Jeremiah chapter 48
English Standard Version
2the renown of Moab is no more. In Heshbon they planned disaster against her: ‘Come, let us cut her off from being a nation!’ You also, O Madmen, shall be brought to silence; the sword shall pursue you. 3"A voice! A cry from Horonaim, ‘Desolation and great destruction!’ 4Moab is destroyed; her little ones have made a cry. 5 For at the ascent of Luhith they go up weeping; for at the descent of Horonaim they have heard the distressed cry of destruction. 6Flee! Save yourselves! You will be like a juniper in the desert! 7For, because you trusted in your works and your treasures, you also shall be taken; and Chemosh shall go into exile with his priests and his officials. 8 The destroyer shall come upon every city, and no city shall escape; the valley shall perish, and the plain shall be destroyed, as the Lord has spoken. 9"Give wings to Moab, for she would fly away; her cities shall become a desolation, with no inhabitant in them. 10"Cursed is he who does the work of the Lord with slackness, and cursed is he who keeps back his sword from bloodshed.
11"Moab has been at ease from his youth and has settled on his dregs; he has not been emptied from vessel to vessel, nor has he gone into exile; so his taste remains in him, and his scent is not changed. 12"Therefore, behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I shall send to him pourers who will pour him, and empty his vessels and break his jars in pieces. 13Then Moab shall be ashamed of Chemosh, as the house of Israel was ashamed of Bethel, their confidence.
14"How do you say, ‘We are heroes and mighty men of war’? 15The destroyer of Moab and his cities has come up, and the choicest of his young men have gone down to slaughter, declares the King, whose name is the Lord of hosts. 16The calamity of Moab is near at hand, and his affliction hastens swiftly. 17 Grieve for him, all you who are around him, and all who know his name; say, ‘How the mighty scepter is broken, the glorious staff.’ 18 "Come down from your glory, and sit on the parched ground, O inhabitant of Dibon! For the destroyer of Moab has come up against you; he has destroyed your strongholds. 19 Stand by the way and watch, O inhabitant of Aroer! Ask him who flees and her who escapes; say, ‘What has happened?’ 20Moab is put to shame, for it is broken; wail and cry! Tell it beside the Arnon, that Moab is laid waste. 21"Judgment has come upon the tableland, upon Holon, and Jahzah, and Mephaath, 22and Dibon, and Nebo, and Beth-diblathaim, 23and Kiriathaim, and Beth-gamul, and Beth-meon, 24and Kerioth, and Bozrah, and all the cities of the land of Moab, far and near. 25The horn of Moab is cut off, and his arm is broken, declares the Lord.
26"Make him drunk, because he magnified himself against the Lord, so that Moab shall wallow in his vomit, and he too shall be held in derision. 27Was not Israel a derision to you? Was he found among thieves, that whenever you spoke of him you wagged your head?
28 "Leave the cities, and dwell in the rock, O inhabitants of Moab! Be like the dove that nests in the sides of the mouth of a gorge. 29 We have heard of the pride of Moab — he is very proud — of his loftiness, his pride, and his arrogance, and the haughtiness of his heart. 30I know his insolence, declares the Lord; his boasts are false, his deeds are false. 31 Therefore I wail for Moab; I cry out for all Moab; for the men of Kir-hareseth I mourn. 32More than for Jazer I weep for you, O vine of Sibmah! Your branches passed over the sea, reached to the Sea of Jazer; on your summer fruits and your grapes the destroyer has fallen. 33 Gladness and joy have been taken away from the fruitful land of Moab; I have made the wine cease from the winepresses; no one treads them with shouts of joy; the shouting is not the shout of joy. 34"From the outcry at Heshbon even to Elealeh, as far as Jahaz they utter their voice, from Zoar to Horonaim and Eglath-shelishiyah. For the waters of Nimrim also have become desolate. 35And I will bring to an end in Moab, declares the Lord, him who offers sacrifice in the high place and makes offerings to his god. 36Therefore my heart moans for Moab like a flute, and my heart moans like a flute for the men of Kir-hareseth. Therefore the riches they gained have perished.
