[1] Of Moab. Thus says Yahweh of Hosts, the God of Israel: Woe to Nebo! for
it is laid waste; Kiriathaim is put to shame, it is taken; Misgab is put to
shame and broken down. [2] The praise of Moab is no more; in Heshbon they
have devised evil against her: Come, and let us cut her off from being a
nation. You also, Madmen, shall be brought to silence: the sword shall
pursue you. [3] The sound of a cry from Horonaim, desolation and great
destruction! [4] Moab is destroyed; her little ones have caused a cry to be
heard. [5] For by the ascent of Luhith with continual weeping shall they go
up; for at the descent of Horonaim they have heard the distress of the cry
of destruction. [6] Flee, save your lives, and be like the heath in the
wilderness. [7] For, because you have trusted in your works and in your
treasures, you also shall be taken: and Chemosh shall go forth into
captivity, his priests and his princes together. [8] The destroyer shall
come on every city, and no city shall escape; the valley also shall perish,
and the plain shall be destroyed; as Yahweh has spoken. [9] Give wings to
Moab, that she may fly and get her away: and her cities shall become a
desolation, without any to dwell therein. [10] Cursed be he who does the
work of Yahweh negligently; and cursed be he who keeps back his sword from
blood. [11] Moab has been at ease from his youth, and he has settled on his
lees, and has not been emptied from vessel to vessel, neither has he gone
into captivity: therefore his taste remains in him, and his scent is not
changed. [12] Therefore, behold, the days come, says Yahweh, that I will
send to him those who pour off, and they shall pour him off; and they shall
empty his vessels, and break their bottles in pieces. [13] Moab shall be
ashamed of Chemosh, as the house of Israel was ashamed of Bethel their
confidence. [14] How say you, We are mighty men, and valiant men for the
war? [15] Moab is laid waste, and they are gone up into his cities, and his
chosen young men are gone down to the slaughter, says the King, whose name
is Yahweh of Hosts. [16] The calamity of Moab is near to come, and his
affliction hurries fast. [17] All you who are round about him, bemoan him,
and all you who know his name; say, How is the strong staff broken, the
beautiful rod! [18] You daughter who dwells in Dibon, come down from your
glory, and sit in thirst; for the destroyer of Moab is come up against you,
he has destroyed your strongholds. [19] Inhabitant of Aroer, stand by the
way, and watch: ask him who flees, and her who escapes; say, What has been
done? [20] Moab is put to shame; for it is broken down: wail and cry; tell
you it by the Arnon, that Moab is laid waste. [21] Judgment is come on the
plain country, on Holon, and on Jahzah, and on Mephaath, [22] and on Dibon,
and on Nebo, and on Beth-diblathaim, [23] and on Kiriathaim, and on
Beth-gamul, and on Beth-meon, [24] and on Kerioth, and on Bozrah, and on
all the cities of the land of Moab, far or near. [25] The horn of Moab is
cut off, and his arm is broken, says Yahweh. [26] Make you him drunken; for
he magnified himself against Yahweh: and Moab shall wallow in his vomit,
and he also shall be in derision. [27] For wasn`t Israel a derision to you?
was he found among thieves? for as often as you speak of him, you wag the
head. [28] You inhabitants of Moab, leave the cities, and dwell in the
rock; and be like the dove that makes her nest over the mouth of the abyss.
[29] We have heard of the pride of Moab, [that] he is very proud; his
loftiness, and his pride, and his arrogance, and the haughtiness of his
heart. [30] I know his wrath, says Yahweh, that it is nothing; his
boastings have worked nothing. [31] Therefore will I wail for Moab; yes, I
will cry out for all Moab: for the men of Kir-heres shall they mourn. [32]
With more than the weeping of Jazer will I weep for you, vine of Sibmah:
your branches passed over the sea, they reached even to the sea of Jazer:
on your summer fruits and on your vintage the destroyer is fallen. [33]
Gladness and joy is taken away from the fruitful field and from the land of
Moab; and I have caused wine to cease from the wine presses: none shall
tread with shouting; the shouting shall be no shouting. [34] From the cry
of Heshbon even to Elealeh, even to Jahaz have they uttered their voice,
from Zoar even to Horonaim, to Eglath-shelishiyah: for the waters of Nimrim
also shall become desolate. [35] Moreover I will cause to cease in Moab,
says Yahweh, him who offers in the high place, and him who burns incense to
his gods. [36] Therefore my heart sounds for Moab like pipes, and my heart
sounds like pipes for the men of Kir-heres: therefore the abundance that he
has gotten is perished. [37] For every head is bald, and every beard
clipped: on all the hands are cuttings, and on the loins sackcloth. [38] On
all the housetops of Moab and in the streets of it there is lamentation
every where; for I have broken Moab like a vessel in which none delights,
says Yahweh. [39] How is it broken down! [how] do they wail! how has Moab
turned the back with shame! so shall Moab become a derision and a terror to
all who are round about him. [40] For thus says Yahweh: Behold, he shall
fly as an eagle, and shall spread out his wings against Moab. [41] Kerioth
is taken, and the strongholds are seized, and the heart of the mighty men
of Moab at that day shall be as the heart of a woman in her pangs. [42]
Moab shall be destroyed from being a people, because he has magnified
himself against Yahweh. [43] Fear, and the pit, and the snare, are on you,
inhabitant of Moab, says Yahweh. [44] He who flees from the fear shall fall
into the pit; and he who gets up out of the pit shall be taken in the
snare: for I will bring on him, even on Moab, the year of their visitation,
says Yahweh. [45] Those who fled stand without strength under the shadow of
Heshbon; for a fire is gone forth out of Heshbon, and a flame from the
midst of Sihon, and has devoured the corner of Moab, and the crown of the
head of the tumultuous ones. [46] Woe to you, O Moab! the people of Chemosh
is undone; for your sons are taken away captive, and your daughters into
captivity. [47] Yet will I bring back the captivity of Moab in the latter
days, says Yahweh. Thus far is the judgment of Moab.
