Jeremiah 48:44
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This verse paints a vivid picture of inescapable doom, not just by presenting multiple dangers, but by showing how escaping one leads directly to another. It highlights that for those who have earned God's judgment, their attempts at escape become part of their own undoing.
He who flees from the terror shall fall into the pit, and he who climbs out of the pit shall be caught in the snare. For I will bring these things upon Moab, the year of their punishment, declares the LORD.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The prophet Jeremiah has been detailing the impending doom of Moab, a nation that has long opposed God's people. This verse intensifies that judgment, describing how any attempt by the Moabites to flee their enemies will be futile. No matter how they try to escape, whether by running from immediate terror or even by clawing their way out of one trap, another danger will ensnare them, all part of God's appointed time of punishment.
Ever felt trapped, like no matter what you do, you're still caught? Jeremiah paints a vivid picture of inescapable doom for Moab.
The prophet uses a powerful, almost poetic structure to describe Moab's fate. Notice the progression: first, fleeing from terror leads to falling into a pit. Then, escaping the pit means being caught in a snare. This isn't just bad luck; it's God's judgment actively closing in.
God's judgment can seem slow, even absent. But Jeremiah reminds us that there's a specific, divinely appointed time for justice.
The phrase 'the year of their punishment' is significant. It's not just a general statement of doom, but points to a future, set time when God's justice will be fully realized against Moab.
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Understand the original words
pequddah · Hebrew Noun
An appointed time for rendering justice and accountability. It represents God’s holy reaction to human rebellion and sin, where the consequences of actions are visited upon the disobedient.
The prophecy against Moab in Jeremiah 48:44 paints a vivid picture of inescapable judgment. It highlights that no matter how they try to escape, destruction is certain, reflecting the oppressive geopolitical climate of the late Babylonian and early Persian periods where shifting empires meant constant instability and danger for smaller nations.
c. 605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar's first siege of Jerusalem and the deportation of Jewish nobles, including Daniel, to Babylon sets the stage for increasing Babylonian dominance in the region.
586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Destruction of the Temple
Nebuchadnezzar destroys Jerusalem and the First Temple, exiling most of the remaining population to Babylon. This marks a pivotal moment of divine judgment and national catastrophe for Judah.
c. 550-539 BC
Rise of the Neo-Babylonian Empire
Babylon, under rulers like Nebuchadnezzar II and his successors, exercises significant power over the Ancient Near East, impacting surrounding nations like Moab through its military campaigns and political influence.
c. 539 BC
Fall of Babylon to Persia
The Persian Empire, led by Cyrus the Great, conquers Babylon. This shift in imperial power creates new geopolitical dynamics and potential opportunities or threats for formerly subjugated peoples.
c. 538 BC
Edict of Cyrus and Return of Exiles
Cyrus allows the Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple. This event marks a significant turning point for Judah but also leaves Moab in a precarious position as regional powers shift.
Late 6th Century BC— this verse
Prophecies Against Moab Fulfilled
Jeremiah's prophecies, including the severe judgment described in chapter 48, are understood to be fulfilled during this period as Moab faces destruction, likely at the hands of the Babylonians or possibly the Persians.
This passage describes a similar inescapable doom, where terror leads to falling into a pit, and climbing out leads to being caught in a snare, mirroring the complete entrapment faced by Moab.
Jeremiah 11:23This verse speaks of a coming destruction upon the people of Anathoth, directly linking it to the 'year of their punishment,' echoing the phrase 'the year of their punishment' used for Moab.
Luke 19:41-44Jesus weeps over Jerusalem, foretelling its complete destruction and the inability of its inhabitants to find refuge, much like the inescapable doom predicted for Moab.
Matthew 24:42-44Jesus urges constant vigilance because the coming of the Son of Man will be unexpected, with judgment arriving suddenly like a thief in the night, similar to how judgment unexpectedly traps the escaping Moabites.
pooleJeremiah 48:44: "He that fleeth from the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that getteth up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for I will bring upon it, even upon Moab, the year of their visitation, saith the LORD."
No text from Poole on this verse.
calvinJeremiah 48:43-44: "Fear, and the pit, and the snare, shall be upon thee, O inhabitant of Moab, saith the LORD."
He that fleeth from the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that getteth up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for I will bring upon it, even upon Moab, the year of their visitation, saith the LORD.
Qui fugerit a facie terroris incidet in foveam; et qui ascenderit e fovea laqueo capietur; quoniam adducam super eam, super Moab, annum visitationis ipsorum, dicit Jeho…
This verse paints a vivid picture of inescapable doom, not just by presenting multiple dangers, but by showing how escaping one leads directly to another. It highlights that for those who have earned God's judgment, their attempts at escape become part of their own undoing.
The prophet Jeremiah has been detailing the impending doom of Moab, a nation that has long opposed God's people. This verse intensifies that judgment, describing how any attempt by the Moabites to flee their enemies will be futile. No matter how they try to escape, whether by running from immediate terror or even by clawing their way out of one trap, another danger will ensnare them, all part of God's appointed time of punishment.
The prophet Jeremiah has been detailing the impending doom of Moab, a nation that has long opposed God's people. This verse intensifies that judgment, describing how any attempt by the Moabites to flee their enemies will be futile. No matter how they try to escape, whether by running from immediate terror or even by clawing their way out of one trap, another danger will ensnare them, all part of God's appointed time of punishment.
"He who flees from the terror shall fall into the pit, and he who climbs out of the pit shall be caught in the snare. For I will bring these things upon Moab, the year of their punishment,…" — This verse paints a vivid picture of inescapable doom, not just by presenting multiple dangers, but by showing how escaping one leads directly to another. It highlights that for those who have earned…
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Last reviewed October 2026
