Jeremiah 48:9
New International Version
Put salt on Moab, for she will be laid waste; her towns will become desolate, with no one to live in them.

New Living Translation
Oh, that Moab had wings so she could fly away, for her towns will be left empty, with no one living in them.

English Standard Version
“Give wings to Moab, for she would fly away; her cities shall become a desolation, with no inhabitant in them.

Berean Standard Bible
Put salt on Moab, for she will be laid waste; her cities will become desolate, with no one to dwell in them.

King James Bible
Give wings unto Moab, that it may flee and get away: for the cities thereof shall be desolate, without any to dwell therein.

New King James Version
“Give wings to Moab, That she may flee and get away; For her cities shall be desolate, Without any to dwell in them.

New American Standard Bible
“Give wings to Moab, For she will flee away; And her cities will become a desolation, Without inhabitants in them.

NASB 1995
“Give wings to Moab, For she will flee away; And her cities will become a desolation, Without inhabitants in them.

NASB 1977
“Give wings to Moab, For she will flee away; And her cities will become a desolation, Without inhabitants in them.

Legacy Standard Bible
Give wings to Moab, For she will flee away; And her cities will become a desolation, Without inhabitants in them.

Amplified Bible
“Give a gravestone to Moab, For she will fall into ruins; Her cities (pastures, farms) will be desolate, Without anyone to live in them.

Christian Standard Bible
Make Moab a salt marsh, for she will run away; her towns will become a desolation, without inhabitant.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Make Moab a salt marsh, for she will run away; her towns will become a desolation, without inhabitant.

American Standard Version
Give wings unto Moab, that she may fly and get her away: and her cities shall become a desolation, without any to dwell therein.

Contemporary English Version
Spread salt on the ground to kill the crops. Leave its towns in ruins, with no one living there.

English Revised Version
Give wings unto Moab, that she may fly and get her away: and her cities shall become a desolation, without any to dwell therein.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Put salt on Moab. It will be destroyed. Its cities will become deserted ruins.

Good News Translation
Set up a tombstone for Moab; it will soon be destroyed. Its towns will be left in ruins, and no one will live there again." (

International Standard Version
"Put salt on Moab for she will surely fall. Her towns will become desolate places, without any inhabitants in them.

Majority Standard Bible
Put salt on Moab, for she will be laid waste; her cities will become desolate, with no one to dwell in them.

NET Bible
Set up a gravestone for Moab, for it will certainly be laid in ruins! Its cities will be laid waste and become uninhabited."

New Heart English Bible
Give wings to Moab, that she may fly and get her away: and her cities shall become a desolation, without any to dwell in them.'

Webster's Bible Translation
Give wings to Moab, that it may flee and get away: for its cities shall be desolate, without any to dwell in them.

World English Bible
Give wings to Moab, that she may fly and get herself away: and her cities will become a desolation, without anyone to dwell in them.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Give wings to Moab, that she may go forth and flee away, "" And her cities are for a desolation, "" Without an inhabitant in them.

Young's Literal Translation
Give wings to Moab, for she utterly goeth out, And her cities are for a desolation, Without an inhabitant in them.

Smith's Literal Translation
Ye shall give a wing to Moab, that fleeing she shall go forth: for her cities shall be for a desolation, from none dwelling in them.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Give a flower to Moab, for in its flower it shall go out: and the cities thereof shall be desolate, and uninhabited.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Give a blossom to Moab. For it will depart when it is blossoming. And its cities will become desolate and uninhabited.

New American Bible
Set up a tombstone for Moab; it will soon become a complete wasteland, Its cities turned into ruins where no one dwells.

