< Jeremiah 48 >
1 Against Moab. Thus hath said the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, Woe unto Nebo! for it is wasted; made ashamed, captured is Kiryathayim; made ashamed is Misgab 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 There is no more praise of Moab: in Cheshbon have they devised evil against it, “Come, and let us cut it off from being a nation.” Also thou Madmen shalt be ruined; after thee shall pursue the sword.
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 There is a voice of crying from Choronayim, destruction and a great breach.
and all the Jews that were with him in Massepha, and all the Chaldeans that were found there.
4 Broken down is Moab: her little ones send forth a cry of distress.
And it came to pass on the second day after he had struck Godolias, and no man knew [of it],
5 For the ascent of Luchith is ascended with weeping and tears; for on the descent of Choronayim the enemies have heard 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 life, and be ye like the solitary tree 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 trusted in thy works and in thy treasures, thou also shalt be conquered: and Kemosh shall go forth into exile, [with] 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 water shall come over every city, and no city shall escape: and lost shall be the valley, and destroyed shall be the plain, as the Lord 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; since her cities shall become desolate, without any to dwell therein.
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 doth the work of the Lord negligently, and cursed be he that withholdeth 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 was ever at ease from his youth, and he was resting on his lees, and was not emptied from vessel to vessel, and had not gone into exile: therefore had his taste remained in him, and his scent was 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 are coming, saith the Lord, when I will send unto him tappers, that shall tap him, and they shall empty his vessels, and dash in pieces their bottles.
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 Kemosh, as the house of Israel were made ashamed because of Beth-el 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 can ye say, We are mighty and men of bravery for the war?
that they returned to Joanan.
15 Moab is wasted, and into his cities hath [the enemy] ascended, and his chosen young men are gone down to the slaughter, saith the King, the Lord of hosts is his name.
But Ismael escaped with eight men and went to the children of Ammon.
16 Near is the calamity of Moab to come, and his misfortune hasteneth 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 stick!
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 thirst, thou inhabitress, daughter of Dibon; for the waster of Moab cometh up against thee, he destroyeth thy strong-holds.
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 look out, O inhabitress of 'Aro'er: ask him that fleeth, and her that escapeth, say, What hath been done?
20 Moab hath been made ashamed; for it is broken down; wail, and cry aloud: tell ye it by the Arnon, that Moab is wasted,
21 And punishment is come over the land of the plain, over Cholon, and over Yahzah, and over Mepha'ath,
22 And over Dibon, and over Nebo, and over Beth-diblathayim,
23 And over Kiryathayim, and over Beth-gamul, and over Beth-me'on,
24 And over Keriyoth, and over Bozrah, and over all the cities of the land of Moab, that are far and that are near.
25 Hewn away is the horn of Moab, and his arm is broken, saith the Lord.
26 Make him drunken; for he magnified himself against the Lord: and Moab shall wallow in his vomit, and he also shall become [an object] of derision.
27 For was not Israel a derision unto thee? or was he found among thieves? that whenever thou spokest of him, thou hadst to shake [thy head]?
28 Leave the cities, and dwell on rocks, O ye that dwell in Moab; and be ye like the dove that maketh her nest in the sides of the mouth of rocky clefts.
29 We have heard the pride of Moab, who is so exceedingly proud, his haughtiness, and his pride, and his arrogance, and the overbearingness of his heart.
30 I will know, saith the Lord, his wrath, and how causeless it is: his liars have done what is not right.
31 Therefore will I wail for Moab, and for all Moab will I cry out; for the men of Kir-cheres shall people moan.
32 With the weeping of Ya'zer will I weep for thee, O vine of Sibmah; thy tendrils [once] passed over the sea, they reached as far as to the sea of Ya'zer: over thy summer-fruits and over thy vintage the waster is fallen.
33 And banished are joy and gladness from Carmel, and from the land of Moab; and I have caused the wine to cease from the wine-presses; none shall tread the press with the vintner's call; battle cry—nor vintner's call.
34 From the loud cry of Cheshbon as far as El'aleh, even unto Yahaz, have they sent forth their voice, from Zo'ar even unto Choronayim, to the third 'Eglath; for the waters also of Nimrim shall become desolate.
35 Moreover will I cause to cease unto Moab, saith the Lord, him that offereth on the high-places, and him that burneth incense to his gods.
36 Therefore shall my heart groan for Moab like flutes, and my heart shall groan like flutes for the men of Kir-cheres; for the cause that the remnant of the riches he had gotten are lost.
37 For every head is bald, and every beard is shorn: upon all the hands are cuttings, and upon the loins is sackcloth.
38 Upon all the roofs of Moab, and in her streets, there is everywhere lamentation; for I have broken Moab like a vessel which hath no value, saith the Lord.
39 Oh, how is it broken down! wail! how hath Moab turned the back with shame! and Moab shall be a derision and a dismay to all those around him.
40 For thus hath said the Lord, Behold, as the eagle shall he fly, and he shall spread out his wings over Moab.
41 Captured are the fortresses, and the strong-holds are conquered: and the heart of the mighty men of Moab shall be on that day as the heart of a woman in her pangs.
42 And Moab shall be destroyed from being a people; because it hath magnified himself against the Lord.
43 Terror, and the pit, and the snare, shall be upon thee, O inhabitant of Moab, saith the Lord.
44 He that fleeth from the terror shall fall into the pit; and he that getteth up out of the pit shall be caught in the snare; for I will bring upon it, even upon Moab, the year of their visitation, saith the Lord.
45 Under the shadow of Cheshbon stand still, deprived of strength, those that flee; but a fire cometh forth out of Cheshbon, and a flame from the midst of Sichon, and it devoureth the corner of Moab, and the crown of the head of the children of vaunting.
46 Woe unto thee, O Moab! lost is the people of Kemosh; for thy sons are taken captives, and thy daughters into captivity.
47 Yet will I bring back again the captivity of Moab in the end of days, saith the Lord. Thus far is the punishment of Moab.