Jeremiah 48:41

41 The towns will be captured, the fortresses taken. Brave warriors will double up in pain, helpless to fight, like a woman giving birth to a baby.

Jeremiah 48:41 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 48:41

Kerioth is taken
The name of a city in Moab, as in ( Jeremiah 48:24 ) ; so Jarchi, and others; but Kimchi and Abarbinel observe, that it may be taken for an appellative, and be rendered "the cities"; everyone of the cities of Moab, which were as easily and quickly taken as one city; these may intend the cities in the plain, as the strong holds those in high places: and the strong holds are surprised;
everyone of them; so that there was not a city, or a fortified place, but what came into the enemies' hands: and the mighty men's hearts in Moab at that day shall be as the heart
of a woman in her pangs;
even the hearts of the soldiers, and the most courageous generals, shall sink within them; and they be not only as timorous as women in common, but as low spirited as a woman when she finds her pains are coming upon her, and the time of her delivery is at hand.

Jeremiah 48:41 In-Context

39 "Moab ruined! Moab shamed and ashamed to be seen! Moab a cruel joke! The stark horror of Moab!"
40 God's verdict on Moab. Indeed! "Look! An eagle is about to swoop down and spread its wings over Moab.
41 The towns will be captured, the fortresses taken. Brave warriors will double up in pain, helpless to fight, like a woman giving birth to a baby.
42 There'll be nothing left of Moab, nothing at all, because of his defiant arrogance against me.
43 "Terror and pit and trap are what you have facing you, Moab." God's Decree.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.