TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS
Chapter 48
Listen to this chapter in Hebrew:
- Commentary
- Buy E-book
- Buy the Israel Bible
1Concerning Moab. Thus said the lord of Hosts, the God of Yisrael: Alas, that Nebo should be ravaged, Kiriathaim captured and shamed, The stronghold shamed and dismayed!
אלְמוֹאָב כֹּה־אָמַר יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הוֹי אֶל־נְבוֹ כִּי שֻׁדָּדָה הֹבִישָׁה נִלְכְּדָה קִרְיָתָיִם הֹבִישָׁה הַמִּשְׂגָּב וָחָתָּה׃
2Moab's glory is no more; In Heshbon they have planned evil against her: “Come, let us make an end of her as a nation!” You too, O Madmen, shall be silenced; The sword is following you.
באֵין עוֹד תְּהִלַּת מוֹאָב בְּחֶשְׁבּוֹן חָשְׁבוּ עָלֶיהָ רָעָה לְכוּ וְנַכְרִיתֶנָּה מִגּוֹי גַּם־מַדְמֵן תִּדֹּמִּי אַחֲרַיִךְ תֵּלֶךְ חָרֶב׃
3Hark! an outcry from Horonaim, Destruction and utter ruin!
גקוֹל צְעָקָה מֵחֹרוֹנָיִם שֹׁד וָשֶׁבֶר גָּדוֹל׃
4Moab is broken; Her young ones cry aloud;
דנִשְׁבְּרָה מוֹאָב הִשְׁמִיעוּ זְּעָקָה צעוריה [צְעִירֶיהָ׃]
5They climb to Luhith Weeping continually; On the descent to Horonaim A distressing cry of anguish is heard:
הכִּי מַעֲלֵה הלחות [הַלּוּחִית] בִּבְכִי יַעֲלֶה־בֶּכִי כִּי בְּמוֹרַד חוֹרֹנַיִם צָרֵי צַעֲקַת־שֶׁבֶר שָׁמֵעוּ׃
6Flee, save your lives! And be like Aroer in the desert.
ונֻסוּ מַלְּטוּ נַפְשְׁכֶם וְתִהְיֶינָה כַּעֲרוֹעֵר בַּמִּדְבָּר׃
7Surely, because of your trust In your wealth and in your treasures, You too shall be captured. And Chemosh shall go forth to exile, Together with his Kohanim and attendants.
זכִּי יַעַן בִּטְחֵךְ בְּמַעֲשַׂיִךְ וּבְאוֹצְרוֹתַיִךְ גַּם־אַתְּ תִּלָּכֵדִי וְיָצָא כמיש [כְמוֹשׁ] בַּגּוֹלָה כֹּהֲנָיו וְשָׂרָיו יחד [יַחְדָּיו׃]
8The ravager shall come to every town; No town shall escape. The valley shall be devastated And the tableland laid waste —because Hashem has spoken.
חוְיָבֹא שֹׁדֵד אֶל־כָּל־עִיר וְעִיר לֹא תִמָּלֵט וְאָבַד הָעֵמֶק וְנִשְׁמַד הַמִּישֹׁר אֲשֶׁר אָמַר יְהֹוָה׃
9Give wings to Moab, For she must go hence. Her towns shall become desolate, With no one living in them.
טתְּנוּ־צִיץ לְמוֹאָב כִּי נָצֹא תֵּצֵא וְעָרֶיהָ לְשַׁמָּה תִהְיֶינָה מֵאֵין יוֹשֵׁב בָּהֵן׃
10Cursed be he who is slack in doing Hashem's work! Cursed be he who withholds his sword from blood!
יאָרוּר עֹשֶׂה מְלֶאכֶת יְהֹוָה רְמִיָּה וְאָרוּר מֹנֵעַ חַרְבּוֹ מִדָּם׃
11Moab has been secure from his youth on— He is settled on his lees And has not been poured from vessel to vessel— He has never gone into exile. Therefore his fine flavor has remained And his bouquet is unspoiled.
יאשַׁאֲנַן מוֹאָב מִנְּעוּרָיו וְשֹׁקֵט הוּא אֶל־שְׁמָרָיו וְלֹא־הוּרַק מִכְּלִי אֶל־כֶּלִי וּבַגּוֹלָה לֹא הָלָךְ עַל־כֵּן עָמַד טַעְמוֹ בּוֹ וְרֵיחוֹ לֹא נָמָר׃
12But days are coming—declares Hashem—when I will send men against him to tip him over; they shall empty his vessels and smash his jars.
