Chapter 48
1 Of Moab . The LORD of Armies , the God of Israel , says : " Woe to Nebo ! For it is laid waste . Kiriathaim is disappointed. It is taken . Misgab is put to shame and broken down .
2 The praise of Moab is no more . In Heshbon they have devised evil against her : ‘ Come ! Let ’s cut her off from being a nation .’ You also , Madmen , will be brought to silence . The sword will pursue you .
3 The sound of a cry from Horonaim , desolation and great destruction !
4 Moab is destroyed . Her little ones have caused a cry to be heard .
5 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 .
6 Flee ! Save your lives ! Be like the juniper bush in the wilderness .
7 For , because you have trusted in your works and in your treasures, you also will be taken . Chemosh will go out into captivity , his priests and his princes together .
8 The destroyer will come on every city , and no city will escape ; the valley also will perish, and the plain will be destroyed , as the LORD has spoken.
9 Give wings to Moab , that she may fly and get herself away : and her cities will become a desolation , without anyone to dwell in them .
10 "Cursed is he who does the work of the LORD negligently ; and cursed is he who keeps back his sword from blood .
11 " Moab has been at ease from his youth , and he has settled on his dregs , and has not been emptied from vessel to vessel , neither has he gone into captivity ; therefore his taste remains in him , and his scent is not changed .
12 Therefore behold , the days come ," says the LORD , " that I will send to him those who pour off , and they will pour him off ; and they will empty his vessels , and break their containers in pieces .
13 Moab will be ashamed of Chemosh , as the house of Israel was ashamed of Bethel , their confidence .
14 "How do you say, ‘We are mighty men , and valiant men for the war ’?
15 Moab is laid waste , and they have gone up into his cities , and his chosen young men have gone down to the slaughter ," says the King , whose name is the LORD of Armies .
16 " The calamity of Moab is near to come, and his affliction hurries fast .
17 All you who are around him , bemoan him ; and all you who know his name , say, ‘ How the strong staff is broken , the beautiful rod !’
18 " You daughter who dwells in Dibon , come down from your glory , and sit in thirst ; for the destroyer of Moab has come up against you . He has destroyed your strongholds .
19 Inhabitant of Aroer , stand by the way and watch . Ask him who flees , and her who escapes ; say, ‘ What has been done ?’
20 Moab is disappointed; for it is broken down . Wail and cry ! Tell it by the Arnon, that Moab is laid waste .
21 Judgement has come on the plain country— on Holon , on Jahzah , on Mephaath ,
22 on Dibon , on Nebo , on Beth Diblathaim,
23 on Kiriathaim , on Beth Gamul, on Beth Meon,
24 on Kerioth , on Bozrah , and 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 , for he magnified himself against the LORD . Moab will wallow in his vomit , and he also will be in derision .
27 For wasn’t Israel a derision to you ? Was he found amongst thieves ? For as often as you speak of him , you shake your head.
28 You inhabitants of Moab , leave the cities , and dwell in the rock . Be like the dove that makes her nest over the mouth of the abyss.
29 " We have heard of the pride of Moab . He is very proud in his loftiness , his pride , his arrogance , and the arrogance of his heart .
30 I know his wrath ," says the LORD , " that it is nothing ; his boastings have done nothing .
31 Therefore I will wail for Moab . Yes , I will cry out for all Moab . They will mourn for the men of Kir Heres.
32 With more than the weeping of Jazer I will weep for you , vine of Sibmah . Your branches passed over the sea . They reached even to the sea of Jazer . The destroyer has fallen on your summer fruits and on your vintage .
33 Gladness and joy is taken away from the fruitful field and from the land of Moab . I have caused wine to cease from the wine presses . No one will tread with shouting . The shouting will be no shouting .
34 From the cry of Heshbon even to Elealeh, even to Jahaz they have uttered their voice , from Zoar even to Horonaim , to Eglath Shelishiyah; for the waters of Nimrim will also become desolate .
35 Moreover I will cause to cease in Moab ," says the LORD , " him who offers in the high place , and him who burns incense to his gods.
36 Therefore my heart sounds for Moab like flutes , and my heart sounds like flutes for the men of Kir Heres. Therefore the abundance that he has gotten has perished.
37 For every head is bald , and every beard clipped . There are cuttings on all the hands , and sackcloth on the waist .
38 On all the housetops of Moab , and in its streets , there is lamentation everywhere ; for I have broken Moab like a vessel in which no one delights ," says the LORD .
39 "How it is broken down ! How they wail ! How Moab has turned the back with shame! So will Moab become a derision and a terror to all who are around him ."
40 For the LORD says : " Behold , he will fly as an eagle , and will spread out his wings against Moab .
41 Kerioth is taken , and the strongholds are seized . The heart of the mighty men of Moab at that day will be as the heart of a woman in her pangs .
42 Moab will be destroyed from being a people , because he has magnified himself against the LORD .
43 Terror , the pit , and the snare are on you , inhabitant of Moab ," says the LORD .
44 " He who flees from the terror will fall into the pit ; and he who gets up out of the pit will be taken in the snare , for I will bring on him , even on Moab , the year of their visitation ," says the LORD .
45 " Those who fled stand without strength under the shadow of Heshbon ; for a fire has gone out of Heshbon , and a flame from the middle of Sihon , and has devoured the corner of Moab , and the crown of the head of the tumultuous ones .
46 Woe to you , O Moab ! The people of Chemosh are undone; for your sons are taken away captive , and your daughters into captivity .
47 " Yet I will reverse the captivity of Moab in the latter days ," says the LORD . Thus far is the judgement of Moab .