The Lord and King says,“ Moab and Edom said,‘ Look! Judah has become like all the other nations.’

主耶和华如此说：“因摩押和西珥人说：‘看哪，犹大家与列国无异’，

“主耶和华如此说：因摩押和西珥人说‘看哪，犹大家与列国无异’，

“主耶和华如此说：因摩押和西珥人说‘看哪，犹大家与列国无异’，

“耶和华说，‘摩押和西珥嘲笑犹大与其他各国没有两样。

主耶和华这样说：“因为摩押和西珥说：‘看哪！犹大家与列国毫无分别’，

主耶和華如此說：「因摩押和西珥人說：『看哪，猶大家與列國無異』，

「主耶和華如此說：因摩押和西珥人說『看哪，猶大家與列國無異』，

「主耶和華如此說：因摩押和西珥人說『看哪，猶大家與列國無異』，

「耶和華說，『摩押和西珥嘲笑猶大與其他各國沒有兩樣。

主耶和華這樣說：“因為摩押和西珥說：‘看哪！猶大家與列國毫無分別’，

『主永恆主這麼說：摩押既說：看哪，猶大家正像列國一樣，

主耶和華曰、摩押與西珥云、猶大同於異邦、

主耶和華曰、摩押、西耳之人、譏訕猶大言彼無異異邦。

主天主如是云、摩押與西珥、言猶大族與列邦無異、

“ This is what the Sovereign Lord says:‘ Because Moab and Seir said,“ Look, Judah has become like all the other nations,”

“ Thus says the Lord God: Because Moab and Seir said,‘ Behold, the house of Judah is like all the other nations,’

“ This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because the people of Moab have said that Judah is just like all the other nations,

“‘ This is what the Lord GOD says: Because Moab and Seir said,“ Look, the house of Judah is like all the other nations.”

‘ The Lord God says this:“ Because Moab and Seir say,‘ Behold, the house of Judah is like all the nations,’

‘ Thus says the Lord God:“ Because Moab and Seir say,‘ Look! The house of Judah is like all the nations,’

Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Because that Moab and Seir do say, Behold, the house of Judah is like unto all the nations;

This is what the Lord God says:“ Because Moab and Seir said,‘ Look, the house of Judah is like all the other nations,’

Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because that Moab and Seir do say, Behold, the house of Judah[ is] like unto all the heathen;

“ This is what the sovereign LORD says:‘ Moab and Seir say,“ Look, the house of Judah is like all the other nations.”

“‘ The Lord Yahweh says:“ Because Moab and Seir say,‘ Behold, the house of Judah is like all the nations;’

Here is a prophecy against Moab that the Lord gave me. The city of Ar in Moab is destroyed. It happened in a single night. Kir in Moab is also destroyed. It happened in a single night.The people of Dibon go up to their temple to worship. They go to their high places to weep. The people of Moab cry over the cities of Nebo and Medeba. All their heads are shaved. All their beards have been cut off.In the streets they wear the rough clothing people wear when they’re sad. On their roofs and in the market places all of them are crying. They fall down flat with their faces toward the ground. And they weep.The people of Heshbon and Elealeh cry out. Their voices are heard all the way to Jahaz. So the fighting men of Moab cry out. Their hearts are weak.My heart cries out over Moab. Some who run away get as far as Zoar. Others run all the way to Eglath Shelishiyah. Others go up the hill to Luhith. They are weeping as they go. Still others travel the road to Horonaim. They sing a song of sadness because their town is being destroyed.The waters at Nimrim are dried up. And so is the grass. The plants have died. Nothing green is left.The people are trying to escape through the Valley of the Poplar Trees. They are carrying with them the wealth they have collected and stored up.Their loud cries echo along the border of Moab. They reach as far as Eglaim. Their songs of sadness reach all the way to Beer Elim.The waters of the city of Dimon are full of blood. But the Lord will bring even more trouble on Dimon. He will bring lions against those who run away from Moab. They will also attack those who remain in the land.

