Jeremiah 48:3-9 · Bible study
Jeremiah 48:3-9 Commentary: The Cry of Moab's Destruction
Hebrew · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore the meaning of Moab's coming destruction in Jeremiah 48:3-9. A study of trust, judgment, and divine sovereignty.
Research Summary
- Meaning: God's decree of total destruction on Moab for pride and false trust.
- Key words: cry (ze'aqah), devastation (shod), destruction (shever), heath/juniper (aroer), wing/flower (tzitz).
- Main debate: Whether "give wings" means to provide flight (MT) or is a variant "put salt" (LXX) indicating barrenness.
- Theological theme: Divine sovereignty over nations and the impotence of human security and false gods.
- Best use: A call to examine the objects of our trust and to rest in God alone.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
3A voice cries out from Horonaim: ‘Devastation and great destruction!’
4Moab will be shattered; her little ones will cry out.
5For on the ascent to Luhith they weep bitterly as they go, and on the descent to Horonaim cries of distress resound over the destruction:
6‘Flee! Run for your lives! Become like a juniper in the desert.’
7Because you trust in your works and treasures, you too will be captured, and Chemosh will go into exile with his priests and officials.
8The destroyer will move against every city, and not one town will escape. The valley will also be ruined, and the high plain will be destroyed, as the LORD has said.
9Put salt on Moab, for she will be laid waste; her cities will become desolate, with no one to dwell in them.
WEB World English Bible 2000
3The sound of a cry from Horonaim, desolation and great destruction!
4Moab is destroyed. Her little ones have caused a cry to be heard.
5For they will go up by the ascent of Luhith with continual weeping. For at the descent of Horonaim they have heard the distress of the cry of destruction.
6Flee! Save your lives! Be like the juniper bush in the wilderness.
7For, because you have trusted in your works and in your treasures, you also will be taken. Chemosh will go out into captivity, his priests and his princes together.
8The destroyer will come on every city, and no city will escape; the valley also will perish, and the plain will be destroyed, as Yahweh has spoken.
9Give wings to Moab, that she may fly and get herself away: and her cities will become a desolation, without anyone to dwell in them.
KJV King James Version 1769
3A voice of crying shall be from Horonaim, spoiling and great destruction.
4Moab is destroyed; her little ones have caused a cry to be heard.
5For 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.
6Flee, save your lives, and be like the heath in the wilderness.
7For 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.
8And 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.
9Give wings unto Moab, that it may flee and get away: for the cities thereof shall be desolate, without any to dwell therein.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
3The sound of a cry from Horonaim, desolation and great destruction!
4Moab is destroyed; her little ones have caused a cry to be heard.
5For 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.
6Flee, save your lives, and be like the heath in the wilderness.
7For, because thou hast trusted in thy works and in thy treasures, thou also shalt be taken: and Chemosh shall go forth into captivity, his priests and his princes together.
8And the destroyer shall come upon every city, and no city shall escape; the valley also shall perish, and the plain shall be destroyed; as Jehovah hath spoken.
9Give wings unto Moab, that she may fly and get her away: and her cities shall become a desolation, without any to dwell therein.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
3A voice of a cry is from Horonaim, Spoiling and great destruction.
4Destroyed hath been Moab, Caused a cry to be heard have her little ones.
5For the ascent of Luhith with weeping, Go up doth weeping, For in the descent of Horonaim Adversaries a cry of desolation have heard.
6Flee ye, deliver yourselves, Ye are as a naked thing in a wilderness.
7For, because of thy trusting in thy works, And in thy treasures, even thou art captured, And gone out hath Chemosh in a removal, His priests and his heads together.
8And come in doth a spoiler unto every city, And no city doth escape, And perished hath the valley, And destroyed been the plain, as Jehovah said.
9Give wings to Moab, for she utterly goeth out, And her cities are for a desolation, Without an inhabitant in them.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
3A voice of crying from Horonaim; wasting and great destruction!
4Moab is destroyed; her little ones have caused a cry to be heard.
