Jeremiah 48:46
Woe to you, O Moab! The people of Chemosh are undone, for your sons have been taken captive, and your daughters into captivity.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The verse doesn't just say Moab is conquered; it highlights that the very people who worshipped Chemosh, their supposed protector, are the ones left utterly undone. This isn't just about military defeat, but a profound spiritual bankruptcy where their idol fails them completely in their darkest hour.
This verse brings Jeremiah's prophecy against Moab to a close, summarizing the impending doom with a stark pronouncement of woe. It directly follows a series of judgments for Moab's arrogance and defiance, and here emphasizes the complete devastation to come: the entire nation, devoted to their god Chemosh, will be broken as their children are carried off into exile. This final lament echoes an ancient taunt from the time of Israel's exodus, underscoring Moab's ultimate destruction by the Babylonian invaders.
Jeremiah declares 'Woe!' to Moab. What makes their situation so dire?
The prophecy against Moab culminates in a powerful declaration of doom. The verse calls them 'the people of Chemosh,' linking their identity and fate to their primary god. This isn't just a political defeat; it's a spiritual bankruptcy. When a nation's hope and trust are placed in an idol, its downfall reveals the emptiness and powerlessness of that idol. Chemosh, their god, offered no protection, no salvation. Their ultimate perishing highlights that trusting in anything other than the true God leads to ruin. The devastating loss of their children, taken into captivity, underscores the complete devastation this brings.
This denunciation of Moab echoes a much earlier lament. What does that connection reveal?
Jeremiah’s closing word of 'woe' to Moab isn't entirely new. It deliberately recalls a lament from Israel’s own past, found in Numbers 21:29. In that earlier passage, Israel prophetically mourned Moab's coming judgment, referencing how Chemosh would 'give his sons and daughters into captivity.' Jeremiah twists this, making it clear that the very thing Moab once celebrated in their own prophetic curses against others (or perhaps just a general lament about war) is now their own inescapable reality. The repetition emphasizes that judgment, while delayed, is inevitable, and a nation’s actions, especially its idolatry and oppression, have long-lasting consequences that God does not forget.
Understand the original words
'ôy · Hebrew Interjection
An interjection expressing deep grief, sorrow, or a pronouncement of impending divine judgment. It signifies that the object of the 'woe' is under the curse or wrath of God.
Kemôsh · Hebrew Noun
A primary pagan deity of the Moabites to whom children were sometimes sacrificed. In the Bible, he represents the idolatrous allegiance of the nation of Moab.
'ābad · Hebrew Verb
To perish, be destroyed, or brought to ruin. It often signifies a state of total collapse or being 'cut off' from God's favor or life.
šebî · Hebrew Noun/Verb
To be taken away by force, usually as a result of defeat in war. It carries the theological implication of divine judgment or removal from one's inheritance as a consequence of sin.
This verse echoes a prophecy from Israel's early history, linking Moab's impending doom by Babylon to a long-standing pattern of divine judgment, particularly for their idolatry and defiant pride.
c. 1400 BC
Israel Battles Moab
During the Exodus, the Israelites clashed with Moab. The victory song in Numbers 21:29 is referenced in Jeremiah 48:46, highlighting a long history of conflict and divine judgment against Moab.
7th Century BC
Assyrian and Egyptian Influence
Moab existed as a vassal state under the dominion of powerful empires like Assyria and later Egypt. This period saw shifting political allegiances and frequent warfare in the region.
605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon began deporting elites and skilled workers from Judah. This set a precedent for future exiles and demonstrated Babylon's growing power.
c. 600 BC - 580 BC— this verse
Jeremiah Prophesies Against Moab
Jeremiah pronounces judgment on Moab, a neighboring kingdom to Judah, due to their pride, idolatry (especially worship of Chemosh), and likely their participation in anti-Babylonian sentiments or actions.
This verse directly echoes the sentiment from Numbers 21:29, where a taunt song is sung against Moab, highlighting their defeat and the fate of their god Chemosh.
Jeremiah 48:7This passage provides the theological context, explaining Moab's pride and idolatry centered on Chemosh, which directly contributes to their impending judgment described in Jeremiah 48:46.
Isaiah 16:12This prophecy also speaks of Moab's futile attempts to worship their gods and find refuge in their high places, paralleling the despair and downfall described in Jeremiah 48:46.
Lamentations 1:18This passage shares the same tone of profound sorrow and lament over a people's downfall and captivity, mirroring the 'woe' pronounced upon Moab for its sins.
clarkeJeremiah 48:46: "Woe be unto thee, O Moab! the people of Chemosh perisheth: for thy sons are taken captives, and thy daughters captives."
The people of Chemosh - The Moabites, who worshipped Chemosh as their supreme god.
pooleJeremiah 48:46: "Woe be unto thee, O Moab! the people of Chemosh perisheth: for thy sons are taken captives, and thy daughters captives."
The prophet, closing the threatening part of his prophecy against Moab, repeateth the same thing which he had often said, that the Moabites should be carried into captivity by the king of Babylon, and denounceth a woe unto them upon that account.
The verse doesn't just say Moab is conquered; it highlights that the very people who worshipped Chemosh, their supposed protector, are the ones left utterly undone. This isn't just about military defeat, but a profound spiritual bankruptcy where their idol fails them completely in their darkest hour.
This verse brings Jeremiah's prophecy against Moab to a close, summarizing the impending doom with a stark pronouncement of woe. It directly follows a series of judgments for Moab's arrogance and defiance, and here emphasizes the complete devastation to come: the entire nation, devoted to their god Chemosh, will be broken as their children are carried off into exile. This final lament echoes an ancient taunt from the time of Israel's exodus, underscoring Moab's ultimate destruction by the Babylonian invaders.
This verse brings Jeremiah's prophecy against Moab to a close, summarizing the impending doom with a stark pronouncement of woe. It directly follows a series of judgments for Moab's arrogance and defiance, and here emphasizes the complete devastation to come: the entire nation, devoted to their god Chemosh, will be broken as their children are carried off into exile. This final lament echoes an ancient taunt from the time of Israel's exodus, underscoring Moab's ultimate destruction by the Babylonian invaders.
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582 BC
Second Babylonian Deportation
Following the final destruction of Jerusalem, Nebuchadnezzar conducted another, larger deportation of Judeans. This event solidified Babylonian control over the region.
"Woe to you, O Moab! The people of Chemosh are undone, for your sons have been taken captive, and your daughters into captivity." — The verse doesn't just say Moab is conquered; it highlights that the very people who worshipped Chemosh, their supposed protector, are the ones left utterly undone. This isn't just about military def…
