Jeremiah 48:2 meaning summary explained with word-by-word analysis enriched with context, commentary and Cross References from KJV, NIV, ESV and NLT.
Jeremiah 48:2 kjv
There shall be no more praise of Moab: in Heshbon they have devised evil against it; come, and let us cut it off from being a nation. Also thou shalt be cut down, O Madmen; the sword shall pursue thee.
Jeremiah 48:2 nkjv
No more praise of Moab. In Heshbon they have devised evil against her: 'Come, and let us cut her off as a nation.' You also shall be cut down, O Madmen! The sword shall pursue you;
Jeremiah 48:2 niv
Moab will be praised no more; in Heshbon people will plot her downfall: 'Come, let us put an end to that nation.' You, the people of Madmen, will also be silenced; the sword will pursue you.
Jeremiah 48:2 esv
the renown of Moab is no more. In Heshbon they planned disaster against her: 'Come, let us cut her off from being a nation!' You also, O Madmen, shall be brought to silence; the sword shall pursue you.
Jeremiah 48:2 nlt
No one will ever brag about Moab again,
for in Heshbon there is a plot to destroy her.
'Come,' they say, 'we will cut her off from being a nation.'
The town of Madmen, too, will be silenced;
the sword will follow you there.
Jeremiah 48 2 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference (Short Note) |
|---|---|---|
| Jer 48:1 | Against Moab. Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: "Woe to Nebo, for it is laid waste... | Begins the oracle against Moab |
| Isa 15:1 | An oracle concerning Moab. In a night Moab is laid waste and ruined. | Earlier prophecy against Moab |
| Isa 16:1-6 | Send lambs from Sela to the ruler of the land... We have heard of Moab’s pride—how great it is—of her arrogance, her pride, and her insolence... | Highlights Moab's pride |
| Jer 48:7 | For you trust in your works and your treasures, you also will be captured, and Chemosh will go into exile together with his priests and officials. | Idolatry and false trust |
| Jer 48:11 | Moab has been at ease from his youth and has settled on his dregs; he has not been emptied from vessel to vessel... | Moab's undisturbed prosperity |
| Jer 48:25 | The horn of Moab is cut off, and his arm is broken, declares the Lord. | Symbol of lost strength |
| Ezek 25:8-11 | Thus says the Lord God: Because Moab and Seir say, "Behold, the house of Judah is like all the other nations"... I will execute judgments on Moab... | Judgment for mocking Israel |
| Amos 2:1-3 | Thus says the Lord: For three transgressions of Moab, and for four, I will not revoke the punishment... I will send fire upon Moab... | Divine punishment for sin |
| Deut 2:9 | "Do not harass Moab or provoke them to war, for I will not give you any of their land..." | Initial command for Israel to avoid Moab |
| Psa 73:6 | Therefore pride is their necklace; violence covers them as a garment. | Link to pride of nations |
| Psa 9:5 | You have rebuked the nations; you have made the wicked perish; you have blotted out their name forever and ever. | Blotted out name (nation) |
| Isa 13:6 | Wail, for the day of the Lord is near; it will come as destruction from the Almighty. | "Day of the Lord" judgment |
| Isa 24:1-3 | Behold, the Lord is emptying the earth and laying it waste, distorting its surface and scattering its inhabitants. | Earthly desolation theme |
| Zep 2:8-10 | I have heard the taunts of Moab and the revilings of the Ammonites, by which they have taunted my people... Moab shall become like Sodom... | Judgment for arrogance against God's people |
| Hos 13:16 | Samaria shall bear her guilt, because she has rebelled against her God... They shall fall by the sword... | Falling by the sword |
| Gen 19:30-38 | Account of Moab's origin. | Ancestry and covenant limits |
| Lam 2:15 | All who pass along the way clap their hands at you; they hiss and wag their heads at the daughter of Jerusalem... | Scorn/derision upon fallen nation |
| Psa 83:4-8 | "Come," they say, "let us destroy them as a nation, that the name of Israel may be remembered no more!" The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, Moab and the Hagrites... | Plot to destroy Israel vs. plot against Moab |
| Joel 3:9-16 | Proclaim this among the nations: "Prepare for war; stir up the mighty men... The Lord roars from Zion..." | God gathering nations for judgment |
| Matt 24:15-22 | "...let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let the one who is on the housetop not come down..." | Fleeing impending doom |
| Rev 18:21 | Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, "So will Babylon the great city be thrown down..." | Utter and complete destruction |
| Heb 10:26-31 | For if we go on sinning deliberately... a fearful expectation of judgment... The Lord will judge his people. | Divine judgment is certain |
Jeremiah 48 verses
Jeremiah 48 2 meaning
Jeremiah 48:2 declares the impending and total destruction of Moab, asserting that its former renown and praise will cease. The verse reveals a plot orchestrated against Moab, centered in the city of Heshbon, with the clear intention of eradicating its national identity. Even the city of Madmen is singled out for a fate of silence and desolation, symbolizing complete ruin as the sword of judgment relentlessly pursues the nation. This verse highlights the swift, comprehensive, and divinely ordained demise of Moab's pride and existence.