Edom, Moab, Ammon

Here is what the Lord says about Moab. The Lord who rules over all is the God of Israel. He says,“ How terrible it will be for the city of Nebo! It will be destroyed. Kiriathaim will be captured. It will be put to shame. Its fort will be broken down. It will be put to shame.Moab will not be praised anymore. In Heshbon people will plan its fall from power. They will say,‘ Come. Let’s put an end to that nation.’ City of Madmen, you too will be silent. My sword will hunt you down.Cries of sorrow come from Horonaim. The town is being completely destroyed.Moab will be broken. Her little ones will cry out.The people go up the hill to Luhith. They are weeping bitterly as they go. Loud cries are heard on the road down to Horonaim. People cry out because the town is being destroyed.People of Moab, run away! Run for your lives! Become like a lonely bush in the desert.You trust in the things you can do. You trust in your riches. So you too will be taken away as prisoners. Your god named Chemosh will be carried away. So will its priests and officials.The one who is going to destroy you will come against every town. Not even one of them will escape. The valley and the high plain will be destroyed. The Lord has spoken.Sprinkle salt all over Moab. It will be completely destroyed. Its towns will be a dry and empty desert. No one will live in them.“ May anyone who is lazy when they do the Lord’ s work be under my curse! May anyone who keeps their sword from killing be under my curse!“ Moab has been at peace and rest from its earliest days. It is like wine that has not been shaken up. It has not been poured from one jar to another. Moab’s people have not been taken away from their land. They are like wine that tastes as it always did. Its smell has not changed at all.But other days are coming,” announces the Lord.“ At that time I will send people who pour wine from pitchers. They will pour Moab out like wine. They will empty its pitchers. They will smash its jars.Then Moab’s people will be ashamed of their god named Chemosh. They will be ashamed just as the people of Israel were when they trusted in their false god at Bethel.“ How can you say,‘ We are soldiers. We are men who are brave in battle’?Moab will be destroyed. Its enemies will march into its towns. Its finest young men will die in battle,” announces the King. His name is the Lord Who Rules Over All.“ The fall of Moab is near. Its time of trouble will come quickly.All you who live around it, mourn for its people. Be sad, you who know how famous Moab is. Say,‘ Its powerful ruler’s scepter is broken! His glorious scepter is smashed.’“ Come down from your glorious city, you who live in Dibon. Come and sit on the thirsty ground. The one who destroys Moab will come up and attack you. Your enemies will destroy your cities that have high walls around them.Stand by the road and watch, you who live in Aroer. Ask the men who are running away. Ask the women who are escaping. Ask them,‘ What has happened?’Moab has been put to shame. It has been destroyed. Weep and cry out! Tell everyone Moab has been destroyed. Announce it by the Arnon River.The high plain has been judged. So have Holon, Jahzah and Mephaath.Dibon, Nebo and Beth Diblathaim have been judged.So have Kiriathaim, Beth Gamul and Beth Meon.Kerioth and Bozrah have also been judged. And so have all the towns of Moab, far and near alike.Moab’s power is gone. Its strength is broken,” announces the Lord.