37"For every head is shaved and every beard cut off. On all the hands are gashes, and around the waist is sackcloth. 38On all the housetops of Moab and in the squares there is nothing but lamentation, for I have broken Moab like a vessel for which no one cares, declares the Lord. 39How it is broken! How they wail! How Moab has turned his back in shame! So Moab has become a derision and a horror to all that are around him."
40For thus says the Lord: "Behold, one shall fly swiftly like an eagle and spread his wings against Moab; 41 the cities shall be taken and the strongholds seized. The heart of the warriors of Moab shall be in that day like the heart of a woman in her birth pains; 42Moab shall be destroyed and be no longer a people, because he magnified himself against the Lord. 43 Terror, pit, and snare are before you, O inhabitant of Moab! declares the Lord. 44He who flees from the terror shall fall into the pit, and he who climbs out of the pit shall be caught in the snare. For I will bring these things upon Moab, the year of their punishment, declares the Lord. 45"In the shadow of Heshbon fugitives stop without strength, for fire came out from Heshbon, flame from the house of Sihon; it has destroyed the forehead of Moab, the crown of the sons of tumult. 46 Woe to you, O Moab! The people of Chemosh are undone, for your sons have been taken captive, and your daughters into captivity. 47 Yet I will restore the fortunes of Moab in the latter days, declares the Lord." Thus far is the judgment on Moab.
New International Version
1Concerning Moab: This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: "Woe to Nebo, for it will be ruined. Kiriathaim will be disgraced and captured; the stronghold will be disgraced and shattered. 2Moab will be praised no more; in Heshbon people will plot her downfall: ‘Come, let us put an end to that nation.’ You, the people of Madmen, will also be silenced; the sword will pursue you. 3Cries of anguish arise from Horonaim, cries of great havoc and destruction. 4Moab will be broken; her little ones will cry out. 5They go up the hill to Luhith, weeping bitterly as they go; on the road down to Horonaim anguished cries over the destruction are heard. 6Flee! Run for your lives; become like a bush in the desert. 7Since you trust in your deeds and riches, you too will be taken captive, and Chemosh will go into exile, together with his priests and officials. 8The destroyer will come against every town, and not a town will escape. The valley will be ruined and the plateau destroyed, because the Lord has spoken.
10"A curse on anyone who is lax in doing the Lord’s work! A curse on anyone who keeps their sword from bloodshed! 11"Moab has been at rest from youth, like wine left on its dregs, not poured from one jar to another— she has not gone into exile. So she tastes as she did, and her aroma is unchanged. 12But days are coming," declares the Lord, "when I will send men who pour from pitchers, and they will pour her out; they will empty her pitchers and smash her jars.
13Then Moab will be ashamed of Chemosh, as Israel was ashamed when they trusted in Bethel. 14"How can you say, ‘We are warriors, men valiant in battle’? 15Moab will be destroyed and her towns invaded; her finest young men will go down in the slaughter," declares the King, whose name is the Lord Almighty. 16"The fall of Moab is at hand; her calamity will come quickly.
17Mourn for her, all who live around her, all who know her fame; say, ‘How broken is the mighty scepter, how broken the glorious staff!’ 18"Come down from your glory and sit on the parched ground, you inhabitants of Daughter Dibon, for the one who destroys Moab will come up against you and ruin your fortified cities. 19Stand by the road and watch, you who live in Aroer. Ask the man fleeing and the woman escaping, ask them, ‘What has happened?’ 20Moab is disgraced, for she is shattered. Wail and cry out! Announce by the Arnon that Moab is destroyed. 21Judgment has come to the plateau— to Holon, Jahzah and Mephaath, 22to Dibon, Nebo and Beth Diblathaim, 23to Kiriathaim, Beth Gamul and Beth Meon, 24to Kerioth and Bozrah— to all the towns of Moab, far and near.
