 1 Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, against Moab: Woe to Nebo for it is ravaged. Kiriathaim is shamed and captured. The Fortress is shamed and razed. 2 There shall be no more praise of Moab. In Heshbon they have plotted evil against it saying, Come and let us cut it off from being a nation. You shall be silenced O madmen. The sword will pursue you. 3 A voice of crying will be heard from Horonaim, plundering and great ruin. 4 Moab is destroyed. Her little children have caused a cry to be heard. 5 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 ruin. 6 Flee, save your lives, and be like a naked thing in the wilderness. 7 For because you have trusted in your works and in your treasures, you shall also be captured. And Chemosh shall go into exile with his priests and his rulers. 8 The robber shall come on every city, and no city shall escape. Also the valley shall perish, and the plain shall be destroyed, as the Lord has spoken. 9 Give wings to Moab so that it may flee and get away. For its cities shall be a desert, without an inhabitant in them. 10 Cursed is he who does the work of the Lord deceitfully, and cursed is he who keeps back his sword from blood. 11 Moab has been at ease from his youth. He has settled on his remains and has not been emptied from vessel to vessel, nor has he gone into exile. Therefore his taste remained in him and his scent is not changed. 12 Therefore the days are coming says the Lord, that I will send pourers to him who will pour him off and his vessels shall empty and shatter their jars. 13 Moab will be ashamed of Chemosh, as the house of Israel was ashamed of Bethel their hope. 14 How do you say, We are mighty and strong men for war? 15 Moab is plundered and has come up out of her cities. And his chosen young men have gone down to the slaughter, says the King whose name is the Lord of hosts. 16 The calamity of Moab is near to come and his affliction hurries fast. 17 All you who are around him mourn him. All you who know his name say, How is the strong staff broken and the beautiful rod. 18 O daughter of Dibon, come down from your glory and sit in thirst. For the spoiler of Moab will come upon you. He will destroy your strongholds. 19 O inhabitant of Aroer, stand by the way and watch. Ask one who flees and escapes and say, What has been done? 20 Moab is put to shame for it is broken down. Howl and cry. Tell it in Arnon that Moab is stripped. 21 Judgment has come on the plain country. On Holon, and on Jahazah, and on Mephaath, 22 and on Dibon, and on Nebo, and on Bethdiblathaim, 23 and on Kiriathaim, and on Bethgamul, and on Bethmeon, 24 and on Kerioth, and on Bozrah, and on all the cities of the land of Moab, far or near. 25 The horn of Moab is cut off, and his arm is broken, says the Lord. 26 Make him drunk, for he magnified himself against the Lord. Moab also shall wallow in his vomit, and he also shall be a mockery. 27 For was not Israel a mockery to you? Was he found among thieves? For ever since you spoke of him, you skipped for joy. 28 O you who live in Moab, leave the cities and live in the rock, and be like the dove making her nest in the sides of the mouth of the pit. 29 We have heard the pride of Moab he is exceedingly proud, his loftiness, and his pride, and his arrogance, and his elevated heart. 30 I know his wrath, says the Lord, it is not so. His boast, but they have not done so. 31 So I will wail for Moab, and I will cry out for all Moab, and shall mourn for the men of Kirheres. 32 O vine of Sibmah, I will weep for you with the weeping of Jazer. Your plants have gone over the sea. They reach to the sea of Jazer. A ravager has fallen on your summer fruits and on your grape crop. 33 Joy and gladness is taken from the plentiful field and from the land of Moab. I have caused wine to fail from the winepresses. No one will tread the grapes with shouting. Their shouting will be no shouting. 34 From the cry of Heshbon to Elealeh and to Jahaz, they have uttered their voice. From Zoar to Horonaim, like a heifer three years old. For the waters of Nimrim will also be deserted. 35 I will cause those who offer in the high places to cease in Moab, says the Lord. Also those who burn incense to their gods. 36 Therefore my heart will sound for Moab like flutes, and my heart will sound like flutes for the men of Kirheres because the riches that they have gotten have perished. 37 Every head will be bald and every beard clipped. On all the hands will be cuttings and on the bodies+ sackcloth. 38 On all the housetops of Moab, and in its streets, there is weeping for all. For I have broken Moab like a vessel in which is no pleasure, says the Lord. 39 They shall howl, saying, How is it broken down. How has Moab turned the back with shame. So Moab shall be a cause of scorn, and he shall be a terror to all those around him. 40 For thus says the Lord: Behold, he shall fly like an eagle and shall spread his wings over Moab. 41 Kerioth is taken, and the strongholds are seized. And the mighty men's hearts in Moab shall be at that day like the heart of a woman in her pangs. 42 Moab shall be destroyed from being a people, because he has magnified himself against the Lord. 43 Fear, and the pit, and the snare, shall be on you, O Moabite, says the Lord. 44 Those who flee from the terror will fall into the pit. Those who go up out of the pit will be taken in the snare. For I will bring on it, even on Moab, the year of their judgment, says the Lord. 45 Those who fled sstood under the shadow of Heshbon because of the force. But a fire will come forth out from Heshbon and a flame out of the midst of Sihon and will devour the corner of Moab and the crown of the head of the tumultuous people. 46 Woe to you, O Moab. The people of Chemosh perish. For your sons are taken away into exile, and your daughters into exile. 47 But I will restore the prisoners of Moab in the latter days, says the Lord. So far is the judgment of Moab.
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