A Message Concerning Moab
- 48 Concerning Moab, thus says Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel:“Woe to Nebo,
- It is ashamed,
- Misgab is ashamed,
- and it is filled with terror.
- 2 In Heshbon they planned evil against her.
- Come and let us cut her off from being a nation.
- Also, Madmen, you will be silent.
- After you will go the sword.
- 3 The sound of a cry of distress arises from Horonaim, devastation and great destruction.
- 4 her little ones[fn] a cry for help.
- 5 in weeping they go weeping,
- For on the slope of Horonaim they have heard
- the distresses of the cry of distress of the destruction.
- 6 [fn] you must not be like the juniper tree in the desert.
- 7 even you yourselves will be taken,
- and Chemosh will go out into the exile,
- his priests and his officials together.
- 8 the destroyer will come to every town, and a town will not escape.
- And the valley will be destroyed,
- and the plain will be destroyed, as Yahweh has spoken.
- 9 for certainly she will go to ruin,
- and her towns will become as a desolation,
- [fn] an inhabitant in them.
- 10 The one who does the work of Yahweh with slackness is cursed, and the one who keeps away blood from his sword is cursed.
- 11 and he has been quiet on his dregs,
- and he has not been poured out from vessel to vessel,
- and he has not gone into exile.
- [fn] his taste has remained unchanged,
- and his fragrance has not changed.
- 12 [fn] look, days are coming,”[fn] Yahweh, “and I will send to him[fn]
- and they will decant him,
- and his vessels they will empty out,
- and their jars they will smash.
- 13 just as the house of Israel were ashamed of Bethel, their trust.
- 14 are warriors, and men of might for the battle.’
- 15 and his towns have gone up,
- and the choice of his young men have gone down to the slaughtering,”
- [fn] the King, Yahweh of hosts is his name.
- 16 is near to come, and his disaster[fn]
- 17 and all those who knew his name.
- Say, ‘How the staff of might is broken,
- the staff of glory.’
- 18 O inhabitant, daughter of Dibon,
- for the destroyer of Moab has come up against you,
- he has destroyed your fortifications.
- 19 the road and watch, O inhabitant of Aroer.
- Ask the man who is fleeing and the woman who is escaping,
- say, ‘What has happened?’
- 20 for it is filled with terror.
- Wail and cry out,
- tell it by Arnon that Moab is devastated.
21 Judgment has also come to the land of the plain, to Holon, and to Jahaz, and on Mephaath, 22 and on Dibon, and on Nebo, and on Beth-diblathaim, 23 and on Kiriathaim, and on Beth-gamul, and on Beth-meon, 24 and on Kerioth, and on Bozrah, and on all the towns of the land of Moab, the far and the near. 25 The horn of Moab is cut off and his arm is broken,” declares[fn] Yahweh.
- 26 because he magnified himself against Yahweh,
- and let Moab wallow in his vomit.
- And he also will become a laughingstock.
- 27 was not Israel the laughingstock to you? Or was he found among thieves?
- For[fn] you spoke over him
- you shook your head.
- 28 the towns and dwell on the rock, O inhabitants of Moab,
- and be like the dove,
- it nests on the sides of the mouth of a ravine.
- 29 of the pride of Moab — he is very proud—
- his height, and his pride, and his arrogance,
- and the haughtiness of his heart.
- 30 [fn] Yahweh, “and his boastings are[fn]
- they act[fn]
- 31 [fn] over Moab I wail, and for all of Moab I cry out,
- for the people[fn] of Kir-heres I moan.
- 32 I weep for you, O vine Sibmah.
- Your branches cross over the sea,
- up to the sea of Jazer they reach.
- Upon your summer fruit and upon your vintage
- the destroyer has fallen.
- 33 the fruitful land, even from the land of Moab.
- And the wine from the wine presses
- I have caused to disappear.
- He will not tread with exuberant shouts.[fn]
- Exuberant shouts[fn]will not be exuberant shouts.[fn]
- 34 up to Jahaz, they give their voice,
- from Zoar up to Horonaim, up to Eglath-shelishiyah,
- for even the waters of Nimrim have become as a desolation.
- 35 [fn] Yahweh, “ the one who presents a sacrifice at a high place,
- and the one who burns a smoke offering to his gods.
- 36 [fn] my heart moans for Moab like the flute.[fn] It moans for the people[fn] of Kir-heres like the flute.[fn]
- [fn] the wealth they gained has perished.
- 37 on every head is baldness, and every beard is trimmed.
- On all the hands, slashes,
- and on the loins, sackcloth.
- 38 there is wailing everywhere.
- For I have broken Moab like a vessel,
- there is no delight in it,”[fn] Yahweh.
- 39 How they wail! How Moab has turned his back! He is disgraced!
- So Moab has become as a derision,
- and as a terror for all his surrounding peoples.”
- 40 For thus says Yahweh,“Look, like an eagle he will swoop down,
- and he will spread out his wings against Moab.
- 41 and the strongholds will be conquered,
- and the hearts[fn] of the warriors of Moab will be on that day
- like the heart of a woman who is in labor.
- 42 being a people, because against Yahweh he magnified himself.
- 43 are against you, O inhabitant of Moab,”[fn] Yahweh.
- 44 who flees[fn] the dread will fall into the pit,
- and the one who climbs up from the pit
- will be caught in the trapping net,
- for I will bring on Moab
- the year of their punishment,”[fn] Yahweh.
- 45 fugitives stand without strength,
- for a fire has gone out from Heshbon,
- And it has eaten the forehead of Moab,
- and the skulls[fn] of the people[fn] of tumult.
- 46 The people of Chemosh have perished.
- For your sons have been taken into captivity,
- and your daughters into captivity.
- 47 [fn] of Moab in the last of the days,”[fn] Yahweh.
Thus far[fn]is the judgment of Moab.