Jeremiah 48

1 Concerning Moab: “Thus said YHWH of Hosts, God of Israel: Woe to Nebo, for it is spoiled, Kiriathaim has been captured [and] put to shame, The high tower has been put to shame, Indeed, it has been broken down.

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 of Moab, In Heshbon they devised evil against her: Come, and we cut it off from [being] a nation, Also, O Madmen, you are cut off, A sword goes after you.

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 a cry [is] from Horonaim, Spoiling and great destruction.

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

4 Moab has been 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 the ascent of Luhith with weeping, Weeping goes up, For in the descent of Horonaim Adversaries have heard a cry of desolation.

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, deliver yourselves, You are as a naked thing in a 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 of your trusting in your works, And in your treasures, even you are captured, And Chemosh has gone out in a removal, His priests and his heads 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 a spoiler comes to every city, And no city escapes, And the valley has perished, And the plain has been destroyed, as YHWH 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 to Moab, that she may go forth and flee away, And her cities are for a desolation, Without an inhabitant in them.

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 [is] he who is doing the work of YHWH slothfully, And cursed [is] he Who is withholding 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 is secure from his youth, And he [is] at rest for his preserved things, And he has not been emptied out from vessel to vessel, And he has not gone into captivity, Therefore his taste has remained in him, And his fragrance has not been 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, A declaration of YHWH, And I have sent wanderers to him, And they have caused him to wander, And they empty out his vessels, And they dash his bottles in pieces.

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

13 And Moab has been ashamed because of Chemosh, As the house of Israel has been 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 do you say, We [are] mighty, And men of strength for battle?

that they returned to Joanan.

15 Moab is spoiled, and has gone up [from] her cities, And the choice of its young men Have gone down to slaughter, An affirmation of the King, YHWH of Hosts [is] His Name.

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

16 The destruction of Moab is near to come, And his calamity has hurried exceedingly.

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 Bemoan for him, all you around him, And all knowing his name, say, How it has been broken, the staff of strength, The rod of beauty!

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 glory, sit in thirst, O inhabitant, daughter of Dibon, For a spoiler of Moab has come up to you, He has destroyed your fortifications.

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

19 Stand on the way, and watch, O inhabitant of Aroer, Ask the fugitive and escaped, Say, What has happened?

20 Moab has been put to shame, For it has been broken down, Howl and cry, declare in Arnon, For Moab is spoiled,

21 And judgment has come to the land of the plain—to Holon, And to Jahazah, and on Mephaath,

22 And on Dibon, and on Nebo, And on Beth-Diblathaim, and on Kirathaim,

23 And on Beth-Gamul, and on Beth-Meon,

24 And on Kerioth, and on Bozrah, And on all cities of the land of Moab, The far off and the near.

25 The horn of Moab has been cut down, And his arm has been broken, A declaration of YHWH.

26 Declare him drunk, For he made himself great against YHWH And Moab has struck in his vomit, And he has been for a derision—even he.

27 And was Israel not the derision to you? Was he found among thieves? For since your words concerning him, You bemoan yourself.

28 Forsake cities, and dwell in a rock, You inhabitants of Moab, And be as a dove making a nest in the passages of a pit’s mouth.

29 We have heard of the arrogance of Moab, Exceedingly proud! His haughtiness, and his arrogance, And his pride, and the height of his heart,

30 I have known, a declaration of YHWH, His wrath, and [it is] not right, His boastings—they have done nothing right.

31 Therefore I howl for Moab, even for Moab—all of it, I cry for men of Kir-Heres, it mourns,

32 With the weeping of Jazer, I weep for you, O vine of Sibmah, Your branches have passed over a sea, They have come to the Sea of Jazer, On your summer fruits, and on your harvest, A spoiler has fallen.

33 And joy and gladness have been removed from the fruitful field, Even from the land of Moab, And I have caused wine to cease from winepresses, Shouting does not proceed, The shouting [is] not shouting!

34 Because of the cry of Heshbon to Elealeh, They have given their voice to Jahaz, From Zoar to Horonaim, A heifer of the third [year], For even [the] waters of Nimrim become desolations.

35 And I have caused to cease in Moab, A declaration of YHWH, Him who is offering in a high place, And him who is making incense to his god.

36 Therefore My heart sounds as pipes for Moab, And My heart sounds as pipes for men of Kir-Heres, Therefore the abundance he made perished.

37 For every head [is] bald, and every beard diminished, On all hands—cuttings, and on the loins—sackcloth.

38 On all roofs of Moab, and in her broad-places, All of it—lamentation, For I have broken Moab as a vessel in which there is no pleasure,” A declaration of YHWH.

39 “How it has been broken down! They have howled, How Moab has turned the neck ashamed! And Moab has been for a derision And for a terror to all around her.”

40 For thus said YHWH: “Behold, he flees as an eagle, And has spread his wings to Moab.

41 The cities have been captured, And the strongholds are caught, And the heart of the mighty of Moab Has been in that day as the heart of a distressed woman.

42 And Moab has been destroyed from [being] a people, For he exerted himself against YHWH.

43 Fear, and a snare, and a trap, [are] for you, O inhabitant of Moab—a declaration of YHWH,

44 Whoever is fleeing because of the fear falls into the snare, And whoever is coming up from the snare is captured by the trap, For I bring to her—to Moab—The year of their inspection, A declaration of YHWH.

45 In the shadow of Heshbon fugitives have stood powerless, For fire has gone forth from Heshbon, And a flame from within Sihon, And it consumes the corner of Moab, And the crown of the sons of Shaon.

46 Woe to you, O Moab, The people of Chemosh have perished, For your sons were taken with the captives, And your daughters with the captivity.

47 And I have turned back [to] the captivity of Moab, In the latter end of the days,” A declaration of YHWH! “Until now [is] the judgment of Moab.”