Jeremiah 48:39 kjv
They shall howl, saying, How is it broken down! how hath Moab turned the back with shame! so shall Moab be a derision and a dismaying to all them about him.
Jeremiah 48:39 nkjv
"They shall wail: 'How she is broken down! How Moab has turned her back with shame!' So Moab shall be a derision And a dismay to all those about her."
Jeremiah 48:39 niv
"How shattered she is! How they wail! How Moab turns her back in shame! Moab has become an object of ridicule, an object of horror to all those around her."
Jeremiah 48:39 esv
How it is broken! How they wail! How Moab has turned his back in shame! So Moab has become a derision and a horror to all that are around him."
Jeremiah 48:39 nlt
How it is shattered! Hear the wailing! See the shame of Moab! It has become an object of ridicule, an example of ruin to all its neighbors."
Jeremiah 48 39 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jer 48:39 | How the Moabites cried in shame; Moab is ashamed and disgraced. | Jer 48:39 (Self) |
| Isa 16:14 | But now the Lord declares, "Within three years, as years of a hired worker, the glory of Moab will be brought into contempt, with all its great multitude; and its remnant will be very small and weak." | Isa 16:14 (Prophecy of Moab's fall) |
| Jer 49:3 | "Wail, O Heshbon, for Ai is laid waste! Cry out, you Ammonites, with sackcloth, lament and wail in the ravines, for your gods are carried off, your princes and priests alike." | Jer 49:3 (Judgment on Ammon, related theme) |
| Eze 25:12 | "Thus says the Lord God: ‘Because Edom acted vengefully against the house of Judah and incurred grievous guilt by avenging itself on them, | Eze 25:12 (Judgment on Edom for vengeance) |
| Jer 46:11 | “Go up to Gilead and get balm, O virgin daughter of Egypt! In vain you multiply medicines; there is no healing for you. | Jer 46:11 (Hope contrasted with futility) |
| Psa 137:8 | O daughter of Babylon, you devastation, happily will be the one who repays you with what you have done to us! | Psa 137:8 (Rejoicing in divine judgment) |
| Rev 18:7 | In the measure that she glorified herself and lived luxuriously, so give her torment and mourning, for she says in her heart, ‘I sit on a throne, I am no widow, I shall not see mourning.’ | Rev 18:7 (Babylon's pride and future mourning) |
| Isa 23:6 | Will not the inhabitants of the coast cry out and wail because of you? | Isa 23:6 (Phoenicia's judgment) |
| Zeph 2:15 | This is the city, exultant, that dwelled securely, that said in her heart, “I am the only one, and there is no other.” How has she become a desolation, a lair for wild beasts! | Zeph 2:15 (Nineveh's pride and fall) |
| Jer 50:2 | “Declare among the nations and proclaim, set up banners; proclaim, ‘Mourn and do not hide; draw a net around her; say, Babylon has fallen; Bel is put to shame, Merodach is dismayed. | Jer 50:2 (Proclamation of Babylon's fall) |
| Jer 18:16 | to make their land an object of horror, a thing to be hissed at; everyone who passes by it will be horrified and wag his head. | Jer 18:16 (Consequences of wickedness) |
| Nah 3:7 | And all who see you will flee from you and say, “Nineveh is in ruins! Who will grieve for her?” When shall I seek comforters for you? | Nah 3:7 (Nineveh's utter destruction) |
| Jer 47:5 | Baldness has come upon Gaza; Ashkelon is silenced. O remnant of the Valley of the Anakim, how long will you gash yourselves? | Jer 47:5 (Philistine cities' desolation) |
| Jer 49:22 | Behold, like a vulture he swoops and flies with his wings spread against Bozrah, and the heart of the mighty men of Edom in that day will be like the heart of a woman in labor. | Jer 49:22 (Edom's judgment likened to a woman in labor) |
| Eze 26:17 | And they will lift up a lamentation over you and say to you, “How you have perished, O land known to the sea, O populous city, that was a mighty power on the sea, with your inhabitants, your merchants, and your traders. All your sailors shall fall by the sword.” | Eze 26:17 (Tyre's lamentation) |
| Eze 32:18 | “Son of man, wail over the multitude of Egypt, and cast them down, the daughters of the imposing nations, to the lowest parts of the earth, among those who go down to the pit. | Eze 32:18 (Egypt's lamentation) |
| Luke 1:48 | For he has looked on the humiliation of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; | Luke 1:48 (Mary's reflection on humility) |
| 1 Cor 1:27 | But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; | 1 Cor 1:27 (God's wisdom and strength contrasted with the world) |
| Gal 5:22-23 | But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. | Gal 5:22-23 (Contrasting earthly pride with spiritual fruit) |
| Jer 51:42 | The sea has come up over Babylon; she is covered with its many waves. | Jer 51:42 (Babylon's destruction) |
Jeremiah 48 verses
Jeremiah 48 39 Meaning
Jeremiah 48:39 speaks of the shame and distress that will befall Moab. The people will cry out in anguish because their "high place" has been dishonored and their pride shattered, resulting in widespread mourning.