“ Moab’s people think they are better than I am. So let their enemies make them drunk. Let the people get sick and throw up. Let them roll around in the mess they have made. Let people laugh at them.Moab, you laughed at Israel, didn’t you? Were Israel’s people caught among robbers? Is that why you shake your head at them? Is that why you make fun of them every time you talk about them?Leave your towns, you who live in Moab. Go and live among the rocks. Be like a dove that makes its nest at the entrance of a cave.“ We have heard all about Moab’s pride. We have heard how very proud they are. They think they are so much better than others. Their pride reaches deep down inside their hearts.I know how rude they are. But it will not get them anywhere,” announces the Lord.“ Their bragging does not accomplish anything.So I weep over Moab. I cry for all Moab’s people. I groan for the people of Kir Hareseth.I weep for you as Jazer weeps, you vines of Sibmah. Your branches used to spread out. They went all the way down to the Dead Sea. They reached as far as the sea of Jazer. The one who destroys your country has taken away your grapes and ripe fruit.Joy has left your orchards. Gladness is gone from your fields. I have stopped the flow of juice from your winepresses. No one stomps on your grapes with shouts of joy. There are shouts. But they are not shouts of joy.“ The sound of their cry rises from Heshbon. It rises as far as Elealeh and Jahaz. It rises from Zoar. It goes all the way to Horonaim and Eglath Shelishiyah. Even the waters at Nimrim are dried up.In Moab people sacrifice offerings on the high places. They burn incense to their gods. But I will put an end to those people,” announces the Lord.“ Like a flute my heart sings a song of sadness for Moab. It sings like a flute for the people of Kir Hareseth. The wealth they had acquired is gone.Every head is shaved. Every beard is cut off. Every hand is cut. And every waist is covered with the clothes of sadness.Weeping is the only sound in Moab. It is heard on all its roofs. It is heard in the market. I have broken Moab like a jar that no one wants,” announces the Lord.“ How broken Moab is! How the people weep! They turn away from others because they are so ashamed. All those around them laugh at them. They are shocked at them.”The Lord says,“ Look! Nebuchadnezzar is like an eagle diving down. He is spreading his wings over Moab.Kerioth will be captured. Its forts will be taken. At that time the hearts of Moab’s soldiers will tremble in fear. They will be like the heart of a woman having a baby.Moab will be destroyed as a nation. That is because its people thought they were better than the Lord.You people of Moab,” announces the Lord,“ terror, a pit and a trap are waiting for you.Anyone who runs away from the terror will fall into the pit. Anyone who climbs out of the pit will be caught in the trap. The time is coming when I will punish Moab,” announces the Lord.“ In the shadow of Heshbon those who are trying to escape stand helpless. A fire has blazed out from Heshbon. Flames have come out from Sihon’s city. It burns the foreheads of Moab’s people. It burns the skulls of those who brag loudly.How terrible it will be for you, Moab! Those who worship Chemosh are destroyed. Your sons are being taken to another country. Your daughters are taken away as prisoners.“ But in days to come I will bless Moab with great success again,” announces the Lord. This ends the report about how the Lord would judge Moab.

