Jeremiah 48:41

41 Kerioth will be taken, and the strongholds will be conquered, and the hearts of the warriors of Moab will be on that day like [the] heart of a woman [who] is in labor.

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 "How it is filled with terror! [How] they wail! How Moab has turned [his] back! He is disgraced! So Moab has become as a derision, and as a terror for all his surrounding [peoples]."

40 For thus says Yahweh, "Look, like an eagle he will swoop down, and he will spread out his wings against Moab.

41 Kerioth will be taken, and the strongholds will be conquered, and the hearts of the warriors of Moab will be on that day like [the] heart of a woman [who] is in labor.

42 And Moab will be destroyed from [being] a people, because against Yahweh he magnified himself.

43 Dread, and pit, and a trapping net [are] against you, O inhabitant of Moab," {declares} Yahweh.

Footnotes

• [a]. Hebrew "heart"