5For by the ascent of Luhith continual weeping shall go up; for in the descent of Horonaim is heard the anguish of the cry of destruction.
6Flee, save your lives, and be like a shrub in the wilderness.
7For because thou hast confided in thy works and in thy treasures, thou also shalt be taken, and Chemosh shall go forth into captivity, his priests and his princes together.
8And the waster shall come upon every city, that not a city shall escape; and the valley shall perish, and the plateau shall be destroyed: as Jehovah hath said.
9Give wings unto Moab, that she may flee and get away; and the cities thereof shall become a desolation, without inhabitant.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
3A voice of crying from Oronaim: waste, and great destruction.
4Moab is destroyed: proclaim a cry for her little ones.
5For by the ascent of Luith shall the mourner go up with weeping: for in the descent of Oronaim the enemies have heard a howling of destruction.
6Flee, save your lives: and be as heath in the wilderness.
7For because thou hast trusted in thy bulwarks, and in thy treasures, thou also shalt be taken: and Chamos shall go into captivity, his priests, and his princes together.
8And the spoiler shall come upon every city, and no city shall escape: and the valleys shall perish, and the plains shall be destroyed, for the Lord hath spoken:
9Give a flower to Moab, for in its flower it shall go out: and the cities thereof shall be desolate, and uninhabited.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Jeremiah 48:3
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that this passage announces irreversible judgment on Moab. Calvin notes that by naming multiple cities, Jeremiah shows "that the whole land was doomed to ruin, so that no corner of it would be exempt." The Hebrew words shod (devastation) and shever (destruction) in verse 3 intensify the image of total collapse. Barnes identifies the geographical movement from the ascent of Luhith to the descent of Horonaim, tracing the path of weeping refugees. The command "Flee! Save your lives!" (v.6) is understood as a desperate exhortation; Gill and Matthew Henry emphasize that even flight offers no real safety. The capture of Chemosh (v.7) shows the impotence of Moab's national god, as Barnes points out. The destroyer will come on every city (v.8), leaving the land desolate. The unity of the passage is clear: from cry to flight to capture, all is under God's word.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Give wings as literal call to flee: Majority of commentators (Gill, Calvin) read the MT 'give wings' as a sarcastic command for Moab to fly away, emphasizing the impossibility of escape.
- Put salt as an act of barrenness: Based on the LXX and Vulgate, some modern translations (BSB) render 'put salt on Moab,' a symbol of making the land permanently barren.
- Heath as juniper or wild ass: The MT's 'heath' (juniper) depicts a stunted bush, while the LXX's 'wild ass' emphasizes a shy, elusive animal; both convey vulnerability.
What is clear: The passage clearly teaches that God will bring certain, total destruction on Moab because of their pride and trust in false securities, and that neither their cities, their god, nor their treasures will deliver them.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Nature of the cry from Horonaim | It is a sound of distress signaling destruction. | Whether 'her little ones' refers to infants (literal) or subordinate rulers (metaphorical). Some commentators (e.g., Jamieson-Fausset-Brown) take it as heightening the distress; Gill suggests it may include children or the vulnerable. |
| Meaning of 'give wings' (v.9) | It is an ironic command expressing the need for rapid flight. | The MT reads 'give wings' (tzitz, possibly 'flower' or 'wing'), while the LXX and Vulgate have 'put salt' (suggesting desolation). The BSB reflects this variant. Scholars like Keil & Delitzsch maintain the MT reading as birds' feathers; others follow the LXX. |
| Reason for judgment (v.7) | Moab trusted in something other than God. | Whether 'works' (ma'aseh) means products of labor (Barnes) or fortifications (LXX and many versions). The text may have been expanded, as Cambridge notes. |
