Moab’s destruction vividly illustrates the consequences of pride and rejecting God’s authority.
Jeremiah the prophet issues a strong declaration when he proclaims, “Moab has been put to shame, for it has been shattered. Wail and cry out; declare by the Arnon That Moab has been destroyed.” (v.20). Moab was a kingdom located east of the Dead Sea in what is now west-central Jordan. Its people were descendants of Lot (Genesis 19:36-37), and they maintained a complicated relationship with Israel over many centuries. By the time of Jeremiah (who prophesied from around 627 BC to after the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC), Moab had seen periods of both independence and subjugation under larger empires. This verse underscores the devastating judgment to come upon Moab, whose downfall was not just political, but a sign of divine discipline.
When Jeremiah declares, “Wail and cry out” (v.20), he is instructing the Moabites to respond to their calamity with genuine mourning. The Arnon, a river on the northern boundary of Moab, served as a place to publicly convey news of the nation’s defeat to any who passed by. Jeremiah’s words paint a vivid scene of fear and sorrow, revealing that the once-proud kingdom of Moab is now brought low under divine judgment. Although the sorrow is concentrated on Moab, this prophecy also shows how God’s authority extends beyond Israel, as echoed in other Old Testament prophecies that address the destinies of various nations (Ezekiel 25:9-11).
Behind this oracle lies a reminder that every nation ultimately answers to God. In the fullness of time, God would demonstrate His love and sovereignty through redemption offered in Christ to all peoples (John 3:16). While Moab’s shame here is immediate and grievous, it foreshadows the reality that nations rise and fall subject to God’s greater purposes. The people of Moab, like all descendants of humanity, could seek hope in God’s mercy if they turned from pride to humility.
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Jeremiah 48:20 meaning
Jeremiah the prophet issues a strong declaration when he proclaims, “Moab has been put to shame, for it has been shattered. Wail and cry out; declare by the Arnon That Moab has been destroyed.” (v.20). Moab was a kingdom located east of the Dead Sea in what is now west-central Jordan. Its people were descendants of Lot (Genesis 19:36-37), and they maintained a complicated relationship with Israel over many centuries. By the time of Jeremiah (who prophesied from around 627 BC to after the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC), Moab had seen periods of both independence and subjugation under larger empires. This verse underscores the devastating judgment to come upon Moab, whose downfall was not just political, but a sign of divine discipline.
When Jeremiah declares, “Wail and cry out” (v.20), he is instructing the Moabites to respond to their calamity with genuine mourning. The Arnon, a river on the northern boundary of Moab, served as a place to publicly convey news of the nation’s defeat to any who passed by. Jeremiah’s words paint a vivid scene of fear and sorrow, revealing that the once-proud kingdom of Moab is now brought low under divine judgment. Although the sorrow is concentrated on Moab, this prophecy also shows how God’s authority extends beyond Israel, as echoed in other Old Testament prophecies that address the destinies of various nations (Ezekiel 25:9-11).
Behind this oracle lies a reminder that every nation ultimately answers to God. In the fullness of time, God would demonstrate His love and sovereignty through redemption offered in Christ to all peoples (John 3:16). While Moab’s shame here is immediate and grievous, it foreshadows the reality that nations rise and fall subject to God’s greater purposes. The people of Moab, like all descendants of humanity, could seek hope in God’s mercy if they turned from pride to humility.