Jeremiah 48:5 meaning summary explained with word-by-word analysis enriched with context, commentary and Cross References from KJV, NIV, ESV and NLT.
Jeremiah 48:5 kjv
For in the going up of Luhith continual weeping shall go up; for in the going down of Horonaim the enemies have heard a cry of destruction.
Jeremiah 48:5 nkjv
For in the Ascent of Luhith they ascend with continual weeping; For in the descent of Horonaim the enemies have heard a cry of destruction.
Jeremiah 48:5 niv
They go up the hill to Luhith, weeping bitterly as they go; on the road down to Horonaim anguished cries over the destruction are heard.
Jeremiah 48:5 esv
For at the ascent of Luhith they go up weeping; for at the descent of Horonaim they have heard the distressed cry of destruction.
Jeremiah 48:5 nlt
Her refugees weep bitterly,
climbing the slope to Luhith.
They cry out in terror,
descending the slope to Horonaim.
Jeremiah 48 5 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 15:5 | My heart cries out for Moab; his fugitives flee...up the ascent of Luhith with weeping...at the descent of Horonaim they hear the cry of destruction. | Direct parallel, nearly identical wording, showing common prophetic theme of Moab's fall. |
| Isa 16:7 | Therefore Moab will wail for Moab...they will mourn...for the raisin cakes of Kir Hareseth. | Moab's general lament and sorrow. |
| Jer 48:3 | A voice of crying comes from Horonaim: ‘Desolation and great destruction!’ | Directly connects to Horonaim and destruction within the chapter itself. |
| Jer 48:20 | Moab is shamed, for it is broken...Cry out and shout! Tell it in Arnon, that Moab is laid waste. | Shame, brokenness, and widespread announcement of devastation. |
| Jer 48:28 | Leave the cities, and dwell in the rock, you inhabitants of Moab... | Flight and hiding, emphasizing the desperate nature of their escape. |
| Lam 1:16 | "For these things I weep; my eyes flow with tears..." | Intense, personal and national weeping over destruction. |
| Lam 2:10 | The elders of the daughter of Zion sit on the ground, they are silent...they have covered their heads with dust. | Collective lament and signs of deep mourning. |
| Joel 1:8 | "Lament like a virgin girded with sackcloth for the husband of her youth." | Prophetic call for national lament and sorrow. |
| Hos 10:8 | ...and they will say to the mountains, "Cover us!" and to the hills, "Fall on us!" | Desire to hide from destruction, indicative of extreme distress. |
| Zeph 1:15 | That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of destruction and desolation... | Describes a day of severe judgment and distress, similar to Moab's experience. |
| Amos 5:16 | Therefore in all the streets there will be wailing... | Widespread public mourning due to judgment. |
| Nahum 2:10 | Desolate, desolate, and waste! Every heart melts...knees knock...every face grows pale. | Physical manifestation of terror and despair in the face of ruin. |
| Ps 137:1 | By the rivers of Babylon we sat down, yes, we wept when we remembered Zion. | Weeping in exile, remembering lost home and nation. |
| Isa 22:4 | Therefore I said, "Look away from me, I will weep bitterly..." | Personal and profound sorrow over national catastrophe. |
| Isa 65:14 | My servants will sing for joy of heart, but you will cry out for pain of heart and wail for anguish of spirit. | Contrast between joy of the righteous and lament of the ungodly in judgment. |
| Jer 49:2-3 | Therefore behold, the days are coming...Then there will be heard a cry of war in Rabbah...run to and fro through the walls, for Moab is laid waste. | Prophecy of war and devastation against other nations (Ammon), echoing the theme of Moab's destruction. |
| Eze 7:16 | Those of them who escape will be on the mountains like doves of the valleys, all of them mourning... | Survivors scattered and mourning in the wilderness. |
| Job 27:23 | Men will clap their hands at him; they will hiss him from his place. | Shame and utter rejection following destruction, an outcome for Moab. |
| Rev 18:15 | The merchants of these things...will stand afar off for fear of her torment, weeping and mourning. | Future judgment (of Babylon) accompanied by lamentation from those affected. |
| Lk 19:41 | Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it... | Jesus weeping over the future destruction of Jerusalem, demonstrating sorrow over impending judgment. |
| Rom 9:22 | What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction? | Divine wrath on those prepared for destruction, leading to their demise. |
Jeremiah 48 verses
Jeremiah 48 5 meaning
Jeremiah 48:5 graphically depicts the profound sorrow and desperate flight of the Moabite people in the face of imminent destruction. As they attempt to escape the invading forces, they are seen ascending the difficult path of Luhith with intense, collective weeping and wailing. Simultaneously, or perhaps subsequently, their descent from Horonaim is met with the overwhelming sound and news of utter devastation and ruin, indicating an inescapable doom that pervades their land.
Jeremiah 48 5 Context
Jeremiah chapter 48 is an extensive prophetic oracle specifically dedicated to the judgment and destruction of Moab, a nation located east of the Dead Sea, historically antagonistic towards Israel. The chapter begins by detailing the imminent fall of Moab's cities (vv. 1-6) and subsequently outlines the reasons for its downfall, primarily its immense pride, self-security, and reliance on idols (Chemosh).