25Moab’s horn is cut off; her arm is broken," declares the Lord. 26"Make her drunk, for she has defied the Lord. Let Moab wallow in her vomit; let her be an object of ridicule. 27Was not Israel the object of your ridicule? Was she caught among thieves, that you shake your head in scorn whenever you speak of her?
28Abandon your towns and dwell among the rocks, you who live in Moab. Be like a dove that makes its nest at the mouth of a cave. 29"We have heard of Moab’s pride— how great is her arrogance!— of her insolence, her pride, her conceit and the haughtiness of her heart. 30I know her insolence but it is futile," declares the Lord, "and her boasts accomplish nothing. 31Therefore I wail over Moab, for all Moab I cry out, I moan for the people of Kir Hareseth. 32I weep for you, as Jazer weeps, you vines of Sibmah. Your branches spread as far as the sea ; they reached as far as Jazer. The destroyer has fallen on your ripened fruit and grapes.
33Joy and gladness are gone from the orchards and fields of Moab. I have stopped the flow of wine from the presses; no one treads them with shouts of joy. Although there are shouts, they are not shouts of joy. 34"The sound of their cry rises from Heshbon to Elealeh and Jahaz, from Zoar as far as Horonaim and Eglath Shelishiyah, for even the waters of Nimrim are dried up. 35In Moab I will put an end to those who make offerings on the high places and burn incense to their gods," declares the Lord. 36"So my heart laments for Moab like the music of a pipe; it laments like a pipe for the people of Kir Hareseth. The wealth they acquired is gone. 37Every head is shaved and every beard cut off; every hand is slashed and every waist is covered with sackcloth. 38On all the roofs in Moab and in the public squares there is nothing but mourning, for I have broken Moab like a jar that no one wants," declares the Lord. 39"How shattered she is! How they wail! How Moab turns her back in shame! Moab has become an object of ridicule, an object of horror to all those around her."
40This is what the Lord says: "Look! An eagle is swooping down, spreading its wings over Moab. 41Kerioth will be captured and the strongholds taken. In that day the hearts of Moab’s warriors will be like the heart of a woman in labor. 42Moab will be destroyed as a nation because she defied the Lord. 43Terror and pit and snare await you, you people of Moab," declares the Lord.
44"Whoever flees from the terror will fall into a pit, whoever climbs out of the pit will be caught in a snare; for I will bring on Moab the year of her punishment," declares the Lord. 45"In the shadow of Heshbon the fugitives stand helpless, for a fire has gone out from Heshbon, a blaze from the midst of Sihon; it burns the foreheads of Moab, the skulls of the noisy boasters.
New American Standard Bible
1Concerning Moab. This is what the Lord of armies, the God of Israel says: 'Woe to Nebo, for it has been destroyed; Kiriathaim has been put to shame, it has been captured; The high stronghold has been put to shame and shattered. 2There is no longer praise for Moab; In Heshbon they have devised disaster against her: ‘Come and let’s cut her off from being a nation!’ You too, Madmen, will be silenced; The sword will follow you. 3The sound of an outcry from Horonaim, ‘Devastation and great destruction!’ 4Moab is broken, Her little ones have sounded out a cry of distress. 5For they will go up by the ascent of Luhith With continual weeping; For at the descent of Horonaim They have heard the anguished cry of destruction. 6Flee, save yourselves, So that you may be like a juniper in the wilderness. 7For because of your trust in your own achievements and treasures, You yourself will also be captured; And Chemosh will go off into exile Together with his priests and his leaders. 8A destroyer will come to every city, So that no city will escape; The valley also will be ruined And the plateau will be destroyed, As the Lord has said. 9Give wings to Moab, For she will flee away; And her cities will become a desolation, Without inhabitants in them. 10Cursed is the one who does the Lord’S work negligently, And cursed is the one who restrains his sword from blood.
12Therefore behold, the days are coming,' declares the Lord, 'when I will send to him those who tip vessels, and they will tip him over, and they will pour out his vessels and smash his jars. 13And Moab will be ashamed of Chemosh, just as the house of Israel was ashamed of Bethel, their confidence.
