble. 

Its villages will be burned down. 

Then Israel will take possession of its inheritance, says the Lord. 

3 Cry loudly, Heshbon, because Ai is destroyed. 

Cry, people of Rabbah, put on your sackcloth, and mourn. 

Run back and forth between the walls. 

Milcom will be taken away into captivity 

with its priests and officials. 

1 About the Ammonites, this is what the Lord says:

Does Israel have no sons?

Is he without an heir?

Why then has Milcom dispossessed Gad

and his people settled in their cities?

2 Therefore look, the days are coming —

this is the Lord’s declaration—

when I will make the shout of battle heard

against Rabbah of the Ammonites.

It will become a desolate mound,

and its villages will be burned down.

Israel will dispossess their dispossessors,

says the Lord.

3 Wail, Heshbon, for Ai is devastated;

cry out, daughters of Rabbah!

Clothe yourselves with sackcloth, and lament;

run back and forth within your walls,

because Milcom will go into exile

together with his priests and officials.

1 Concerning the Ammonites.

Thus says the Lord:

Has Israel no sons?

Has he no heir?

Why then has Milcom dispossessed Gad,

and his people settled in its towns?

2 Therefore, the time is surely coming,

says the Lord,

when I will sound the battle alarm

against Rabbah of the Ammonites;

it shall become a desolate mound,

and its villages shall be burned with fire;

then Israel shall dispossess those who dispossessed him,

says the Lord.

3 Wail, O Heshbon, for Ai is laid waste!

Cry out, O daughters of Rabbah!

Put on sackcloth,

lament, and slash yourselves with whips!

For Milcom shall go into exile,

with his priests and his attendants.

1 Concerning the Ammonites: Thus says Yahweh,

“Are there no sons for Israel?

Or is there no heir for him?

Why has Milcom taken possession of Gad,

and his people dwelled in its towns?

2 Therefore look, days are coming,” declares Yahweh,

“and I will sound against Rabbah, the Ammonites,

the alarm of the war,

and it will become as a mound of desolation,

and its daughters will burn in the fire.

Then Israel will dispossess his dispossessors,” says Yahweh.

3 “Wail, Heshbon, for Ai is devastated.

Cry out, O daughters of Rabbah, put on sackcloth.

Lament and run back and forth among the walls.

For Milcom will go into exile,

his priests and his officials together.

1 Here is what the Lord says about the people of Ammon.

He says,

“Doesn’t Israel have any sons?

Doesn’t Israel have anyone

to take over the family property?

Then why has the god Molech taken over Gad?

Why do those who worship him live in its towns?

2 But a new day is coming,”

announces the Lord.

“At that time I will sound the battle cry.

I will sound it against Rabbah in the land of Ammon.

It will become a pile of broken-down buildings.

The villages that are around it will be set on fire.

Then Israel will drive out

those who drove her out,”

says the Lord.

3 “Heshbon, sob over Ai! It is destroyed!

Cry out, you who live in Rabbah!

Put on black clothes and sob.

Run here and there inside the walls.

Your god Molech will be carried away.

So will its priests and officials.

1 Concerning the sons of Ammon. Thus says the Lord:

“Does Israel have no sons?

Or has he no heirs?

Why then has Malcam taken possession of Gad

And his people settled in its cities?

2 “Therefore behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord,

“That I will cause a trumpet blast of war to be heard

Against Rabbah of the sons of Ammon;

And it will become a desolate heap,

And her towns will be set on fire.

Then Israel will take possession of his possessors,”

Says the Lord.

3 “Wail, O Heshbon, for Ai has been destroyed!

Cry out, O daughters of Rabbah,

Gird yourselves with sackcloth and lament,

And rush back and forth inside the walls;

For Malcam will go into exile

Together with his priests and his princes.