Jeremiah 48

1 Concerning Moab. Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel: Woe unto Nebo! for it is spoiled; Kirjathaim is put to shame, it is taken; Misgab is put to shame and dismayed.

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 Moab's praise is no more; in Heshbon they have devised evil against her: Come, and let us cut her off from [being] a nation. Thou also, O Madmen, shalt be cut down; the sword shall pursue thee.

And Ismael rose up, and the ten men that were with him, and struck Godolias, whom the king of Babylon had appointed [governor] over the land,

3 A voice of crying from Horonaim; wasting and great destruction!

and all the Jews that were with him in Massepha, and all the Chaldeans that were found there.

4 Moab is destroyed; her little ones have caused a cry to be heard.

And it came to pass on the second day after he had struck Godolias, and no man knew [of it],

5 For by the ascent of Luhith continual weeping shall go up; for in the descent of Horonaim is heard the anguish of the cry of destruction.

that there came men from Sychem, and from Salem, and from Samaria, [even] eighty men, having their beards shaven, and their clothes tore, and beating their breasts, and [they had] manna and frankincense in their hands, to bring [them] into the house of the Lord.

6 Flee, save your lives, and be like a shrub in the wilderness.

And Ismael went out to meet them; [and] they went on and wept: and he said to them, Come in to Godolias.

7 For because thou hast confided in thy works and in thy treasures, thou also shalt be taken, and Chemosh shall go forth into captivity, his priests and his princes together.

And it came to pass, when they had entered into the midst of the city, [that] he killed them [and cast them] into a pit.

8 And the waster shall come upon every city, that not a city shall escape; and the valley shall perish, and the plateau shall be destroyed: as Jehovah hath 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 killed them not in the midst of their brethren.

9 Give wings unto Moab, that she may flee and get away; and the cities thereof shall become a desolation, without inhabitant.

Now the pit into which Ismael cast all whom he struck, 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 be he that doeth the work of Jehovah negligently, and cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood!

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 hath been at ease from his youth, and hath settled on his lees; he hath not been emptied from vessel to vessel, neither hath he gone into captivity: therefore his taste hath remained in him, and his scent is not changed.

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, days come, saith Jehovah, that I will send unto him pourers that shall pour him off, and shall empty his vessels, and break in pieces his flagons.

And they brought all their army, and went to fight against him, and found him near much water in Gabaon.

13 And Moab shall be ashamed of Chemosh, as the house of Israel was ashamed of Bethel, their confidence.

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 do ye say, We are mighty, and men of valour for the war?

that they returned to Joanan.

15 Moab is laid waste, and his cities are gone up [in smoke], and his chosen young men are gone down to the slaughter, saith the King, whose name is Jehovah of hosts.

But Ismael escaped with eight men and went to the children of Ammon.

16 The calamity of Moab is near to come, and his affliction hasteth fast.

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 All ye that are about him, bemoan him; and all ye that know his name, say, How is the strong staff broken, the beautiful rod!

and they departed, and lived in Gaberoch-amaa, that is by Bethleem, to go into Egypt, for fear of the Chaldeans:

18 Come down from [thy] glory and sit in the drought, O inhabitress, daughter of Dibon; the spoiler of Moab is come up against thee, thy strongholds hath he destroyed.

for they were afraid of them, because Ismael had struck Godolias, whom the king of Babylon made [governor] in the land.

19 Stand by the way, and watch, inhabitress of Aroer; ask him that fleeth, and her that escapeth; say, What is done?

20 Moab is put to shame; for he is broken down: howl and cry; tell it in Arnon, that Moab is laid waste.

21 And judgment is come upon the country of the plateau; upon Holon, and upon Jahzah, and upon Mephaath;

22 and upon Dibon, and upon Nebo, and upon Beth-diblathaim;

23 and upon Kirjathaim, and upon Beth-gamul, and upon Beth-meon;

24 and upon Kerijoth, and upon Bozrah, and upon all the cities of the land of Moab, far and near.

25 The horn of Moab is cut off, and his arm is broken, saith Jehovah.

26 Make him drunken, for he magnified himself against Jehovah; and Moab shall wallow in his vomit, and he also shall be in derision.

27 For was not Israel a derision unto thee? Was he found among thieves, that as oft as thou didst speak of him, thou didst shake the head?

28 Leave the cities, and dwell in the rocks, ye inhabitants of Moab, and be like the dove, that maketh her nest in the sides of the cave's mouth.

29 We have heard of the arrogance of Moab, — [he is] very proud; — his loftiness, and his arrogance, and his pride, and the haughtiness of his heart.

30 I know his wrath, saith Jehovah; his pratings are vain: they do not as [they say].

31 Therefore will I howl for Moab, and I will cry out for all Moab: for the men of Kir-heres shall there be moaning.

32 O vine of Sibmah, I will weep for thee with more than the weeping of Jaazer: thy shoots passed over the sea, they reached to the sea of Jaazer. The spoiler is fallen upon thy summer fruits and upon thy vintage.

33 And joy and gladness is taken away from the fruitful field and from the land of Moab; and I have caused wine to fail from the winepresses: they shall no more tread with shouting; the shouting shall be no shouting.

34 Because of the cry from Heshbon, unto Elaleh, unto Jahaz have they uttered their voice, from Zoar unto Horonaim, [unto] Eglath-shelishijah: for even the waters of Nimrim shall become desolations.

35 And I will cause to cease in Moab, saith Jehovah, him that offereth in the high place, and him that burneth incense to his gods.

36 Therefore my heart shall sound for Moab like pipes, and my heart shall sound like pipes for the men of Kir-heres; because the abundance that he hath gotten is perished.

37 For every head is bald, and every beard clipped; upon all the hands are cuttings, and upon the loins sackcloth.

38 It is wholly lamentation upon all the housetops of Moab, and in the public places thereof; for I have broken Moab, like a vessel wherein is no pleasure, saith Jehovah.

39 They howl, How is it broken down! how hath Moab turned the back with shame! And Moab shall be a derision and a terror to all that are round about him.

40 For thus saith Jehovah: Behold, he shall fly as an eagle, and shall spread forth his wings over Moab.

41 Kerijoth is taken, and the strongholds are seized, and at that day the heart of the mighty men of Moab shall be as the heart of a woman in her pangs.

42 And Moab shall be destroyed from being a people, because he hath magnified himself against Jehovah.

43 Fear, and the pit, and the snare shall be upon thee, O inhabitant of Moab, saith Jehovah.

44 He that fleeth from the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that getteth up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for I will bring upon her, upon Moab, the year of their visitation, saith Jehovah.

45 They that fled stood under the shadow of Heshbon powerless; for a fire hath come forth from Heshbon, and a flame from the midst of Sihon, and hath consumed the corner of Moab, and the crown of the head of the sons of tumult.

46 Woe to thee, Moab! The people of Chemosh is undone; for thy sons are taken away in captivity, and thy daughters are captives.

47 But I will turn the captivity of Moab at the end of the days, saith Jehovah. Thus far is the judgement of Moab.