Jeremiah 48 28

Jeremiah 48:28 kjv

O ye that dwell in Moab, leave the cities, and dwell in the rock, and be like the dove that maketh her nest in the sides of the hole's mouth.

Jeremiah 48:28 nkjv

You who dwell in Moab, Leave the cities and dwell in the rock, And be like the dove which makes her nest In the sides of the cave's mouth.

Jeremiah 48:28 niv

Abandon your towns and dwell among the rocks, you who live in Moab. Be like a dove that makes its nest at the mouth of a cave.

Jeremiah 48:28 esv

"Leave the cities, and dwell in the rock, O inhabitants of Moab! Be like the dove that nests in the sides of the mouth of a gorge.

Jeremiah 48:28 nlt

"You people of Moab,
flee from your towns and live in the caves.
Hide like doves that nest
in the clefts of the rocks.

Jeremiah 48 verses

Jeremiah 48 28 meaning

Jeremiah 48:28 delivers a stark command and vivid imagery for the inhabitants of Moab. It instructs them to abandon their settled cities, which are soon to be destroyed, and instead seek refuge in desolate, rocky, and inaccessible wilderness areas. The verse uses the simile of a dove making its nest in the most secluded and precarious crevices of a deep gorge, emphasizing the extreme vulnerability and desperate flight required of the Moabites as a consequence of divine judgment. This portrays a complete reversal of their proud, settled, and secure existence, forcing them into a wild, uncertain, and fearful displacement.

Jeremiah 48 28 Context

Jeremiah chapter 48 details an extensive oracle against Moab, a nation located east of the Dead Sea, historically known for its pride, wealth, and deep-seated animosity toward Israel. The chapter describes God's complete and imminent judgment against Moab's cities, land, and people. It speaks of widespread devastation, sorrow, and forced exile, dismantling their entire societal and religious structure. This verse, 48:28, serves as a direct, imperative warning and a poetic description of the desperate measures the Moabites will have to take to escape the unfolding destruction. Their security in their established cities is gone, forcing them into a wild, uncivilized, and vulnerable existence, mirroring the lament and scattering typical of conquered peoples. Historically, Moab had fertile lands and strategically important cities, but also mountainous terrain with deep wadis, making the contrast between "city" and "rock" particularly poignant.

Jeremiah 48 28 Word analysis

• Leave the cities (עִזְב֣וּ עָרִ֗ים, izvuarim):
  • עִזְב֣וּ (`izvu): An imperative verb, "Leave," "Forsake," "Abandon." This is a direct command, indicating the urgency and necessity of flight. It highlights the impending danger making urban centers unsafe.
  • עָרִ֗ים (`arim): Plural noun for "cities," "towns." These represent settled life, security, commerce, and culture. The command to abandon them underscores the totality of the coming judgment that will render all such human establishments untenable.
• and dwell in the rock (וְשִׁכְנוּ בַּסֶּלַע, weshiknu bassela`):
  • וְשִׁכְנוּ (weshiknu): An imperative verb, "and dwell," "reside," "inhabit." It’s a direct instruction to seek habitation in an uncustomary and difficult environment.
  • בַּסֶּלַע (bassela`): "in the rock," "cliff," "crag." Sela (סֶלַע) denotes a formidable, natural rocky formation. While sometimes a symbol of refuge or strength, here it represents a place of desolation, remoteness, and extreme vulnerability compared to city life. It speaks of survival, not security.
• you inhabitants of Moab! (יֹשְׁבֵ֣י מוֹאָ֑ב, yoshve Moab):
  • יֹשְׁבֵ֣י (yoshve): Plural participle "inhabitants of," "dwellers of." This is a direct address, pinpointing the specific audience to whom this dire warning is directed.
  • מוֹאָ֑ב (Moab): The nation being addressed, emphasizing the judgment specifically for them.
• Be like the dove (וִהְי֕וּ כְּיוֹנָ֖ה, vihiyu k'yonah):
  • וִהְי֕וּ (vihiyu): Imperative verb, "and be," "become." It calls them to take on the characteristics and actions of the dove.
  • כְּיוֹנָ֖ה (k'yonah): "like a dove." Yonah (יוֹנָה) often symbolizes innocence, peace, or lament in Scripture. Here, it specifically points to a creature that is typically timid, easily startled, and seeks hidden, almost inaccessible places for survival when threatened, implying their panicked flight and desperate need for shelter.
• that makes her nest in the sides of the mouth of a gorge (תְּקַנֵּ֣ן בְּגַפֵּי־פֶה֩ פִֽי־נָֽקֶת, t'qanen b'gappe-peh pi-naqet):
  • תְּקַנֵּ֣ן (t'qanen): Verb, "she makes her nest." This describes the natural survival behavior of the dove.
  • בְּגַפֵּי־פֶה֩ (b'gappe-peh): "in the sides of the mouth." Gappei (גַפֵּי) literally "palms of," or "wing-like extensions of," and peh (פֶה) means "mouth," "opening," or "edge." This vivid image conveys a dangerous, precipitous, and often exposed yet hidden location.
  • פִֽי־נָֽקֶת (pi-naqet): "mouth of a gorge," or "chasm." Naqet (נָקֶת) refers to a deep, narrow, or difficult-to-access cleft, fissure, or gulch. This hyper-specific description emphasizes the most remote, difficult, and extreme places where a creature might seek refuge, highlighting the utterly desolate and perilous conditions to which the Moabites will be reduced.

