Jeremiah 48
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.
Now it came to pass in the seventh month that Ismael the son of Nathanias the son of Eleasa of the seed royal, came, and ten men with him, to Godolias to Massepha: and they ate bread there together.
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.
And Ismael rose up, and the ten men that were with him, and smote Godolias, whom the king of Babylon had appointed [governor] over the land,
3 A voice cries out from Horonaim: ‘Devastation and great destruction!’
and all the Jews that were with him in Massepha, and all the Chaldeans that were found there.
4 Moab will be shattered; her little ones will cry out.
And it came to pass on the second day after he had smitten Godolias, and no man knew [of it],
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:
that there came men from Sychem, and from Salem, and from Samaria, [even] eighty men, having their beards shaven, and their clothes rent, and beating their breasts, and [they had] manna and frankincense in their hands, to bring [them] into the house of the Lord.
6 ‘Flee! Run for your lives! Become like a juniper in the desert.’
And Ismael went out to meet them; [and] they went on and wept: and he said to them, Come in to Godolias.
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.
And it came to pass, when they had entered into the midst of the city, [that] he slew them [and cast them] into a pit.
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.
But ten men were found there, and they said to Ismael, Slay us not: for we have treasures in the field, wheat and barley, honey and oil. So he passed by, and slew them not in the midst of their brethren.
9 Put salt on Moab, for she will be laid waste; her cities will become desolate, with no one to dwell in them.
Now the pit into which Ismael cast all whom he smote, is the great pit, which king Asa had made for fear of Baasa king of Israel: [even] this Ismael filled with slain men.
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.
And Ismael brought back all the people that were left in Massepha, and the king's daughter, whom the captain of the guard had committed in charge to Godolias the son of Achicam: and he went away beyond the children of Ammon.
11 Moab has been at ease from youth, settled like wine on its dregs; he has not been poured from vessel to vessel or gone into exile. So his flavor has remained the same, and his aroma is unchanged.
And Joanan the son of Caree, and all the leaders of the host that were with him, heard of all the evil deeds which Ismael had done.
12 Therefore behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will send to him wanderers, who will pour him out. They will empty his vessels and shatter his jars.
And they brought all their army, and went to fight against him, and found him near much water in Gabaon.
13 Then Moab will be ashamed of Chemosh, just as the house of Israel was ashamed when they trusted in Bethel.
And it came to pass, when all the people that was with Ismael saw Joanan, and the leaders of the host that was with him,
14 How can you say, ‘We are warriors, mighty men ready for battle’?
that they returned to Joanan.
15 Moab has been destroyed and its towns have been invaded; the best of its young men have gone down in the slaughter, declares the King, whose name is the LORD of Hosts.
But Ismael escaped with eight men and went to the children of Ammon.
16 Moab’s calamity is at hand, and his affliction is rushing swiftly.
And Joanan, and all the leaders of the host that were with him, took all the remnant of the people, whom he [had] brought back from Ismael, mighty men in war, and the women, and the other [property], and the eunuchs, whom they [had] brought back from Gabaon:
17 Mourn for him, all you who surround him, everyone who knows his name; tell how the mighty scepter is shattered— the glorious staff!
and they departed, and dwelt in Gaberoch-amaa, that is by Bethleem, to go into Egypt, for fear of the Chaldeans:
18 Come down from your glory; sit on parched ground, O daughter dwelling in Dibon, for the destroyer of Moab has come against you; he has destroyed your fortresses.
for they were afraid of them, because Ismael had smitten Godolias, whom the king of Babylon made [governor] in the land.
19 Stand by the road and watch, O dweller of Aroer! Ask the man fleeing or the woman escaping, ‘What has happened?’
20 Moab is put to shame, for it has been shattered. Wail and cry out! Declare by the Arnon that Moab is destroyed.
21 Judgment has come upon the high plain— upon Holon, Jahzah, and Mephaath,
22 upon Dibon, Nebo, and Beth-diblathaim,
23 upon Kiriathaim, Beth-gamul, and Beth-meon,
24 upon Kerioth, Bozrah, and all the towns of Moab, those far and near.
25 The horn of Moab has been cut off, and his arm is broken,”
26 “Make him drunk, because he has magnified himself against the LORD; so Moab will wallow in his own vomit, and he will also become a laughingstock.
27 Was not Israel your object of ridicule? Was he ever found among thieves? For whenever you speak of him you shake your head.
28 Abandon the towns and settle among the rocks, O dwellers of Moab! Be like a dove that nests at the mouth of a cave.
29 We have heard of Moab’s pomposity, his exceeding pride and conceit, his proud arrogance and haughtiness of heart.
30 I know his insolence,” declares the LORD, “but it is futile. His boasting is as empty as his deeds.
31 Therefore I will wail for Moab; I will cry out for all of Moab; I will moan for the men of Kir-heres.
32 I will weep for you, O vine of Sibmah, more than I weep for Jazer. Your tendrils have extended to the sea; they reach even to Jazer. The destroyer has descended on your summer fruit and grape harvest.
33 Joy and gladness are removed from the orchard and from the fields of Moab. I have stopped the flow of wine from the presses; no one treads them with shouts of joy; their shouts are not for joy.
34 There is a cry from Heshbon to Elealeh; they raise their voices to Jahaz, from Zoar to Horonaim and Eglath-shelishiyah; for even the waters of Nimrim have dried up.
35 In Moab, declares the LORD, I will bring an end to those who make offerings on the high places and burn incense to their gods.
36 Therefore My heart laments like a flute for Moab; it laments like a flute for the men of Kir-heres, because the wealth they acquired has perished.
37 For every head is shaved and every beard is clipped; on every hand is a gash, and around every waist is sackcloth.
38 On all the rooftops of Moab and in the public squares, everyone is mourning; for I have shattered Moab like an unwanted jar,”
39 “How shattered it is! How they wail! How Moab has turned his back in shame! Moab has become an object of ridicule and horror to all those around him.”
40 For this is what the LORD says: “Behold, an eagle swoops down and spreads his wings against Moab.
41 Kirioth has been taken, and the strongholds seized. In that day the heart of Moab’s warriors will be like the heart of a woman in labor.
42 Moab will be destroyed as a nation because he vaunted himself against the LORD.
43 Terror and pit and snare await you, O dweller of Moab,”
44 “Whoever flees the panic will fall into the pit, and whoever climbs from the pit will be caught in the snare. For I will bring upon Moab the year of their punishment,”
45 “Those who flee will stand helpless in Heshbon’s shadow, because fire has gone forth from Heshbon and a flame from within Sihon. It devours the foreheads of Moab and the skulls of the sons of tumult.
46 Woe to you, O Moab! The people of Chemosh have perished; for your sons have been taken into exile and your daughters have gone into captivity.
47 Yet in the latter days I will restore Moab from captivity,” declares the LORD. Here ends the judgment on Moab.
