Jeremiah 48:38-39
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The striking image here isn't just that Moab is broken, but that it's like a vessel "wherein is no pleasure." This means it's not just shattered beyond repair, but it's something the potter wouldn't even want to pick up again – utterly worthless and discarded, a fate far more severe than simple destruction.
On all the housetops of Moab and in the squares there is nothing but lamentation, for I have broken Moab like a vessel for which no one cares, declares the LORD. How it is broken! How they wail! How Moab has turned his back in shame! So Moab has become a derision and a horror to all that are around him.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse concludes Jeremiah's prophecy against Moab, detailing the utter devastation that will befall them. The preceding verses described specific cities and regions of Moab being attacked and overthrown by an invading force. Now, the prophet paints a picture of total national despair, with mourning erupting everywhere, signifying the complete destruction God has decreed upon them.
Imagine a whole nation wailing. Where would you see and hear it most intensely?
The verse paints a vivid picture of widespread sorrow. The 'housetops' and 'squares' weren't just places; they were public stages. Eastern homes often had flat roofs used for gatherings, prayer, or simply as vantage points. When disaster struck, these spaces would become places of public outcry, visible and audible to all. The 'squares' (or streets) were the community's gathering places, now filled with the sounds of lamentation. This wasn't quiet, private grief; it was total, public despair.
Why compare a fallen nation to a broken piece of pottery?
The core of this verse's judgment lies in the image of a shattered vessel. God declares, 'I have broken Moab like a vessel for which no one cares.' This isn't just about destruction; it's about utter worthlessness and rejection.
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Understand the original words
misped · Hebrew Noun
A state of mourning, wailing, or expressing intense grief, typically for the dead or as a response to calamity. It serves as a public acknowledgment of judgment or irreparable loss.
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The covenant name of the Creator God of Israel, signifying His self-existence, eternal nature, and faithfulness to His people. It is the name through which He reveals His holiness, justice, and mercy.
sechoq · Hebrew Noun
An object of mockery, contempt, or ridicule. In a biblical context, it often refers to the shame experienced by those who have turned away from God or who have fallen under His righteous judgment.
shammah · Hebrew Noun
Something causing extreme fear, amazement, or dread. In the prophets, it describes the catastrophic state of a nation or person who has experienced God's judgment, leaving onlookers in stunned silence or terror.
The prophecy against Moab isn't about a single, isolated event but the culmination of centuries of geopolitical pressure, especially the devastating campaigns of Nebuchadnezzar II, which reduced Moab to a state of utter brokenness, like a discarded pot.
c. 730 BC
Assyrian Empire's Rise
The Neo-Assyrian Empire begins its major expansion, exerting pressure and demanding tribute from surrounding nations, including Moab.
c. 670 BC
Assyrian Domination of Moab
Moab falls under direct Assyrian control, often paying tribute and facing significant political and cultural influence from the empire.
c. 626–605 BC
Rise of Babylon
The Neo-Babylonian Empire rises, challenging Assyrian power and eventually conquering its territories, including Moab's region.
605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon deports a portion of Judah's population and royal family to Babylon, signaling a new era of Babylonian dominance in the region.
c. 582 BC— this verse
Babylonian Campaigns in Transjordan
Following the destruction of Jerusalem, Nebuchadnezzar II conducts military campaigns against surrounding nations, including Moab and Ammon, leading to their subjugation and devastation.
c. 582 BC
Destruction of Moab
Jeremiah prophesies the utter devastation of Moab, comparing its people to a broken, unwanted vessel, signifying their complete ruin and dispersal by Babylonian forces.
This passage describes a symbolic act by Jeremiah where he breaks a clay jar, illustrating God's judgment and the irreversible destruction that would come upon Jerusalem, mirroring the imagery of a broken, useless vessel used for Moab.
Jeremiah 22:28This verse directly compares Jehoiachin (Coniah) to a despised and broken pot, emphasizing the futility and worthlessness that comes from turning away from God, a concept echoed in Moab's fate.
Psalm 2:7-9While not using the vessel imagery, this Psalm speaks of God's ultimate sovereign authority and the breaking of rebellious nations and kings, reinforcing the divine source of Moab's destruction.
Isaiah 30:14This verse speaks of shattering a potter's vessel into pieces so small that not a shard remains, powerfully illustrating the complete and utter destruction that the LORD brings upon His enemies, much like the fate of Moab.
barnesJeremiah 48:38: "There shall be lamentation generally upon all the housetops of Moab, and in the streets thereof: for I have broken Moab like a vessel wherein is no pleasure, saith the LORD."
Generally - Rather, entirely.
calvinJeremiah 48:38: "There shall be lamentation generally upon all the housetops of Moab, and in the streets thereof: for I have broken Moab like a vessel wherein is no pleasure, saith the LORD."
- Super omnia tecta Moab, et in compitis ejus omnino planctus (hoc est, ubique; klh sumitur adverbialiter,) quoniam confregi Moab tanquam vas quod non est in pretio (ad verbum, non desiderium in ipso, tanquam vas quod contemnitur, quod non appetitur,) dicit Jehova.
The Prophet at the beginning of the ve…
The striking image here isn't just that Moab is broken, but that it's like a vessel "wherein is no pleasure." This means it's not just shattered beyond repair, but it's something the potter wouldn't even want to pick up again – utterly worthless and discarded, a fate far more severe than simple destruction.
This verse concludes Jeremiah's prophecy against Moab, detailing the utter devastation that will befall them. The preceding verses described specific cities and regions of Moab being attacked and overthrown by an invading force. Now, the prophet paints a picture of total national despair, with mourning erupting everywhere, signifying the complete destruction God has decreed upon them.
This verse concludes Jeremiah's prophecy against Moab, detailing the utter devastation that will befall them. The preceding verses described specific cities and regions of Moab being attacked and overthrown by an invading force. Now, the prophet paints a picture of total national despair, with mourning erupting everywhere, signifying the complete destruction God has decreed upon them.
"On all the housetops of Moab and in the squares there is nothing but lamentation, for I have broken Moab like a vessel for which no one cares, declares the LORD. How it is broken! How they wail! How Moab has turned his back in shame! So Mo…" — The striking image here isn't just that Moab is broken, but that it's like a vessel "wherein is no pleasure." This means it's not just shattered beyond repair, but it's something the potter wouldn't…
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Last reviewed October 2026
