Jeremiah 48:31 meaning summary explained with word-by-word analysis enriched with context, commentary and Cross References from KJV, NIV, ESV and NLT.
Jeremiah 48:31 kjv
Therefore will I howl for Moab, and I will cry out for all Moab; mine heart shall mourn for the men of Kirheres.
Jeremiah 48:31 nkjv
Therefore I will wail for Moab, And I will cry out for all Moab; I will mourn for the men of Kir Heres.
Jeremiah 48:31 niv
Therefore I wail over Moab, for all Moab I cry out, I moan for the people of Kir Hareseth.
Jeremiah 48:31 esv
Therefore I wail for Moab; I cry out for all Moab; for the men of Kir-hareseth I mourn.
Jeremiah 48:31 nlt
So now I wail for Moab;
yes, I will mourn for Moab.
My heart is broken for the men of Kir-hareseth.
Jeremiah 48 31 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 15:2-5 | Dibon goes up to the high places to weep… my heart cries out for Moab… | Isaiah's parallel lament for Moab |
| Isa 16:7-11 | Therefore Moab will wail for Moab; everyone will wail for Kir-heres… | Specific mention of lament for Kir-heres and Moab |
| Jer 9:1, 10 | Oh that my head were waters… for the slain of the daughter of my people… | Jeremiah's personal grief over destruction |
| Jer 48:38-39 | On all the housetops of Moab… everyone has shaved his head… lamentation | Broad lamentation throughout Moab |
| Jer 49:2-3 | Sound the alarm in Rabbah… wail, O Heshbon… for the daughter of Rabbah… | Lament for Ammon, another neighboring nation |
| Ezek 27:30-31 | And will let their voice be heard over you, and cry bitterly… | Lament for Tyre, similar national destruction |
| Zeph 2:4 | For Gaza will be abandoned… and Ashkelon will become a desolation… | Prophecy of judgment on other nations |
| Psa 78:64 | Their priests fell by the sword, and their widows made no lamentation… | Lack of lament in overwhelming defeat |
| Psa 119:136 | My eyes shed streams of tears, because they do not keep Your law. | Tears over sin and its consequences |
| Joel 1:8-9 | Wail like a virgin girded with sackcloth for the husband of her youth… | Deep communal lamentation |
| Gen 6:6 | The Lord was grieved that He had made man… and He was pained in His heart. | God's grief over sin, mirroring human emotion |
| Hos 11:8 | How can I give you up, Ephraim?… My heart is turned within Me… | God's compassionate internal struggle over judgment |
| Ezek 18:32 | For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies, declares the Lord.. | God's reluctance in judgment |
| Ezek 33:11 | Say to them, 'As I live!' declares the Lord God, 'I take no pleasure in the death.. | Reinforcing God's desire for repentance, not death |
| Luke 19:41-42 | When He approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it… | Jesus' lament over Jerusalem's impending judgment |
| Rom 9:1-3 | I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart for my brethren… | Paul's deep sorrow for his people's unbelief |
| 2 Kgs 3:25 | They overthrew its cities… only in Kir-Hareseth they left its stones… | Kir-heres as a strong, vital city |
| Lam 1:1 | How lonely sits the city that was full of people! | Lamentation over a fallen city |
| Rev 18:19 | And they threw dust on their heads and were crying, wailing and mourning… | Eschatological lament over fallen Babylon |
| Jer 48:7-8 | For because you have trusted in your own works and in your treasures… | Reason for Moab's judgment: trust in self |
Jeremiah 48 verses
Jeremiah 48 31 meaning
This verse declares a profound lament for the impending destruction of Moab. The prophet, likely voicing God's own sorrow or his deep identification with it, expresses an intense, mournful wailing and crying out over the entirety of Moab's demise. The sorrow is particularly personalized and amplified as it extends to the inhabitants of Kir-heres, a major, fortified city, indicating that even the strongest defenses will fall, leading to widespread, deep internal mourning for its people.
Jeremiah 48 31 Context
Jeremiah 48 is an extensive oracle dedicated solely to the judgment of Moab. This chapter describes Moab's downfall as complete and devastating, listing many of its prominent cities by name, detailing their destruction, and depicting the widespread mourning. The underlying reasons for Moab's judgment are often highlighted as pride, arrogance (Jer 48:29), their self-sufficiency, reliance on their idol Chemosh (Jer 48:7, 13), and their historic contempt for Israel (Zeph 2:8). Within this context, Jeremiah 48:31 serves as a focal point for the lament, encapsulating the profound sorrow – divine or prophetic – over this inescapable judgment, specifically highlighting Kir-heres as a major, final target of the lament, signifying utter ruin.
Jeremiah 48 31 Word analysis
Therefore (לָכֵן - laken): This conjunction points to a logical consequence, linking the preceding descriptions of Moab's shattered pride and inevitable destruction (e.g., verses 29-30) to this outpouring of grief. It shows this lament is a direct result of the prophesied downfall.
