Jeremiah 48:33 meaning summary explained with word-by-word analysis enriched with context, commentary and Cross References from KJV, NIV, ESV and NLT.
Jeremiah 48:33 kjv
And joy and gladness is taken from the plentiful field, and from the land of Moab, and I have caused wine to fail from the winepresses: none shall tread with shouting; their shouting shall be no shouting.
Jeremiah 48:33 nkjv
Joy and gladness are taken From the plentiful field And from the land of Moab; I have caused wine to fail from the winepresses; No one will tread with joyous shouting? Not joyous shouting!
Jeremiah 48:33 niv
Joy and gladness are gone from the orchards and fields of Moab. I have stopped the flow of wine from the presses; no one treads them with shouts of joy. Although there are shouts, they are not shouts of joy.
Jeremiah 48:33 esv
Gladness and joy have been taken away from the fruitful land of Moab; I have made the wine cease from the winepresses; no one treads them with shouts of joy; the shouting is not the shout of joy.
Jeremiah 48:33 nlt
Joy and gladness are gone from fruitful Moab.
The presses yield no wine.
No one treads the grapes with shouts of joy.
There is shouting, yes, but not of joy.
Jeremiah 48 33 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 15:5-9 | My heart cries out for Moab; her fugitives flee to Zoar... | General prophecy against Moab |
| Isa 16:8-10 | For the fields of Heshbon languish... the grape harvest has ceased... | Direct parallel of Moab's lost wine and joy |
| Zeph 2:8-11 | "I have heard the taunts of Moab... they will become like Sodom... Moab will become like Gomorrah..." | Judgment for Moab's pride and scoffing |
| Ezek 25:8-11 | "Thus says the Lord G-d: Because Moab said, 'Behold, the house of Judah is like all the other nations'..." | Judgment for Moab's disdain for Judah |
| Amos 2:1-3 | Thus says the Lord: "For three transgressions of Moab... I will not revoke the punishment..." | Moab's violence leads to divine judgment |
| Joel 1:12 | The vine dries up... joy has vanished from the children of man. | General judgment impacting joy and harvest |
| Jer 7:34 | "I will make to cease from the cities of Judah and from the streets of Jerusalem the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness..." | Similar judgment of lost joy on Judah |
| Jer 16:9 | "For thus says the Lord of hosts, the G-d of Israel: Behold, I will make to cease from this place, before your eyes... the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness..." | Loss of joy as divine punishment |
| Jer 25:10 | "Moreover, I will banish from them the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones and the light of the lamp." | Extensive loss of normal life, including joy |
| Isa 24:7-11 | The wine mourns... all mirth is ended, the joy of the earth is banished. | Wider prophetic context of joy ceasing |
| Deut 28:30-33 | "You shall betroth a wife... build a house... plant a vineyard, but you shall not eat of it..." | Covenant curses including inability to enjoy harvest |
| Psa 4:7 | You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound. | Contrasting true joy with fleeting earthly abundance |
| Psa 104:15 | ...wine that makes glad the heart of man... | Wine associated with joy and God's provision |
| Neh 8:10 | "...the joy of the Lord is your strength." | True and lasting joy comes from God |
| Eccl 2:1-2 | I said in my heart, "Come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy yourself." But behold, this also was vanity. | Fleeting nature of worldly pleasures and joy |
| Rom 15:13 | May the G-d of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing... | New Covenant joy rooted in God and faith |
| Gal 5:22 | But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness... | Source of true and spiritual joy |
| John 15:11 | "These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full." | Christ-given joy contrasted with worldly joy |
| Rev 14:19-20 | "So the angel swung his sickle across the earth... into the great winepress of the wrath of God." | Imagery of a divine winepress, but here of wrath, not joyous labor. |
| Rev 18:22 | "And the sound of harpers and musicians, of flute players and trumpeters, will never again be heard in you..." | Loss of celebratory sounds in the judgment of Babylon |
| Luke 19:41-44 | "...they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation." | Lament over Jerusalem, losing prosperity and peace |
| Lam 1:15 | "The Lord has trodden as in a winepress the virgin daughter of Judah." | Judah's judgment, comparison to treading grapes. |
| Prov 10:28 | The hope of the righteous brings joy, but the expectation of the wicked will perish. | Distinction between sources of joy for righteous/wicked. |
| Matt 22:13 | "Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’" | Absence of joy and severe sorrow for those rejected by God. |
Jeremiah 48 verses
Jeremiah 48 33 meaning
Jeremiah 48:33 declares a cessation of festivity and prosperity in Moab as a direct act of divine judgment. The verse paints a vivid picture of desolation, specifically focusing on the agricultural backbone and cultural expressions of joy related to wine production. The traditional sounds of gladness from the grape harvest, which once characterized Moab's vibrant, fertile lands, are extinguished, replaced by silence or sounds of sorrow. This loss signifies the complete dismantling of Moab's economic stability, cultural pride, and overall sense of national well-being by God.
Jeremiah 48 33 Context
Jeremiah chapter 48 is a sustained oracle against Moab, one of the longest prophecies against a single nation outside of Judah. Moab, located east of the Dead Sea, was known for its pride, prosperity, and self-sufficiency, often mocking Israel and Judah (Jer 48:29, Zeph 2:8). Historically, Moab had a long and often contentious relationship with Israel, being descendants of Lot (Gen 19:37). The chapter details G-d's comprehensive judgment, declaring that Moab will be utterly destroyed and put to shame, not due to human conflict alone, but as a divine act against their idolatry, pride, and complacency. Cities are named (Nebo, Kirathaim, Heshbon), military defeat is depicted, and their national god, Chemosh, is taken into captivity (Jer 48:7). Verse 33 specifically hones in on the vital role of agricultural produce, especially wine, in Moab's economy and festive culture. The "fruitful land" (Hebrew: karmel) indicates the nation's lush, productive territory. The joyous wine harvest, a symbol of prosperity and a deeply embedded cultural tradition, becomes the focal point for illustrating the complete removal of Moab's happiness and abundance as G-d's hand falls upon them. This judgment is also a polemic against Moab's trust in its own strength, wealth, and false gods.
