◄ Jeremiah 48:2 ►
There is no longer praise for Moab; in Heshbon they devise evil against her: 'Come, let us cut her off from nationhood.' You too, O people of Madmen, will be silenced; the sword will pursue you.
Study Bible
There is no longer praise for Moab;
Moab was a nation descended from Lot, located east of the Dead Sea. Historically, Moab was often in conflict with Israel, yet it was also known for its wealth and fertile land. The phrase indicates a loss of status and respect, suggesting divine judgment. Moab's pride and idolatry are condemned in other scriptures, such as Isaiah 16:6 and Zephaniah 2:8-11, highlighting a consistent biblical theme of God humbling the proud.

in Heshbon they devise evil against her:
Heshbon was a significant city in Moab, originally an Amorite city captured by the Israelites (Numbers 21:25-30). It later became a strategic location for Moab. The devising of evil in Heshbon suggests a plot or conspiracy against Moab, possibly by its enemies or as a divine judgment. This reflects the biblical principle that God uses nations to execute His judgment, as seen in Habakkuk 1:5-11.

‘Come, let us cut her off from nationhood.’
This phrase indicates a complete destruction or removal of Moab as a nation, a common theme in prophetic literature where God judges nations for their sins. The call to cut off Moab echoes the fate of other nations judged by God, such as Babylon (Isaiah 13) and Edom (Obadiah). It underscores the sovereignty of God over nations and His ability to raise and depose them according to His will.

You too, O people of Madmen, will be silenced;
Madmen is a lesser-known location, possibly a Moabite town. The silencing of its people signifies total destruction or cessation of its influence. This reflects the broader theme of divine retribution against those who oppose God's people or His purposes. The silencing can also be seen as a metaphor for the cessation of idolatrous practices, as God often silences false worship (Isaiah 47:5).

the sword will pursue you.
The sword is a common biblical symbol for war and judgment. In this context, it represents the impending military defeat and destruction of Moab. The pursuit by the sword indicates relentless judgment, similar to the fate of other nations that opposed Israel, such as the Philistines (Amos 1:6-8). This phrase emphasizes the inevitability of divine judgment and the futility of resisting God's will.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Moab
An ancient nation located east of the Dead Sea, often in conflict with Israel. Moab is frequently mentioned in the Bible as an enemy of Israel and is subject to God's judgment in this passage.

2. Heshbon
A significant city in Moab, known for its strategic location. It is mentioned here as a place where plans against Moab are being devised.

3. Madmen
A town in Moab, possibly a play on words in Hebrew, as "Madmen" sounds like the Hebrew word for "silence" or "doom." It signifies the impending judgment and destruction.

4. Jeremiah
The prophet who conveyed God's messages of judgment and hope to the nations, including Moab. His role is to deliver God's word faithfully, even when it involves pronouncing judgment.

5. The Sword
Symbolic of war and destruction, representing the means by which Moab will be judged and silenced.
Teaching Points
The Consequences of Pride
Moab's downfall is a result of its pride and arrogance. We must guard against pride in our own lives, recognizing that it leads to destruction.

God's Sovereignty Over Nations
This passage reminds us that God is in control of all nations and their destinies. We should trust in His sovereign plan, even when nations rise and fall.

The Certainty of God's Judgment
Just as Moab faced judgment, we are reminded that God's justice is sure. We should live in a way that honors God, knowing that He will hold all accountable.

The Importance of Repentance
While judgment is pronounced, the broader biblical account always leaves room for repentance. We should be quick to repent and turn back to God when we stray.

The Role of Prophets
Jeremiah's role as a prophet highlights the importance of speaking God's truth, even when it is difficult. We are called to be faithful messengers of God's word in our own contexts.
Bible Study Questions
1. What can we learn from Moab's downfall about the dangers of pride and self-reliance in our own lives?

2. How does the judgment of Moab in Jeremiah 48:2 reflect God's sovereignty over nations, and how should this influence our view of current world events?

3. In what ways can we apply the lessons of repentance and humility from this passage to our personal spiritual journey?

4. How does the role of Jeremiah as a prophet challenge us to be faithful in sharing God's truth, even when it is unpopular or difficult?

5. What connections can we draw between the judgment of Moab and the broader biblical theme of God's justice, and how should this shape our understanding of God's character?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Isaiah 15-16
These chapters also pronounce judgment on Moab, providing a broader context for understanding God's dealings with this nation.

Numbers 21:26-30
This passage recounts the historical background of Heshbon and its significance in the conflicts between Israel and Moab.

Psalm 83:4
This verse echoes the theme of nations conspiring to cut off another nation, similar to the plans against Moab.