14How can you say, ‘We are warriors, And men competent for battle’? 15Moab has been destroyed and men have gone up to his cities; His choicest young men have also gone down to the slaughter,' Declares the King, whose name is the Lord of armies. 16'The disaster of Moab will soon come, And his catastrophe has hurried quickly. 17Mourn for him, all you who live around him, And all of you who know his name; Say, ‘How the mighty scepter has been broken, A staff of splendor!’ 18Come down from your glory And sit on the parched ground, O daughter living in Dibon, For the destroyer of Moab has come up against you, He has ruined your strongholds. 19Stand by the road and keep watch, You inhabitant of Aroer; Ask him who flees and her who escapes And say, ‘What has happened?’
21Judgment has also come upon the plain, upon Holon, Jahzah, and against Mephaath, 22against Dibon, Nebo, and Beth-diblathaim, 23against Kiriathaim, Beth-gamul, and Beth-meon, 24against Kerioth, Bozrah, and all the cities of the land of Moab, far and near. 25The horn of Moab has been cut off, and his arm broken,' declares the Lord. 26Make him drunk, for he has become arrogant toward the Lord; so Moab will vomit, and he also will become a laughingstock. 27Now was Israel not a laughingstock to you? Or was he caught among thieves? For whenever you speak about him you shake your head in scorn.
28Leave the cities and live among the rocky cliffs, You inhabitants of Moab, And be like a dove that nests Beyond the mouth of the chasm. 29We have heard of the pride of Moab—he is very proud— Of his haughtiness, his pride, his arrogance, and his self-exaltation. 30I know his fury,' declares the Lord, 'But it is futile; His idle boasts have accomplished nothing. 31Therefore I will wail for Moab, For all of Moab I will cry out; I will moan for the men of Kir-heres. 32More than the weeping for Jazer I will weep for you, O vine of Sibmah! Your tendrils stretched across the sea, They reached to the sea of Jazer; Upon your summer fruits and your grape harvest The destroyer has fallen.
34From the outcry at Heshbon to Elealeh, to Jahaz they have raised their voice, from Zoar to Horonaim, and to Eglath-shelishiyah; for even the waters of Nimrim will become desolate. 35And I will put an end to Moab,' declares the Lord, 'the one who offers sacrifice on the high place and the one who burns incense to his gods.
36Therefore My heart makes a sound like flutes for Moab; My heart also makes a sound like flutes for the men of Kir-heres. Therefore they have lost the abundance it produced. 37For every head is shaved bald, and every beard cut short; there are gashes on all the hands, and sackcloth around the waists. 38On all the housetops of Moab and in its public squares there is mourning everywhere; for I have broken Moab like an undesirable vessel,' declares the Lord. 39How shattered it is! How they have wailed! How Moab has turned his back—he is ashamed! So Moab will become a laughingstock and an object of terror to all around him.'
41Kerioth has been captured And the strongholds have been seized, So the hearts of the warriors of Moab on that day Will be like the heart of a woman in labor. 42Moab will be destroyed from being a people Because he has become arrogant toward the Lord. 43Terror, pit, and snare are coming upon you, Inhabitant of Moab,' declares the Lord. 44'The one who flees from the terror Will fall into the pit, And the one who climbs up out of the pit Will be caught in the snare; For I will bring upon her, upon Moab, The year of their punishment,' declares the Lord. 45'In the shadow of Heshbon The fugitives stand without strength; For a fire has spread out from Heshbon And a flame from the midst of Sihon, And it has devoured the forehead of Moab And the scalps of the loud revelers. 46Woe to you, Moab! The people of Chemosh have perished; For your sons have been taken away captive, And your daughters into captivity.