I will wail (אֶיְלִל - eylîl): Derived from the Hebrew root yalal (ילל), it signifies a loud, piercing, guttural cry, typically associated with deep anguish, lamenting the dead, or profound national disaster. It's a vocal expression of intense pain and mourning.
for Moab (עַל־מוֹאָב - ʿal Moʾav): Specifies the object of lament. Moab was an ancient kingdom east of the Dead Sea, descended from Lot (Gen 19:37), a long-standing neighbor and sometimes adversary of Israel, characterized in biblical narratives by pride, idolatry, and hostility towards God's people.
and I will cry out (וְאֶזְעַק - wĕʾezʿaq): From the root zaʿaq (זעק), implying a vehement, often desperate outcry. This strengthens and intensifies the act of "wailing," emphasizing a deep and pervasive expression of distress, anguish, or an appeal.
for all Moab (עַל־מוֹאָב כֻּלּהּ - ʿal Moʾav kullāh): The addition of kullāh (כלה), meaning "all" or "whole," emphasizes the comprehensive nature of both the destruction and the lament. The catastrophe is not limited to a specific region but encompasses the entire nation.
My heart (לִבִּי - libbî): The Hebrew word lev (לב) denotes the core of a person's inner being—the seat of intellect, will, emotion, and conscience. Here, it underscores a deep, personal, and internal sense of sorrow and profound grief, indicating empathy rather than mere observation.
will mourn (יֶהְגֶּה - yehegeh): From hagah (הגה), this verb can mean to groan, moan, meditate, or mutter. It conveys a deep, sustained, internal rumbling of sorrow that can find quiet vocal expression or silent, pensive reflection on the tragedy. It suggests a more internalized and prolonged form of grief than yalal or zaʿaq.
for the men of Kir-heres (לְאַנְשֵׁי קִיר־חֶרֶשׂ - lĕʾanshey Qir-ḥeres): Kir-heres, also known as Kir-Hareseth (2 Kgs 3:25) or Kir of Moab (Isa 15:1), was a powerful, fortified capital city of Moab. Its specific mention here personalizes the widespread lament and signifies the absolute devastation of the kingdom, as even its most impregnable stronghold and its inhabitants (literally "men") would fall. Its destruction would have represented the final blow to Moabite national identity and resistance.
"I will wail for Moab, and I will cry out for all Moab": This double expression of intense lamentation for the entire nation highlights the overwhelming nature of the disaster and the all-encompassing sorrow felt. The prophet identifies deeply with this sorrow, signaling not only a divinely mandated judgment but also a divine pathos for those undergoing it.
"My heart will mourn for the men of Kir-heres": The shift from the broader "all Moab" to the specific "men of Kir-heres" magnifies the personal tragedy. Kir-heres, being Moab's principal fortress, represents its final defense and resilience. Its fall, and the specific focus on its people, evokes a deeper, more internal, and profoundly personal grief, implying that no refuge will remain, and the impact will be felt on an individual level.
Jeremiah 48 31 Bonus section
- Anthropomorphism/Anthropopathism: The emotional language ("I will wail," "my heart will mourn") can be understood as Jeremiah's own profound grief, or as an anthropopathic expression, attributing human emotions to God Himself, allowing us to glimpse the depth of divine sorrow even when executing righteous judgment. This highlights God's holistic nature: He is just, yet not emotionless.
- Literary Foreshadowing: This lament echoes similar prophecies against other nations, reinforcing a universal principle: human pride and reliance on false gods will inevitably lead to ruin. It foreshadows the coming judgment on Judah and Jerusalem as well, even as it focuses on Moab.
- The Burden of the Prophet: Jeremiah, often called the "weeping prophet," embodies this suffering for his people and, here, even for their traditional enemies. This verse exemplifies the spiritual burden carried by those who speak God's truth, knowing the severe consequences of disobedience.
Jeremiah 48 31 Commentary
Jeremiah 48:31 is a poignant expression of profound lament, resonating with a sorrow that reflects both prophetic empathy and potentially divine grief. It emphasizes that while God brings judgment due to sin, pride, and idolatry, He does not delight in destruction. The prophet Jeremiah articulates this paradox by envisioning an overwhelming wail and outcry over the whole nation of Moab. The sorrow is intensified and personalized by the specific mention of Kir-heres, a symbol of Moab's strength and last refuge. Its impending fall means total defeat and widespread personal devastation. This verse powerfully conveys the severe consequences of rebellion against God, but also reveals a deeper theological truth: God's justice is often interwoven with a compassionate lament for the plight of humanity under judgment, offering a complex picture of a God who both punishes sin and mourns its tragic outcomes. This sorrow should stir contemplation on the destructive nature of unrepented pride and the high cost of turning away from the Lord.