Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version They go up the hill to Luhith, weeping bitterly as they go; on the road down to Horonaim anguished cries over the destruction are heard. New Living Translation Her refugees weep bitterly, climbing the slope to Luhith. They cry out in terror, descending the slope to Horonaim. English Standard Version For at the ascent of Luhith they go up weeping; for at the descent of Horonaim they have heard the distressed cry of destruction. Berean Standard Bible 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: Berean Literal Bible For the ascent of Luhith with weeping, they ascend weeping; for on the descent of Horonaim they have heard the distressed cry of destruction. King James Bible For in the going up of Luhith continual weeping shall go up; for in the going down of Horonaim the enemies have heard a cry of destruction. New King James Version 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. New American Standard Bible “For 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. NASB 1995 “For by the ascent of Luhith They will ascend with continual weeping; For at the descent of Horonaim They have heard the anguished cry of destruction. NASB 1977 “For by the ascent of Luhith They will ascend with continual weeping; For at the descent of Horonaim They have heard the anguished cry of destruction. Legacy Standard Bible For by the ascent of Luhith They will ascend with continual weeping; For at the descent of Horonaim They have heard the distressed cry of destruction. Amplified Bible “For the Ascent of Luhith Will be climbed by [successive groups of] fugitives with continual weeping; For on the descent of Horonaim They have heard the distress of the cry of destruction. Berean Annotated Bible For on the ascent to Luhith (tablets) they weep bitterly as they go, and on the descent to Horonaim (two caves) cries of distress resound over the destruction: Christian Standard Bible For 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: Holman Christian Standard Bible For 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: American Standard Version For by the ascent of Luhith with continual weeping shall they go up; for at the descent of Horonaim they have heard the distress of the cry of destruction. Contemporary English Version and cry on their way up to the town of Luhith; on the road to Horonaim they will tell of disasters. English Revised Version For by the ascent of Luhith with continual weeping shall they go up; for in the going down of Horonaim they have heard the distress of the cry of destruction. GOD'S WORD® Translation People go up the pass of Luhith, crying bitterly as they go. On the road down to Horonaim they have heard the distressful cry of destruction. Good News Translation Hear the sound of their sobs along the road up to Luhith, the cries of distress on the way down to Horonaim. International Standard Version Indeed, at the ascent of Luhith people will go up with bitter weeping. At the descent of Horonaim the anguished cries over the destruction will be heard. NET Bible Indeed they will climb the slopes of Luhith, weeping continually as they go. For on the road down to Horonaim they will hear the cries of distress over the destruction. New Heart English Bible For by the ascent of Luhith with continual weeping shall they go up; for at the descent of Horonaim they have heard the distress of the cry of destruction. Webster's Bible Translation For in the ascent of Luhith continual weeping shall go up; for in the descent of Horonaim the enemies have heard a cry of destruction. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleFor on the ascent to Luhith they weep bitterly as they go, and on the descent to Horonaim cries of distress resound over the destruction: World English Bible For they will go up by the ascent of Luhith with continual weeping. For at the descent of Horonaim they have heard the distress of the cry of destruction. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionFor the ascent of Luhith with weeping, "" Weeping goes up, "" For in the descent of Horonaim "" Adversaries have heard a cry of desolation. Berean Literal Bible For the ascent of Luhith with weeping, they ascend weeping; for on the descent of Horonaim they have heard the distressed cry of destruction. Young's Literal Translation For the ascent of Luhith with weeping, Go up doth weeping, For in the descent of Horonaim Adversaries a cry of desolation have heard. Smith's Literal Translation For the going up of Luhith weeping shall go up with weeping; for in the going down of Horonaim the enemies heard a cry of breaking. