Jeremiah 48:16 meaning summary explained with word-by-word analysis enriched with context, commentary and Cross References from KJV, NIV, ESV and NLT.
Jeremiah 48:16 kjv
The calamity of Moab is near to come, and his affliction hasteth fast.
Jeremiah 48:16 nkjv
"The calamity of Moab is near at hand, And his affliction comes quickly.
Jeremiah 48:16 niv
"The fall of Moab is at hand; her calamity will come quickly.
Jeremiah 48:16 esv
The calamity of Moab is near at hand, and his affliction hastens swiftly.
Jeremiah 48:16 nlt
"Destruction is coming fast for Moab;
calamity threatens ominously.
Jeremiah 48 16 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference Note |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 13:6 | "Wail, for the day of the Lord is near; as destruction from the Almighty it will come!" | Day of the Lord, destruction near |
| Zep 1:14 | "The great day of the Lord is near, near and hastening fast;" | Proximity and speed of divine judgment |
| Job 20:5 | "the exulting of the wicked is short, and the joy of the godless but for a moment?" | Short-lived prosperity of the wicked |
| Prov 29:1 | "He who is often reproved, yet stiffens his neck, will suddenly be broken beyond healing." | Sudden and complete destruction for hardened pride |
| Jer 48:7 | "For because you trusted in your works and your treasures, you also shall be taken." | Moab's trust in idols and wealth leading to ruin |
| Jer 48:26 | "Make him drunk, for he has defied the Lord; so that Moab may wallow in his vomit..." | Judgment for defying God and proud contempt |
| Jer 48:29 | "We have heard of the pride of Moab—he is very proud—of his loftiness, his pride..." | Moab's defining sin of excessive pride |
| Num 21:29 | "Woe to you, O Moab! You are undone, O people of Chemosh!" | Ancient oracle against Moab linking its deity |
| Deut 32:35 | "Vengeance is mine, and recompense, for the time when their foot shall slip; for the day of their calamity is at hand..." | God's justice and day of calamity at hand |
| Ps 73:18-19 | "Truly you set them in slippery places; you cast them down to destruction. How they are destroyed in a moment..." | Wicked's sudden fall |
| Eze 7:5-7 | "An end has come; the end has come; it has awakened against you... disaster upon disaster!" | Inevitable end and accumulating calamity |
| Isa 17:14 | "At evening time, behold, terror! Before morning, they are no more! This is the portion of those who plunder us..." | Swift, overnight destruction of oppressors |
| 1 Thess 5:3 | "While people are saying, 'There is peace and security,' then sudden destruction will come upon them..." | Sudden judgment contrasting with false security |
| Heb 10:25 | "...and all the more as you see the Day approaching." | Awareness of approaching judgment (spiritual) |
| Zeph 2:8 | "I have heard the taunts of Moab and the revilings of the Ammonites, by which they have taunted my people..." | Moab's hostility toward God's people |
| Amos 1:13-15 | "...for he has set fire to the walls of Rabbah, and it has devoured her strongholds..." | Judgment against nations for various sins |
| Nahum 1:3 | "The Lord is slow to anger and great in power, and the Lord will by no means clear the guilty." | God's just nature, not clearing the guilty |
| Mal 3:5 | "Then I will draw near to you for judgment... against those who do not fear me." | God drawing near for judgment |
| Lam 4:18 | "Our steps were staggering in the streets, our end drew near..." | Experience of imminent national destruction |
| Joel 1:15 | "Alas for the day! For the day of the Lord is near..." | The day of judgment is near |
| Rev 22:12 | "Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done." | Christ's swift return for judgment and reward |
Jeremiah 48 verses
Jeremiah 48 16 meaning
Jeremiah 48:16 declares the absolute certainty and imminent arrival of severe disaster upon Moab. The nation's long-held pride and perceived security will be shattered by a swift and overwhelming calamity from which there will be no escape. The verse functions as a concise summary and powerful emphasis on the preceding verses which detail Moab's coming desolation, leaving no doubt about its divine execution and speed.
Jeremiah 48 16 Context
Jeremiah 48 is a sustained oracle against Moab, a nation historically hostile towards Israel, descendants of Lot. This prophecy is part of a larger section (chapters 46-51) in Jeremiah dedicated to pronouncements against various foreign nations. Throughout chapter 48, Jeremiah details the complete and utter devastation awaiting Moab, affecting its cities, inhabitants, pride, and even its false god, Chemosh. The prophecy predicts a period when Moab's strength will crumble, its land will become desolate, and its people will be driven into exile, mourning their lost glory. Verse 16 specifically follows a call to mourn (Jer 48:15) and serves as an emphatic explanation for why such lamentation is necessary—the judgment is not just coming, it is practically at the doorstep and moving at an alarming speed, catching Moab by surprise in its hubris and self-confidence. The historical context likely places this prophecy in the early 6th century BC, a time when the Neo-Babylonian Empire under Nebuchadnezzar was dominating the ancient Near East, becoming the instrument of God's judgment against many nations, including Moab.