New Revised Standard Version
Set aside salt for Moab, for she will surely fall; her towns shall become a desolation, with no inhabitant in them.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Give a garland to Moab, for she shall surely be destroyed, and all her cities shall become a desolation without any to dwell in them.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Give a crown to Moab because the sword destroys and all her cities shall be for a wilderness which is without inhabitant
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Give wings unto Moab, For she must fly and get away; And her cities shall become a desolation, Without any to dwell therein.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Set marks upon Moab, for she shall be touched with a plague-spot, and all her cities shall become desolate; whence shall there be an inhabitant for her?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Judgment on Moab
8The destroyer will move against every city, and not one town will escape. The valley will also be ruined, and the high plain will be destroyed, as the LORD has said. 9Put salt on Moab, for she will be laid waste; her cities will become desolate, with no one to dwell in them. 10Cursed is the one who is remiss in doing the work of the LORD, and cursed is he who withholds his sword from bloodshed.…

Cross References
Isaiah 15:1-9
This is the burden against Moab: Ar in Moab is ruined, destroyed in a night! Kir in Moab is devastated, destroyed in a night! / Dibon goes up to its temple to weep at its high places. Moab wails over Nebo, as well as over Medeba. Every head is shaved, every beard is cut off. / In its streets they wear sackcloth; on the rooftops and in the public squares they all wail, falling down weeping. ...

Isaiah 16:1-14
Send the tribute lambs to the ruler of the land, from Sela in the desert to the mount of Daughter Zion. / Like fluttering birds pushed out of the nest, so are the daughters of Moab at the fords of the Arnon: / “Give us counsel; render a decision. Shelter us at noonday with shade as dark as night. Hide the refugees; do not betray the one who flees. ...

Amos 2:1-3
This is what the LORD says: “For three transgressions of Moab, even four, I will not revoke My judgment, because he burned to lime the bones of Edom’s king. / So I will send fire against Moab to consume the citadels of Kerioth. Moab will die in tumult, amid war cries and the sound of the ram’s horn. / I will cut off the ruler of Moab and kill all the officials with him,” says the LORD.

Zephaniah 2:8-11
“I have heard the reproach of Moab and the insults of the Ammonites, who have taunted My people and threatened their borders. / Therefore, as surely as I live,” declares the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, “surely Moab will be like Sodom and the Ammonites like Gomorrah—a place of weeds and salt pits, a perpetual wasteland. The remnant of My people will plunder them; the remainder of My nation will dispossess them.” / This they shall have in return for their pride, for taunting and mocking the people of the LORD of Hosts. ...

Numbers 21:27-30
That is why the poets say: “Come to Heshbon, let it be rebuilt; let the city of Sihon be restored. / For a fire went out from Heshbon, a blaze from the city of Sihon. It consumed Ar of Moab, the rulers of Arnon’s heights. / Woe to you, O Moab! You are destroyed, O people of Chemosh! He gave up his sons as refugees, and his daughters into captivity to Sihon king of the Amorites. ...

2 Kings 3:4-27
Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheep breeder, and he would render to the king of Israel a hundred thousand lambs and the wool of a hundred thousand rams. / But after the death of Ahab, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel. / So at that time King Jehoram set out from Samaria and mobilized all Israel. ...

Ezekiel 25:8-11
This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Because Moab and Seir said, “Look, the house of Judah is like all the other nations,” / therefore I will indeed expose the flank of Moab beginning with its frontier cities—Beth-jeshimoth, Baal-meon, and Kiriathaim—the glory of the land. / I will give it along with the Ammonites as a possession to the people of the East, so that the Ammonites will no longer be remembered among the nations. ...

Psalm 83:6-8
the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, of Moab and the Hagrites, / of Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek, of Philistia with the people of Tyre. / Even Assyria has joined them, lending strength to the sons of Lot. Selah

Isaiah 25:10-12
For the hand of the LORD will rest on this mountain. But Moab will be trampled in his place as straw is trodden into the dung pile. / He will spread out his hands within it, as a swimmer spreads his arms to swim. His pride will be brought low, despite the skill of his hands. / The high-walled fortress will be brought down, cast to the ground, into the dust.