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleFor by the ascent of Luith shall the mourner go up with weeping: for in the descent of Oronaim the enemies have heard a howling of destruction. Catholic Public Domain Version For, along the ascent of Luhith, the mourner will ascend with weeping. For, on the descent of Horonaim, the enemies have heard the wailing of devastation. New American Bible Up the ascent of Luhith they go weeping; At the descent to Horonaim they hear cries of anguish: New Revised Standard Version For at the ascent of Luhith they go up weeping bitterly; for at the descent of Horonaim they have heard the distressing cry of anguish. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleFor at the ascent of Luhith they shall go up weeping: and in the going down of Horonaim they shall raise a cry of tribulation and of destruction. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated While weeping at the ascent of Lukhith, they shall go up, and in the descent of Khornim they shall cause suffering and the crying of brokenness OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917For by the ascent of Luhith With continual weeping shall they go up; For in the going down of Horonaim They have heard the distressing cry of destruction. Brenton Septuagint Translation for Aloth is filled with weeping: one shall go up weeping by the way of Oronaim; ye have heard a cry of destruction. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context The Judgment on Moab…4Moab will be shattered; her little ones will cry out. 5For on the ascent to Luhith they weep bitterly as they go, and on the descent to Horonaim cries of distress resound over the destruction: 6‘Flee! Run for your lives! Become like a juniper in the desert.’… Cross References For on the ascent to Luhith Isaiah 15:5 My heart cries out over Moab; her fugitives flee as far as Zoar, as far as Eglath-shelishiyah. With weeping they ascend the slope of Luhith; they lament their destruction on the road to Horonaim. 2 Samuel 15:30 But David continued up the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went up. His head was covered, and he was walking barefoot. And all the people with him covered their heads and went up, weeping as they went. Psalm 126:6 He who goes out weeping, bearing a trail of seed, will surely return with shouts of joy, carrying sheaves of grain. they weep bitterly as they go, Isaiah 15:2-3 Dibon goes up to its temple to weep at its high places. Moab wails over Nebo, as well as over Medeba. Every head is shaved, every beard is cut off. / In its streets they wear sackcloth; on the rooftops and in the public squares they all wail, falling down weeping. Lamentations 1:2 She weeps aloud in the night, with tears upon her cheeks. Among all her lovers there is no one to comfort her. All her friends have betrayed her; they have become her enemies. Jeremiah 9:1 Oh, that my head were a spring of water, and my eyes a fountain of tears! I would weep day and night over the slain daughter of my people. and on the descent to Horonaim Joshua 10:10-11 And the LORD threw them into confusion before Israel, who defeated them in a great slaughter at Gibeon, pursued them along the ascent to Beth-horon, and struck them down as far as Azekah and Makkedah. / As they fled before Israel along the descent from Beth-horon to Azekah, the LORD cast down on them large hailstones from the sky, and more of them were killed by the hailstones than by the swords of the Israelites. Joshua 16:3 Then it descended westward to the border of the Japhletites as far as the border of Lower Beth-horon and on to Gezer, and it ended at the Sea. cries of distress resound over the destruction: Isaiah 15:4 Heshbon and Elealeh cry out; their voices are heard as far as Jahaz. Therefore the soldiers of Moab cry out; their souls tremble within. Isaiah 15:8 For their outcry echoes to the border of Moab. Their wailing reaches Eglaim; it is heard in Beer-elim. Isaiah 16:7 Therefore let Moab wail; let them wail together for Moab. Moan for the raisin cakes of Kir-hareseth, you who are utterly stricken. Isaiah 16:9 So I weep with Jazer for the vines of Sibmah; I drench Heshbon and Elealeh with my tears. Triumphant shouts have fallen