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Texts -- Jeremiah 48:1-18 (NET)

Context
Judgment Against Moab
48:1 The Lord God of Israel who rules over all spoke about Moab . “Sure to be judged is Nebo ! Indeed , it will be destroyed ! Kiriathaim will suffer disgrace . It will be captured ! Its fortress will suffer disgrace . It will be torn down ! 48:2 People will not praise Moab any more . The enemy will capture Heshbon and plot how to destroy Moab, saying, ‘Come , let’s put an end to that nation !’ City of Madmen , you will also be destroyed . A destructive army will march against you. 48:3 Cries of anguish will arise in Horonaim , ‘Oh, the ruin and great destruction !’ 48:4 “Moab will be crushed . Her children will cry out in distress. 48:5 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 . 48:6 They will hear, ‘Run ! Save yourselves ! Even if you must be like a lonely shrub in the desert !’ 48:7 “Moab, you trust in the things you do and in your riches . So you too will be conquered . Your god Chemosh will go into exile along with his priests and his officials . 48:8 The destroyer will come against every town . Not one town will escape . The towns in the valley will be destroyed . The cities on the high plain will be laid waste . I, the Lord , have spoken ! 48:9 Set up a gravestone for Moab , for it will certainly be laid in ruins! Its cities will be laid waste and become uninhabited .” 48:10 A curse on anyone who is lax in doing the Lord’s work ! A curse on anyone who keeps from carrying out his destruction ! 48:11 “From its earliest days Moab has lived undisturbed . It has never been taken into exile . Its people are like wine allowed to settle undisturbed on its dregs , never poured out from one jar to another . They are like wine which tastes like it always did, whose aroma has remained unchanged . 48:12 But the time is coming when I will send men against Moab who will empty it out . They will empty the towns of their people, then will lay those towns in ruins . I, the Lord , affirm it! 48:13 The people of Moab will be disappointed by their god Chemosh . They will be as disappointed as the people of Israel were when they put their trust in the calf god at Bethel . 48:14 How can you men of Moab say , ‘We are heroes , men who are mighty in battle ?’ 48:15 Moab will be destroyed . Its towns will be invaded . Its finest young men will be slaughtered . I, the King , the Lord who rules over all , affirm it! 48:16 Moab’s destruction is at hand . Disaster will come on it quickly . 48:17 Mourn for that nation, all you nations living around it, all of you nations that know of its fame . Mourn and say , ‘Alas , its powerful influence has been broken ! Its glory and power have been done away!’ 48:18 Come down from your place of honor ; sit on the dry ground , you who live in Dibon . For the one who will destroy Moab will attack you; he will destroy your fortifications .

Pericope

NET

Bible Dictionary

  • Moabites

    [nave] MOABITES Descendants of Lot through his son Moab, Gen. 19:37. Called the people of Chemosh, Num. 21:29. The territory E. of Jordan, bounded on the N. by the river Arnon, Num. 21:13; Judg. 11:18. Children of Israel command...

  • Chemosh

    [ebd] the destroyer, subduer, or fish-god, the god of the Moabites (Num. 21:29; Jer. 48:7, 13, 46). The worship of this god, "the abomination of Moab," was introduced at Jerusalem by Solomon (1 Kings 11:7), but was abolished by Jo...
    [isbe] CHEMOSH - ke'-mosh (kemosh; Chamos): 1. Moabites, the People of Chemosh 2. Solomon and Chemosh Worship 3. Josiah Putting Down Chemosh Worship 4. Chemosh and Ammonites 5. Moabite Stone 6. Mesha's Inscription and the Old Testa...
    [smith] (subduer), the national deity of the Moabites. (Numbers 21:29; Jeremiah 48:7,13,46) In (Judges 11:24) he also appears as the god of the Ammonites. Solomon introduced, and Josiah abolished, the worship of Chemosh at Jerusalem....
    [nave] CHEMOSH, an idol of the Moabites and Ammonites, 1 Kin. 11:7, 33; 2 Kin. 23:13; Jer. 48:7, 13, 46; and Amorites, Judg. 11:24.

  • Horonaim

    [ebd] two caverns, a city of Moab to the south of the Arnon, built, apparently, upon an eminence, and a place of some importance (Isa. 15:5; Jer. 48:3, 5, 34).
    [isbe] HORONAIM - hor-o-na'-im (~choronayim]; Aronieim; in Jeremiah Oronaim, "the two hollows"): an unidentified place in the South of Moab. It is named in Jer 48:5. Isaiah (15:5) and Jeremiah (48:3) speak of "the way to Horanaim";...
    [smith] (two caverns), a town of Moab, possibly a sanctuary, named with Zoar and Luhith. (Isaiah 15:5; Jeremiah 48:3,5,34)
    [nave] HORONAIM, a town of Moab, Isa. 15:5; Jer. 48:3, 5, 34.