Words-group by words-group analysis

• "Leave the cities, and dwell in the rock": This forms a powerful juxtaposition and command. It highlights the complete inversion of the Moabite way of life. They are ordered to abandon their established civilization and revert to a primitive, precarious existence. It is not just about moving, but about losing all that defined their previous security and identity.
• "you inhabitants of Moab!": This direct address gives the command an immediate and personal impact, signaling that the judgment is specifically for them and is inescapable.
• "Be like the dove that makes her nest": This introduces the central simile. The vulnerability of the dove, its timid nature, and its habit of finding elusive, sheltered spots underscore the utter loss of Moabite power and pride. They will be reduced to frantic flight and a search for mere survival, not dominion.
• "in the sides of the mouth of a gorge": This phrase further intensifies the imagery of desperate refuge. It describes a place that is remote, often dangerous, barely accessible, and indicative of a profound, disorienting displacement. The description paints a picture of extreme precarity and isolation, reinforcing the idea of a hiding place born of sheer terror and last resort.

Jeremiah 48 28 Bonus section

• The Hebrew terms "gappei-peh" and "pi-naqet" together create a powerful image of a location that is both highly elevated (sides/mouth of a chasm) and extremely secluded or inaccessible, suggesting a place that only a desperate, small, vulnerable creature would consider a safe haven. This speaks to the depth of their fear and the lack of any customary or truly secure refuge.
• This verse contributes to the overarching theme in Jeremiah 48 of the "reversal" of Moab's pride. Moab was famous for its boasting (Jer 48:29-30; Isa 16:6-7) and trust in its own strength and gods. This prophecy shows God bringing down the mighty, demonstrating that human pride and security are fleeting against His sovereign will.
• While primarily a message of judgment, the inclusion of the natural world (dove, rock, gorge) grounds the prophecy in understandable imagery, allowing the audience to vividly imagine the catastrophic impact of such destruction and displacement.

Jeremiah 48 28 Commentary

Jeremiah 48:28 vividly paints the grim fate awaiting Moab, transitioning from the previous verses' pronouncements of destruction to a direct command for survival through flight and desolation. It strips away all pretense of their former glory, prosperity, and proud cities. The instruction to abandon their established urban centers and find shelter "in the rock" is a decree of ultimate humiliation. Their fertile lands and walled cities, once symbols of strength and pride (as their historical reliance on their god Chemosh and their fortifications demonstrated), become traps. The shift to a wild, rugged, and dangerous landscape signifies not chosen refuge, but forced, desperate retreat.

The dove simile is central to understanding the emotional impact. A dove, by its nature, is not a mighty animal; it represents vulnerability and often sorrow or flight. Here, it is driven to extreme measures, nesting in the most improbable and dangerous nooks of a chasm to escape harm. This reflects the complete state of panic and helplessness that will grip Moab, as they scurry for any last, meager hope of survival in the face of overwhelming divine judgment. It emphasizes not only their physical displacement but also a psychological unraveling, forcing them to become refugees in their own land, or beyond, reduced to a desperate fight for mere existence rather than continued dominion.