Christian Standard Bible
1About Moab, this is what the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says: Woe to Nebo, because it is about to be destroyed; Kiriathaim will be put to shame; it will be taken captive. The fortress will be put to shame and dismayed! 2There is no longer praise for Moab; they plan harm against her in Heshbon: Come, let’s cut her off from nationhood. Also, Madmen, you will be silenced; the sword will follow you. 3A voice cries out from Horonaim, "devastation and a crushing blow!" 4Moab will be shattered; her little ones will cry out. 5For on the Ascent to Luhith they will be weeping continually, and on the descent to Horonaim will be heard cries of distress over the destruction: 6Flee! Save your lives! Be like a juniper bush in the wilderness. 7Because you trust in your works and treasures, you will be captured also. Chemosh will go into exile with his priests and officials. 8The destroyer will move against every town; not one town will escape. The valley will perish, and the plain will be annihilated, as the Lord has said. 9Make Moab a salt marsh, for she will run away; her towns will become a desolation, without inhabitant. 10The one who does the Lord’s business deceitfully is cursed, and the one who withholds his sword from bloodshed is cursed. 11Moab has been left quiet since his youth, settled like wine on its dregs. He hasn’t been poured from one container to another or gone into exile. So his taste has remained the same, and his aroma hasn’t changed.
12Therefore look, the days are coming — this is the Lord’s declaration— when I will send pourers to him, who will pour him out. They will empty his containers and smash his jars. 13Moab will be put to shame because of Chemosh, just as the house of Israel was put to shame because of Bethel that they trusted in. 14How can you say, "We are warriors— valiant men for battle"?
15The destroyer of Moab and its towns has come up, and the best of its young men have gone down to slaughter. This is the King’s declaration; the Lord of Armies is his name. 16Moab’s calamity is near at hand; his disaster is rushing swiftly. 17Mourn for him, all you surrounding nations, everyone who knows his name. Say, "How the mighty scepter is shattered, the glorious staff!" 18Come down from glory; sit on parched ground, resident of the daughter of Dibon, for the destroyer of Moab has come against you; he has destroyed your fortresses. 19Stand by the highway and watch, resident of Aroer! Ask him who is fleeing or her who is escaping, "What happened?" 20Moab is put to shame, indeed dismayed. Wail and cry out! Declare by the Arnon that Moab is destroyed.
21"Judgment has come to the land of the plateau —to Holon, Jahzah, Mephaath, 22Dibon, Nebo, Beth-diblathaim, 23Kiriathaim, Beth-gamul, Beth-meon, 24Kerioth, Bozrah, and all the towns of the land of Moab, those far and near.
26"Make him drunk, because he has exalted himself against the Lord. Moab will wallow in his own vomit, and he will also become a laughingstock. 27Wasn’t Israel a laughingstock to you? Was he ever found among thieves? For whenever you speak of him you shake your head."
28Abandon the towns! Live in the cliffs, residents of Moab! Be like a dove that nests inside the mouth of a cave. 29We have heard of Moab’s pride, great pride, indeed— his insolence, arrogance, pride, and haughty heart.
30I know his outburst. This is the Lord’s declaration. It is empty. His boast is empty. 31Therefore, I will wail over Moab. I will cry out for Moab, all of it; he will moan for the men of Kir-heres. 32I will weep for you, vine of Sibmah, with more than the weeping for Jazer. Your tendrils have extended to the sea; they have reached to the sea and to Jazer. The destroyer has fallen on your summer fruit and grape harvest. 33Gladness and celebration are taken from the fertile field and from the land of Moab. I have stopped the flow of wine from the winepresses; no one will tread with shouts of joy. The shouting is not a shout of joy.
34"There is a cry from Heshbon to Elealeh; they make their voices heard as far as Jahaz —from Zoar to Horonaim and Eglath-shelishiyah—because even the Waters of Nimrim have become desolate. 35In Moab, I will stop"—this is the Lord’s declaration—"the one who offers sacrifices on the high place and burns incense to his gods. 36Therefore, my heart moans like flutes for Moab, and my heart moans like flutes for the people of Kir-heres. And therefore, the wealth he has gained has perished. 37Indeed, every head is bald and every beard is chopped short. On every hand is a gash and sackcloth around the waist. 38On all the rooftops of Moab and in her public squares, everyone is mourning because I have shattered Moab like a jar no one wants." This is the Lord’s declaration. 39"How broken it is! They wail! How Moab has turned his back! He is ashamed. Moab will become a laughingstock and a shock to all those around him."
