Jeremiah 48 26

Jeremiah 48:26 kjv

Make ye him drunken: for he magnified himself against the LORD: Moab also shall wallow in his vomit, and he also shall be in derision.

Jeremiah 48:26 nkjv

"Make him drunk, Because he exalted himself against the LORD. Moab shall wallow in his vomit, And he shall also be in derision.

Jeremiah 48:26 niv

"Make her drunk, for she has defied the LORD. Let Moab wallow in her vomit; let her be an object of ridicule.

Jeremiah 48:26 esv

"Make him drunk, because he magnified himself against the LORD, so that Moab shall wallow in his vomit, and he too shall be held in derision.

Jeremiah 48:26 nlt

"Let him stagger and fall like a drunkard,
for he has rebelled against the LORD.
Moab will wallow in his own vomit,
ridiculed by all.

Jeremiah 48 verses

Jeremiah 48 26 meaning

Jeremiah 48:26 declares God's severe judgment upon Moab, decreeing utter humiliation and degradation for its defiant pride against the Lord. The imagery of being "drunk" with divine wrath and "wallowing in vomit" symbolizes complete helplessness, public shame, and loss of honor, rendering Moab an object of scorn to all. It signifies a divine reversal of Moab's perceived strength and arrogance, reducing it to a debased state before all nations.

Jeremiah 48 26 Context

Jeremiah Chapter 48 contains a detailed prophecy of judgment against Moab, a neighboring nation known for its pride, wealth, and reliance on the false god Chemosh. This chapter is part of a larger section (Jeremiah 46-51) where God declares judgment against various surrounding nations, emphasizing His sovereignty over all the earth. The prophecies serve as a warning and demonstrate that Judah's suffering is not due to the weakness of their God but rather to their own disobedience and His just hand. Jeremiah 48:26 fits into a series of declarations highlighting Moab's coming devastation, expressing the severe and inescapable nature of divine punishment for national arrogance and rebellion against God. Moab's "magnifying himself against the Lord" (v. 26) refers to its boastful independence and, possibly, its derision of Judah, whom God considers His chosen people. The judgment is not merely destructive but humiliating, designed to utterly strip Moab of its dignity and self-conceit.

Jeremiah 48 26 Word analysis

• Make him drunk: הַשְׁכִּרֻהוּ (hashkiruhu). This is a strong imperative, a command from God, signifying a divine act of judgment. The Hebrew verb "shakar" (שָׁכַר) means "to be intoxicated," "to get drunk." Here, it's a powerful metaphor for being overwhelmed and disoriented, not by alcohol, but by God's wrath and severe judgment. This "drunkenness" implies confusion, loss of control, and vulnerability, rendering the subject unable to defend themselves or reason clearly, echoing similar imagery of divine judgment in other prophets (Isa 51:17; Jer 25:15).
• for he defied the Lord: כִּי עַל־יְהוָה הִגְדִּיל (ki al-Yahweh higdil). "Ki" means "for" or "because," stating the direct cause of the judgment. "Al-Yahweh" means "against Yahweh," specifying the object of their defiance – the sovereign God of Israel. "Higdil" (from the root גדל, gadol) means "he magnified," "he made great," but in this context, it carries the strong connotation of prideful self-exaltation, boastfulness, or acting with great arrogance and contempt against someone. Moab did not merely oppose Judah; its pride extended to an open and defiant posture against the Lord Himself (cf. Ezek 35:13; Dan 5:23).
• let Moab wallow: וְסָפַק מוֹאָב (v'sapak Mo'av). "V'sapak" (from the root סָפַק, sapaq) typically means "to strike," "to clap," often indicating lament or grief (Job 27:23; Ezek 21:12). However, in this context of vomit and shame, it's better understood as "to splash about," "to wallow," or to be utterly consumed by their miserable condition. The Septuagint translates it as "Moab shall become drunk," reinforcing the idea of confusion and helplessness. It paints a picture of helpless flailing and deep degradation.
• in his vomit: בְּקִאוֹ (b'qi'o). "Qī" (קִיא) is the Hebrew word for "vomit." This is an extremely vivid, graphic, and disgusting image. It depicts the ultimate state of physical and moral debasement, public defilement, and utter loss of dignity. To wallow in one's own vomit implies being stripped of all decorum and reduced to a repulsive spectacle, entirely losing all honor and self-respect (cf. Isa 28:8 for a similar image of disgusting drunkenness).
• and he too will become a laughingstock: וְהָיָה הוּא גַּם־הוּא לִצְחֹק (v'haya hu gam-hu litsḥoq). "V'haya" means "and he will become." "Gam-hu" ("he too" or "even he") emphasizes that even mighty and proud Moab, once admired for its strength, will join the ranks of the ridiculed. "Litsḥoq" (from the root צחק, tsakakh) means "for a laugh," "for scorn," or "a derision." Moab's previous boastfulness will be transformed into an object of bitter ridicule for onlookers, as nations observe its humiliating downfall, serving as a powerful lesson to others.