  • PALESTINE, 3

    [isbe] PALESTINE, 3 - IV. Palestine in the Poetic Books of the Old Testament. 1. Book of Job: In Job the scene is distinctively Edomite. Uz (Job 1:1; compare Gen 22:21 the English Revised Version; Jer 25:20; Lam 4:21) and Buz (Job ...

  • Misgab

    [ebd] height, a town of Moab, or simply, the height=the citadel, some fortress so called; or perhaps a general name for the highlands of Moab, as some think (Jer. 48:1). In Isa. 25:12, the word is rendered "high fort."
    [isbe] MISGAB - mis'-gab (ha-misgabh; Codex Vaticanus Amath; Codex Alexandrinus to krataioma): Named with Nebo and Kiriathaim in the denunciation of doom against Moab (Jer 48:1). No trace of any name resembling this has been found....
    [smith] (height), a place in Moab. (Jeremiah 48:1) It appears to be mentioned also in (Isaiah 25:12) thorough there rendered in the Authorized Version "high fort."
    [nave] MISGAB, an unknown place mentioned in Jer. 48:1.

  • Heshbon

    [ebd] intelligence, a city ruled over by Sihon, king of the Amorites (Josh. 3:10; 13:17). It was taken by Moses (Num. 21:23-26), and became afterwards a Levitical city (Josh. 21:39) in the tribe of Reuben (Num. 32:37). After the E...
    [isbe] HESHBON - hesh'-bon (cheshbon; Hesebon): The royal city of Sihon king of the Amorites, taken and occupied by the Israelites under Moses (Nu 21:25 f, etc.). It lay on the southern border of Gad (Josh 13:26), and was one of th...
    [nave] HESHBON A city of the Amorites, Num. 21:25-35; Deut. 1:4. Built by Reuben, Num. 32:37. Allotted to Gad, Josh. 21:38, 39. Fish-pools at, Song 7:4. Prophecy concerning, Isa. 16:8; Jer. 48:2, 34, 35; 49:1-3.

  • Nebo

    [ebd] proclaimer; prophet. (1.) A Chaldean god whose worship was introduced into Assyria by Pul (Isa. 46:1; Jer. 48:1). To this idol was dedicated the great temple whose ruins are still seen at Birs Nimrud. A statue of Nebo found ...
    [smith] A town of Reuben on the east side of Jordan. (Numbers 32:3,38) In the remarkable prophecy adopted by Isaiah, (Isaiah 15:2) and Jeremiah, (Jeremiah 48:1,26) concerning Moab, Nebo is mentioned in the same connection as before,...
    [nave] NEBO 1. A city allotted to Reuben, Num. 32:3, 38; 1 Chr. 5:8. Prophecies concerning, Isa. 15:2; Jer. 48:1, 22. 2. A mountain range E. of the Jordan. Moses views Canaan from, Deut. 32:49, 50; dies on, Deut. 34:1. 3. A city...

  • Pride

    [nave] PRIDE. Ex. 18:10, 11; Lev. 26:19; Deut. 8:11-14, 17-20; Judg. 9:14, 15; 1 Sam. 2:3-5; 1 Kin. 20:11; 2 Kin. 14:9, 10 2 Chr. 25:18, 19. Job 11:12; Job 12:2, 3; Job 13:2, 5; Job 15:1-13; Job 18:3, 4; Job 21:31, 32; Job 32:9-13...

  • Luhith

    [ebd] made of boards, a Moabitish place between Zoar and Horonaim (Isa. 15:5; Jer. 48:5).
    [smith] (made of tables or boards), The ascent of, a place in Moab, occurs only in (Isaiah 15:5) and the parallel passage of Jeremiah. (Jeremiah 48:5) In the days of Eusebius and Jerome it was still known, and stood between Areopolis...
    [nave] LUHITH, a city of Moab, Isa. 15:5; Jer. 48:5.

  • Confidence

    [nave] CONFIDENCE. Betrayed Instances of: Joshua, by the Gibeonites, Josh. 9:3-15. Eglon, by Ehud, Judg. 3:15-23. Ahimelech, by David, 1 Sam. 21:1-9. Abner, by Joab, 2 Sam. 3:27. Amasa, by Joab, 2 Sam. 20:9, 10. The worship...

