The Message Bible MSG
English Standard Version ESV
1 A Message concerning Moab: Village Ar of Moab is in ruins, destroyed in a night raid. Village Kir of Moab is in ruins, destroyed in a night raid.
1
An oracle concerning Moab. Because Ar of Moab is laid waste in a night, Moab is undone; because Kir of Moab is laid waste in a night, Moab is undone.
2 Village Dibon climbs to its chapel in the hills, goes up to lament. Moab weeps and wails over Nebo and Medba. Every head is shaved bald, every beard shaved clean.
2
He has gone up to the temple, and to Dibon, to the high places to weep; over Nebo and over Medeba Moab wails. On every head is baldness; every beard is shorn;
3 They pour into the streets wearing black, go up on the roofs, take to the town square, Everyone in tears, everyone in grief.
3
in the streets they wear sackcloth; on the housetops and in the squares everyone wails and melts in tears.
4 Towns Heshbon and Elealeh cry long and loud. The sound carries as far as Jahaz. Moab sobs, shaking in grief. The soul of Moab trembles.
4
Heshbon and Elealeh cry out; their voice is heard as far as Jahaz; therefore the armed men of Moab cry aloud; his soul trembles.
5 Oh, how I grieve for Moab! Refugees stream to Zoar and then on to Eglath-shelishiyah. Up the slopes of Luhith they weep; on the road to Horonaim they cry their loss.
5
My heart cries out for Moab; her fugitives flee to Zoar, to Eglath-shelishiyah. For at the ascent of Luhith they go up weeping; on the road to Horonaim they raise a cry of destruction;
6 The springs of Nimrim are dried up - grass brown, buds stunted, nothing grows.
6
the waters of Nimrim are a desolation; the grass is withered, the vegetation fails, the greenery is no more.
7 They leave, carrying all their possessions on their backs, everything they own, Making their way as best they can across Willow Creek to safety.
7
Therefore the abundance they have gained and what they have laid up they carry away over the Brook of the Willows.
8 Poignant cries reverberate all through Moab, Gut-wrenching sobs as far as Eglaim, heart-racking sobs all the way to Beer-elim.
8
For a cry has gone around the land of Moab; her wailing reaches to Eglaim; her wailing reaches to Beer-elim.
9 The banks of the Dibon crest with blood, but God has worse in store for Dibon: A lion - a lion to finish off the fugitives, to clean up whoever's left in the land.
9
For the waters of Dibon are full of blood; for I will bring upon Dibon even more, a lion for those of Moab who escape, for the remnant of the land.
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.
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.