Who is this man coming from the city of Bozrah in Edom? His clothes are stained bright red. Who is he? He is dressed up in all his glory. He is marching toward us with great strength. The Lord answers,“ It is I. I have won the battle. I am mighty. I have saved my people.”Why are your clothes red? They look as if you have been stomping on grapes in a winepress.The Lord answers,“ I have been stomping on the nations as if they were grapes. No one was there to help me. I walked all over the nations because I was angry. That is why I stomped on them. Their blood splashed all over my clothes. So my clothes were stained bright red.I decided it was time to pay back Israel’s enemies. The year for me to set my people free had come.I looked around, but no one was there to help me. I was shocked that no one gave me any help. So I used my own power to save my people. I had the strength to do it because I was angry.I walked all over the nations because I was angry with them. I made them drink from the cup of my great anger. I poured out their blood on the ground.”

Do not make them angry. If you do, they will go to war against you. I will not give you any of their land. You will not have even enough to put your foot on. I have given Esau’s people the hill country of Seir as their own.

“ I see him, but I don’t see him now. I view him, but he isn’t near. A star will come from among the people of Jacob. A king will rise up out of Israel. He’ll crush the foreheads of the people of Moab. He’ll crush the heads of all the people of Sheth.

Here is what the Lord says about Edom. The Lord who rules over all says,“ Isn’t there wisdom in the town of Teman anymore? Can’t those who are wise give advice? Has their wisdom disappeared completely?Turn around and run away, you who live in Dedan. Hide in deep caves. I will bring trouble on Esau’s family line. I will do this at the time I punish them.Edom, suppose grape pickers came to harvest your vines. They would still leave a few grapes. Suppose robbers came at night. They would steal only as much as they wanted.But I will strip everything away from Esau’s people. I will uncover their hiding places. They will not be able to hide anywhere. Their army is destroyed. Their friends and neighbors are destroyed. So there is no one to say,‘ Leave your children whose fathers have died. I will keep them alive. Your widows can also depend on me.’ ”The Lord says,“ What if those who do not have to drink the cup must drink it anyway? Then shouldn’t you be punished? You will certainly be punished. You must drink the cup.I make a promise in my own name. Bozrah will be destroyed,” announces the Lord.“ People will be shocked at it. They will say Bozrah is a shameful place. They will use its name as a curse. And all its towns will be destroyed forever.”I’ve heard a message from the Lord. A messenger was sent to the nations. The Lord told him to say,“ Gather yourselves together to attack Edom! Prepare for battle!”The Lord says to Edom,“ I will make you weak among the nations. They will hate you.You live in the safety of the rocks. You live on top of the hills. But the terror you stir up has now turned against you. Your proud heart has tricked you. You build your nest as high as an eagle does. But I will bring you down from there,” announces the Lord.“ People of Edom, all those who pass by you will be shocked. They will make fun of you because of all your wounds.Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed. So were the towns that were near them,” says the Lord.“ You will be just like them. No one will live in your land. No human beings will stay there.“ I will be like a lion coming up from the bushes by the Jordan River. I will hunt in rich grasslands. I will chase you from your land in an instant. What nation will I choose to do this? Which one will I appoint? Is anyone like me? Who would dare to argue with me? What leader can stand against me?”So listen to what the Lord has planned against the people of Edom. Hear what he has planned against those who live in Teman. Edom’s young people will be dragged away. Their grasslands will be shocked at their fate.When the earth hears Edom fall, it will shake. The people’s cries will be heard all the way to the Red Sea.Look! An enemy is coming. It’s like an eagle diving down. It will spread its wings over Bozrah. At that time the hearts of Edom’s soldiers will tremble in fear. They’ll be like the heart of a woman having a baby.

‘ I took over Kalno just as I took Carchemish. I took over Hamath just as I did Arpad. I took Samaria just as I did Damascus.My powerful hand grabbed hold of kingdoms whose people worship statues of gods. They had more gods than Jerusalem and Samaria did.I took over Samaria and its statues of gods. In the same way, I will take Jerusalem and its gods.’ ”

The Lord says,“ I have heard Moab make fun of my people. The Ammonites also laughed at them. They told them that bad things would happen to their land.So Moab will become like Sodom,” announces the Lord who rules over all.“ Ammon will be like Gomorrah. Weeds and salt pits will cover those countries. They will be dry and empty deserts forever. Those who are still left alive among my people will take all their valuable things. So they will receive those lands as their own. And that is just as sure as I am alive.” The Lord is the God of Israel.Moab and Ammon will be judged because they are so proud. They made fun of the Lord’ s people. They laughed at them.The Lord who rules over all will terrify Moab and Ammon. He will destroy all the gods on earth. Then distant nations will bow down to him. All of them will serve him in their own lands.

I raised up prophets from among your children. I also set apart for myself some of your young people to be Nazirites. Isn’t that true, people of Israel?” announces the Lord.“ But you made the Nazirites drink wine. You commanded the prophets not to prophesy.

The Lord’ s power will keep Mount Zion safe. But the people of Moab will be crushed in their land. They will be crushed just as straw is crushed in animal waste.

“ Come,” they say.“ Let’s destroy that whole nation. Then the name of Israel won’t be remembered anymore.”All of them agree on the evil plans they have made. They join forces against you.Their forces include the people of Edom, Ishmael, Moab and Hagar.They also include the people of Byblos, Ammon, Amalek, Philistia and Tyre.Even Assyria has joined them to give strength to the people of Moab and Ammon.

The Lord says,“ The people of Moab have sinned again and again. So I will judge them. They burned the bones of Edom’s king to ashes.So I will send fire to destroy Moab. It will burn up Kerioth’s forts. Moab will come crashing down with a loud noise. War cries will be heard. So will the blast of trumpets.I will kill Moab’s ruler. I will also kill all its officials,” says the Lord.