Word-groups analysis:

• "Make him drunk, for he defied the Lord": This phrase links the punishment (drunkenness leading to humiliation) directly to the cause (Moab's proud defiance against God). The drunkenness is not incidental but a divinely administered judgment matching their arrogance. It demonstrates God's immediate and direct response to pride and blasphemy.
• "let Moab wallow in his vomit, and he too will become a laughingstock": This powerfully contrasts Moab's former glory and self-image with its coming reality. The visual of "wallowing in vomit" is not merely suffering but public, self-inflicted shame, where the internal state of depravity is made outward and repulsive. Becoming a "laughingstock" completes the cycle of humiliation, showing that all pretense of strength and honor is stripped away, making them a public spectacle of God's justice.

Jeremiah 48 26 Bonus section

The specific form of "drunkenness" mentioned here is an important prophetic trope. Unlike mere alcoholic intoxication, this "drunkenness of God's wrath" means losing moral discernment, strategic thinking, and self-control. It reflects a divinely induced stupor or confusion (Isaiah 19:14), causing the affected nation to stumble and act foolishly, accelerating its own destruction. This goes beyond mere defeat; it implies a mental and spiritual collapse orchestrated by God.

Historically, Moab's geographical location made it vulnerable, but its perceived natural fortifications (like Mount Nebo, mentioned elsewhere) and its pagan deity Chemosh gave it a sense of false security. This prophecy shatters that illusion, emphasizing that no fortress or false god can stand against Yahweh. The vividness of the imagery in Jeremiah 48 is part of the prophet's communicative power; it's designed to shock and indelibly imprint the consequences of defying the Most High onto the minds of the audience. The "laughingstock" element is crucial because it was the worst form of public shaming in ancient Near Eastern culture, directly targeting Moab's greatest asset: its pride and honor. This public shaming highlights that God is glorified not just in justice, but also in revealing the emptiness of human boasting.

Jeremiah 48 26 Commentary

Jeremiah 48:26 delivers a profoundly visceral declaration of God's judgment against Moab, serving as a testament to divine justice against unbridled pride and defiance. The command to "make him drunk" signifies that Moab's demise is not accidental but a deliberate act of divine wrath, likened to overwhelming intoxication that strips away control, clarity, and strength. This state is metaphorical for the debilitating confusion and helplessness that God's judgment brings, where Moab will stagger aimlessly, devoid of the ability to stand or fight.

The core reason for this severe judgment is Moab's "defiance of the Lord," an act of supreme arrogance (Isaiah 16:6 mentions Moab's "excessive pride"). Moab had magnified itself against the True God, perhaps in its boastful reliance on its idols, its perceived invincibility, or its contemptuous attitude towards God's people, Judah (Zephaniah 2:8-10). God’s response to such hubris is absolute degradation.

The imagery escalates to the truly grotesque: "let Moab wallow in his vomit." This graphic description signifies the deepest form of public shame and debasement. It paints a picture of a nation utterly defiled, wallowing in its own filth, stripped of all dignity and honor. It's a vivid reversal of Moab's once-proud status, reducing it to a repulsive spectacle, entirely contemptible. The very actions and boasts that inflated Moab's pride will, through divine intervention, become the instruments of its utter downfall and public scorn.

Ultimately, Moab will "become a laughingstock." This ensures that the judgment is not just a private suffering but a public demonstration of God's power and justice. Nations that once respected or feared Moab will now mock and scorn it, understanding that the proud ultimately fall. This humiliation serves as a dire warning to all nations that elevate themselves against the sovereign God. It underscores the biblical principle that "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble" (Proverbs 3:34, 1 Peter 5:5), showing that those who refuse to humble themselves before the Creator will be forcibly humbled by His righteous hand.