Jeremiah 48 39 Context
Jeremiah 48 is a prophecy of judgment against Moab, a neighboring nation to Israel. This chapter details the specific consequences for Moab's defiance and arrogance towards God and His people. Moab, like other surrounding nations, faced divine retribution for their sins, which included idolatry and oppression of Israel. The prophecy is part of a broader series of oracles against the nations found in Jeremiah chapters 46-51. This particular verse situates Moab's lamentation within the context of their impending doom, where their most sacred places and their sense of national pride will be utterly destroyed. The chapter reflects the historical animosity and the prophetic denunciations of nations that stood against God's covenant people.
Jeremiah 48 39 Word Analysis
- “How” (Hebrew: māh)
- An exclamation expressing distress and sorrow, setting the tone for the verse.
- “Moab” (Hebrew: môʾāb)
- Refers to the ancient nation and people descended from Lot, Abraham's nephew. They were frequently in conflict with Israel.
- “cried” (Hebrew: ṣāʿaqû)
- Means to cry out, to scream, often in pain, distress, or appeal. It signifies a deep emotional outcry.
- “in shame” (Hebrew: bə-bošet)
- Indicates the cause of their crying is the feeling of disgrace and humiliation. Their former confidence has vanished.
- “is ashamed” (Hebrew: yəbōšetâ)
- A further emphasis on their disgrace. The verb form highlights a state of being shamed.
- “and” (Hebrew: wə)
- Connects the previous statement with the next, linking their crying to the overall state of shame.
- “disgraced” (Hebrew: bə-pôšet)
- Similar to "in shame," emphasizing the loss of honor and reputation. The term pôšet can imply failure or being defeated.
Words-group Analysis
- “How Moab cried in shame”: This phrase captures the sudden and overwhelming realization of defeat for the Moabites. Their cries are not of protest, but of utter despair resulting from a loss of dignity and honor, directly linked to their "high places."
- “Moab is ashamed and disgraced”: This repetition underscores the completeness of their humiliation. Their former glory and security are gone, replaced by utter ignominy in the eyes of their enemies and before God. This state of being shamed is the direct consequence of their prior pride and defiance.
Jeremiah 48 39 Bonus Section
The concept of "high places" (Hebrew: bamah) in ancient Israel often referred to sacred sites, usually elevated, used for worship. While sometimes sanctioned by God (like altars built by patriarchs), they frequently became associated with illicit Canaanite fertility cults and idolatry, which the prophets, including Jeremiah, condemned vehemently. Therefore, the dishonoring of Moab's high places in this verse signifies the desecration and ultimate invalidation of their idolatrous religious practices and centers of nationalistic pride by the invading forces executing God's judgment. It represents the complete downfall of their religious and political identity, leaving them only with sorrow and shame.
Jeremiah 48 39 Commentary
This verse is a powerful portrayal of divine judgment manifesting as national humiliation. The cry of Moab is not a call for mercy but an expression of sheer, unavoidable despair. The shame described stems from the collapse of their security and the defilement of their religious centers or places of power, referred to metaphorically as their "high places." This indicates that their confidence was placed in worldly status and pagan worship, which ultimately failed them. The pronouncement signifies the complete subversion of Moab's pride, leading to widespread mourning, as detailed throughout the chapter. The consequence of turning away from the true God leads to such utter devastation and disgrace, a recurring theme throughout scripture.