Jeremiah 48 34

Jeremiah 48:34 kjv

From the cry of Heshbon even unto Elealeh, and even unto Jahaz, have they uttered their voice, from Zoar even unto Horonaim, as an heifer of three years old: for the waters also of Nimrim shall be desolate.

Jeremiah 48:34 nkjv

"From the cry of Heshbon to Elealeh and to Jahaz They have uttered their voice, From Zoar to Horonaim, Like a three-year-old heifer; For the waters of Nimrim also shall be desolate.

Jeremiah 48:34 niv

"The sound of their cry rises from Heshbon to Elealeh and Jahaz, from Zoar as far as Horonaim and Eglath Shelishiyah, for even the waters of Nimrim are dried up.

Jeremiah 48:34 esv

"From the outcry at Heshbon even to Elealeh, as far as Jahaz they utter their voice, from Zoar to Horonaim and Eglath-shelishiyah. For the waters of Nimrim also have become desolate.

Jeremiah 48:34 nlt

"Instead, their awful cries of terror can be heard from Heshbon clear across to Elealeh and Jahaz; from Zoar all the way to Horonaim and Eglath-shelishiyah. Even the waters of Nimrim are dried up now.

Jeremiah 48 verses

Jeremiah 48 34 meaning

Jeremiah 48:34 vividly describes the all-encompassing sorrow and devastation that grips the land of Moab under divine judgment. A pervasive outcry of lamentation rings out across its entire territory. From its prominent northern cities, including Heshbon, Elealeh, and Jahaz, down to the notable southern areas of Zoar, Horonaim, and the symbolically rich Eglath-shelishiyah, a unified wail of distress is heard. This collective mourning highlights the profound anguish of the Moabite populace as their nation faces ruin. The verse further emphasizes the thoroughness of this destruction by noting that even the crucial waters of Nimrim, essential for life and agriculture, are laid waste, signifying an existential and comprehensive collapse of Moab's foundational resources and its way of life.

Jeremiah 48 34 Context

Jeremiah chapter 48 presents a comprehensive and extended oracle detailing the complete destruction of Moab. This extensive prophecy is part of a larger section in Jeremiah (chapters 46-51) containing divine judgments against various nations, emphasizing God's universal sovereignty and justice. Moab's downfall is portrayed as a direct consequence of its chronic pride, insolence, and scorn towards the LORD and His chosen people, Israel (Jer 48:29-30). Historically, Moab, originating from Lot (Gen 19:37), maintained a hostile relationship with Israel, marked by periods of conflict and oppression (e.g., Num 22-24, Judges 3). Jeremiah employs vivid imagery of utter ruin and widespread lamentation throughout the chapter, paralleling it to a broken pot (Jer 48:12). Verse 34 specifically maps out the geographical expanse of this coming catastrophe, naming cities from north to south. This sweeping overview assures that no region within Moab will escape the impending sorrow and desolation, underscoring the absolute nature of God's judgment and its impact on their entire infrastructure and sustenance, particularly vital water sources.

Jeremiah 48 34 Word analysis

• From the outcry: (צַעֲקַת tsaʻaqath). Derived from tsaʻaq, meaning "to cry out," this term conveys an intense, desperate lament, signaling profound suffering and distress. It denotes a loud, piercing wail, underscoring the severe agony.

• of Heshbon: (חֶשְׁבּוֹן Heshbon). A historically strategic city, significant in the region's conflicts, previously belonging to the Amorites, then Reuben/Gad, but frequently under Moabite control. Its inclusion highlights the fall of a major urban center.

• even to Elealeh: (אֶלְעָלֵה Elealeh). A city situated near Heshbon and often mentioned alongside it in prophetic warnings against Moab. Its presence further delineates the geographic scope of the pervasive lament.

• and to Jahaz: (יַהְצָה Yahatsah). Another key Moabite city, historically remembered for a battle between Israel and Sihon (Num 21:23). Its mention extends the range of "outcry" across a wider northern part of Moabite territory.

• they utter their voice: (נָתְנוּ קוֹלָם nathanu qolam). Literally "they gave their voice," this idiom describes the act of raising a loud sound in mourning, lamentation, or despair. It implies a collective, widespread expression of national sorrow.

• from Zoar: (צֹעַר Tso'ar). A city located near the southern tip of the Dead Sea, famously spared during the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Its inclusion here establishes the southern boundary of the judgment, showing its comprehensive nature across the entire kingdom.

