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)
The verse paints a vivid picture of desperation: as people flee up to the high ground of Luhith, their weeping ascends with them, a relentless tide of sorrow. But the real gut-punch is that as they descend from Horonaim, it's not their own cries they hear, but the sounds of impending destruction announced by their enemies.
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)
Jeremiah is vividly describing the devastating invasion of Moab. The people are fleeing in utter panic, ascending the high ground of Luhith with weeping, only to hear the sounds of destruction as they descend from another area, Horonaim. This isn't just a passing sorrow; it's a desperate, cascading disaster where cries of terror echo through the land, reaching even the ears of their enemies.
Imagine fleeing your home, the sounds of destruction behind you. As you climb, your tears don't stop. And then, you hear more crying ahead. This verse paints a picture of overwhelming sorrow.
The phrase "continual weeping shall go up" (or as some scholars suggest, "weeping upon weeping") vividly describes the relentless despair of the Moabites. It wasn't just a single moment of sadness, but a continuous, overwhelming wave of grief.
Cities were meant to be safe havens. But here, even the climb to a place of refuge and the escape from a low-lying town are filled with the sounds of disaster. Where can anyone truly hide?
Jeremiah uses the geographical contrast between Luhith (on a height, possibly a place of sanctuary) and Horonaim (in a hollow or plain) to illustrate the total collapse of Moab's security.
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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.
The verse vividly portrays the desperate flight of Moabites from Babylonian invaders. Luhith, a hill town, and Horonaim, likely in a valley, become sites of intense weeping and the cries of destruction, highlighting the overwhelming nature of Nebuchadnezzar's conquest.
c. 785 BC
Assyrian Tribute Records
King Jehu of Israel pays tribute to Assyria, indicating a period of growing Assyrian dominance in the region that would eventually impact Moab.
c. 740 BC
Assyrian Expansion under Tiglath-Pileser III
Assyria begins a period of aggressive expansion, subjugating many smaller kingdoms in the Near East, setting the stage for future invasions.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria and Northern Israel
The Assyrian Empire conquers the Northern Kingdom of Israel, exiling its people and scattering them. This event would have instilled deep fear in neighboring nations like Moab.
c. 605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon conquers Judah and deports a portion of its elite, including some members of the royal family, to Babylon. This marks the beginning of Babylonian power in the region.
c. 586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Temple Destruction
Babylonian forces under Nebuchadnezzar destroy Jerusalem and its Temple, exiling most of the remaining population. This catastrophic event profoundly impacted all surrounding nations and is a key context for Jeremiah's prophecies.
c. 582 BC— this verse
Babylonian Campaigns in Moab
Following the destruction of Jerusalem, Nebuchadnezzar campaigns against Moab and Ammon, as prophesied by Jeremiah. The cries heard in Luhith and Horonaim likely stem from these devastating military actions and the resulting displacement and destruction.
This passage from Isaiah contains a nearly identical description of the weeping associated with Luhith, highlighting the shared prophetic burden concerning Moab's devastation.
Jeremiah 48:3This verse immediately precedes the one in question, describing the downfall of Nebo and confusion in Heshbon, setting the stage for the specific lament of those fleeing through Luhith and Horonaim.
Jeremiah 48:30-31These verses speak of Moab's pride and how it will be brought low, aligning with the sense of destruction and despair described in verse 5 as enemies hear the cries of the fleeing.
Lamentations 1:1-2This passage vividly portrays the deep sorrow and loneliness of Jerusalem after its destruction, mirroring the 'continual weeping' and 'cry of destruction' experienced by the fleeing Moabites.
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.
The verse paints a vivid picture of desperation: as people flee up to the high ground of Luhith, their weeping ascends with them, a relentless tide of sorrow. But the real gut-punch is that as they descend from Horonaim, it's not their own cries they hear, but the sounds of impending destruction announced by their enemies.
Jeremiah is vividly describing the devastating invasion of Moab. The people are fleeing in utter panic, ascending the high ground of Luhith with weeping, only to hear the sounds of destruction as they descend from another area, Horonaim. This isn't just a passing sorrow; it's a desperate, cascading disaster where cries of terror echo through the land, reaching even the ears of their enemies.
Jeremiah is vividly describing the devastating invasion of Moab. The people are fleeing in utter panic, ascending the high ground of Luhith with weeping, only to hear the sounds of destruction as they descend from another area, Horonaim. This isn't just a passing sorrow; it's a desperate, cascading disaster where cries of terror echo through the land, reaching even the ears of their enemies.
"For at the ascent of Luhith they go up weeping; for at the descent of Horonaim they have heard the distressed cry of destruction." — The verse paints a vivid picture of desperation: as people flee up to the high ground of Luhith, their weeping ascends with them, a relentless tide of sorrow. But the real gut-punch is that as they…
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Last reviewed October 2026