Jeremiah

Warnings about Jerusalem's destruction due to unfaithfulness, with promises of a new covenant.

Chapter 48

1 Against Moab thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Woe unto Nebo! for it is spoiled: Kiriathaim is confounded and taken: Misgab is confounded and dismayed.

*So says the Lord, the God of Israel, to Moab: Disaster for Nebo! It's been ruined. Kiriathaim is confused and captured. Misgab is also confused and terrified.

2 There shall be no more praise of Moab: in Heshbon they have devised evil against it; come, and let us cut it off from being a nation. Also thou shalt be cut down, O Madmen; the sword shall pursue thee.

*No more praises for Moab. In Heshbon, they planned bad things for it. Let's destroy it so it's not a country anymore. You will also be destroyed, Madmen. The sword will chase you.

3 A voice of crying shall be from Horonaim, spoiling and great destruction.

*A loud cry for help will come from Horonaim, bringing ruin and massive destruction.

4 Moab is destroyed; her little ones have caused a cry to be heard.

*Moab has been destroyed, and the children are making a loud noise because of it.

5 For in the going up of Luhith continual weeping shall go up; for in the going down of Horonaim the enemies have heard a cry of destruction.

*When Luhith goes up, continuous weeping happens; when Horonaim goes down, enemies hear a cry of destruction.

6 Flee, save your lives, and be like the heath in the wilderness.

*Run for your lives, and be like a bush in the wilderness.

7 For because thou hast trusted in thy works and in thy treasures, thou shalt also be taken: and Chemosh shall go forth into captivity with his priests and his princes together.

*Because you trusted in your actions and riches, you will be captured too. Chemosh, along with his priests and leaders, will be taken into captivity.

8 And the spoiler shall come upon every city, and no city shall escape: the valley also shall perish, and the plain shall be destroyed, as the LORD hath spoken.

*The spoiler will affect all cities; none can avoid it. The valley and plain will be destroyed just like the LORD said.

9 Give wings unto Moab, that it may flee and get away: for the cities thereof shall be desolate, without any to dwell therein.

*Give Moab the ability to fly and escape; its cities will be empty and uninhabited.

10 Cursed be he that doeth the work of the LORD deceitfully, and cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood.

*"Blessed is the one who honestly does God's work, but woe to those who deceive in doing God's work and hold back their swords from shedding blood."

11 Moab hath been at ease from his youth, and he hath settled on his lees, and hath not been emptied from vessel to vessel, neither hath he gone into captivity: therefore his taste remained in him, and his scent is not changed.

*Moab has been comfortable since childhood, staying in one place without being emptied or moved from one container to another. He hasn't experienced capture either. So, his flavor and smell have stayed the same.

12 Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will send unto him wanderers, that shall cause him to wander, and shall empty his vessels, and break their bottles.

*So, the time will come, says the Lord, when I will send wanderers to him. They will make him wander around, empty his containers, and break his bottles.

13 And Moab shall be ashamed of Chemosh, as the house of Israel was ashamed of Bethel their confidence.

*Moab will feel embarrassed by Chemosh, just like how Israel felt ashamed of Bethel, which they once believed in strongly.

14 How say ye, We are mighty and strong men for the war?

*How do you think of yourselves, as powerful and skilled fighters for battles?

15 Moab is spoiled, and gone up out of her cities, and his chosen young men are gone down to the slaughter, saith the King, whose name is the LORD of hosts.

*Moab is ruined and has left its towns. Its best warriors have gone to certain death, says the King, whose name is the Lord of all armies.

16 The calamity of Moab is near to come, and his affliction hasteth fast.

*The disaster for the people of Moab will soon happen, and their suffering is coming quickly.

17 All ye that are about him, bemoan him; and all ye that know his name, say, How is the strong staff broken, and the beautiful rod!

*Everyone near him feels sad for him. And everyone who knows his name wonders, How could the strong stick break, and the lovely rod?

18 Thou daughter that dost inhabit Dibon, come down from thy glory, and sit in thirst; for the spoiler of Moab shall come upon thee, and he shall destroy thy strong holds.

*Daughter living in Dibon, leave your high place and sit in thirst. The one destroying Moab is coming to you, and will destroy your strong places.

19 O inhabitant of Aroer, stand by the way, and espy; ask him that fleeth, and her that escapeth, and say, What is done?

*Person from Aroer, stand by the road and look; ask the one running away and the one escaping, and say, What happened?

20 Moab is confounded; for it is broken down: howl and cry; tell ye it in Arnon, that Moab is spoiled,

*Moab is confused because it has been destroyed. Cry and shout; announce in the Arnon River that Moab has been ruined.

21 And judgment is come upon the plain country; upon Holon, and upon Jahazah, and upon Mephaath,

*Judgment has arrived in the open land; for Holon, Jahazah, and Mephaath.

22 And upon Dibon, and upon Nebo, and upon Bethdiblathaim,

*On Dibon, on Nebo, and on Bethdiblathaim.

23 And upon Kiriathaim, and upon Bethgamul, and upon Bethmeon,

*On Kiriathaim, on Bethgamul, and on Bethmeon.

24 And upon Kerioth, and upon Bozrah, and upon all the cities of the land of Moab, far or near.

*On Kerioth, Bozrah, and all Moab's cities, both close and far away.

25 The horn of Moab is cut off, and his arm is broken, saith the LORD.

*The Lord says that Moab's horn is gone and his strength is broken.

26 Make ye him drunken: for he magnified himself against the LORD: Moab also shall wallow in his vomit, and he also shall be in derision.