Isaiah 34:5-10
When My sword has drunk its fill in the heavens, then it will come down upon Edom, upon the people I have devoted to destruction. / The sword of the LORD is bathed in blood. It drips with fat—with the blood of lambs and goats, with the fat of the kidneys of rams. For the LORD has a sacrifice in Bozrah, a great slaughter in the land of Edom. / And the wild oxen will fall with them, the young bulls with the strong ones. Their land will be drenched with blood, and their soil will be soaked with fat. ...

Isaiah 63:1-6
Who is this coming from Edom, from Bozrah with crimson-stained garments? Who is this robed in splendor, marching in the greatness of His strength? “It is I, proclaiming vindication, mighty to save.” / Why are Your clothes red, and Your garments like one who treads the winepress? / “I have trodden the winepress alone, and no one from the nations was with Me. I trampled them in My anger and trod them down in My fury; their blood spattered My garments, and all My clothes were stained. ...

Obadiah 1:1-4
This is the vision of Obadiah: This is what the Lord GOD says about Edom—We have heard a message from the LORD; an envoy has been sent among the nations to say, “Rise up, and let us go to battle against her!”— / “Behold, I will make you small among the nations; you will be deeply despised. / The pride of your heart has deceived you, O dwellers in the clefts of the rocks whose habitation is the heights, who say in your heart, ‘Who can bring me down to the ground?’ ...

Isaiah 13:19-22
And Babylon, the jewel of the kingdoms, the glory of the pride of the Chaldeans, will be overthrown by God like Sodom and Gomorrah. / She will never be inhabited or settled from generation to generation; no nomad will pitch his tent there, no shepherd will rest his flock there. / But desert creatures will lie down there, and howling creatures will fill her houses. Ostriches will dwell there, and wild goats will leap about. ...

Isaiah 21:11-12
This is the burden against Dumah: One calls to me from Seir, “Watchman, what is left of the night? Watchman, what is left of the night?” / The watchman replies, “Morning has come, but also the night. If you would inquire, then inquire. Come back yet again.”

Isaiah 47:1-3
“Go down and sit in the dust, O Virgin Daughter of Babylon. Sit on the ground without a throne, O Daughter of the Chaldeans! For you will no longer be called tender or delicate. / Take millstones and grind flour; remove your veil; strip off your skirt, bare your thigh, and wade through the streams. / Your nakedness will be uncovered and your shame will be exposed. I will take vengeance; I will spare no one.”


Treasury of Scripture

Give wings to Moab, that it may flee and get away: for the cities thereof shall be desolate, without any to dwell therein.

wings

Jeremiah 48:28
O ye that dwell in Moab, leave the cities, and dwell in the rock, and be like the dove that maketh her nest in the sides of the hole's mouth.

Psalm 11:1
To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. In the LORD put I my trust: how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain?

Psalm 55:6
And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest.

the cities

Jeremiah 46:19
O thou daughter dwelling in Egypt, furnish thyself to go into captivity: for Noph shall be waste and desolate without an inhabitant.

Zephaniah 2:9
Therefore as I live, saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Surely Moab shall be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, even the breeding of nettles, and saltpits, and a perpetual desolation: the residue of my people shall spoil them, and the remnant of my people shall possess them.

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Cities Complete Desolate Desolation Dwell End Flee Fly Inhabitant Inhabitants Laid Moab Pillar Salt Therein Thereof Towns Utterly Waste Wings
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Cities Complete Desolate Desolation Dwell End Flee Fly Inhabitant Inhabitants Laid Moab Pillar Salt Therein Thereof Towns Utterly Waste Wings
Jeremiah 48
1. The judgment of Moab
7. for their pride
11. for their security
14. for their carnal confidence
26. and for their contempt of God and his people
47. The restoration of Moab














