Jeremiah 48

1 Against Moab thus saith the Lord of hosts the God of Israel: Woe to Nabo, for it is laid waste, and confounded: Cariathaim is taken: the strong city is confounded and hath trembled.

Now it came to pass in the seventh month that Ismael the son of Nathanias the son of Eleasa of the seed royal, came, and ten men with him, to Godolias to Massepha: and they ate bread there together.

2 There is no more rejoicing in Moab over Hesebon: they have devised evil. Come, and let us cut it off from being a nation. Therefore shalt thou in silence hold thy peace, and the sword shall follow thee.

And Ismael rose up, and the ten men that were with him, and struck Godolias, whom the king of Babylon had appointed [governor] over the land,

3 A voice of crying from Oronaim: waste, and great destruction.

and all the Jews that were with him in Massepha, and all the Chaldeans that were found there.

4 Moab is destroyed: proclaim a cry for her little ones.

And it came to pass on the second day after he had struck Godolias, and no man knew [of it],

5 For 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.

that there came men from Sychem, and from Salem, and from Samaria, [even] eighty men, having their beards shaven, and their clothes tore, and beating their breasts, and [they had] manna and frankincense in their hands, to bring [them] into the house of the Lord.

6 Flee, save your lives: and be as heath in the wilderness.

And Ismael went out to meet them; [and] they went on and wept: and he said to them, Come in to Godolias.

7 For because thou hast trusted in thy bulwarks, and in thy treasures, thou also shalt be taken: and Chamos shall go into captivity, his priests, and his princes together.

And it came to pass, when they had entered into the midst of the city, [that] he killed them [and cast them] into a pit.

8 And the spoiler shall come upon every city, and no city shall escape: and the valleys shall perish, and the plains shall be destroyed, for the Lord hath spoken:

But ten men were found there, and they said to Ismael, Slay us not: for we have treasures in the field, wheat and barley, honey and oil. So he passed by, and killed them not in the midst of their brethren.

9 Give a flower to Moab, for in its flower it shall go out: and the cities thereof shall be desolate, and uninhabited.

Now the pit into which Ismael cast all whom he struck, is the great pit, which king Asa had made for fear of Baasa king of Israel: [even] this Ismael filled with slain men.

10 Cursed be he that doth the work of the Lord deceitfully: and cursed be he that withholdeth his sword from blood.

And Ismael brought back all the people that were left in Massepha, and the king's daughter, whom the captain of the guard had committed in charge to Godolias the son of Achicam: and he went away beyond the children of Ammon.

11 Moab hath been fruitful from his youth, and hath rested upon his lees: and hath not been poured out from vessel to vessel, nor hath gone into captivity: therefore his taste hath remained in him, and his scent is not changed.

And Joanan the son of Caree, and all the leaders of the host that were with him, heard of all the evil deeds which Ismael had done.

12 Therefore behold the days come, saith the Lord, and I will send him men that shall order and overturn his bottles, and they shall cast him down, and shall empty his vessels, and break their bottles one against another.

And they brought all their army, and went to fight against him, and found him near much water in Gabaon.

13 And Moab shall be ashamed of Chamos, as the house of Israel was ashamed of Bethel, in which they trusted.

And it came to pass, when all the people that was with Ismael saw Joanan, and the leaders of the host that was with him,

14 How do you say: We are valiant, and stout men in battle?

that they returned to Joanan.

15 Moab is laid waste, and they have cast down her cities: and her choice young men are gone down to the slaughter: saith the king, whose name is the Lord of hosts.

But Ismael escaped with eight men and went to the children of Ammon.

16 The destruction of Moab is near to come: the calamity thereof shall come on exceeding swiftly.

And Joanan, and all the leaders of the host that were with him, took all the remnant of the people, whom he [had] brought back from Ismael, mighty men in war, and the women, and the other [property], and the eunuchs, whom they [had] brought back from Gabaon:

17 Comfort him, all you that are round about him, and all you that know his name, say: How is the strong staff broken, the beautiful rod?

and they departed, and lived in Gaberoch-amaa, that is by Bethleem, to go into Egypt, for fear of the Chaldeans:

18 Come down from thy glory, and sit in thirst, O dwelling of the daughter of Dibon: because the spoiler of Moab is come up to thee, he hath destroyed thy bulwarks.

for they were afraid of them, because Ismael had struck Godolias, whom the king of Babylon made [governor] in the land.

