Jeremiah 48:7 meaning summary explained with word-by-word analysis enriched with context, commentary and Cross References from KJV, NIV, ESV and NLT.
Jeremiah 48:7 kjv
For because thou hast trusted in thy works and in thy treasures, thou shalt also be taken: and Chemosh shall go forth into captivity with his priests and his princes together.
Jeremiah 48:7 nkjv
For because you have trusted in your works and your treasures, You also shall be taken. And Chemosh shall go forth into captivity, His priests and his princes together.
Jeremiah 48:7 niv
Since you trust in your deeds and riches, you too will be taken captive, and Chemosh will go into exile, together with his priests and officials.
Jeremiah 48:7 esv
For, because you trusted in your works and your treasures, you also shall be taken; and Chemosh shall go into exile with his priests and his officials.
Jeremiah 48:7 nlt
Because you have trusted in your wealth and skill,
you will be taken captive.
Your god Chemosh, with his priests and officials,
will be hauled off to distant lands!
Jeremiah 48 7 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Psa 20:7 | Some trust in chariots, and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. | Contrasts trust in worldly power with trust in God. |
| Psa 49:6–7 | Those who trust in their wealth and boast in the multitude of their riches—none of them can by any means redeem his brother. | Wealth cannot redeem or save. |
| Psa 52:7 | Here is the man who did not make God his strength, but trusted in the abundance of his riches. | Condemns reliance on riches instead of God. |
| Isa 2:8 | Their land is full of idols... They bow down to the work of their hands, to what their own fingers have made. | Idolatry as trusting human creations. |
| Isa 30:1 | Woe to the rebellious children," declares the LORD, "who carry out a plan, but not mine. | Trusting human plans over God's. |
| Isa 42:17 | Those who trust in carved images, who say to molten images, "You are our gods," will be turned back. | Humiliation for idol worshipers. |
| Isa 44:9–11 | All who fashion idols are nothing, and their favored things are useless. | Folly and futility of idol making and worship. |
| Isa 46:1–2 | Bel has bowed down; Nebo stoops; their idols are on beasts and livestock... they themselves have gone into captivity. | Idols of Babylon being taken captive. |
| Jer 9:23 | Thus says the LORD: "Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, nor let the mighty man boast in his might, nor let the rich man boast in his riches." | Humility and avoiding self-reliance. |
| Jer 10:11 | Thus you shall say to them: "The gods that did not make the heavens and the earth shall perish from the earth. | True God vs. powerless idols. |
| Jer 17:5 | Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the LORD. | Condemnation of human trust outside God. |
| Hos 8:6 | For from Israel is even this: a craftsman made it; therefore it is not God. | Manufactured idols are not divine. |
| Zeph 1:18 | Their silver and their gold will not be able to deliver them on the day of the LORD's wrath. | Riches are useless on judgment day. |
| Matt 6:24 | You cannot serve God and money. | Divided loyalty between God and wealth. |
| Matt 19:23–24 | Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. | The danger of trust in riches. |
| 1 Tim 6:17 | As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches. | Warning against trust in unstable wealth. |
| Rev 18:11–17 | The merchants of the earth weep and mourn over her, for no one buys their cargo anymore. | Lament over the fall of Babylon, representing commercial wealth. |
| Exod 12:12 | On that night I will pass through the land of Egypt and strike all the firstborn... against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments. | God's judgment over false gods. |
| Num 21:29 | Woe to you, O Moab! You are undone, O people of Chemosh! He has given his sons as fugitives, and his daughters into captivity. | Prior reference to Moab's idol Chemosh. |
| Judg 11:24 | Will you not possess what Chemosh your god gives you to possess? | Chemosh seen by Ammonites/Moabites as bestower of land. |
| 1 Kings 11:7 | Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab. | Chemosh, associated with sinful practices. |
| Psa 115:4–7 | Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands... they cannot speak; they have eyes, but do not see. | Inanimate nature of idols. |
Jeremiah 48 verses
Jeremiah 48 7 meaning
Jeremiah 48:7 declares a divine judgment upon Moab: because they placed their confidence in their own achievements ("works") and material wealth ("treasures"), they would inevitably be captured. Furthermore, their national deity, Chemosh, along with its priests and officials, would also be led into captivity. This verse underscores the futility of human self-reliance and idolatry when facing the sovereign power and judgment of the true God.
Jeremiah 48 7 Context
Jeremiah 48 contains a prolonged and comprehensive prophecy of judgment against Moab, a nation located east of the Dead Sea, historically antagonistic to Israel. This oracle, delivered through Jeremiah, details the utter devastation and humiliation awaiting Moab. The judgment is rooted in Moab's pride (Jer 48:29), their consistent rebellion against Yahweh, their blasphemy (Jer 48:26), and their idolatrous worship, particularly of Chemosh. Verses 1-6 describe the widespread destruction of Moabite cities, signaling a total collapse. Verse 7, therefore, serves as a pivotal theological explanation for why this judgment is falling: Moab's misplaced trust in human effort and material possessions, and their worship of a powerless false god. This sets the stage for the full unfolding of Moab's desolation and exile as prophesied in the remainder of the chapter.