silent over your summer fruit and your harvest. Isaiah 16:11 Therefore my heart laments for Moab like a harp, my inmost being for Kir-heres. Zephaniah 2:9 Therefore, as surely as I live,” declares the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, “surely Moab will be like Sodom and the Ammonites like Gomorrah—a place of weeds and salt pits, a perpetual wasteland. The remnant of My people will plunder them; the remainder of My nation will dispossess them.” Numbers 21:28-30 For a fire went out from Heshbon, a blaze from the city of Sihon. It consumed Ar of Moab, the rulers of Arnon’s heights. / Woe to you, O Moab! You are destroyed, O people of Chemosh! He gave up his sons as refugees, and his daughters into captivity to Sihon king of the Amorites. / But we have overthrown them; Heshbon is destroyed as far as Dibon. We demolished them as far as Nophah, which reaches to Medeba.” Amos 2:1-3 This is what the LORD says: “For three transgressions of Moab, even four, I will not revoke My judgment, because he burned to lime the bones of Edom’s king. / So I will send fire against Moab to consume the citadels of Kerioth. Moab will die in tumult, amid war cries and the sound of the ram’s horn. / I will cut off the ruler of Moab and kill all the officials with him,” says the LORD. Treasury of Scripture For in the going up of Luhith continual weeping shall go up; for in the going down of Horonaim the enemies have heard a cry of destruction. Isaiah 15:5 My heart shall cry out for Moab; his fugitives shall flee unto Zoar, an heifer of three years old: for by the mounting up of Luhith with weeping shall they go it up; for in the way of Horonaim they shall raise up a cry of destruction. Jump to Previous Adversaries Anguish Anguished Ascend Ascent Bitterly Continual Cries Cry Descent Desolation Destruction Distress Distressing Enemies Heard Horonaim Horona'im Luhith Road Slope Way WeepingJump to Next Adversaries Anguish Anguished Ascend Ascent Bitterly Continual Cries Cry Descent Desolation Destruction Distress Distressing Enemies Heard Horonaim Horona'im Luhith Road Slope Way WeepingJeremiah 48 1. The judgment of Moab7. for their pride 11. for their security 14. for their carnal confidence 26. and for their contempt of God and his people 47. The restoration of Moab For on the ascent to Luhith Luhith is a location in Moab, a region east of the Dead Sea. The ascent to Luhith suggests a steep climb, indicating the geographical terrain of the area. This ascent is significant as it represents the path of escape for the Moabites during the Babylonian invasion. The mention of Luhith highlights the dire situation faced by the Moabites, as they flee from the advancing enemy forces. The ascent is symbolic of the struggle and hardship faced by those trying to escape judgment. they weep bitterly as they go and on the descent to Horonaim cries of distress resound over the destruction Persons / Places / Events 1. LuhithA location in Moab, mentioned in the context of a path of ascent. It is a place associated with weeping and lamentation due to impending destruction. 2. Horonaim Another location in Moab, mentioned as a place of descent. It is characterized by cries of distress, indicating the severity of the calamity that has befallen Moab. 3. Moab A nation east of Israel, often in conflict with Israel. In this context, Moab is facing judgment and destruction as prophesied by Jeremiah. 4. Jeremiah A prophet of God who conveyed messages of judgment and hope to the nations, including Moab. His prophecies often called for repentance and warned of consequences for sin. 5. Destruction The event of judgment upon Moab, symbolized by the weeping and cries of distress. It serves as a warning of the consequences of turning away from God. Teaching Points The Consequences of SinThe destruction of Moab serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of turning away from God. Sin leads to sorrow and distress, as seen in the weeping and cries of Moab. The Certainty of God's Judgment The prophecy against Moab underscores the certainty of God's judgment. Just as Moab faced destruction, so too will all who persist in sin without repentance. The Call to Repentance The lamentation of Moab is a call to repentance for all nations. It is a reminder to turn back to God before facing similar judgment. The Compassion of God Even in judgment, God's heart is for restoration. The weeping and cries are not just signs of destruction but also an invitation to seek God's mercy and grace. The Role of the Prophet Jeremiah's role as a prophet was to convey God's message faithfully, regardless of its popularity. Believers are called to speak truth in love, warning others of the consequences of sin. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Jeremiah 48:5?2. How does Jeremiah 48:5 illustrate the consequences of pride in our lives? 3. What can we learn from Moab's downfall to avoid similar spiritual pitfalls? 4. How does Jeremiah 48:5 connect with Proverbs 16:18 about pride and destruction? 5. In what ways can we seek God's guidance to prevent spiritual decline? 6. How can we support others experiencing "weeping" and "crying" as in Jeremiah 48:5? 7. What historical events does Jeremiah 48:5 refer to in Moab's downfall? 8. How does Jeremiah 48:5 reflect God's judgment on nations? 9. What is the significance of the ascent of Luhith in Jeremiah 48:5? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Jeremiah 48? 11. What is Zoar's significance in the Bible? 12. How can the prophecy in Jeremiah 48:8-9 of Moab's total destruction be reconciled with archaeological evidence suggesting Moabite cities outlasted this period? 13. If Jeremiah 48:42 says Moab will cease to be a people, how do later mentions of Moab or its descendants fit with this prophecy? 14. In Jeremiah 22:5, how can one verify historically or archaeologically that God's promised judgment on the house of David came to pass exactly as stated? What Does Jeremiah 48:5 Mean For on the ascent to Luhith• The Lord’s sentence against Moab in this chapter becomes visible: refugees are forcing their way up the steep grade toward the town of Luhith. • “Ascent” underscores exhaustion and urgency; the people must climb to escape the invader. • Similar imagery is used in Isaiah 15:5, where Moab’s fugitives “go up the ascent of Luhith weeping,” confirming the historic route and God’s consistent warning. • God is literally showing that no corner of Moab, not even its higher ground, will offer safety (Jeremiah 48:8). they weep bitterly as they go • The grief is immediate and intense—no time for silent resolve, only open sobbing. • Their tears fulfill the pattern God spelled out for nations that oppose Him (Jeremiah 9:17-18; Revelation 18:9-10). • Weeping “as they go” tells us the sorrow is not confined to one spot; it travels with them, revealing complete hopelessness. • This public grief stands in contrast to the false security Moab once boasted (Jeremiah 48:29). and on the descent to Horonaim • After climbing, the people now plunge downward toward Horonaim, showing that every direction—uphill or downhill—only leads to more calamity. • Horonaim sat in a valley region, so the “descent” paints a vivid picture of fleeing downhill into deeper danger (Isaiah 15:5 again mirrors the scene). • God’s judgment follows them relentlessly, illustrating Proverbs 28:1, “The wicked flee when no one pursues,” yet here the pursuit is very real. cries of distress resound over the destruction • The soundscape is loud wailing, not whispered regret. This amplifies the completeness of the ruin: sight (destruction) matched by sound (cries). • Jeremiah had already heard “a cry of devastation” out of Horonaim (Jeremiah 48:3), proving the prophecy unfolds exactly as spoken. • The word “resound” suggests echoing through valleys, letting neighboring towns know that what has befallen Horonaim will soon reach them (Jeremiah 48:34; Zephaniah 1:10). • Every cry underscores God’s absolute accuracy in judgment; none can say they were not warned (Deuteronomy 32:39). summary Jeremiah 48:5 gives a snapshot of Moab’s downfall in motion: uphill flight to Luhith drenched in tears, downhill scramble to Horonaim drowned in wails. The verse shows literal, geographic movement paired with emotional collapse, proving that when God declares judgment, it overtakes a people everywhere they turn. Cross-scripture echoes confirm the certainty of the prophecy, and the loud, bitter outcry highlights both the completeness of Moab’s ruin and the unchanging reliability of God’s Word. (5) In the going up of Luhith.