  • SANBALLAT

    [isbe] SANBALLAT - san-bal'-at (canebhallaT; Greek and Vulgate (Jerome's Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) Sanaballat; Peshitta, Samballat): Sanballat the Horonite was, if the appellation which follows his name indicates his origin, a Moa...

  • Kirjathaim

    [ebd] two cities; a double city. (1.) A city of refuge in Naphtali (1 Chr. 6:76). (2.) A town on the east of Jordan (Gen. 14:5; Deut. 2:9, 10). It was assigned to the tribe of Reuben (Num. 32:37). In the time of Ezekiel (25:9) it ...
    [nave] KIRJATHAIM, 1. Called also Kiriathaim. A city of Reuben, Num. 32:37; Josh. 13:19. Prophecies concerning, Jer. 48:1, 23; Ezek. 25:9. 2. A Levitical city in Naphtali, 1 Chr. 6:76.

  • Heath

    [ebd] Heb. 'arar, (Jer. 17:6; 48:6), a species of juniper called by the Arabs by the same name ('arar), the Juniperus sabina or savin. "Its gloomy, stunted appearance, with its scale-like leaves pressed close to its gnarled stem, ...
    [nave] HEATH, Jer. 17:6; 48:6.

  • Dibon

    [smith] (wasting). A town on the east side of Jordan, in the rich pastoral country, which was taken possession of and rebuilt by the children of Gad. (Numbers 32:3,34) From this circumstance it possibly received the name of DIBON-GA...
    [nave] DIBON 1. Called also Dibon-gad and Dimon. A city on the northern banks of the Arnon, Num. 21:30. Israelites encamp at, Num. 33:45. Allotted to Gad and Reuben, Num. 32:3, 34; Josh. 13:9, 17. Taken by Moab, Isa. 15:2, 9; Je...

  • Idolatry

    [nave] IDOLATRY. Wicked Practices of Human sacrifices, Lev. 18:21; 20:2-5; Deut. 12:31; 18:10; 2 Kin. 3:26, 27; 16:3; 17:17, 18; 21:6; 23:10; 2 Chr. 28:3; 33:6; Psa. 106:37, 38; Isa. 57:5; Jer. 7:31; 19:4-7; 32:35; Ezek. 16:20, 2...

  • Wine

    [nave] WINE Made from grapes, Gen. 40:11; 49:11; Isa. 25:6; Jer. 40:10, 12; from pomegranates, Song 8:2. Kept in jars, Jer. 13:12; 48:12; in skins, Josh. 9:4, 13; Job 32:19; Matt. 9:17; Luke 5:37, 38; in bottles, Josh. 9:4, 13; Jo...

  • Lees

    [ebd] (Heb. shemarim), from a word meaning to keep or preserve. It was applied to "lees" from the custom of allowing wine to stand on the lees that it might thereby be better preserved (Isa. 25:6). "Men settled on their lees" (Zep...
    [nave] LEES, settlings of wine, Psa. 75:8; Isa. 25:6; Jer. 48:11; Zeph. 1:12.

  • Moab

    [ebd] the seed of the father, or, according to others, the desirable land, the eldest son of Lot (Gen. 19:37), of incestuous birth. (2.) Used to denote the people of Moab (Num. 22:3-14; Judg. 3:30; 2 Sam. 8:2; Jer. 48:11, 13). (3....

  • MADMEN

    [ebd] ibid., a Moabite town threatened with the sword of the Babylonians (Jer. 48:2).
    [smith] (dunghill), a place in Moab, threatened with destruction in the pronunciations of Jeremiah. (Jeremiah 48:2)

  • KIRIOTH

    [smith] (two cities), a place in Moab the palaces of which were threatened by Amos with destruction by fire, (Amos 2:2) unless indeed the word means simply "the cities," which is probably the case also in (Jeremiah 48:4)
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Arts

Questions

  • They were the descendants of Lot and were neighbors of the Amorites on the opposite side of the River Arnon (Num. 21:13). They were governed by kings and possessed many great cities (Num. 21:28-30; Is. 15:1; Num. 23:7). They ...

