Jeremiah 48:5
For at the ascent of Luhith they go up weeping; for at the descent of Horonaim they have heard the distressed cry of destruction.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
This verse paints a stark picture of fleeing Moabites: their weeping isn't just a sound, but a physical ascent and descent, showing how their sorrow permeates the very landscape as they desperately try to escape. It’s the overwhelming nature of their crisis, where even the geography echoes their distress.
Jeremiah is vividly describing the devastating invasion of Moab, a nation often contrasted with Israel in the Old Testament. The passage paints a picture of fleeing refugees, with weeping intensifying as they ascend to the city of Luhith for safety, and the sounds of destruction echoing as they descend from Horonaim. This verse, echoing a lament from Isaiah, highlights the immediate and widespread terror Moab faces from its enemies.
Imagine the sound of one cry blending into another, an overwhelming wave of sorrow. This verse paints a vivid picture of desperation.
Jeremiah uses geographical details to amplify the tragedy of Moab's fall.
The Ascent of Luhith
Luhith is described as being on a height, requiring an 'ascent' to reach it. This suggests a place of refuge, perhaps a city or a sanctuary where people would flee for safety. Yet, even in this place of supposed security, there is 'continual weeping.' The phrase 'weeping shall go up' (or 'weeping upon weeping' in some translations) emphasizes the overwhelming and continuous nature of their sorrow. It's not just one person crying, but waves of refugees, each adding to the chorus of despair as they ascend.
The Descent of Horonaim
Horonaim, in contrast, is described as being in a 'descent' or low place. As people flee from this area, the sound of their 'distressed cry of destruction' echoes outwards, reaching the ears of the enemy.
The contrast between the 'going up' to Luhith and the 'going down' from Horonaim creates a powerful image of a people trapped, their cries of sorrow and destruction inescapable.
It's one thing to weep, but it's another when your enemies hear your every cry of pain. What does this say about their situation?
The vulnerability of Moab is laid bare as their cries of distress become audible to their oppressors.
No True Refuge
The 'ascent of Luhith' might have been perceived as a last resort for safety. However, the persistent weeping signifies that even this attempt at escape offers no true solace. The enemies are not only pursuing them, but they are also attuned to their suffering. The cry heard at the 'descent of Horonaim' is not just a sound; it's a confirmation of their defeat, a signal that their downfall is imminent and unavoidable.
The Sound of Judgment
In biblical narrative, the hearing of cries often signifies divine attention to suffering, but here, it’s the hearing. This means the cry is not one of petition to God for deliverance, but a cry of sheer terror and ruin. It’s the sound of judgment reaching its fulfillment, a sound that brings no relief, only the grim confirmation of their impending destruction by the conquering forces.
Understand the original words
bekhi · Hebrew Noun
A term often used in lamentation or distress, describing the audible manifestation of deep agony, fear, or profound sorrow. It signals a response to overwhelming tragedy or divine visitation.
Jeremiah's vivid description of weeping and cries of destruction in Luhith and Horonaim echoes Isaiah's earlier prophecy, painting a picture of a nation caught in the brutal sweep of Babylonian conquest.
c. 750 BC
Isaiah prophesies against Moab
The prophet Isaiah delivers a scathing oracle against Moab, detailing its destruction and downfall. This prophecy includes specific place names like Luhith and Horonaim, which Jeremiah later echoes.
c. 605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, begins deporting elites and skilled workers from Judah and surrounding nations, including Moab, to Babylon as part of his conquest strategy.
c. 582 BC— this verse
Destruction of Moab
Following the fall of Jerusalem, Nebuchadnezzar's armies complete their campaigns against the remaining defiant nations in the region, leading to the widespread devastation of Moab.
c. 580 BC
Jeremiah's Prophecy Recorded
The prophet Jeremiah, having witnessed or heard of the destruction of Moab, records his own oracle against them, drawing on imagery and places previously mentioned by Isaiah.
This passage describes the same lament over Moab, using similar imagery of weeping during an ascent, directly linking Jeremiah's prophecy to an earlier one.
Jeremiah 49:3This verse speaks of the Ammonites being driven out and hearing a 'cry of war,' echoing the theme of distressed cries heard by enemies during a time of invasion.
Lamentations 1:4This verse describes Jerusalem's paths mourning because none come to her feasts, painting a picture of desolation and weeping that parallels the tragic flight of the Moabites.
Luke 19:41-42Jesus weeps over Jerusalem, lamenting its future destruction and the distress that will come upon its people, highlighting the sorrow inherent in God's judgment on His people and others.
barnesJeremiah 48:5: "For in the going up of Luhith continual weeping shall go up; for in the going down of Horonaim the enemies have heard a cry of destruction."
Luhith was situated upon an eminence, and Jeremiah describes one set of weeping fugitives as pressing close upon another. In the going down of Horonaim ... - Rather, in the descent of Horonaim they have heard the distresses of the cry of breaking, i. e., the cry of distress occasioned by the ruin inflicted by the enemy. It was situated in a…
pooleJeremiah 48:5: "For in the going up of Luhith continual weeping shall go up; for in the going down of Horonaim the enemies have heard a cry of destruction."
Of Luhith we read only in this place, and Isaiah 15:5 ; it was a city of Moab, and situated upon a hill, as appears both here and where it is mentioned in Isaiah. Some think that to this city the Moabites fled for sanctuary from the Chaldeans, and fleeing made so great an outcry that their enemies who pursued them heard their cry.
This verse paints a stark picture of fleeing Moabites: their weeping isn't just a sound, but a physical ascent and descent, showing how their sorrow permeates the very landscape as they desperately try to escape. It’s the overwhelming nature of their crisis, where even the geography echoes their distress.
Jeremiah is vividly describing the devastating invasion of Moab, a nation often contrasted with Israel in the Old Testament. The passage paints a picture of fleeing refugees, with weeping intensifying as they ascend to the city of Luhith for safety, and the sounds of destruction echoing as they descend from Horonaim. This verse, echoing a lament from Isaiah, highlights the immediate and widespread terror Moab faces from its enemies.
Jeremiah is vividly describing the devastating invasion of Moab, a nation often contrasted with Israel in the Old Testament. The passage paints a picture of fleeing refugees, with weeping intensifying as they ascend to the city of Luhith for safety, and the sounds of destruction echoing as they descend from Horonaim. This verse, echoing a lament from Isaiah, highlights the immediate and widespread terror Moab faces from its enemies.
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Jeremiah 48:5 is available in the Sola app.
"For at the ascent of Luhith they go up weeping; for at the descent of Horonaim they have heard the distressed cry of destruction." — This verse paints a stark picture of fleeing Moabites: their weeping isn't just a sound, but a physical ascent and descent, showing how their sorrow permeates the very landscape as they desperately t…