19 Stand in the way, and look out, O habitation of Aroer: inquire of him that fleeth: and say to him that hath escaped: What Is done?

20 Moab is confounded, because he is overthrown: howl ye, and cry, tell ye it in Amen, that Moab is wasted.

21 And judgment is come upon the plain country: upon Helon, and upon Jasa, and upon Mephaath.

22 And upon Dibon, and upon Nabo, and upon the house of Deblathaim,

23 And upon Cariathaim, and upon Bethgamul, and upon Bethmaon,

24 And upon Carioth, and upon Bosra: and upon all the cities of the land of Moab, far or near.

25 The horn of Moab is cut off, and his arm is broken, saith the Lord.

26 Make him drunk, because he lifted up himself against the Lord: and Moab shall dash his hand in his own vomit, and he also shall be in derision.

27 For Israel hath been a derision unto thee: as though thou hadst found him amongst thieves: for thy words therefore, which thou hast spoken against him, thou shalt be led away captive.

28 Leave the cities, and dwell in the rock, you that dwell in Moab: and be ye like the dove that maketh her nest in the mouth of the hole in the highest place.

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

30 I know, saith the Lord, his boasting, and that the strength thereof is not according to it, neither hath it endeavoured to do according as it was able.

31 Therefore will I lament for Moab, and I will cry out to all Moab, for the men of the brick wall that mourn.

32 O vineyard of Sabama, I will weep for thee, with the mourning of Jazer: thy branches are gone over the sea, they are come even to the sea of Jazer: the robber hath rushed in upon thy harvest and thy vintage.

33 Joy and gladness is taken away from Carmel, and from the land of Moab, and I have taken away the wine out of the presses: the treader of the grapes shall not sing the accustomed cheerful tune.

34 From the cry of Hesebon even to Eleale, and to Jasa, they have uttered their voice: from Segor to Oronaim, as a heifer of three years old: the waters also of Nemrim shall be very bad.

35 And I will take away from Moab, saith the Lord, him that offereth in the high places, and that sacrificeth to his gods.

36 Therefore my heart shall sound for Moab like pipes: and my heart a sound like pipes for the men of the brick wall: because he hath done more than he could, therefore they have perished.

37 For every head shall be bald, and every beard shall be shaven: all hands shall be tied together, and upon every back there shall be haircloth.

38 Upon all the housetops of Moab, and in the streets thereof general mourning: because I have broken Moab as an useless vessel, saith the Lord.

39 How is it overthrown, and they have howled! How hath Moab bowed down the neck, and is confounded! And Moab shall be a derision, and an example to all round about him.

40 Thus saith the Lord: Behold he shall fly as an eagle, and shall stretch forth his wings to Moab.

41 Carioth is taken, and the strong holds are won: and the heart of the valiant men of Moab in that day shall be as the heart of a woman in labour.

42 And Moab shall cease to be a people: because he hath gloried against the Lord.

43 Fear, and the pit, and the snare come upon thee, O inhabitant of Moab, saith the Lord.

44 He that shall flee from the fear, shall fall into the pit: and he that shall get up out of the pit, shall be taken in the snare: for I will bring upon Moab the year of their visitation, saith the Lord.

45 They that fled from the snare stood in the shadow of Hesebon: but there came a fire out of Kesebon, and a flame out of the midst of Seen, and it shall devour part of Moab. and the crown of the head of the children of tumult.

46 Woe to thee, Moab, thou hast perished, O people of Chamos: for thy sons, and thy daughters are taken captives.

47 And I will bring back the captivity of Moab in the last days, saith the Lord. Hitherto the judgments of Moab.