| Identity of 'the heath' (v.6) | It refers to something bare and exposed in the wilderness. | Whether it is a juniper bush (MT) or a wild ass (LXX). Commentators like Calvin take it as a tamarisk; the Cambridge Bible argues the LXX reading 'wild ass' is likely correct. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Moab was a nation east of the Dead Sea, descended from Lot (Gen 19:37). The territory included the high plain (the tableland) and the valley of the Jordan. Jeremiah's prophecy likely dates to the Babylonian campaigns under Nebuchadnezzar in the early 6th century BC, a period when Moab was subdued along with other Transjordan states (Josephus records this; see Lange's note). The cities named, Horonaim, Luhith, were real places; Horonaim means "two caves," suggesting a town in a rocky area. The ascent of Luhith and descent of Horonaim create a vivid picture of refugees fleeing uphill with continual weeping (v.5). Culturally, Moab had a long history of hostility toward Israel (Judg 3:12-30; 2 Kings 3), but also of pride. Jeremiah 48:29 speaks of Moab's arrogance, a theme echoed here. The people trusted in their "works" (fortifications) and "treasures" (v.7), reflecting reliance on military and economic strength. Their national god Chemosh was worshipped with sacrifices; taking his image into battle was common (Clarke notes this imitation of Israel's ark). The prophecy declares that Chemosh himself will go into captivity, his priests and officials together (v.7), a shocking claim to ancient ears. The destroyer (shoded, participial form of "to ruin") is probably the Babylonian army, but the ultimate agent is Yahweh: "as Yahweh has spoken" (v.8). This historical context makes clear that Moab's destruction is not random but the outworking of divine judgment on a nation that opposed God's people and trusted in false securities. For the original audience, this prophecy would have reinforced that God rules over all nations, not just Israel.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note several textual variants. In verse 6, the LXX reads "wild ass" instead of "heath" (MT: juniper). Verse 9 has a significant variant: the MT reads "give wings" (tzitz), but the LXX and Vulgate suggest "put salt" (a symbol of barrenness), reflected in the BSB translation. The Cambridge Bible also notes that verses 4-5 may be later additions to the text. The word "works" in verse 7 appears in the MT but is absent in the LXX, which reads "strongholds" instead, possibly representing an earlier form. These variants affect the precise imagery but do not change the overall meaning of certain destruction.
Reception History
Throughout church history, this prophecy has served as a warning against trusting in earthly security and as a reminder that God is sovereign over all nations. Early Christian writers saw in Moab's fall a type of the judgment that comes upon all who oppose God's people. During times of persecution, the call to flee and the image of desolate cities resonated with believers facing similar threats. The passage has also been used in liturgical contexts to reflect on the seriousness of sin and the need for repentance. While not as frequently cited as other Old Testament judgments, it remains a powerful example of God's word against pride.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Cry of Total Destruction (vv.3-5): The passage opens with the sound of a cry from Horonaim, using the Hebrew terms shod and shever, devastation and breaking. The weeping is continuous as refugees climb Luhith. This is not a partial disaster but complete ruin, heard from the ascent to the descent.
- The Futility of Human Flight (vv.6-7): The command to flee sarcastically suggests becoming like a juniper in the wilderness, a stunted bush. Even the national god Chemosh cannot save; he is led away captive. Trust in wealth and walls proves hollow.
- The Sovereignty of God Over All (vv.8-9): The destroyer strikes every city; no escape, not even in the valley or plain. The final verse mocks Moab's need for wings to flee, impossible without God's intervention. The whole judgment is “as Yahweh has spoken,” showing his control over history.
Five-point outline
- Geographic Scope (v.3): The cry from Horonaim signals widespread devastation.
- Human Cost (v.4): Moab is “destroyed” and even the little ones cry out, showing total societal collapse.
- Path of Flight (v.5): The ascent of Luhith and descent of Horonaim trace the desperate journey of survivors, marked by continual weeping.
- Exposure to Danger (v.6): The call to flee and become like a juniper suggests a stripped, unprotected existence.
- Divine Stamp (v.8): The repetition of ruin on valley and plain, concluded with “as Yahweh has spoken,” seals the certainty of the judgment.
