Jeremiah 48:6-16

6 "1Flee, save your lives, That you may be like a juniper in the wilderness.
7 "For because of your 2trust in your own achievements and treasures, Even you yourself will be captured; And 3Chemosh will go off into exile Together with his priests and his princes.
8 "A destroyer will come to every city, So that no city will escape; The valley also will be ruined And the 4plateau will be destroyed, As the LORD has said.
9 "Give 5wings to Moab, For she will flee away; And her cities will become a 6desolation, Without inhabitants in them.
10 "7Cursed be the one who does the LORD'S work 8negligently, And cursed be the one who restrains his 9sword from blood.
11 "Moab has been 10at ease since his youth; He has also been 11undisturbed, like wine on its dregs, And he has not been 12emptied from vessel to vessel, Nor has he gone into exile. Therefore * he retains his flavor, And his aroma has not changed.
12 "Therefore behold, the days are coming," declares the LORD, "when I will send to him those who tip vessels, and they will tip him over, and they will empty his vessels and shatter his jars.
13 "And Moab will be 13ashamed of 14Chemosh, as the house of Israel was ashamed of 15Bethel, their confidence.
14 "How can you say, 'We are 16mighty warriors, And men valiant for battle '?
15 "Moab has been destroyed and men have gone up to his cities; His choicest 17young men have also gone down to the slaughter," Declares the 18King, whose name is the LORD of hosts.
16 "The disaster of Moab will 19soon come, And his calamity has swiftly hastened.

Jeremiah 48:6-16 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 48

This chapter contains a prophecy of the destruction of Moab, and of the mourning that should be for it; and not only its destruction in general is predicted, but particular places are mentioned, on which it should fall, Jer 48:1-5; the causes of which were their confidence in their works and riches, their carnal ease and security, and their idolatry, they should now be ashamed of, Jer 48:6-13; and this destruction is represented both as certain and as near, notwithstanding their mighty warriors and choice young men, Jer 48:14-17; and then other cities are particularly named, that should share in the calamity, Jer 48:18-25; and all this because of their insolence to the Lord; their contempt of his people; their pride, arrogance, and haughtiness; their wrath, and their lies, Jer 48:26-30; and this destruction is further exaggerated by the lamentation of the prophet over Moab in general, and over several particular cities; and by the lamentation of the inhabitants of them, because of the spoiling of their vines, their fruits, and their riches, Jer 48:31-39; and this is confirmed by the Lord, as to the swiftness of the enemy that should destroy them; the consternation and fear that should seize them; the flight they should be put to; and the consumption and captivity of them, Jer 48:40-46; and the chapter is concluded with a promise of the return of their captivity in the latter day, Jer 48:47.

Cross References 19

  • 1. Jeremiah 51:6
  • 2. Psalms 52:7; Isaiah 59:4; Jeremiah 9:23
  • 3. Numbers 21:29; 1 Kings 11:33; Jeremiah 48:13, 46
  • 4. Josh 13:9, 17, 21
  • 5. Psalms 11:1; Isaiah 16:2; Jeremiah 48:28
  • 6. Jeremiah 44:22
  • 7. Jeremiah 11:3
  • 8. 1 Kin 20:39, 40, 42; 2 Kings 13:19
  • 9. Jeremiah 47:6, 7
  • 10. Jeremiah 22:21; Ezekiel 16:49; Zechariah 1:15
  • 11. Zephaniah 1:12
  • 12. Nahum 2:2
  • 13. Isaiah 45:16; Jeremiah 48:39
  • 14. Judges 11:24
  • 15. 1 Kings 12:29; Hosea 8:5, 6
  • 16. Psalms 33:16; Isaiah 10:13-16
  • 17. Isaiah 40:30, 31; Jeremiah 50:27
  • 18. Jeremiah 46:18; Jeremiah 51:57; Malachi 1:14
  • 19. Isaiah 13:22

Footnotes 8

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, California.  All rights reserved.