יבלָכֵן הִנֵּה־יָמִים בָּאִים נְאֻם־יְהֹוָה וְשִׁלַּחְתִּי־לוֹ צֹעִים וְצֵעֻהוּ וְכֵלָיו יָרִיקוּ וְנִבְלֵיהֶם יְנַפֵּצוּ׃
13And Moab shall be shamed because of Chemosh, as the House of Yisrael were shamed because of Beit El, on whom they relied.
u-VOSH mo-AV mik-MOSH ka-a-sher BO-shu BAYT yis-ra-AYL mi-BAYT AYL miv-te-KHAM
יגוּבֹשׁ מוֹאָב מִכְּמוֹשׁ כַּאֲשֶׁר־בֹּשׁוּ בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל מִבֵּית אֵל מִבְטֶחָם׃
48:13 As the House of Yisrael were shamed because of Beit El
Rabbi Amnon Bazak (b. 1966)
Yirmiyahu asserts that Moab will be as embarrassed about relying on their god, Chemosh, as the Jews were about relying on Yerovam’s golden calves. According to contemporary Israeli scholar Rabbi Amnon Bazak, Yerovam’s calves were intended to replace the two cherubs found on top of the ark in the Beit Hamikdash. He placed one in Dan, the northern border of his kingdom, and one in Beit El, at the southern border, to signify that the Divine Presence shall rest between the two calves, throughout his entire kingdom, just as it rests between the two cherubs on top of the ark. Yerovam hoped that instead of viewing Yerushalayim and the Beit Hamikdash as the sole place of God’s Presence, they would see the entire Land of Israel as the resting place for God’s glory. The people, however, failed to internalize Yerovam’s intended message and instead of worshipping Hashem throughout the land, they worshiped the calves themselves, angering God and eventually leading to their exile.
14How can you say: We are warriors, Valiant men for war?
ידאֵיךְ תֹּאמְרוּ גִּבּוֹרִים אֲנָחְנוּ וְאַנְשֵׁי־חַיִל לַמִּלְחָמָה׃
15Moab is ravaged, His towns have been entered, His choice young men Have gone down to the slaughter —declares the King whose name is LORD of Hosts.
טושֻׁדַּד מוֹאָב וְעָרֶיהָ עָלָה וּמִבְחַר בַּחוּרָיו יָרְדוּ לַטָּבַח נְאֻם־הַמֶּלֶךְ יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת שְׁמוֹ׃
16The doom of Moab is coming close, His downfall is approaching swiftly.
טזקָרוֹב אֵיד־מוֹאָב לָבוֹא וְרָעָתוֹ מִהֲרָה מְאֹד׃
17Condole with him, all who live near him, All you who know him by name! Say: “Alas, the strong rod is broken, The lordly staff!”
יזנֻדוּ לוֹ כָּל־סְבִיבָיו וְכֹל יֹדְעֵי שְׁמוֹ אִמְרוּ אֵיכָה נִשְׁבַּר מַטֵּה־עֹז מַקֵּל תִּפְאָרָה׃
18Descend from glory And sit in thirst, O inhabitant of Fair Dibon; For the ravager of Moab has entered your town, He has destroyed your fortresses.
יחרְדִי מִכָּבוֹד ישבי [וּשְׁבִי] בַצָּמָא יֹשֶׁבֶת בַּת־דִּיבוֹן כִּי־שֹׁדֵד מוֹאָב עָלָה בָךְ שִׁחֵת מִבְצָרָיִךְ׃
19Stand by the road and look out, O inhabitant of Aroer. Ask of him who is fleeing And of her who is escaping: Say, “What has happened?”
יטאֶל־דֶּרֶךְ עִמְדִי וְצַפִּי יוֹשֶׁבֶת עֲרוֹעֵר שַׁאֲלִי־נָס וְנִמְלָטָה אִמְרִי מַה־נִּהְיָתָה׃
20Moab is shamed and dismayed; Howl and cry aloud! Tell at the Arnon That Moab is ravaged!
כהֹבִישׁ מוֹאָב כִּי־חַתָּה הילילי [הֵילִילוּ ] וזעקי [וּזְעָקוּ] הַגִּידוּ בְאַרְנוֹן כִּי שֻׁדַּד מוֹאָב׃
21Judgment has come upon the tableland—upon Holon, Jahzah, and Mephaath;
כאוּמִשְׁפָּט בָּא אֶל־אֶרֶץ הַמִּישֹׁר אֶל־חֹלוֹן וְאֶל־יַהְצָה וְעַל־מופעת [מֵיפָעַת׃]
22upon Dibon, Nebo, and Beth-diblathaim;
כבוְעַל־דִּיבוֹן וְעַל־נְבוֹ וְעַל־בֵּית דִּבְלָתָיִם׃
23upon Kiriathaim, Beth-gamul, and Beth-meon;
כגוְעַל קִרְיָתַיִם וְעַל־בֵּית גָּמוּל וְעַל־בֵּית מְעוֹן׃
24upon Kerioth and Bozrah—upon all the towns of the land of Moab, far and near.
