King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
Moab is destroyed; her little ones have caused a cry to be heard.
Complete Jewish Bible:
Mo'av has been shattered; the cries of her young ones are heard,
Berean Standard Bible:
Moab will be shattered; her little ones will cry out.
American Standard Version:
Moab is destroyed; her little ones have caused a cry to be heard.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
Moab{H4124} is destroyed{H7665}; her little ones{H6810} have caused a cry{H2201} to be heard{H8085}.
Cross-References (KJV):
Numbers 21:27
- Wherefore they that speak in proverbs say, Come into Heshbon, let the city of Sihon be built and prepared:
Numbers 21:30
- We have shot at them; Heshbon is perished even unto Dibon, and we have laid them waste even unto Nophah, which [reacheth] unto Medeba.
Psalms 137:9
- Happy [shall he be], that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones.
Esther 8:11
- Wherein the king granted the Jews which [were] in every city to gather themselves together, and to stand for their life, to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish, all the power of the people and province that would assault them, [both] little ones and women, and [to take] the spoil of them for a prey,
Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:
Commentary for Jeremiah 48:4
Jeremiah 48:4 is part of the larger section of the Book of Jeremiah known as the "Oracles against the Nations" (chapters 46-51), where the prophet Jeremiah pronounces God's judgments on various foreign nations. This particular verse is directed against Moab, an ancient nation located east of the Dead Sea in what is now modern-day Jordan. The Moabites were closely related to the Israelites, being descendants of Lot, Abraham's nephew, through an incestuous union with his daughter (Genesis 19:30-38).
The verse reflects the theme of divine retribution and the collapse of Moab as a nation due to its pride and idolatry. The phrase "Moab is destroyed" indicates a comprehensive and final judgment, suggesting that the nation has fallen or is in the process of falling. The mention of "her little ones" causing "a cry to be heard" is poignant, highlighting the suffering of the most vulnerable members of society—children—amidst the chaos and devastation of war or divine punishment. This cry could be interpreted both literally, as the sound of children crying out in fear and pain, and metaphorically, as a representation of the nation's downfall and the lamentation that accompanies it.
Historically, Moab had a complex relationship with Israel, marked by both alliances and hostilities. In the time of Jeremiah, Moab had likely provoked the wrath of the Lord through its arrogance and possibly through acts of aggression against Judah, God's covenant people. The prophecy reflects the broader ancient Near Eastern context where nations rose and fell according to the will of their gods, and in the biblical narrative, it is Yahweh, the God of Israel, who orchestrates the fate of nations, holding them accountable for their actions.
In summary, Jeremiah 48:4 succinctly captures the tragic end of Moab, emphasizing the heartrending impact of divine judgment on the innocent and the young, while also serving as a testament to the moral governance of Yahweh over the nations. The verse serves as a warning to those who would stand in opposition to God's people and a reminder of the consequences of national pride and injustice.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H4124
There are 158 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מוֹאָב
Transliteration: Môwʼâb
Pronunciation: mo-awb
Description: from a prolonged form of the prepositional prefix m-and אָב; from (her (the mother's)) father; Moab, an incestuous son of Lot; also his territory and descendants; Moab. - Strong's Number: H7665
There are 145 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שָׁבַר
Transliteration: shâbar
Pronunciation: shaw-bar'
Description: a primitive root; to burst (literally or figuratively); break (down, off, in pieces, up), broken (-hearted), bring to the birth, crush, destroy, hurt, quench, [idiom] quite, tear, view (by mistake for שָׂבַר). - Strong's Number: H6810
There are 22 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: צָעִיר
Transliteration: tsâʻîyr
Pronunciation: tsaw-eer'
Description: or צָעוֹר; from צָעַר; little; (in number) few; (in age) young, (in value) ignoble; least, little (one), small (one), [phrase] young(-er, -est). - Strong's Number: H2201
There are 18 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: זַעַק
Transliteration: zaʻaq
Pronunciation: zah'-ak
Description: and (feminine) זְעָקָהxlit zᵉâqâh corrected to zᵉʻâqâh; from זָעַק; a shriek or outcry; cry(-ing). - Strong's Number: H8085
There are 1072 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שָׁמַע
Transliteration: shâmaʻ
Pronunciation: shaw-mah'
Description: a primitive root; to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.); [idiom] attentively, call (gather) together, [idiom] carefully, [idiom] certainly, consent, consider, be content, declare, [idiom] diligently, discern, give ear, (cause to, let, make to) hear(-ken, tell), [idiom] indeed, listen, make (a) noise, (be) obedient, obey, perceive, (make a) proclaim(-ation), publish, regard, report, shew (forth), (make a) sound, [idiom] surely, tell, understand, whosoever (heareth), witness.