--Here again we have an echo from Isaiah 15:5. Jerome (Onomast. s.v. Luith) describes it as between Zoar and Areopolis (= Rabbath-Moab). The ascent was probably to a local sanctuary. A various reading, Laboth, followed by the LXX., gives the meaning "the ascent of planks," as though it were a wooden staircase. Alike in that and in the descent from Horonaim (possibly the fugitives who came down from the heights of the one city are represented as going up with wailing to the other) the enemies of Moab would hear the cry that proclaimed its downfall.Verse 5. - For in the going up of Luhith, etc. The verse is substantially taken from Isaiah (Isaiah 15:5), but with variations peculiar to this chapter. The most peculiar of these is that in the first verse half, which is literally, weeping goeth up (not, shall go up) with weeping, which is explained by Dr. Payne Smith to mean "one set of weeping fugitives pressing close upon another." To the present commentator (as also to Delitzsch - see his note on Isaiah 15:5) there seems no reasonable doubt that b'ki, the word rendered "weeping," should rather be bo, "upon it," so that the passage will run, as in Isaiah, "for the going up of Luhith with weeping doth one go up if," Hitzig (whom for once we find agreeing with Delitzsch) remarks that the miswriting b'ki for bo may be easily accounted for by the fact that ki, "for," is the word which follows next. We have no right to ascribe to Jeremiah such an artificial and un-Hebraic an expression as that of the received text. Small as the matter may be in itself, it is not unimportant as suggesting to the Old Testament student a caution against the too unreserved adoption of the canon Lectioni faciliori praestat ardua. In the going down of Horonaim. An interesting variation from Isaiah. The older poet, less attentive to minutiae, had said vaguely, "in the road to Horonaim;" by a slight change of expression, the younger and more reflective writer produces a striking antithesis between the ascent to the hill-town, and the descent to the hollow in which Horonaim ("double cavern") appears to have been situated. It is possible, however, that Jeremiah has preserved the original reading, and that "the road" in Isaiah, l.c., is due to the carelessness of a scribe. The enemies have heard a cry of destruction. But why this reference to the enemies? The rendering, however, is ungrammatical. The text is, literally, the enemies of the cry of destruction have they heard. The prophecy in Isaiah omits "the enemies of," and has a different verb for "have they heard." Can the inserted words be an intrusion from the margin? The later scribes were accustomed to insert glosses in the margin on occasions where we should have thought them entirely unnecessary for the purpose of explanation. But then why "the enemies of"? It is an insoluble enigma.Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Forכִּ֚י (kî) Conjunction Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction on the Ascent מַעֲלֵ֣ה (ma·‘ă·lêh) Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 4608: An elevation, acclivity, platform, a rise, priority to Luhith הַלּוּחִ֔ית (hal·lū·ḥîṯ) Article | Noun - proper - feminine singular Strong's 3872: Luhith -- a place in Moab they weep בֶּ֑כִי (be·ḵî) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 1065: A weeping, a dripping bitterly בִּבְכִ֖י (biḇ·ḵî) Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 1065: A weeping, a dripping as they go, יַֽעֲלֶה־ (ya·‘ă·leh-) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 5927: To ascend, in, actively and כִּ֚י (kî) Conjunction Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction on the descent בְּמוֹרַ֣ד (bə·mō·w·raḏ) Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 4174: A descent, an ornamental appendage, a festoon to Horonaim חוֹרֹנַ֔יִם (ḥō·w·rō·na·yim) Noun - proper - feminine singular Strong's 2773: Horonaim -- 'two hollows', a place in Moab cries צַֽעֲקַת־ (ṣa·‘ă·qaṯ-) Noun - feminine singular construct Strong's 6818: A cry, outcry of distress צָרֵ֥י (ṣā·rê) Noun - masculine plural construct Strong's 6862: Narrow, a tight place, a pebble, an opponent resound שָׁמֵֽעוּ׃ (šā·mê·‘ū) Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural Strong's 8085: To hear intelligently over the destruction: שֶׁ֖בֶר (še·ḇer) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 7667: A breaking, fracture, crushing, breach, crash Links Jeremiah 48:5 NIVJeremiah 48:5 NLT Jeremiah 48:5 ESV Jeremiah 48:5 NASB Jeremiah 48:5 KJV Jeremiah 48:5 BibleApps.com Jeremiah 48:5 Biblia Paralela Jeremiah 48:5 Chinese Bible Jeremiah 48:5 French Bible Jeremiah 48:5 Catholic Bible OT Prophets: Jeremiah 48:5 For by the ascent of Luhith (Jer.) |
    |