8 That is, “live as resident foreigners.”
9 Heb “Be a hiding place for them.”
10 The present translation understands כִּי (ki) as asseverative, but one could take it as explanatory (“for,” , ) or temporal (“when,” , ). In the latter case, v. 4b would be logically connected to v. 5.
11 A perfect verbal form is used here and in the next two lines for rhetorical effect; the demise of the oppressor(s) is described as if it had already occurred.
12 The Hebrew text has, “they will be finished, the one who tramples, from the earth.” The plural verb form תַּמּוּ, (tammu, “disappear”) could be emended to agree with the singular subject רֹמֵס (romes, “the one who tramples”) or the participle can be emended to a plural (רֹמֵסִם, romesim) to agree with the verb. The translation assumes the latter. Haplography of mem (ם) seems likely; note that the word after רֹמֵס begins with a mem.

In other versions

let the outcasts of Moab

sojourn among you;

be a shelter to them

from the destroyer.

When the oppressor is no more,

and destruction has ceased,

and he who tramples underfoot has vanished from the land,

Let the Moabite fugitives stay with you;

be their shelter from the destroyer.”

The oppressor will come to an end,

and destruction will cease;

the aggressor will vanish from the land.

Let my refugees stay with you;

be a refuge for Moab from the aggressor.

When the oppressor has gone,

destruction has ended,

and marauders have vanished from the land,

Let our refugees stay among you.

Hide them from our enemies until the terror is past.”

When oppression and destruction have ended

and enemy raiders have disappeared,

Let my outcasts of Moab dwell as aliens among you;

be a hiding place for them from the presence of the destroyer.”

When the oppressor is no more, destruction has stopped,

the one who tramples has disappeared from the land,

Let mine outcasts dwell with thee, Moab;

Be thou a covert to them from the face of the spoiler:

For the extortioner is at an end, the spoiler ceaseth,

The oppressors are consumed out of the land.

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