כדוְעַל־קְרִיּוֹת וְעַל־בָּצְרָה וְעַל כָּל־עָרֵי אֶרֶץ מוֹאָב הָרְחֹקוֹת וְהַקְּרֹבוֹת׃
25The might of Moab has been cut down, His strength is broken, —declares Hashem.
כהנִגְדְּעָה קֶרֶן מוֹאָב וּזְרֹעוֹ נִשְׁבָּרָה נְאֻם יְהֹוָה׃
26Get him drunk For he vaunted himself against Hashem. Moab shall vomit till he is drained, And he too shall be a laughingstock.
כוהַשְׁכִּירֻהוּ כִּי עַל־יְהֹוָה הִגְדִּיל וְסָפַק מוֹאָב בְּקִיאוֹ וְהָיָה לִשְׂחֹק גַּם־הוּא׃
27Wasn't Yisrael a laughingstock to you? Was he ever caught among thieves, That you should shake your head Whenever you speak of him?
כזוְאִם לוֹא הַשְּׂחֹק הָיָה לְךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל אִם־בְּגַנָּבִים נמצאה [נִמְצָא] כִּי־מִדֵּי דְבָרֶיךָ בּוֹ תִּתְנוֹדָד׃
28Desert the cities And dwell in the crags, O inhabitants of Moab! Be like a dove that nests In the sides of a pit.
כחעִזְבוּ עָרִים וְשִׁכְנוּ בַּסֶּלַע יֹשְׁבֵי מוֹאָב וִהְיוּ כְיוֹנָה תְּקַנֵּן בְּעֶבְרֵי פִי־פָחַת׃
29We have heard of Moab's pride— Most haughty is he— Of his arrogance and pride, His haughtiness and self-exaltation.
כטשָׁמַעְנוּ גְאוֹן־מוֹאָב גֵּאֶה מְאֹד גָּבְהוֹ וּגְאוֹנוֹ וְגַאֲוָתוֹ וְרֻם לִבּוֹ׃
30I know his insolence—declares Hashem—the wickedness that is in him, th wickedness he has committed.
לאֲנִי יָדַעְתִּי נְאֻם־יְהֹוָה עֶבְרָתוֹ וְלֹא־כֵן בַּדָּיו לֹא־כֵן עָשׂוּ׃
31Therefore I will howl for Moab, I will cry out for all Moab, I will moan for the men of Kir-heres.
לאעַל־כֵּן עַל־מוֹאָב אֲיֵלִיל וּלְמוֹאָב כֻּלֹּה אֶזְעָק אֶל־אַנְשֵׁי קִיר־חֶרֶשׂ יֶהְגֶּה׃
32With greater weeping than for Jazer I weep for you, O vine of Sibmah, Whose tendrils crossed the sea, Reached to the sea, to Jazer. A ravager has come down Upon your fig and grape harvests.
לבמִבְּכִי יַעְזֵר אֶבְכֶּה־לָּךְ הַגֶּפֶן שִׂבְמָה נְטִישֹׁתַיִךְ עָבְרוּ יָם עַד יָם יַעְזֵר נָגָעוּ עַל־קֵיצֵךְ וְעַל־בְּצִירֵךְ שֹׁדֵד נָפָל׃
33Rejoicing and gladness Are gone from the farm land, From the country of Moab; I have put an end to wine in the presses, No one treads [the grapes] with shouting— The shout is a shout no more.
לגוְנֶאֶסְפָה שִׂמְחָה וָגִיל מִכַּרְמֶל וּמֵאֶרֶץ מוֹאָב וְיַיִן מִיקָבִים הִשְׁבַּתִּי לֹא־יִדְרֹךְ הֵידָד הֵידָד לֹא הֵידָד׃
34There is an outcry from Heshbon to Elealeh, They raise their voices as far as Jahaz, From Zoar to Horonaim and Eglathshelishiah. The waters of Nimrim Shall also become desolation.
לדמִזַּעֲקַת חֶשְׁבּוֹן עַד־אֶלְעָלֵה עַד־יַהַץ נָתְנוּ קוֹלָם מִצֹּעַר עַד־חֹרֹנַיִם עֶגְלַת שְׁלִשִׁיָּה כִּי גַּם־מֵי נִמְרִים לִמְשַׁמּוֹת יִהְיוּ׃
35And I will make an end in Moab —declares Hashem— Of those who offer at a shrine And burn incense to their god.
