Part 344

48:15. Moab is laid waste, and they have cast down her cities: and her choice young men are gone down to the slaughter: saith the king, whose name is the Lord of hosts.

48:16. The destruction of Moab is near to come: the calamity thereof shall come on exceeding swiftly.

48:17. Comfort him, all you that are round about him, and all you that know his name, say: How is the strong staff broken, the beautiful rod?

48:18. Come down from thy glory, and sit in thirst, O dwelling of the daughter of Dibon: because the spoiler of Moab is come up to thee, he hath destroyed thy bulwarks.

48:19. Stand in the way, and look out, O habitation of Aroer: inquire of him that fleeth: and say to him that hath escaped: What is done?

48:20. Moab is confounded, because he is overthrown: howl ye, and cry, tell ye it in Arnon, that Moab is wasted.

48:21. And judgment is come upon the plain country: upon Helon, and upon Jasa, and upon Mephaath.

48:22. And upon Dibon, and upon Nabo, and upon the house of Deblathaim,

48:23. And upon Cariathaim, and upon Bethgamul, and upon Bethmaon,

48:24. And upon Carioth, and upon Bosra: and upon all the cities of the land of Moab, far or near.

48:25. The horn of Moab is cut off, and his arm is broken, saith the Lord.

The horn of Moab is cut off. . .That is, the strength of Moab is cut off. A metaphor drawn from animals whose strength is in their horns.

48:26. Make him drunk, because he lifted up himself against the Lord: and Moab shall dash his hand in his own vomit, and he also shall be in derision.

48:27. For Israel hath been a derision unto them: as though thou hadst found him amongst thieves: for thy words therefore, which thou hast spoken against him, thou shalt be led away captive.

48:28. Leave the cities, and dwell in the rock, you that dwell in Moab: and be ye like the dove that maketh her nest in the mouth of the hole in the highest place.

48:29. We have heard the pride of Moab, he is exceeding proud: his haughtiness, and his arrogancy, and his pride, and the loftiness of his heart.

48:30. I know, saith the Lord, his boasting, and that the strength thereof is not according to it, neither hath it endeavoured to do according as it was able.

48:31. Therefore will I lament for Moab, and I will cry out to all Moab, for the men of the brick wall that mourn.

48:32. O vineyard of Sabama, I will weep for thee, with the mourning of Jazer: thy branches are gone over the sea, they are come even to the sea of Jazer: the robber hath rushed in upon thy harvest and thy vintage.

48:33. Joy and gladness is taken away from Carmel, and from the land of Moab, and I have taken away the wine out of the presses: the treader of the grapes shall not sing the accustomed cheerful tune.

48:34. From the cry of Hesebon even to Eleale, and to Jasa, they have uttered their voice: from Segor to Oronaim, as a heifer of three years old: the waters also of Nemrim shall be very bad.

48:35. And I will take away from Moab, saith the Lord, him that offereth in the high places, and that sacrificeth to his gods.

48:36. Therefore my heart shall sound for Moab like pipes and my heart shall sound like pipes for the men of the brick wall: because he hath done more than he could, therefore they have perished.

48:37. For every head shall be bald, and every beard shall be shaven: all hands shall be tied together, and upon every back there shall be haircloth.

48:38. Upon all the housetops of Moab, and in the streets thereof general mourning: because I have broken Moab as an useless vessel, saith the Lord.

48:39. How is it overthrown, and they have howled! How hath Moab bowed down the neck, and is confounded! And Moab shall be a derision, and an example to all round about him.

48:40. Thus saith the Lord: Behold he shall fly as an eagle, and shall stretch forth his wings to Moab.

48:41. Carioth is taken, and the strongholds are won: and the heart of the valiant men of Moab in that day shall be as the heart of a woman in labour.