Verse 5 is situated early in this prophecy, immediately following a general pronouncement that "Moab is put to shame" and a "cry" has gone forth. This verse serves to vividly illustrate the unfolding disaster by focusing on the immediate effects on the fleeing populace. It highlights specific geographical routes of escape (Luhith and Horonaim) to make the description tangible and underscore the pervasive nature of their sorrow. Historically, Moab, like Judah and other nations in the Levant, was a target for expansion by great powers like Assyria and later Babylon, under Nebuchadnezzar, which provides the backdrop for Jeremiah's prophecies of destruction. The prophecy foreshadows the comprehensive military invasion and the resulting suffering of the Moabites as they attempt to flee.
Jeremiah 48 5 Word analysis
For (כִּי, ki): This conjunction serves to connect the action of weeping and fleeing with the broader context of Moab's destruction mentioned in previous verses. It signals the cause or result.
by the ascent (בְּמַעֲלֵה, b'ma'aleh): This literally means "in the going up" or "on the uphill road." It describes the physical act of climbing. The definite article highlights a specific, known difficult route.
of Luhith (לוּחִית, luchith): A prominent town or region in Moab, mentioned also in Isaiah 15:5. Known for its steep road or incline, it represented a strategic but arduous escape route.
they go up (יַעֲלֶה, ya'aleh): A collective singular verb referring to the Moabite people as they ascend. It conveys a desperate, upward struggle, signifying their attempt to flee from the approaching danger.
with weeping (בִּבְכִי, bivchi): The preposition 'with' emphasizes that weeping accompanies, characterizes, and saturates their arduous journey. Bekhi signifies deep sorrow, wailing, and lamentation, a common response to profound national catastrophe.
for by the descent (וּבְמוֹרַד, uvmorad): The conjunction vav ("and/for") further connects this action. Morad means "descent" or "downhill road." It presents a contrasting direction to the ascent of Luhith. This dual movement portrays a comprehensive, desperate flight through the Moabite landscape.
of Horonaim (חוֹרֹנַיִם, choronayim): Another significant Moabite town, also linked with Luhith in Isaiah 15:5. Its name (possibly 'two caves' or 'two pits') might suggest its geographical features, reinforcing the imagery of difficult terrain for flight. It refers to a downhill path from this location.
they have heard (שָׁמְעוּ, sham'u): This implies sensory reception of news or sound. The perfect tense indicates a completed action—they have already received the terrible news or witnessed the destruction. This hearing deepens their despair.
the distress (צַעֲקַת, tza'aqat): Literally "the cry of." It refers to an outcry, shriek, or lament due to extreme distress, pain, or anguish. This is not just a rumor but a visceral experience of calamity.
of destruction (שָׁבֶר, shaver): Meaning "breaking," "shattering," "ruin," or "calamity." It denotes utter devastation and collapse, specifically of Moab's power, prosperity, and cities.
Words-Group by Words-Group Analysis:
- "For by the ascent of Luhith they go up with weeping": This phrase paints a picture of a collective, desperate flight characterized by deep sorrow. The arduous upward journey, usually symbolic of effort and struggle, here is imbued with grief, suggesting that even their attempts to escape are filled with intense emotional pain and dread of the inevitable. The ascent is physically challenging and emotionally draining, an escape route laden with lament.
- "for by the descent of Horonaim they have heard the distress of destruction": This complementary phrase highlights the inescapability of judgment. Whether ascending or descending, the Moabites confront the reality of their destruction. The 'descent' can symbolize a movement away from the "height" of their former pride or prosperity, further emphasizing their downfall. Hearing the "distress of destruction" implies that the devastation is so widespread and palpable that its cries and sounds reach them even as they flee, crushing any hope of escape and bringing the horror to them directly.
Jeremiah 48 5 Bonus section
The close resemblance of Jeremiah 48:5 to Isaiah 15:5 is a significant textual and thematic parallel. This phenomenon (prophets using similar language or referring to common traditions) points either to shared divine revelation received independently or to Jeremiah building upon previous prophetic declarations. It also underscores the long-standing nature and certainty of Moab's eventual downfall, not merely a sudden or capricious judgment. The prophetic pronouncements against Moab served not only as a warning to Moab but also as a reminder to Israel and Judah of God's sovereignty over all nations and His intolerance of pride, idolatry, and arrogance, regardless of who commits them. The "distress of destruction" is a direct consequence of Moab's pride and self-sufficiency, which lifted itself against the Lord.
Jeremiah 48 5 Commentary
Jeremiah 48:5 masterfully conveys the overwhelming despair that grips Moab as God's judgment descends upon them. The vivid imagery of "weeping" accompanying their "ascent" on one hand, and hearing the "distress of destruction" during their "descent" on the other, illustrates a people utterly without refuge or comfort. The specific geographical references (Luhith and Horonaim) lend a grim realism to the prophecy, grounding the abstract notion of divine wrath in tangible, human suffering. Their journey, whether uphill in frantic flight or downhill into new territories, is uniformly marked by lamentation and the dire tidings of their nation's complete collapse. This isn't just sorrow, but an outcry that signifies the end of a people's secure existence, a poignant testament to the destructive power of divine decree against pride and idolatry. It showcases how sin, especially persistent arrogance, ultimately leads to national lament and devastation, leaving no place for peace or escape.