• even to Horonaim: (חֹרֹנַיִם Choronayim). A prominent Moabite stronghold, possibly named for "two caves" or a dual elevation, also appearing in parallel prophecies (Isa 15:5). Its lament underscores the fall of another significant urban center.

• and Eglath-shelishiyah: (עֶגְלַת שְׁלִשִׁיָּה Eglath Shlishiyah). This phrase literally means "a third heifer" or "three-year-old heifer." It is likely a poetic or symbolic designation for a particularly strong, perhaps fertile or youthful, region or place now included in the wailing. Its devastation signifies that even the most robust or vital parts of Moab would not escape.

• for even the waters of Nimrim: (מֵי נִמְרִים mei Nimrim). Nimrim denotes an essential area of springs or streams in Moab, crucial for sustaining life, agriculture, and livestock. This signifies a fundamental source of natural provision for the Moabite people.

• are a desolation: (שַׁמּוֹת shammot). From the root shamem (to be desolate, appalled, laid waste), this term denotes complete ruin, emptiness, and the cessation of all productive life. Its application to life-giving water sources, typically symbols of vitality, dramatically emphasizes the severity and existential impact of Moab's judgment; its very lifeblood is dried up.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "From the outcry of Heshbon even to Elealeh and to Jahaz they utter their voice": This phrase effectively outlines the northern sector of Moab affected by the overwhelming lament. By naming key urban centers, it conveys the regional spread of human distress and the chain reaction of sorrow cascading through historically significant communities. It signifies that defensive and populated areas could offer no shield from the judgment.
  • "from Zoar even to Horonaim and Eglath-shelishiyah": This second geographical grouping extends the description of wailing to Moab's southern regions. Together, both phrases delineate a total national calamity across the full length and breadth of Moab's significant territories, affirming that no place, from its northern frontiers to its southern limits, would be untouched by the pervasive mourning and destruction.
  • "for even the waters of Nimrim are a desolation": This concluding phrase offers a fundamental, material explanation for the profound and widespread human lament. The destruction of these vital water sources represents a collapse deeper than mere territorial loss; it points to the loss of basic, life-sustaining provisions. This ensures a fundamental and long-term catastrophe, directly linking the cries of anguish to the loss of natural resources.

Jeremiah 48 34 Bonus section

The mysterious "Eglath-shelishiyah" in this verse holds various interpretations among scholars. It is often understood metaphorically as a "three-year-old heifer" or "a third heifer," which symbolizes the vigor, prime strength, or rich productivity of Moab. Its inclusion emphasizes that even the most flourishing or vital aspects of the land would not escape destruction, reinforcing the completeness of the judgment. Others suggest it was the name of a specific but lesser-known location, or perhaps indicates "Eglah, the third" town of that name, lost to history. This prophetic section demonstrates strong intertextual connections, drawing extensively from Isaiah 15-16. This reliance on an older prophetic tradition underscores that Moab's judgment was not a new or isolated divine decree but a long-standing, confirmed word from God, consistent across prophetic generations. Furthermore, the inclusion of cities like Heshbon, which often oscillated between Israelite and Moabite control, subtly critiques Moab's territorial ambitions and arrogance, showing God's judgment justly responding to their usurpations and hostility towards His covenant people.

Jeremiah 48 34 Commentary

Jeremiah 48:34 paints an auditory and visual tableau of Moab's downfall, underscoring the absolute reach of God's judgment. The "outcry" traversing Moab symbolizes the profound national sorrow. By listing significant cities from north to south—Heshbon, Elealeh, Jahaz, Zoar, Horonaim, and Eglath-shelishiyah—the prophecy explicitly demonstrates the judgment's geographical totality, ensuring no part of Moab is exempt. This lament is a severe consequence for Moab's persistent pride and insolence against God and His people, often manifesting in reliance on their false deity, Chemosh. The declaration that "even the waters of Nimrim are a desolation" serves as the final, most impactful stroke. In a land dependent on these essential springs, their desolation signifies more than economic collapse; it represents the drying up of life itself, turning vital regions into barren wasteland. This specific detail powerfully echoes earlier prophecies like Isaiah 15:6, cementing the inevitability and depth of Moab’s ordained fate. This passage powerfully illustrates God's sovereign control over nations and the profound repercussions of unrepentant sin, highlighting that judgment touches not only human pride but also the very fabric of life that sustains a people.

• Example 1: A community built on unsustainable practices suddenly faces an environmental disaster that renders their land uninhabitable.
• Example 2: An individual's entire identity and well-being derived from worldly success crumbling completely, leading to a deep, pervasive grief.