40For this is what the Lord says: Look! He will swoop down like an eagle and spread his wings against Moab. 41The towns have been captured, and the strongholds seized. In that day the heart of Moab’s warriors will be like the heart of a woman with contractions. 42Moab will be destroyed as a people because he has exalted himself against the Lord.
44He who flees from the panic will fall in the pit, and he who climbs from the pit will be captured in the trap, for I will bring against Moab the year of their punishment. This is the Lord’s declaration. 45Those who flee will stand exhausted in Heshbon’s shadow because fire has come out from Heshbon and a flame from within Sihon. It will devour Moab’s forehead and the skull of the noisemakers. 46Woe to you, Moab! The people of Chemosh have perished because your sons have been taken captive and your daughters have gone into captivity.
New Living Translation
1This message was given concerning Moab. This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: 'What sorrow awaits the city of Nebo; it will soon lie in ruins. The city of Kiriathaim will be humiliated and captured; the fortress will be humiliated and broken down. 2No one will ever brag about Moab again, for in Heshbon there is a plot to destroy her. ‘Come,’ they say, ‘we will cut her off from being a nation.’ The town of Madmen, too, will be silenced; the sword will follow you there. 3Listen to the cries from Horonaim, cries of devastation and great destruction. 4All Moab is destroyed. Her little ones will cry out. 5Her refugees weep bitterly, climbing the slope to Luhith. They cry out in terror, descending the slope to Horonaim. 6Flee for your lives! Hide in the wilderness! 7Because you have trusted in your wealth and skill, you will be taken captive. Your god Chemosh, with his priests and officials, will be hauled off to distant lands!
8'All the towns will be destroyed, and no one will escape — either on the plateaus or in the valleys, for the Lord has spoken. 9Oh, that Moab had wings so she could fly away, for her towns will be left empty, with no one living in them. 10Cursed are those who refuse to do the Lord’s work, who hold back their swords from shedding blood!
11'From his earliest history, Moab has lived in peace, never going into exile. He is like wine that has been allowed to settle. He has not been poured from flask to flask, and he is now fragrant and smooth. 12But the time is coming soon,' says the Lord, 'when I will send men to pour him from his jar. They will pour him out, then shatter the jar! 13At last Moab will be ashamed of his idol Chemosh, as the people of Israel were ashamed of their gold calf at Bethel.
14'You used to boast, ‘We are heroes, mighty men of war.’ 15But now Moab and his towns will be destroyed. His most promising youth are doomed to slaughter,' says the King, whose name is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. 16'Destruction is coming fast for Moab; calamity threatens ominously. 17You friends of Moab, weep for him and cry! See how the strong scepter is broken, how the beautiful staff is shattered!
18'Come down from your glory and sit in the dust, you people of Dibon, for those who destroy Moab will shatter Dibon, too. They will tear down all your towers. 19You people of Aroer, stand beside the road and watch. Shout to those who flee from Moab, ‘What has happened there?’
20'And the reply comes back, ‘Moab lies in ruins, disgraced; weep and wail! Tell it by the banks of the Arnon River: Moab has been destroyed!’ 21Judgment has been poured out on the towns of the plateau — on Holon and Jahaz and Mephaath, 22on Dibon and Nebo and Beth-diblathaim, 23on Kiriathaim and Beth-gamul and Beth-meon, 24on Kerioth and Bozrah — all the towns of Moab, far and near.
25'The strength of Moab has ended. His arm has been broken,' says the Lord. 26'Let him stagger and fall like a drunkard, for he has rebelled against the Lord. Moab will wallow in his own vomit, ridiculed by all. 27Did you not ridicule the people of Israel? Were they caught in the company of thieves that you should despise them as you do?
28'You people of Moab, flee from your towns and live in the caves. Hide like doves that nest in the clefts of the rocks. 29We have all heard of the pride of Moab, for his pride is very great. We know of his lofty pride, his arrogance, and his haughty heart. 30I know about his insolence,' says the Lord, 'but his boasts are empty — as empty as his deeds. 31So now I wail for Moab; yes, I will mourn for Moab. My heart is broken for the men of Kir-hareseth.