Zephaniah 2:8-11
Another prophetic passage that speaks of Moab's pride and the resulting judgment, reinforcing the themes found in Jeremiah 48.
Sermons
The Departed Praise of MoabD. Young Jeremiah 48:2
People
Chemosh, Gamul, Jeremiah, Sihon, Zoar
Places
Arnon, Aroer, Beth-diblathaim, Bethel, Beth-gamul, Beth-meon, Bozrah, Dibon, Elealeh, Heshbon, Holon, Horonaim, Jahaz, Jahzah, Jazer, Kerioth, Kir-hareseth, Kiriathaim, Luhith, Madmen, Mephaath, Moab, Nebo, Nimrim, Sea of Jazer, Sibmah, Zoar
Topics
Calamity, Cut, Designed, Devised, Downfall, Evil, Follow, Heshbon, Longer, Madmen, Moab, Moab's, Mouth, Nation, O, Planned, Plot, Praise, Praised, Pursue, Renown, Shut, Silence, Silenced, Sword
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Jeremiah 48:2

     4930   end
     5817   conspiracies
     5950   silence

Jeremiah 48:1-2

     9250   woe

Library
August 8. "Be Like the Dove" (Jer. Xlviii. 28).
"Be like the dove" (Jer. xlviii. 28). Harmless as a dove, is Christ's interpretation of the beautiful emblem. And so the Spirit of God is purity itself. He cannot dwell in an unclean heart. He cannot abide in the natural mind. It was said of the anointing of old, "On man's flesh it shall not be poured." The purity which the Holy Spirit brings is like the white and spotless little plant which grows up out of the heap of manure, or the black soil, without one grain of impurity adhering to its crystalline …
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

How those are to be Admonished who Decline the Office of Preaching Out of Too Great Humility, and those who Seize on it with Precipitate Haste.
(Admonition 26.) Differently to be admonished are those who, though able to preach worthily, are afraid by reason of excessive humility, and those whom imperfection or age forbids to preach, and yet precipitancy impells. For those who, though able to preach with profit, still shrink back through excessive humility are to be admonished to gather from consideration of a lesser matter how faulty they are in a greater one. For, if they were to hide from their indigent neighbours money which they possessed …
Leo the Great—Writings of Leo the Great

Balaam's Prophecy. (Numb. xxiv. 17-19. )
Carried by the Spirit into the far distant future, Balaam sees here how a star goeth out of Jacob and a sceptre riseth out of Israel, and how this sceptre smiteth Moab, by whose enmity the Seer had been brought from a distant region for the destruction of Israel. And not Moab only shall be smitten, but its southern neighbour, Edom, too shall be subdued, whose hatred against Israel had already been prefigured in its ancestor, and had now begun to display Itself; and In general, all the enemies of …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

Meditations for the Sick.
Whilst thy sickness remains, use often, for thy comfort, these few meditations, taken from the ends wherefore God sendeth afflictions to his children. Those are ten. 1. That by afflictions God may not only correct our sins past, but also work in us a deeper loathing of our natural corruptions, and so prevent us from falling into many other sins, which otherwise we would commit; like a good father, who suffers his tender babe to scorch his finger in a candle, that he may the rather learn to beware …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

The Section Chap. I. -iii.
The question which here above all engages our attention, and requires to be answered, is this: Whether that which is reported in these chapters did, or did not, actually and outwardly take place. The history of the inquiries connected with this question is found most fully in Marckius's "Diatribe de uxore fornicationum," Leyden, 1696, reprinted in the Commentary on the Minor Prophets by the same author. The various views may be divided into three classes. 1. It is maintained by very many interpreters, …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

The Prophet Joel.
PRELIMINARY REMARKS. The position which has been assigned to Joel in the collection of the Minor Prophets, furnishes an external argument for the determination of the time at which Joel wrote. There cannot be any doubt that the Collectors were guided by a consideration of the chronology. The circumstance, that they placed the prophecies of Joel just between the two prophets who, according to the inscriptions and contents of their prophecies, belonged to the time of Jeroboam and Uzziah, is …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

Jeremiah
The interest of the book of Jeremiah is unique. On the one hand, it is our most reliable and elaborate source for the long period of history which it covers; on the other, it presents us with prophecy in its most intensely human phase, manifesting itself through a strangely attractive personality that was subject to like doubts and passions with ourselves. At his call, in 626 B.C., he was young and inexperienced, i. 6, so that he cannot have been born earlier than 650. The political and religious …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

Links
Jeremiah 48:2 NIV
Jeremiah 48:2 NLT
Jeremiah 48:2 ESV
Jeremiah 48:2 NASB
Jeremiah 48:2 KJV

Jeremiah 48:2 Commentaries

Bible Hub
Jeremiah 48:1
Top of Page
Top of Page