להוְהִשְׁבַּתִּי לְמוֹאָב נְאֻם־יְהֹוָה מַעֲלֶה בָמָה וּמַקְטִיר לֵאלֹהָיו׃
36Therefore, My heart moans for Moab like a flute; Like a flute my heart moans For the men of Kir-heres— Therefore, The gains they have made shall vanish—
לועַל־כֵּן לִבִּי לְמוֹאָב כַּחֲלִלִים יֶהֱמֶה וְלִבִּי אֶל־אַנְשֵׁי קִיר־חֶרֶשׂ כַּחֲלִילִים יֶהֱמֶה עַל־כֵּן יִתְרַת עָשָׂה אָבָדוּ׃
37For every head is bald And every beard is shorn; On all hands there are gashes, And on the loins sackcloth.
לזכִּי כָל־רֹאשׁ קָרְחָה וְכָל־זָקָן גְּרֻעָה עַל כָּל־יָדַיִם גְּדֻדֹת וְעַל־מָתְנַיִם שָׂק׃
38On all the roofs of Moab, And in its squares There is naught but lamentation; For I have broken Moab Like a vessel no one wants —declares Hashem.
לחעַל כָּל־גַּגּוֹת מוֹאָב וּבִרְחֹבֹתֶיהָ כֻּלֹּה מִסְפֵּד כִּי־שָׁבַרְתִּי אֶת־מוֹאָב כִּכְלִי אֵין־חֵפֶץ בּוֹ נְאֻם־יְהֹוָה׃
39How he is dismayed! Wail! How Moab has turned his back in shame! Moab shall be a laughingstock And a shock to all those near him.
לטאֵיךְ חַתָּה הֵילִילוּ אֵיךְ הִפְנָה־עֹרֶף מוֹאָב בּוֹשׁ וְהָיָה מוֹאָב לִשְׂחֹק וְלִמְחִתָּה לְכָל־סְבִיבָיו׃
40For thus said Hashem: See, he soars like an eagle And spreads out his wings against Moab!
מכִּי־כֹה אָמַר יְהֹוָה הִנֵּה כַנֶּשֶׁר יִדְאֶה וּפָרַשׂ כְּנָפָיו אֶל־מוֹאָב׃
41Kerioth shall be captured And the strongholds shall be seized. In that day, the heart of Moab's warriors Shall be like the heart of a woman in travail.
מאנִלְכְּדָה הַקְּרִיּוֹת וְהַמְּצָדוֹת נִתְפָּשָׂה וְהָיָה לֵב גִּבּוֹרֵי מוֹאָב בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא כְּלֵב אִשָּׁה מְצֵרָה׃
42And Moab shall be destroyed as a people, For he vaunted himself against Hashem.
מבוְנִשְׁמַד מוֹאָב מֵעָם כִּי עַל־יְהֹוָה הִגְדִּיל׃
43Terror, and pit, and trap Upon you who dwell in Moab! —declares Hashem.
מגפַּחַד וָפַחַת וָפָח עָלֶיךָ יוֹשֵׁב מוֹאָב נְאֻם־יְהֹוָה׃
44He who flees from the terror Shall fall into the pit; And he who climbs out of the pit Shall be caught in the trap. For I will bring upon Moab The year of their doom —declares Hashem.
מדהניס [הַנָּס] מִפְּנֵי הַפַּחַד יִפֹּל אֶל־הַפַּחַת וְהָעֹלֶה מִן־הַפַּחַת יִלָּכֵד בַּפָּח כִּי־אָבִיא אֵלֶיהָ אֶל־מוֹאָב שְׁנַת פְּקֻדָּתָם נְאֻם־יְהֹוָה׃
45In the shelter of Heshbon Fugitives halt exhausted; For fire went forth from Heshbon, Flame from the midst of Sihon, Consuming the brow of Moab, The pate of the people of Shaon.
מהבְּצֵל חֶשְׁבּוֹן עָמְדוּ מִכֹּחַ נָסִים כִּי־אֵשׁ יָצָא מֵחֶשְׁבּוֹן וְלֶהָבָה מִבֵּין סִיחוֹן וַתֹּאכַל פְּאַת מוֹאָב וְקָדְקֹד בְּנֵי שָׁאוֹן׃
46Woe to you, O Moab! The people of Chemosh are undone, For your sons are carried off into captivity, Your daughters into exile.
מואוֹי־לְךָ מוֹאָב אָבַד עַם־כְּמוֹשׁ כִּי־לֻקְּחוּ בָנֶיךָ בַּשֶּׁבִי וּבְנֹתֶיךָ בַּשִּׁבְיָה׃
47But I will restore the fortunes of Moab in the days to come—declares Hashem. Thus far is the judgment on Moab.
מזוְשַׁבְתִּי שְׁבוּת־מוֹאָב בְּאַחֲרִית הַיָּמִים נְאֻם־יְהֹוָה עַד־הֵנָּה מִשְׁפַּט מוֹאָב׃