32'You people of Sibmah, rich in vineyards, I will weep for you even more than I did for Jazer. Your spreading vines once reached as far as the Dead Sea, but the destroyer has stripped you bare! He has harvested your grapes and summer fruits. 33Joy and gladness are gone from fruitful Moab. The presses yield no wine. No one treads the grapes with shouts of joy. There is shouting, yes, but not of joy.
35I will put an end to Moab,' says the Lord, 'for the people offer sacrifices at the pagan shrines and burn incense to their false gods. 36My heart moans like a flute for Moab and Kir-hareseth, for all their wealth has disappeared. 37The people shave their heads and beards in mourning. They slash their hands and put on clothes made of burlap. 38There is crying and sorrow in every Moabite home and on every street. For I have smashed Moab like an old, unwanted jar. 39How it is shattered! Hear the wailing! See the shame of Moab! It has become an object of ridicule, an example of ruin to all its neighbors.'
40This is what the Lord says: 'Look! The enemy swoops down like an eagle, spreading his wings over Moab. 41Its cities will fall, and its strongholds will be seized. Even the mightiest warriors will be in anguish like a woman in labor. 42Moab will no longer be a nation, for it has boasted against the Lord.
43'Terror and traps and snares will be your lot, O Moab,' says the Lord. 44'Those who flee in terror will fall into a trap, and those who escape the trap will step into a snare. I will see to it that you do not get away, for the time of your judgment has come,' says the Lord. 45'The people flee as far as Heshbon but are unable to go on. For a fire comes from Heshbon, King Sihon’s ancient home, to devour the entire land with all its rebellious people.
King James Version
20Moab is confounded; for it is broken down: howl and cry; tell ye it in Arnon, that Moab is spoiled, 21And judgment is come upon the plain country; upon Holon, and upon Jahazah, and upon Mephaath, 22And upon Dibon, and upon Nebo, and upon Bethdiblathaim, 23And upon Kiriathaim, and upon Bethgamul, and upon Bethmeon, 24And upon Kerioth, and upon Bozrah, and upon all the cities of the land of Moab, far or near. 25The horn of Moab is cut off, and his arm is broken, saith the Lord. 26Make ye him drunken: for he magnified himself against the Lord: Moab also shall wallow in his vomit, and he also shall be in derision.
New King James Version
1Against Moab. Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: “Woe to Nebo! For it is plundered, Kirjathaim is shamed and taken; The high stronghold is shamed and dismayed— 2 No more praise of Moab. In Heshbon they have devised evil against her: ‘Come, and let us cut her off as a nation.’ You also shall be cut down, O Madmen! The sword shall pursue you; 3A voice of crying shall be from Horonaim: ‘Plundering and great destruction!’ 4“Moab is destroyed; Her little ones have caused a cry to be heard; 5 For in the Ascent of Luhith they ascend with continual weeping; For in the descent of Horonaim the enemies have heard a cry of destruction. 6“Flee, save your lives! And be like the juniper in the wilderness. 7For because you have trusted in your works and your treasures, You also shall be taken. And Chemosh shall go forth into captivity, His priests and his princes together. 8And the plunderer shall come against every city; No one shall escape. The valley also shall perish, And the plain shall be destroyed, As the Lord has spoken. 9“Give wings to Moab, That she may flee and get away; For her cities shall be desolate, Without any to dwell in them. 10 Cursed is he who does the work of the Lord deceitfully, And cursed is he who keeps back his sword from blood. 11“Moab has been at ease from his youth; He has settled on his dregs, And has not been emptied from vessel to vessel, Nor has he gone into captivity. Therefore his taste remained in him, And his scent has not changed. 12“Therefore behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord, “That I shall send him wine-workers Who will tip him over And empty his vessels And break the bottles. 13Moab shall be ashamed of Chemosh, As the house of Israel was ashamed of Bethel, their confidence. 