*Make him drunk; he's proud against the Lord. Moab will roll in his own vomit, and be a laughingstock.

27 For was not Israel a derision unto thee? was he found among thieves? for since thou spakest of him, thou skippedst for joy.

*Wasn't Israel a joke to you? Was he found with thieves? Because ever since you talked about him, you have been very happy.

28 O ye that dwell in Moab, leave the cities, and dwell in the rock, and be like the dove that maketh her nest in the sides of the hole’s mouth.

*People living in Moab, leave the towns and live in the rocks. Be like a dove making its nest in a hole's opening.

29 We have heard the pride of Moab, (he is exceeding proud) his loftiness, and his arrogancy, and his pride, and the haughtiness of his heart.

*We heard how proud Moab is, very boastful, showing off, being arrogant, and having a proud heart.

30 I know his wrath, saith the LORD; but it shall not be so; his lies shall not so effect it.

*God says He won't be angry. The deceitful person's plans won't succeed.

31 Therefore will I howl for Moab, and I will cry out for all Moab; mine heart shall mourn for the men of Kirheres.

*So, I will wail for Moab and shout for everyone in Moab. My heart will be sad for the people of Kirheres.

32 O vine of Sibmah, I will weep for thee with the weeping of Jazer: thy plants are gone over the sea, they reach even to the sea of Jazer: the spoiler is fallen upon thy summer fruits and upon thy vintage.

*O vine of Sibmah, I will sadly cry for you like how Jazer cries. Your plants have all gone far away into the sea, all the way to Jazer's sea. The destroyer has ruined your summer fruits and grape harvest.

33 And joy and gladness is taken from the plentiful field, and from the land of Moab; and I have caused wine to fail from the winepresses: none shall tread with shouting; their shouting shall be no shouting.

*Joy and happiness are taken away from the big field and the land of Moab. I also made wine hard to get from the places where it's pressed. People can't celebrate loudly while getting wine, so there will be no happy shouts.

34 From the cry of Heshbon even unto Elealeh, and even unto Jahaz, have they uttered their voice, from Zoar even unto Horonaim, as an heifer of three years old: for the waters also of Nimrim shall be desolate.

*From Heshbon's cry to Elealeh and Jahaz, they loudly shout, from Zoar to Horonaim, like a three-year-old cow. The Nimrim waters will be empty.

35 Moreover I will cause to cease in Moab, saith the LORD, him that offereth in the high places, and him that burneth incense to his gods.

*Moreover, the Lord says that he will stop the people in Moab who offer sacrifices on high places and those who burn incense to their gods.

36 Therefore mine heart shall sound for Moab like pipes, and mine heart shall sound like pipes for the men of Kirheres: because the riches that he hath gotten are perished.

*So my heart will be like musical pipes for Moab and also for the people of Kirheres, because all the wealth he got is now gone.

37 For every head shall be bald, and every beard clipped: upon all the hands shall be cuttings, and upon the loins sackcloth.

*Everyone will have bald heads and trimmed beards. People's hands will have cuts, and everyone will wear sackcloth around their waist.

38 There shall be lamentation generally upon all the housetops of Moab, and in the streets thereof: for I have broken Moab like a vessel wherein is no pleasure, saith the LORD.

*There will be crying everywhere on the rooftops in Moab and in its streets because I have shattered Moab like a useless object, says the Lord.

39 They shall howl, saying, How is it broken down! how hath Moab turned the back with shame! so shall Moab be a derision and a dismaying to all them about him.

*They will cry out, "How has it fallen apart!" Moab has run away in shame. Because of this, Moab will become a source of laughter and disappointment for everyone nearby.

40 For thus saith the LORD; Behold, he shall fly as an eagle, and shall spread his wings over Moab.

*So says the Lord: Look, he will soar like an eagle and spread his wings over Moab.

41 Kerioth is taken, and the strong holds are surprised, and the mighty men’s hearts in Moab at that day shall be as the heart of a woman in her pangs.

*Kerioth has been captured, and the fortresses are shocked, while the powerful men's hearts in Moab that day will be like a woman's heart during labor.

42 And Moab shall be destroyed from being a people, because he hath magnified himself against the LORD.

*Moab will cease to exist as a nation because they boasted against the Lord.

43 Fear, and the pit, and the snare, shall be upon thee, O inhabitant of Moab, saith the LORD.

*"Fear, a deep hole, and a trap will come to you, person living in Moab," says God.

44 He that fleeth from the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that getteth up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for I will bring upon it, even upon Moab, the year of their visitation, saith the LORD.

*Running away from fear will cause you to fall into a trap. Those who escape that trap will then be caught in a snare. This is what God will do to Moab, says the Lord.

45 They that fled stood under the shadow of Heshbon because of the force: but a fire shall come forth out of Heshbon, and a flame from the midst of Sihon, and shall devour the corner of Moab, and the crown of the head of the tumultuous ones.

*Those who ran away stood under Heshbon's protection because of the strong force. But a fire will come from Heshbon and a flame from Sihon, burning the part of Moab and the leaders causing trouble.

46 Woe be unto thee, O Moab! the people of Chemosh perisheth: for thy sons are taken captives, and thy daughters captives.

*Oh no, Moab! The people worshipping Chemosh are in trouble. Your children have been captured, and so have your daughters.

47 Yet will I bring again the captivity of Moab in the latter days, saith the LORD. Thus far is the judgment of Moab.

*"In the future, I will return Moab's captured people, says the Lord. This is Moab's judgment."

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