Jeremiah 48:35
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It's easy to skim over this verse and think it's just about stopping religious ceremonies. But the original wording points to God causing to cease the very people who perform these acts – the priests and the worshippers making their pilgrimages to the high places. This isn't just a ban on rituals; it's the eradication of those who actively practice Moab's idolatry, marking a complete end to their religious life.
And I will bring to an end in Moab, declares the LORD, him who offers sacrifice in the high place and makes offerings to his god.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse is part of Jeremiah's broader prophecy against Moab, detailing the devastating judgment that will come upon them. Building on earlier pronouncements of ruin and the cessation of their joyous cries, this passage specifically targets the religious heart of Moabite worship. The destruction will mean an end to their sacrilegious practices, particularly those performed on the high places and in devotion to their idols.
What happens when a nation’s most sacred practices are brought to a halt? Jeremiah declares a dramatic end to Moab's worship.
Jeremiah 48:35 speaks of God causing 'him that offereth in the high place and him that burneth incense to his gods' to cease in Moab. This wasn't just about shutting down a few temples; it was about the complete eradication of Moab's religious life.
Religious Hubs Silenced
These 'high places' were central to Moabite worship, often dedicated to their chief deity, Chemosh. People would make pilgrimages to offer sacrifices and burn incense. The prophecy means these sacred sites would fall silent, no longer echoing with the sounds of worship and celebration.
Idolatry's Consequence
This pronouncement highlights idolatry as a key reason for God’s judgment. By causing their worship to cease, God was demonstrating His supreme authority over their false gods and their religious practices. It was a powerful statement: their gods couldn't protect them, and their worship offered no refuge.
Moab's worship wasn't just a cultural practice; it was deeply tied to their national identity and defiance. God’s judgment here is specific and devastating.
The phrase 'I will cause to cease' is a powerful declaration of divine intervention. It's not that the Moabites would voluntarily stop worshipping, but that God Himself would actively bring their religious rites to an end. This signifies a total overthrow of their system.
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A God Who Acts
This verse reminds us that God is not distant from human affairs, especially when it comes to idolatry and the elevation of false gods. He is a God who judges sin and brings consequences. The judgment on Moab shows that even deeply ingrained religious practices are subject to God's sovereign will.
The King of Moab Example
Reflecting on the historical context, remember the desperate act of the King of Moab in 2 Kings 3:27. In a moment of crisis, he offered his own son as a burnt offering on the city wall. This horrific act, intended to appease his god and avert defeat, is a stark example of the extreme lengths Moab would go to in their worship. Jeremiah’s prophecy implies that even such desperate measures would ultimately fail.
Understand the original words
zebaḥ · Hebrew Noun
An act of worship, specifically the presentation of an animal or substance to a deity; in the Old Testament, it was a central component of Israelite covenantal worship, but it was often perverted through idolatry.
bāmâ · Hebrew Noun
Elevated sites, often on hills or man-made structures, used for worship; frequently associated with idolatrous practices that were contrary to the prescribed worship at the tabernacle or temple.
This prophecy directly addresses the devastating impact of the Babylonian conquest on Moab's religious life, highlighting how military defeat led to the complete dismantling of their sacred practices, particularly those offered at high places dedicated to their gods.
c. 740 BC
Assyrian Influence in Moab
The Neo-Assyrian Empire's growing power extended its influence over Moab, disrupting traditional religious practices and political autonomy.
605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar I of Babylon conquers Judah, initiating a series of deportations that would eventually impact surrounding nations like Moab.
582 BC— this verse
Babylonian Conquest of Moab
Following the destruction of Jerusalem, Nebuchadnezzar II campaigns against Moab, leading to significant destruction, displacement, and the cessation of public religious rites.
c. 538 BC
Return from Exile
Following the Persian conquest of Babylon, many Judean exiles are permitted to return to their homeland, while Moab's own recovery is slow and its religious identity further diminished.
c. 4th - 2nd century BC
Moab under foreign rule
Moab experiences periods of rule by various empires, including the Persians and later the Seleucids, with its distinct religious and national identity continuing to fade.
This passage highlights the sin of setting up high places for worship, which was a common practice that God condemned throughout the Old Testament, just as Jeremiah is condemning it in Moab.
Isaiah 16:12This verse also speaks of Moab's worship in high places, showing a consistent pattern of this religious practice and its eventual downfall that Jeremiah is echoing.
Ezekiel 6:13Similar to Jeremiah's prophecy, Ezekiel warns Israel that their high places and altars will be destroyed, bringing an end to their idolatrous practices.
2 Kings 3:27This account provides a stark example of Moabite worship on high places, even a human sacrifice by their king, illustrating the kind of practice God would bring to an end.
cambridgeJeremiah 48:35: "Moreover I will cause to cease in Moab, saith the LORD, him that offereth in the high places, and him that burneth incense to his gods."
35 . him that offereth in ] This involves a slight modification of MT. which, as it stands, will mean, him that bringeth up (worshippers) to . LXX, omitting one consonant, render him that goeth up to .
pooleJeremiah 48:35: "Moreover I will cause to cease in Moab, saith the LORD, him that offereth in the high places, and him that burneth incense to his gods."
That is, every one, or some of all orders, for the Moabites generally were idolaters; though the expressing it under this notion may hint to us also one great cause of this judgment coming upon them, viz. their idolatry.
It's easy to skim over this verse and think it's just about stopping religious ceremonies. But the original wording points to God causing to cease the very people who perform these acts – the priests and the worshippers making their pilgrimages to the high places. This isn't just a ban on rituals; it's the eradication of those who actively practice Moab's idolatry, marking a complete end to their religious life.
This verse is part of Jeremiah's broader prophecy against Moab, detailing the devastating judgment that will come upon them. Building on earlier pronouncements of ruin and the cessation of their joyous cries, this passage specifically targets the religious heart of Moabite worship. The destruction will mean an end to their sacrilegious practices, particularly those performed on the high places and in devotion to their idols.
This verse is part of Jeremiah's broader prophecy against Moab, detailing the devastating judgment that will come upon them. Building on earlier pronouncements of ruin and the cessation of their joyous cries, this passage specifically targets the religious heart of Moabite worship. The destruction will mean an end to their sacrilegious practices, particularly those performed on the high places and in devotion to their idols.
"And I will bring to an end in Moab, declares the LORD, him who offers sacrifice in the high place and makes offerings to his god." — It's easy to skim over this verse and think it's just about stopping religious ceremonies. But the original wording points to God causing to cease the very people who perform these acts – the pri…
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Last reviewed October 2026