14“How can you say, ‘We are mighty And strong men for the war’? 15Moab is plundered and gone up from her cities; Her chosen young men have gone down to the slaughter,” says the King, Whose name is the Lord of hosts. 16“The calamity of Moab is near at hand, And his affliction comes quickly. 17Bemoan him, all you who are around him; And all you who know his name, Say, ‘How the strong staff is broken, The beautiful rod!’ 18“O daughter inhabiting Dibon, Come down from your glory, And sit in thirst; For the plunderer of Moab has come against you, He has destroyed your strongholds. 19O inhabitant of Aroer, Stand by the way and watch; Ask him who flees And her who escapes; Say, ‘What has happened?’ 20Moab is shamed, for he is broken down. Wail and cry! Tell it in Arnon, that Moab is plundered. 21“And judgment has come on the plain country: On Holon and Jahzah and Mephaath, 22On Dibon and Nebo and Beth Diblathaim, 23On Kirjathaim and Beth Gamul and Beth Meon, 24On Kerioth and Bozrah, On all the cities of the land of Moab, Far or near. 25 The horn of Moab is cut off, And his arm is broken,” says the Lord. 26“Make him drunk, Because he exalted himself against the Lord. Moab shall wallow in his vomit, And he shall also be in derision. 27For was not Israel a derision to you? Was he found among thieves? For whenever you speak of him, You shake your head in scorn. 28You who dwell in Moab, Leave the cities and dwell in the rock, And be like the dove which makes her nest In the sides of the cave’s mouth. 29“We have heard the pride of Moab (He is exceedingly proud), Of his loftiness and arrogance and pride, And of the haughtiness of his heart.” 30“I know his wrath,” says the Lord, “But it is not right; His lies have made nothing right. 31Therefore I will wail for Moab, And I will cry out for all Moab; I will mourn for the men of Kir Heres. 32 O vine of Sibmah! I will weep for you with the weeping of Jazer. Your plants have gone over the sea, They reach to the sea of Jazer. The plunderer has fallen on your summer fruit and your vintage. 33 Joy and gladness are taken From the plentiful field And from the land of Moab; I have caused wine to fail from the winepresses; No one will tread with joyous shouting— Not joyous shouting! 34“From the cry of Heshbon to Elealeh and to Jahaz They have uttered their voice, From Zoar to Horonaim, Like a three-year-old heifer; For the waters of Nimrim also shall be desolate. 35“Moreover,” says the Lord, “I will cause to cease in Moab The one who offers sacrifices in the high places And burns incense to his gods. 36Therefore My heart shall wail like flutes for Moab, And like flutes My heart shall wail For the men of Kir Heres. Therefore the riches they have acquired have perished. 37“For every head shall be bald, and every beard clipped; On all the hands shall be cuts, and on the loins sackcloth— 38A general lamentation On all the housetops of Moab, And in its streets; For I have broken Moab like a vessel in which is no pleasure,” says the Lord. 39“They shall wail: ‘How she is broken down! How Moab has turned her back with shame!’ So Moab shall be a derision And a dismay to all those about her.”
40For thus says the Lord: “Behold, one shall fly like an eagle, And spread his wings over Moab. 41Kerioth is taken, And the strongholds are surprised; The mighty men’s hearts in Moab on that day shall be Like the heart of a woman in birth pangs. 42And Moab shall be destroyed as a people, Because he exalted himself against the Lord. 43 Fear and the pit and the snare shall be upon you, O inhabitant of Moab,” says the Lord. 44“He who flees from the fear shall fall into the pit, And he who gets out of the pit shall be caught in the snare. For upon Moab, upon it I will bring The year of their punishment,” says the Lord. 45“Those who fled stood under the shadow of Heshbon Because of exhaustion. But a fire shall come out of Heshbon, A flame from the midst of Sihon, And shall devour the brow of Moab, The crown of the head of the sons of tumult. 46 Woe to you, O Moab! The people of Chemosh perish; For your sons have been taken captive, And your daughters captive.