Jeremiah 48 16 Word analysis
- כִּי (ki): "For," "surely," "because." This particle often introduces an explanation or emphasis. Here, it functions emphatically, cementing the truth of the declaration that follows, signaling the divine certainty.
- קָר֤וֹב (qarov): "Near," "close." It denotes temporal proximity, indicating that the calamity is not a distant future event but is already at hand, practically immediate. Its position often stresses its importance.
- בָּא֙ (ba): "Comes," "is coming." This Qal perfect verb expresses an action that is either already initiated or viewed as completed/established in its certainty. The judgment isn't merely foreseen; it is effectively underway from God's perspective.
- אֵיד֙ (eyd): "Calamity," "disaster," "destruction." This word is powerful and often used for sudden, overwhelming catastrophe that implies deep ruin and complete devastation. It highlights the severity of the coming judgment, signifying more than just misfortune.
- מוֹאָ֔ב (mo'av): "Moab." The nation against whom the prophecy is directed. Moab's history includes pride (Isa 16:6), hostility towards Israel (Num 22-25), and idolatry (Chemosh). The specific naming underlines the direct and personal nature of the divine judgment against this nation.
- וְרָֽעָתוֹ֙ (v'ra'ato): "And his evil/calamity." Ve- ("and") links it to the preceding phrase. Ra'ah (רָעָה) in Hebrew can mean "evil," "wickedness," but also "misfortune," "calamity," or "disaster," especially as a result of divine judgment (e.g., Ex 32:14; Psa 34:21). The possessive suffix "-to" ("his") clearly connects this specific suffering to Moab. It functions as a strong parallel and intensification of "אֵיד" (calamity).
- מְהֵרָ֣ה (m'herah): "Quickly," "speedily." An adverb emphasizing the rapid, unstoppable nature of the unfolding disaster. It underscores the absence of reprieve or time for preparation.
- מְאֹ֔ד (m'od): "Very," "exceedingly," "greatly." An intensifier that amplifies "מְהֵרָה" (quickly), making the speed of the disaster not just fast, but extremely swift.
- תָּבֹֽוא (tavo): "Will come," "it will come." This Qal imperfect verb emphasizes the future aspect of the coming calamity. Paired with m'od m'herah, it strongly confirms the impending, rapidly approaching arrival of the predicted destruction.
Words-group analysis
- כִּי קָר֤וֹב בָּא֙ אֵיד֙ מוֹאָ֔ב (ki qarov ba eyd mo'av): "Surely, near comes the calamity of Moab." This initial phrase establishes the core message of imminence and certainty. "Ki" (surely) acts as a strong declaration, while "qarov ba" (near comes) uses a literary device to convey something that is virtually at the present moment, even if still technically in the future, removing any doubt about its certainty.
- וְרָֽעָתוֹ֙ מְהֵרָ֣ה מְאֹ֔ד תָּבֹֽוא׃ (v'ra'ato m'herah m'od tavo): "And his evil/calamity will very quickly come." This second clause functions as a poetic parallelism, reiterating and intensifying the first. By using "ra'ato" (his calamity) and adding "me'od meherah" (very quickly) and "tavo" (will come), it powerfully reinforces the swiftness, severity, and inevitability of the judgment. The structure moves from simply "near" to "very quickly," enhancing the sense of urgent, inescapable doom.
Jeremiah 48 16 Bonus section
The double articulation of Moab's fate in two parallel clauses reinforces an ancient Hebrew poetic structure that amplifies a single thought through varied yet similar expressions. This isn't just about the proximity of judgment but also its quality: it is not a gentle approach but a headlong rush. Such prophecies of divine judgment against specific nations, while historically fulfilled by earthly empires, also reveal timeless theological truths about God's sovereignty over all peoples, His intolerance for pride and injustice, and the ultimate accountability of all for their actions. The details of Moab's desolation outlined in Jer 48 are so comprehensive, from top to bottom, city by city, that they leave no room for survival or recovery of their former glory, echoing the totality implied by the verse's emphatic language of a very swift calamity.
Jeremiah 48 16 Commentary
Jeremiah 48:16 stands as a powerful declaration of God's imminent and inescapable judgment against the proud nation of Moab. The repetition of ideas—calamity (אֵיד, eyd) and affliction (רָעָה, ra'ah); near (קָר֤וֹב, qarov) and swiftly (מְהֵרָ֣ה מְאֹ֔ד, m'herah m'od)—is not mere redundancy but a rhetorical device to emphasize the absolute certainty, severity, and speed of what is to befall Moab. It signifies a divine pronouncement from which there is no appeal or escape. This verse, situated within a detailed prophecy of Moab's fall, serves as an emphatic summation: the time for their undoing is not only coming but is already virtually present and rapidly accelerating. The "calamity" and "affliction" speak to both the physical destruction of their land and cities, and the spiritual devastation of their national pride, particularly their trust in the idol Chemosh. This swift judgment is a direct consequence of their defiance of God and their chronic animosity towards Israel, underscoring the universal principle that God judges pride and wickedness among nations.