Put salt on Moab
The phrase "Put salt on Moab" is a symbolic act of judgment and desolation. In ancient times, salting a land was a method used to curse or render it barren, ensuring that nothing would grow there. This act signifies the complete and utter destruction that is to come upon Moab. The Hebrew root for "salt" (מֶלַח, melach) often carries connotations of barrenness and desolation. Historically, Moab was a nation east of the Dead Sea, often in conflict with Israel. This command reflects God's judgment against Moab for its pride and idolatry, as detailed in the surrounding chapters.

for she will be laid waste
The phrase "for she will be laid waste" indicates the certainty of Moab's impending destruction. The Hebrew word used here for "laid waste" (שָׁמַם, shamam) conveys a sense of being desolate or astonished. This is not merely a temporary setback but a complete devastation. The historical context shows that Moab, despite its past strength and prosperity, would face divine retribution, leading to its downfall. This serves as a reminder of the consequences of turning away from God and relying on one's own strength.

her cities will become desolate
"Her cities will become desolate" emphasizes the totality of the destruction. The cities, once bustling with life and activity, will be empty and abandoned. The Hebrew word for "desolate" (שְׁמָמָה, shemamah) suggests a haunting emptiness, a place devoid of life. Archaeological evidence from the region shows that many ancient cities were indeed left in ruins, supporting the prophetic accuracy of Jeremiah's words. This desolation serves as a stark warning against pride and self-reliance, urging a return to faithfulness and humility before God.

with no one to dwell in them
The phrase "with no one to dwell in them" underscores the complete abandonment of Moab's cities. The Hebrew root for "dwell" (יָשַׁב, yashab) implies settling or inhabiting. The absence of inhabitants signifies not just physical desolation but also the loss of community and culture. Historically, this prophecy was fulfilled as Moab's cities were left uninhabited, a testament to the accuracy of God's word through Jeremiah. This serves as a powerful reminder of the consequences of sin and the importance of seeking God's mercy and grace.

(9) Give wings unto Moab . . .--"No other prayer," the prophet seems to say, in grave, stern irony, "is left but this. Resistance is hopeless. There is nothing left but to wish for the wings of a bird that safety may be found in flight." (Comp. Ps. Iv. 6.)

Verses 9-16. - So sudden is the blow that Moab stands in need of wings to make good his escape. Were the human instrument to delay, the curse meant for Moab would come upon himself. Is a reason demanded? It is that Moab has long been in a state of morally perilous security, and requires to be thoroughly shaken and aroused, in order that he may discover the inability of Chemosh to help his worshippers. Verse 9. - Give wings, etc. Comp. ver. 28; also Isaiah 16:2, where the fugitive Moabites are likened to "wandering birds."

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Put
תְּנוּ־ (tə·nū-)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

salt
צִ֣יץ (ṣîṣ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6731: Glistening, a burnished plate, a flower, a wing

on Moab,
לְמוֹאָ֔ב (lə·mō·w·’āḇ)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 4124: Moab -- a son of Lot,also his descendants and the territory where they settled

for
כִּ֥י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

she will be laid waste;
נָצֹ֖א (nā·ṣō)
Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute
Strong's 5323: To go away

her cities
וְעָרֶ֙יהָ֙ (wə·‘ā·re·hā)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine plural construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 5892: Excitement

will become
תִֽהְיֶ֔ינָה (ṯih·ye·nāh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine plural
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

desolate,
לְשַׁמָּ֣ה (lə·šam·māh)
Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 8047: Ruin, consternation

with no one
מֵאֵ֥ין (mê·’ên)
Preposition-m | Adverb
Strong's 369: A non-entity, a negative particle

to dwell
יוֹשֵׁ֖ב (yō·wō·šêḇ)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 3427: To sit down, to dwell, to remain, to settle, to marry

in them.
בָּהֵֽן׃ (bā·hên)
Preposition-b | Pronoun - third person feminine plural
Strong's 2004: They


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OT Prophets: Jeremiah 48:9 Give wings to Moab that she may (Jer.)
Jeremiah 48:8
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