Jeremiah 48:15
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The verse highlights a stark contrast: while Moab's boastful warriors "gone up" to face their enemies, they are described as "gone down to the slaughter." This isn't just about defeat; it's a divine pronouncement, as "the King, whose name is the LORD of hosts," declares their chosen young men are heading not to battle, but to their death.
The destroyer of Moab and his cities has come up, and the choicest of his young men have gone down to slaughter, declares the King, whose name is the LORD of hosts.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The prophet is directly confronting the arrogant boasts of Moab, who claim to be mighty warriors secure in their strength. This verse vividly describes the inevitable downfall awaiting them: their land will be ruined, their cities sacked, and their finest young men will be led away to slaughter, all declared by the ultimate authority, the LORD of hosts. This pronouncement serves as a stark warning, directly countering Moab's misplaced confidence in their own power.
Moab is described as 'spoiled' and its 'cities' gone up in smoke. What does this vivid imagery tell us about the nature of God's judgment?
The verse paints a stark picture of Moab's impending doom. Commentators point out that "gone up" likely refers to the cities being consumed by fire and smoke, a devastating image of complete destruction. This isn't just about political defeat; it's about God's direct action against a nation. The language emphasizes the totality of the ruin – the land, its cities, and its finest young men are all subject to this fate.
This imagery serves as a powerful reminder that God is not a distant observer. When He declares judgment, it is thorough and absolute, bringing about a visible and destructive end to the pride and security that nations or individuals might place in their own strength.
Who is behind this destruction? The verse ends with a surprising declaration of identity. Who is this 'King' whose name carries such weight?
The verse climaxes with the declaration, 'declares the King, whose name is the LORD of hosts.' This is crucial. While human armies and kings are the agents of destruction, the ultimate authority is the LORD of hosts. This title signifies God's supreme power over all earthly and heavenly armies.
It's a profound statement: the very devastation being wrought upon Moab is orchestrated or permitted by the King of the universe. This isn't a random act of war; it's a divine decree. The Moabites may have trusted in their own might, but Jeremiah is declaring that their true sovereign, the one who holds ultimate power, is the LORD of hosts.
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Understand the original words
šōḏēḏ · Hebrew Noun
Refers to the divine bringer of judgment, often an instrument (such as a foreign nation) used by God to execute His wrath against the unrepentant and prideful.
ṣĕḇā’ôṯ · Hebrew Noun
A title for God emphasizing His sovereignty over all heavenly and earthly armies and His absolute authority over all created beings and nations.
Jeremiah's prophecy against Moab, delivered during the Babylonian exile, highlights how nations, like individuals, face divine judgment for their pride and actions against God's people. The mention of 'the King, whose name is the LORD of hosts' emphasizes that earthly rulers and armies are subject to the ultimate authority of God.
c. 605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, conquers Judah and deports some of its prominent citizens, including Daniel. This marks the beginning of the Babylonian exile.
c. 597 BC
Second Deportation to Babylon
Babylon deports more Judeans, including King Jehoiachin and the prophet Ezekiel, intensifying the exile and weakening Judah's sovereignty.
c. 586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Temple Destruction
Nebuchadnezzar destroys Jerusalem and its Temple, ending the Kingdom of Judah and leading to a final, larger deportation of its people to Babylon. This event is a profound crisis for the Judeans.
During Babylonian Exile (c. 586-539 BC)— this verse
Prophecies Against Moab
Jeremiah delivers prophecies against surrounding nations, including Moab. These prophecies condemn Moab for its pride, its participation in the destruction of Judah, and its rejection of God's people.
c. 539 BC
Persian Conquest of Babylon
Cyrus the Great conquers Babylon, leading to the eventual decree allowing the Judean exiles to return to Jerusalem.
This passage describes a similar divine judgment against nations, mentioning 'their mighty men' going down to slaughter, echoing the fate of Moab's chosen young men.
Jeremiah 48:10This verse, directly preceding, warns of God's judgment against Moab for their pride and complacency, setting the stage for the specific destruction detailed in verse 15.
Ezekiel 25:12-14This passage details God's judgment upon Edom for their vengeful actions against Judah, demonstrating a pattern of divine retribution against nations for their cruelty, much like Moab's impending doom.
Psalm 135:5-6This psalm declares God's sovereignty over all the earth and His power to do as He pleases, underscoring the authority of 'the King, whose name is the LORD of hosts' as the ultimate cause of Moab's destruction.
barnesJeremiah 48:15: "Moab is spoiled, and gone up out of her cities, and his chosen young men are gone down to the slaughter, saith the King, whose name is the LORD of hosts."
Rather, "Moab is spoiled," and her cities have gone up, i. e., in smoke, have been burned Joshua 8:20-21 . Others render, "The waster of Moab and of her towns is coming up to the attack, and her chosen youths are gone down to the slaughter."
pooleJeremiah 48:15: "Moab is spoiled, and gone up out of her cities, and his chosen young men are gone down to the slaughter, saith the King, whose name is the LORD of hosts."
Moab is spoiled; your country will be wasted and spoiled. And gone up out of her cities; the inhabitants of it shall be all driven out of their cities. The Hebrew is, and her cities , it, or he, is gone up . So the sense may be, Moab and her cities are all spoiled, and he, that is, the enemy, is gone up. And his chosen young…
The verse highlights a stark contrast: while Moab's boastful warriors "gone up" to face their enemies, they are described as "gone down to the slaughter." This isn't just about defeat; it's a divine pronouncement, as "the King, whose name is the LORD of hosts," declares their chosen young men are heading not to battle, but to their death.
The prophet is directly confronting the arrogant boasts of Moab, who claim to be mighty warriors secure in their strength. This verse vividly describes the inevitable downfall awaiting them: their land will be ruined, their cities sacked, and their finest young men will be led away to slaughter, all declared by the ultimate authority, the LORD of hosts. This pronouncement serves as a stark warning, directly countering Moab's misplaced confidence in their own power.
The prophet is directly confronting the arrogant boasts of Moab, who claim to be mighty warriors secure in their strength. This verse vividly describes the inevitable downfall awaiting them: their land will be ruined, their cities sacked, and their finest young men will be led away to slaughter, all declared by the ultimate authority, the LORD of hosts. This pronouncement serves as a stark warning, directly countering Moab's misplaced confidence in their own power.
"The destroyer of Moab and his cities has come up, and the choicest of his young men have gone down to slaughter, declares the King, whose name is the LORD of hosts." — The verse highlights a stark contrast: while Moab's boastful warriors "gone up" to face their enemies, they are described as "gone down to the slaughter." This isn't just about defeat; it's a divine…
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Last reviewed October 2026