Resources/Books

Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • Another instance of incomplete obedience followed the great victory God gave His people and the military commanders' sacrificial, voluntary worship of Yahweh.32:1-19 Maybe the leaders of Reuben and Gad concluded that their br...
  • Often warring armies in the ancient Near East carried images of their gods into battle to help secure victory (cf. 2 Sam. 5:21; 1 Chron. 14:12). When one army defeated the other the victors would take the images of their defe...
  • Baxter, J. Sidlow. Explore the Book. 6 vols. London: Marshall, Morgan, and Scott, 1965.Bromiley, Geoffrey W. God and Marriage. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1980.Bullock, C. Hassell. An Introduction to the Poe...
  • The recurrence of the Hebrew word massa', translated "oracle"or "burden,"prescribes the boundaries of this section of text.140These chapters present the nations over which Immanuel is ruler, and they expand the idea of God's ...
  • This section of Isaiah on "The Lord's redemption of His servant [Israel]"(44:23-47:15) has included an announcement of redemption (44:23-28), the identification of the instrument of redemption, Cyrus (45:1-13), and a reminder...
  • Jeremiah's purpose was to call his hearers to repentance in view of God's judgment on Judah, which would come soon from an army from the north (chs. 2-45). Judgment was coming because God's people had forsaken Yahweh and had ...
  • The Book of Jeremiah is not theologically organized in the sense that it develops a certain theological emphasis as it unfolds, as Isaiah does. Rather it presents certain theological truths in greater or lesser degree through...
  • I. Introduction ch. 1A. The introduction of Jeremiah 1:1-3B. The call of Jeremiah 1:4-191. The promise of divine enablement 1:4-102. Two confirming visions 1:11-19II. Prophecies about Judah chs. 2-45A. Warnings of judgment on...
  • 1:4 The prophet now began speaking to his readers and telling them what the Lord had said to him. Throughout this book, an indication that the Lord had told Jeremiah something is often the sign of a new pericope, as here (cf....
  • The first series of prophetic announcements, reflections, and incidents that comprise this part of the book deals with Jeremiah's ministry to his own people.64The second main division of the book contains oracles against fore...
  • This prophecy about Israel's neighbors anticipates chapters 46-51, which contain oracles against Gentile nations.12:14 The Lord promised to judge Judah's neighbor nations that had robbed His people of what the Lord had given ...
  • In Jeremiah, prophecies concerning foreign nations come at the end of the book. In the other major prophets, Isaiah and Ezekiel, they come after oracles against Israel and or Judah and before oracles dealing with Israel's res...
  • This chapter on Egypt contains three separate prophecies that Jeremiah delivered about the fate of that nation. Their purpose seems to have been to discourage King Jehoiakim (609-598 B.C.) and the pro-Egyptian party in Judah ...
  • This oracle is similar to the one in Isaiah 15 and 16.555Other oracles against Moab appear in Ezekiel 25:8-11, Amos 2:1-3, and Zephaniah 2:9, but this is the longest one. It is very difficult to say when Jeremiah gave this or...
  • The Ammonites lived north of the Moabites, north of the Arnon River for most of their history, and east of the tribal territories of Gad and Reuben. However, the Ammonites had taken over some Israelite territory in Transjorda...
  • Elam was the land of the Elamites who lived in Mesopotamia somewhat east of the Babylonians (in modern southwest Iran). We know little about the history of the Elamites, and their inclusion in a collection of judgments agains...
  • Aharoni, Yohanan, and Michael Avi-Yonah. The Macmillan Bible Atlas. Revised ed. London: Collier Macmillan Publishers; and New York: Macmillan Publishers Co., 1977.Albright, William Foxwell. The Archaeology of Palestine. Revis...
  • It is appropriate that this section appears at this point in Ezekiel, between the messages announcing judgment on Judah and Jerusalem for sin (chs. 4-24) and the messages announcing future blessings for Israel (chs. 33-48). I...
  • This chapter ties in very closely with the preceding one. Evidently all the messages in these two chapters date from the beginning of the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem (24:1-2). Even though this chapter begins a series of mes...
  • 25:8 The residents of Moab and Seir (Edom) had regarded Judah as just one of the other nations even though the Judahites were blood relatives of theirs (cf. Jer. 48:27; Zeph. 2:8-9). This attitude reflected disrespect for Yah...
  • An oracle is a message of judgment. Amos proceeded to deliver eight of these, seven against Israel's neighbors including Judah (1:3-2:5) and one against Israel (2:6-6:14).12The order is significant. The nations mentioned firs...
  • 2:8 Probably Zephaniah linked Moab and Ammon because both nations descended from Lot (Gen. 19:30-38) as well as because both lay to Judah's east. Both nations had taunted and reviled the Israelites from their earliest history...
  • 7:1 Another prophetic message came to Zechariah from the Lord in 518 B.C. The fourth day of the ninth month would have been in early December. Chislev is the Babylonian name of the month. This message, which comprises the fol...
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