Jeremiah 48 33 Word analysis
- Gladness (Hebrew: sason, שָׂשׂוֹן): Refers to intense joy, mirth, or rejoicing, often associated with festivals, harvest, or significant national events. Its removal signifies a profound loss of public celebration and inner contentment.
- Joy (Hebrew: simcha, שִׂמְחָה): Similar to sason, often paired, indicating a state of happiness, glee, or delight. The pairing emphasizes a complete absence of happiness across all facets of life.
- Are taken away (Hebrew: ne'esaf, נֶאֱסַף): Passive voice, but implies an external agent. It conveys a complete cessation or withdrawal, not a fading. This "taking away" underscores G-d's active involvement in orchestrating this desolation.
- From the fruitful land (Hebrew: mi'eretz karmel, מֵאֶרֶץ כַּרְמֶל): "Fruitful land" is literally "land of Carmel." While Carmel is a specific region in Israel, here it describes Moab's land as productive and fertile, renowned for its vineyards. It signifies a loss not just of joy, but of the very source of their joy and economic stability.
- Of Moab (Hebrew: Mo'av, מוֹאָב): The specific target nation. Their identity, pride, and economy were heavily linked to their land's fertility and produce.
- And I have made... cease (Hebrew: whišbateti, וְהִשְׁבַּתִּי): A direct, strong declaration of divine agency ("I" being Yahweh). It shows G-d as the ultimate cause of this cessation, underscoring His sovereignty over all nations and their affairs.
- The wine (Hebrew: yayin, יַיִן): A central element of Moabite economy and festive culture, essential for daily life and celebration. Its removal represents the drying up of life and pleasure.
- From the winepresses (Hebrew: miggatim, מִגַּתִּים): These were pits, often dug into rock, where grapes were trodden. Their emptiness speaks to the absence of the entire harvest cycle.
- No one treads them with shouts of joy (Hebrew: lo' yidrōkh hedad lo'): "Treads" (dāraḵ) refers to the act of crushing grapes underfoot. This labor was usually accompanied by communal shouts (hedad) and songs, marking a joyous harvest. The absence highlights utter desolation and silence where vibrant festivity once prevailed.
- The shouts are no longer shouts of joy (Hebrew: hedad hedad lo' hedad): A powerful, almost poetic repetition and negation. It means the very sound that signified joy (the hedad), if heard at all, no longer carries that meaning. It might be cries of distress or wailing, emphasizing a complete reversal of meaning for the once-festive sound.
Words-Group Analysis:
- Gladness and joy are taken away: This phrase emphasizes the complete spiritual and emotional destitution of Moab. Not just prosperity, but the internal state of happiness is removed by divine decree. This is a severe form of judgment.
- From the fruitful land of Moab: The loss is not abstract; it directly impacts their core identity as a prosperous agricultural nation. The fertility that was their boast is now barren of happiness.
- I have made the wine cease from the winepresses: Highlights divine authorship of their suffering. Yahweh actively orchestrates the end of their cherished industry, demonstrating His supreme authority over their gods and their fate. The cessation of wine impacts commerce, feasting, and the daily rhythm of life.
- No one treads them with shouts of joy; the shouts are no longer shouts of joy: This double clause drives home the devastation. It details the visible and audible consequences. The physical labor is halted, and the characteristic sounds of the harvest are not only silenced but any "shouts" heard are bereft of joy, turning perhaps to lament. This deep transformation symbolizes national mourning.
Jeremiah 48 33 Bonus section
The repetitive nature of "shouts of joy" (hedad hedad) and its subsequent negation ("no longer shouts of joy") is a significant literary device employed by Jeremiah to amplify the sense of loss and tragedy. This echoes similar lament traditions found across ancient Near Eastern prophetic literature where once-vibrant cityscapes are rendered desolate, silent, or filled with cries of woe. The use of "I have made... cease" throughout prophetic literature against nations consistently points to Yahweh's ultimate control, not merely allowing, but actively bringing about these judgments. This particular verse against Moab is part of a larger theme in Jeremiah (and other prophets) where God, though having a special covenant with Israel, demonstrates His universal sovereignty over all nations, judging them for their pride, idolatry, and moral failures. The destruction of Moab's earthly source of joy serves as a stark warning about where true, lasting joy can be found.
Jeremiah 48 33 Commentary
Jeremiah 48:33 profoundly communicates G-d's judgment on Moab, systematically dismantling their sources of national pride, prosperity, and joy. The verse meticulously targets the vital aspect of wine production, which was both an economic pillar and a cultural expression of their gladness. By stating, "Gladness and joy are taken away from the fruitful land of Moab," the prophecy reveals a profound spiritual consequence: not merely economic hardship, but a removal of the very essence of happiness. The divine "I have made the wine cease" explicitly assigns agency to G-d, declaring His sovereignty over Moab's destiny, in direct challenge to their idolatry and self-reliance. The cessation of wine from the presses and, particularly, the absence of "shouts of joy" during treading the grapes, paint a picture of utter desolation. These traditional joyous sounds turning into silence or sorrow emphasize the completeness of their national humiliation and mourning. It is a reversal of blessing, showing that human-derived joy is ephemeral and can be rescinded by the divine hand.