Illustration hooks
- Hearing a tornado siren while believing your basement will protect you, only to emerge into a leveled neighborhood.
- Watching a flood warning as you frantically move valuables to higher ground, only to see the waters rise above everything.
- The feeling of losing a secure retirement savings in a market crash, realizing the things you trusted are gone.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why does God judge a nation that was not part of the covenant people?
- How do we decide where to put our trust when wealth and wise planning seem so reliable?
- What does it look like when the things we rely on, careers, health, relationships, suddenly fail us?
Leading a Discussion
This passage from Jeremiah offers a stark picture of judgment, but it also invites honest examination of where we place our security. Moab's trust in works and treasures mirrors our own tendency to rely on what we can see and control. As you work through these questions, consider both the warning and the invitation to trust in God alone.
Discussion questions
- What is your first reaction when you read about God bringing destruction on a whole nation? How does that fit with your understanding of God's character?
- In verse 3, the cry from Horonaim includes the words "desolation and great destruction." How does the repetition of similar words (shod, shever) affect the emotional weight?
- Why do you think the prophet describes the flight with such specific geography (ascent of Luhith, descent of Horonaim)?
- Verse 7 says Moab trusted in "works" and "treasures." What would the equivalent be in our culture? What do we trust in that we might not even realize?
- The capture of Chemosh is a direct blow to Moab's religious identity. What happens when the things we treat as ultimate fail us?
- Verse 9 says "Give wings to Moab, that she may fly." How does this ironic command force the listener to confront their helplessness? Where do you see helplessness in your own life?
- How does the certainty that this judgment is "as Yahweh has spoken" (v.8) bring both fear and comfort?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Isaiah 15:2 | They have gone up to Bayith, and to Dibon, to the high places, to weep. Moab wails over Nebo and over Medeba. Baldness is on all of their heads. Every beard is cut off. |
| Isaiah 15:5 | My heart cries out for Moab! Her nobles flee to Zoar, to Eglath Shelishiyah; for they go up by the ascent of Luhith with weeping; for on the way to Horonaim, they raise up a cry of destruction. |
| Isaiah 15:8 | For the cry has gone around the borders of Moab, its wailing to Eglaim, and its wailing to Beer Elim. |
| Isaiah 16:7 | Therefore Moab will wail for Moab. Everyone will wail. You will mourn for the raisin cakes of Kir Hareseth, utterly stricken. |
| Isaiah 16:11 | Therefore my heart sounds like a harp for Moab, and my inward parts for Kir Heres. |
| Isaiah 22:4 | Therefore I said, “Look away from me. I will weep bitterly. Don’t labor to comfort me for the destruction of the daughter of my people. |
| Jeremiah 4:20 | Destruction on destruction is decreed, for the whole land is laid waste. Suddenly my tents are destroyed, and my curtains gone in a moment. |
| Jeremiah 4:21 | How long will I see the standard and hear the sound of the trumpet? |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
5 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill emphasizes that Moab's destruction came because they trusted in their fortified cities, treasures, and the idol Chemosh rather than in God. Even their attempt to flee would be useless, and their land would become as barren as a desert shrub.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch note that the opening "Woe" immediately transports the hearers into the disaster, not as a future warning but to humble Moab's pride.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange shows that Jeremiah builds his prophecy against Moab by consciously weaving together older oracles from Isaiah, Amos, Zephaniah and Numbers. Rather than offering a new revelation, the prophet reuses and adapts these earlier words to create a powerful composite judgment, emphasizing that God's judgment on Moab reaffirms what He has already declared.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry focuses on Moab's long-standing ease and self-confidence, which left their character unchanged and unprepared for disaster. He warns that trusting in worldly prosperity and false gods leads to shame and captivity, as God sends destruction to break their settled complacency.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley draws attention to the desperate flight of the Moabites, who cry out so loudly that their pursuers hear them. He notes that when all is lost, they are told to save only their lives, yet they still trust in their idol Chemosh. Now they need wings like a bird to escape the coming ruin.