Jeremiah 48:17

17 All ye that be in the compass thereof, comfort it; and all ye that know the name thereof, say, How is the strong rod broken, the glorious staff? (All ye who be around it, comfort it; and all ye who know its name, say, How the strong rod is broken, yea, the glorious staff!)

Jeremiah 48:17 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 48:17

All ye that are about him, bemoan him
The neighbouring nations, such as the Ammonites, and others, are called upon to condole the sad case of Moab; all upon the borders of the country of Moab, either within them or without them: and all ye that know his name;
not only that had heard of his fame and glory, but knew in what grandeur and splendour he lived; these have a form of condolence given them: say, how is the strong staff broken, [and] the beautiful rod!
the mighty men of war, the staff of the nation, in which they trusted, destroyed; their fortified cities demolished; the powerful kingdom, which swayed the sceptre, and ruled in great glory, and was terrible and troublesome to others, now pulled down. The Targum is,

``how is the king broken that did evil, the oppressing ruler!''

Jeremiah 48:17 In-Context

15 Moab is destroyed, and they have burnt the cities thereof, and the chosen young men thereof went down into slaying, saith the king, the Lord of hosts is his name. (Moab is destroyed, and they have burned down its cities, and its chosen young men were killed, saith the King, whose name is the Lord of hosts.)

16 The perishing of Moab is nigh, that it come, and the evil thereof runneth full swiftly. (The perishing of Moab is near at hand, and its evil runneth very quickly.)

17 All ye that be in the compass thereof, comfort it; and all ye that know the name thereof, say, How is the strong rod broken, the glorious staff? (All ye who be around it, comfort it; and all ye who know its name, say, How the strong rod is broken, yea, the glorious staff!)

18 Thou dwelling of the daughter of Dibon, go down from glory, sit thou in thirst; for the destroyer of Moab shall ascend to thee, and he shall destroy thy strongholds. (Thou daughter who liveth in Dibon, go down from thy glory, sit thou in thirst; for the destroyer of Moab shall come to thee, and he shall destroy thy strongholds.)

19 Thou dwelling of Aroer, stand in the way, and behold; ask thou him that fleeth, and him that escaped; say thou, What befell? (Thou inhabitant of Aroer, stand by the way, and look; ask thou him who fleeth, and him who escaped; say thou, What happened?)