Moab’s Destruction
(Zephaniah 2:8–11)

1Then sent the lordes of the lode a ma of warre, from the rocke that lieth toward the deserte, vnto the hill of the doughter Sion

2(For as for the doughters of Moab, they were as it had bene a trymblinge byrde, yt is put out of hir nest, by the fery of Arnon) which messaunger sayde:

3gather youre councel, come together, couer vs with youre shadowe in the myddaye, as the night doth: hyde the chased, & bewraye not the that are fled,

4let the persecuted Moabites dwel amoge you, be oure open refuge agaynst the destroyer: for the aduersary oppresseth vs, the robber vndoeth vs, & the tyraunte dryueth vs out of oure londe.

5But ye Trone of youre kingdome is ful of grace, therfore he that sytteth vpon it wt faitfulnesse & treuth in the house of Dauid, knowe the thinge & do his diligence to helpe shortly, acordinge to Equite and rightuousnes.

6As for Moabs pride (shal they answere) it is wel knowne. And all though they be excellent, proude, arrogant, & hie mynded: yet is their strength nothinge like.

7And therfore Moab complayneth vnto Moab, wherthorow they come all to mourne: & now yt they be smytten, they take their deuyce beneth by the bryck wall, and make their coplaynte.

8The suburbes also of Hesebon were made waist, & the princes of the Gentyles hewed downe ye vynyardes of Sibma, which were planted with noble grapes, and spred vnto Iazer, and went vnto the ende of the deserte, whose braunches stretched their selues forth beyonde the see.

9Therfore I mourned for Iazer, & for ye vynyardes of Sibma wt greate sorow. I poured my teares vpon Hesebon & Eleale, for all their songes were layde downe, in their haruest & gatheringe of their grapes:

10Myrth and chere was gone out of ye felde & vynyardes, in so moch, that no man was glad ner sunge. There wete no treader in to the wynepresse, their mery chere was layde downe.

11Wherfore my bely robled (as it had bene a lute) for Moabs sake, & myne inwarde membres, for the bryck walles sake.

12For it happened thus also: whe Moab sawe that she was turned vp syde downe: she went vp an hie in to hir sanctuary, to make hir prayer there, but she might not be helped.

13This is the deuyce, which the LORDE toke in honde at that tyme agaynst Moab. 14But now the LORDE sayeth thus: In thre yeare shal ye power of Moab wt their pope (which is greate) be minished, like as ye burthe of an hyred seruaunte: And as for ye remnaunt of them, they shalbe lesse then a fewe, and not rekened moch worth.