Judgment on Moab

1Against Moab thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Woe to Nebo! for it is spoiled: Kiriathaim is confounded and taken: Misgab is confounded and dismayed.   Jehovah^s.f. Tsebaoth^p.f.; plundered

2There shall be no more praise of Moab: in Heshbon they have devised evil against it; come, and let us cut it off from being a nation. Also you shall be cut down, O Madmen; the sword shall pursue you.

3A voice of crying shall be from Horonaim, spoiling and great destruction.   plundering

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

5For 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.

6Flee, save your^p lives, and be like the heath in the wilderness.   bush

7For because you have trusted in your works and in your treasures, you shall also be taken: and Chemosh shall go forth into captivity with his priests and his princes together.

8And the spoiler shall come upon every city, and no city shall escape: the valley also shall perish, and the plain shall be destroyed, as the Lord has spoken.   destroyer

9Give wings to Moab, that it may flee and get away: for the cities thereof shall be desolate, without any to dwell therein.   barren, empty

10Cursed be he that does the work of the Lord deceitfully, and cursed be he that keeps back his sword from blood.

11Moab has been at ease from his youth, and he has settled on his lees, and has not been emptied from vessel to vessel, neither has he gone into captivity: therefore his taste remained in him, and his scent is not changed.   dregs, strong wine

12Therefore, behold, the days come, says the Lord, that I will send to him wanderers, that shall cause him to wander, and shall empty his vessels, and break their bottles.

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

14How say you^p, We are mighty and strong men for the war?

15Moab is spoiled, and gone up out of her cities, and his chosen young men are gone down to the slaughter, says the King, whose name is the Lord of hosts.

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

17All you^p that are about him, bemoan him; and all you^p that know his name, say, How is the strong staff broken, and the beautiful rod!

18You daughter that does inhabit Dibon, come down from your glory, and sit in thirst; for the spoiler of Moab shall come upon you, and he shall destroy your strong holds.

19O inhabitant of Aroer, stand by the way, and espy; ask him that flees, and her that escapes, and say, What is done?   watch

20Moab is confounded; for it is broken down: howl and cry; tell you^p it in Arnon, that Moab is spoiled,   cry loudly

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, says the Lord.   strength

26Make you^p him drunken: for he magnified himself against the Lord: Moab also shall wallow in his vomit, and he also shall be in derision.

27For was not Israel a derision to you? was he found among thieves? for since you spoke of him, you skipped for joy.

28O you^p that dwell in Moab, leave the cities, and dwell in the rock, and be like the dove that makes her nest in the sides of the hole’s mouth.

29We have heard the pride of Moab, (he is exceeding proud) his loftiness, and his arrogancy, and his pride, and the haughtiness of his heart.

30I know his wrath, says the Lord; but it shall not be so; his lies shall not so effect it.

31Therefore will I howl for Moab, and I will cry out for all Moab; My heart shall mourn for the men of Kirheres.

32O vine of Sibmah, I will weep for you with the weeping of Jazer: your plants are gone over the sea, they reach even to the sea of Jazer: the spoiler is fallen upon your summer fruits and upon your vintage.   destroyer

33And joy and gladness is taken from the plentiful field, and from the land of Moab; and I have caused wine to fail from the wine presses: none shall tread with shouting; their shouting shall be no shouting.

34From the cry of Heshbon even to Elealeh, and even to Jahaz, have they uttered their voice, from Zoar even to Horonaim, as a heifer of three years old: for the waters also of Nimrim shall be desolate.

35Moreover I will cause to cease in Moab, says the Lord, him that offers in the high places, and him that burns incense to his gods.   places of pagan worship

36Therefore My heart shall sound for Moab like pipes, and My heart shall sound like pipes for the men of Kirheres: because the riches that he has gotten are perished.

37For every head shall be bald, and every beard clipped: upon all the hands shall be cuttings, and upon the loins sackcloth.

38There shall be lamentation generally upon all the housetops of Moab, and in the streets thereof: for I have broken Moab like a vessel wherein is no pleasure, says the Lord.

39They shall howl, saying, How is it broken down! how has Moab turned the back with shame! so shall Moab be a derision and a dismaying to all them about him.

40For thus says the Lord; Behold, he shall fly as an eagle, and shall spread his wings over Moab.

41Kerioth is taken, and the strong holds are surprised, and the mighty men’s hearts in Moab at that day shall be as the heart of a woman in her pangs.

42And Moab shall be destroyed from being a people, because he has magnified himself against the Lord.

43Fear, and the pit, and the snare, shall be upon you, O inhabitant of Moab, says the Lord.   trap

44He that flees from the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that gets up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for I will bring upon it, even upon Moab, the year of their visitation, says the Lord.   punishment

45They that fled stood under the shadow of Heshbon because of the force: but a fire shall come forth out of Heshbon, and a flame from the midst of Sihon, and shall devour the corner of Moab, and the crown of the head of the tumultuous ones.

46Woe be to you, O Moab! the people of Chemosh perishes: for your sons are taken captives, and your daughters captives.

47Yet will I bring again the captivity of Moab in the latter days, says the Lord. Thus far is the judgment of Moab.