Jeremiah 48 7 Word analysis
- For because you have trusted: Hebrew:
כי על מעשיך ובאוצרותיך בטחת(ki 'al ma'aseykha uva'ots'rotêkha bāṭaḥta). The phraseבטחת(bāṭaḥta) is "you have trusted," indicating deep reliance and confidence. The particleכי(ki) here functions as "because," explicitly stating the reason for the impending judgment. This signifies an intrinsic theological principle that misplaced trust leads to divine consequence. - in your works: Hebrew:
מעשיך(ma'aseykha). Literally, "your deeds," "your accomplishments," "your creations." This can refer to their self-sufficient efforts in building cities, fortifications, military strength, or agricultural prowess, reflecting reliance on human effort rather than divine provision. It points to a deep self-trust and humanistic pride. - and in your treasures: Hebrew:
ובאוצרותיך(uva'ots'rotêkha). "And in your storehouses/riches/treasures." This encompasses material wealth, accumulated goods, or possibly even fortified places that stored these resources. This signifies their confidence in economic security and material possessions as a safeguard against any threat. The two together ("works" and "treasures") capture the essence of worldly, tangible security. - you also shall be taken: Hebrew:
גם־אתה תלכד(gam-'attah tillekēḏ).גם־אתה(gam-'attah) means "you also" or "even you," emphasizing that Moab, despite its perceived strength, will suffer the same fate.תלכד(tillekēḏ) is a passive form meaning "you shall be seized" or "captured." This directly links their misplaced trust to their inevitable downfall and capture. - and Chemosh: Hebrew:
וכמוש(ūḵmôš). This is the national deity of Moab. Chemosh was an ancient Near Eastern god associated with war and national power, infamous for the practice of child sacrifice among its worshipers (2 Kings 3:27). Mentioning Chemosh explicitly frames the conflict not just as political but as a divine contest where Yahweh proves His supremacy over all other gods. - shall go forth into captivity: Hebrew:
יצא בשבי(yēṣā' baššeḇî).יצא(yēṣā') means "he shall go out" or "depart."בשבי(baššeḇî) means "into captivity" or "as a captive." The deity being led away captive is the ultimate humiliation for an ancient people, symbolizing their god's utter powerlessness and the complete defeat of their national identity and religious system. - with his priests and his officials: Hebrew:
כהניו ושריו(kōhănāyw wesārāyw). "His priests and his princes/officials." This group represents the religious and civil leadership intimately linked with the worship and influence of Chemosh. Their shared captivity underscores the complete overthrow of Moab's entire sociopolitical and religious structure—both the sacred and the secular power bases that had relied on Chemosh.
Words-group analysis:
- "trusted in your works and in your treasures": This phrase pinpoints the core sin: a misplaced reliance on self-generated human strength and accumulated material wealth instead of placing faith in the living God. It is a dual idolatry of achievement and materialism, typical of nations and individuals who neglect their Creator.
- "Chemosh shall go forth into captivity with his priests and his officials": This declares Yahweh's ultimate victory not just over Moab as a nation, but over their foundational false god. It signifies the utter inability of Chemosh to protect itself or its devoted followers, publicly humiliating a powerful pagan deity in the eyes of the ancient world. This also means a comprehensive breakdown of the entire social, political, and spiritual framework of Moab.
Jeremiah 48 7 Bonus section
The concept of a defeated god being led into captivity was a potent symbol in the ancient world. Conquerors would often parade the images of vanquished gods as trophies, signifying the complete dominance of their own deity and people. This practice underscores the devastating impact of Jeremiah's prophecy on the Moabite psyche. For the Judean audience, it was a strong affirmation of Yahweh's unparalleled sovereignty and a warning against foreign alliances that implicitly or explicitly trusted in other gods. The parallel prophecy in Isaiah 46, describing the Babylonian gods Bel and Nebo being carried away, provides a clear, striking theological resonance, emphasizing that even the mightiest pagan gods cannot withstand the Lord. This verse acts as a prefiguring statement that Yahweh alone is true God who brings judgment and has dominion over the physical and spiritual realm including other so-called gods of the other nations.
Jeremiah 48 7 Commentary
Jeremiah 48:7 profoundly exposes the spiritual bankruptcy of Moab's reliance on self and false gods, proclaiming God's inescapable judgment. Their "works" (military strength, cultural achievements, fortifications) and "treasures" (material prosperity, accumulated wealth) formed the pillars of their false security, which they believed would protect them. This trust was directly opposed to true faith in Yahweh. Consequently, the verse declares their imminent capture, directly linking their misplaced confidence to their downfall.
The prophecy takes a powerful polemic turn with the pronouncement that "Chemosh shall go forth into captivity with his priests and his officials." In the ancient Near East, the fate of a nation was intimately tied to the perceived power of its god. For a nation's deity to be taken captive was the ultimate humiliation, signaling absolute defeat, demonstrating that the god was powerless against the conqueror's god. Here, Yahweh asserts His unchallenged supremacy over Chemosh, revealing the Moabite idol as a powerless entity unable to protect even itself or its dedicated worshippers. The accompanying captivity of Chemosh's priests and officials further symbolizes the complete dismantling of Moab's religious and civic institutions, demonstrating God's total victory over their idolatrous system. The fall of Moab is not just a geopolitical event but a theological triumph for the God of Israel.
This verse offers a timeless spiritual lesson: any trust placed in human endeavor or material possessions, apart from or in opposition to the living God, is a delusion that will ultimately lead to ruin. It challenges the common human tendency to seek security in the transient, while highlighting the divine justice that consistently exposes the futility of idolatry in all its forms.