Jeremiah 48 2 Context
Jeremiah 48:2 is part of a larger oracle (Jeremiah 48:1-47) pronounced by God through Jeremiah against Moab. This entire chapter meticulously details the various towns and regions within Moab that will fall under the Babylonian invasion. It depicts a comprehensive national lament over the desolation and captivity, explicitly linking Moab's pride, ease, and idolatry to its downfall. The historical context is the period leading up to and during the Babylonian empire's dominance, where Babylon was used by God as an instrument of judgment against many nations, including Moab (which often bordered and was an antagonist to Israel). The oracle serves not only as a prophecy of doom but also as a demonstration of YHWH's absolute sovereignty over all nations, challenging the efficacy of Moab's national god, Chemosh.
Jeremiah 48 2 Word analysis
- לֹא עוֹד (Lo’ ‘ōd) – No longer: This phrase signifies absolute cessation and finality. It conveys a permanent end to something previously existing, in this case, Moab's positive standing or glory.
- תְּהִלַּת מוֹאָב (tehillat Mō’āv) – praise of Moab / glory for Moab:
- תְּהִלַּת (tehillat): From `tehillah`, meaning praise, renown, glory, fame. This term typically refers to adoration or admiration. Its cessation for Moab signifies the loss of all honor, dignity, and recognition among nations.
- מוֹאָב (Mō’āv): The nation of Moab, a trans-Jordanian kingdom, often in conflict with Israel. Their pride and idolatry (especially of Chemosh) are repeatedly condemned in scripture.
- בְּחֶשְׁבּוֹן (BeHeshbon) – in Heshbon:
- בְּ (Be-): "In" or "at".
- חֶשְׁבּוֹן (Heshbon): An ancient, strategically important city in Transjordan. Originally Amorite, then Reubenite/Gadite, then Ammonite, and by Jeremiah's time, Moabite. The fact that the plotting is "in Heshbon" highlights the severity; often cities mentioned explicitly underline specific significance. Heshbon itself sounds like "scheming" or "calculating" (`chashav` - to think, devise), making its mention for plotting significant.
- חָשְׁבוּ עָלֶיהָ רָעָה (chāshevū ‘āleyhā rā‘āh) – they plot/devise evil against her:
- חָשְׁבוּ (chāshevū): From `chashav`, meaning "they thought," "they plotted," "they devised." This indicates deliberate intent and strategic planning. The "they" are understood to be Moab's enemies (like the Babylonians, acting as God's instrument), but the ultimate source of this destructive thought is God Himself orchestrating the judgment.
- עָלֶיהָ (‘āleyhā): "Against her" (referring to Moab).
- רָעָה (rā‘āh): "Evil," "calamity," "harm," "misfortune." This signifies a comprehensive plan for disaster.
- לְכוּ וְנַכְחִדֶנָּה מִגּוֹי (Leḵū weneḵḥīdūhā miggōy) – Come, let us cut her off from being a nation:
- לְכוּ (Leḵū): "Come," an imperative often used to invite to an action. Here it sounds like an exultant call from the invading forces, or even a divine command echoed by them.
- וְנַכְחִדֶנָּה (weneḵḥīdūhā): From `kakhad` (or `kḥd`), meaning "to destroy," "to exterminate," "to obliterate." The Niphal (passive) form in `tiddəmmî` and here the Hifil form imply causing something to be destroyed or wiped out. This is a severe, almost total annihilation.
- מִגּוֹי (miggōy): "From a nation," "from being a nation."
- מִן (min): "From."
- גּוֹי (gōy): Nation, people. The objective is the termination of Moab's national status and identity, not just its cities or people.
- גַּם מַדְמֵן תִּדְּמִּי (Gam Maḏmen tiddəmmî) – You too, Madmen, will be silenced / become desolate:
- גַּם (Gam): "Also," "even," "you too." Includes Madmen in the widespread destruction.
- מַדְמֵן (Maḏmen): A Moabite city name, possibly near Dibon. There's a strong wordplay (paronomasia) here, where the name Madmen echoes the sound and meaning of its destined fate.
- תִּדְּמִּי (tiddəmmî): From `damam`, meaning "to be silent," "to be cut off," "to be desolated." The city's name is linguistically linked to its destruction, intensifying the sense of ironic doom. Silence implies a cessation of life, activity, and all its former vibrancy.
- אַחֲרַיִךְ תֵּלֵךְ חָרֶב (Aḥarayik tēlēḵḥerev) – the sword will pursue you:
- אַחֲרַיִךְ (Aḥarayik): "After you." Denotes relentless pursuit.
- תֵּלֵךְ (tēlēḵḥerev): From `halakh`, meaning "to go," "to walk," here "to pursue." It suggests an active, continuous, and inescapable chase.
- חָרֶב (cherev): "Sword." A universal biblical symbol for warfare, death, and divine judgment.