Jeremiah 48 37

Jeremiah 48:37 kjv

For every head shall be bald, and every beard clipped: upon all the hands shall be cuttings, and upon the loins sackcloth.

Jeremiah 48:37 nkjv

"For every head shall be bald, and every beard clipped; On all the hands shall be cuts, and on the loins sackcloth?

Jeremiah 48:37 niv

Every head is shaved and every beard cut off; every hand is slashed and every waist is covered with sackcloth.

Jeremiah 48:37 esv

"For every head is shaved and every beard cut off. On all the hands are gashes, and around the waist is sackcloth.

Jeremiah 48:37 nlt

The people shave their heads and beards in mourning. They slash their hands and put on clothes made of burlap.

Jeremiah 48 verses

Jeremiah 48 37 Meaning

This verse describes a scene of profound lament and distress for the Moabites due to their judgment. The phrase "every head is shaved" signifies extreme grief and mourning. "Every beard is shorn" is a similar cultural expression of deep sorrow and the stripping away of honor or pride. The emphasis on "every hand is cut" suggests total desolation, helplessness, and the incapacitation of their ability to act or defend themselves. Finally, "on all loins are sackcloth" denotes a state of deep repentance, humiliation, and profound sadness, common attire for those in mourning or facing dire circumstances.

Jeremiah 48 37 Context

Jeremiah 48 addresses the impending judgment and devastation of Moab. The chapter details the reasons for this divine punishment, primarily Moab's arrogance, pride, and opposition to God's people, Israel. The prophecy outlines the specific ways Moab will be overthrown and lament will spread throughout the land. Verse 37 serves as a vivid depiction of the total despair and abject humiliation that will characterize the Moabite response to this inevitable destruction. It underscores the completeness of the ruin by describing universally recognized symbols of extreme mourning and loss affecting every aspect of their lives and outward appearance.

Jeremiah 48 37 Word Analysis

• For (ki - כי): Introduces the reason or cause for the preceding or following statement; here, it signifies the result or consequence of the impending judgment on Moab.
• every (kol - כֹּל): Denotes totality, entirety; emphasizing that no individual in Moab will escape the sorrow and humiliation.
• head (rosh - רֹאשׁ): Refers to the physical head, but symbolically represents a person's mind, authority, and dignity. Shaving the head is an act of intense mourning.
• is shaved (qarach - קָרֹוחַ): A passive verb form indicating being made bald or shaven. This action was a direct violation of specific priestly prohibitions regarding personal grooming during mourning, highlighting the extent of the societal breakdown and grief. (Leviticus 21:5; Deuteronomy 14:1 mention prohibitions against such acts for priests and general mourners.)
• and (vav - וְ): Conjunction connecting phrases.
• every (kol - כֹּל): Again, emphasizing universality.
• beard (zaqan - זָקָן): The hair on the chin and cheeks. Shaving the beard was also a deep sign of mourning and disgrace.
• is shorn (gudad - גֻּדָּֽע): Passive verb, meaning to cut off or shear. Similar to head shaving, this was a profound expression of grief and shame, stripping away a mark of masculinity and respect.
• upon (al - עַל): Preposition indicating position or contact.
• all (kol - כֹּל): Universal.
• hands (yadayim - יָדַ֣יִם): The limbs used for working, creating, and acting.
• are cuttings (gedirim - גְּדִירִ֣ים): Derived from "gadar" (גָּדַר), meaning to fence, hedge, or cut off. This could refer to cuttings made into the flesh as a sign of extreme grief, a practice sometimes forbidden in the Law but seen in moments of deep despair. (Jeremiah 41:5 mentions cuttings in mourning). Alternatively, it can signify being cut off from activity or defense.
• and on (veal - וְעַל): Conjunction and preposition.
• all (kol - כֹּל): Universal.
• loins (motnayim - מָתְנַ֖יִם): The waist or hip area, often associated with strength, lineage, and the core of a person.
• sackcloth (saq - שַׂק): Coarse, dark cloth worn as a sign of mourning, penitence, or humility. Girding the loins with sackcloth was a standard expression of profound sorrow.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "every head is shaved, and every beard is shorn": This parallel structure and repetition emphasizes the comprehensive nature of the national grief. These were specific cultural gestures of extreme mourning, even transgressing certain religious distinctions for priests, indicating the unparalleled depth of their national distress and humiliation.
• "upon all hands are cuttings": This phrase is striking. While beard and head shaving are common mourning rituals, "cuttings on hands" suggest self-inflicted wounds as an expression of grief, or a more literal cutting off of their hands, rendering them useless and helpless in their despair. It amplifies the severity of their desolation.
• "and on all loins are sackcloth": Girding the loins with sackcloth was a widespread practice of mourning and penitence across ancient Near Eastern cultures, signifying a return to a basic, humbled state due to loss or shame. This reinforces the overwhelming sorrow and repentance brought by divine judgment.

Jeremiah 48 37 Bonus Section

The specific acts described in verse 37 (shaving heads, shaving beards, cutting hands) resonate with practices of mourning observed in the ancient world, but also highlight acts that were explicitly forbidden to Israelites, particularly priests, when done for pagan reasons or in certain excess (Leviticus 21:5; Deuteronomy 14:1). The fact that these actions are described as happening to the entire population of Moab signifies the absolute nature of their grief and the reversal of their cultural order and even their adherence to or understanding of proper religious expression in the face of overwhelming calamity. The mention of "cuttings on all hands" is particularly severe, suggesting not just sorrow but a state of incapacitation, where their hands, the means of action and work, are rendered useless by despair or injury. This paints a picture of a nation completely broken and unable to act for itself.

Jeremiah 48 37 Commentary

Jeremiah 48:37 paints a grim and graphic picture of Moab's fate. The verse employs powerful cultural symbols of extreme grief and national humiliation to illustrate the impact of God's judgment. The physical mutilation described – shaving heads and beards, making cuttings on hands – transcends normal mourning and suggests a desperate, almost self-destructive response to an overwhelming catastrophe. Wearing sackcloth on the loins signifies the all-pervasive sorrow and the stripping away of all former dignity and strength. This comprehensive imagery emphasizes that Moab’s pride has been utterly broken, leaving them helpless, desolate, and clothed in the garments of profound sorrow and shame, reflecting their impending annihilation and the total loss of their identity and sovereignty.