Nations, come near and listen to me! Pay attention to what I’m about to say. Let the earth and everything in it listen. Let the world and everything that comes out of it pay attention.The Lord is angry with all the nations. His anger is against all their armies. He will totally destroy them. He will have them killed.Those who are killed won’t be buried. Their dead bodies will be thrown on the ground. They will stink. Their blood will cover the mountains.All the stars in the sky will vanish. The heavens will be rolled up like a scroll. All the stars in the sky will fall like dried- up leaves from a vine. They will drop like wrinkled figs from a fig tree.The sword of the Lord will finish its deadly work in the sky. Then it will come down to strike Edom. He will totally destroy that nation.His sword will be red with blood. It will be covered with fat. The blood will flow like the blood of lambs and goats being sacrificed. The fat will be like the fat taken from the kidneys of rams. That’s because the Lord will offer a sacrifice in the city of Bozrah. He will kill many people in the land of Edom.The people and their leaders will be killed like wild oxen and young bulls. Their land will be wet with their blood. The dust will be covered with their fat.That’s because the Lord has set aside a day to pay Edom back. He has set aside a year to pay them back. He will pay them back for what they did to Zion.The streams of Edom will be turned into tar. Its dust will be turned into blazing sulfur. Its land will become burning tar.The fire will keep burning night and day. It can’t be put out. Its smoke will go up forever. Edom will lie empty for all time to come. No one will ever travel through it again.The desert owl and screech owl will make it their home. The great owl and the raven will build their nests there. God will use his measuring line to show how completely Edom will be destroyed. He will use his plumb line to show how empty Edom will become.Edom’s nobles won’t have anything left there that can be called a kingdom. All its princes will vanish.Thorns will cover its forts. Bushes and weeds will cover its safest places. It will become a home for wild dogs. It will become a place where owls live.Desert creatures will meet with hyenas. Wild goats will call out to each other. Night creatures will also lie down there. They will find places where they can rest.Owls will make their nests and lay their eggs there. And they will hatch them. They will take care of their little ones under the shadow of their wings. Male and female falcons will also gather there.Look in the book of the Lord. Here is what you will read there. None of those animals will be missing. Male and female alike will be there. The Lord himself has commanded it. And his Spirit will gather them together.The Lord will decide what part of the land goes to each animal. Then he will give each one its share. It will belong to them forever. And they will live there for all time to come.

“‘ Don’t let Hezekiah fool you. He’s telling you a lie when he says,“ The Lord will save us.” Have the gods of any nations ever saved their lands from the power of the king of Assyria?Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim? Have they saved Samaria from my power?Which one of all the gods of those countries has been able to save their lands from me? So how can the Lord save Jerusalem from my power?’ ”

This is the vision about Edom that Obadiah had. Here is what the Lord and King says about Edom. We’ve heard a message from the Lord. A messenger was sent to the nations. The Lord told him to say,“ Get up! Let us go and make war against Edom.”The Lord says to Edom,“ I will make you weak among the nations. They will look down on you.You live in the safety of the rocks. You make your home high up in the mountains. But your proud heart has tricked you. So you say to yourself,‘ No one can bring me down to the ground.’You have built your home as high as an eagle does. You have made your nest among the stars. But I will bring you down from there,” announces the Lord.“ Edom, suppose robbers came to you at night. They would steal only as much as they wanted. Suppose grape pickers came to harvest your vines. They would still leave a few grapes. But you are facing horrible trouble!People of Esau, everything will be taken away from you. Your hidden treasures will be stolen.All those who are helping you will force you to leave your country. Your friends will trick you and overpower you. Those who eat bread with you will set a trap for you. But you will not see it.”Here is what the Lord announces.“ At that time I will destroy the wise men of Edom. I will wipe out the men of understanding in the mountains of Esau.People of Teman, your soldiers will be terrified. Everyone in Esau’s mountains will be cut down by swords.

A message from the Lord came to me. The Lord said,“ Son of man, turn your attention to Mount Seir. Prophesy against it.Tell it,‘ The Lord and King says,“ Mount Seir, I am against you. I will reach out my powerful hand against you. I will turn you into a dry and empty desert.I will destroy your towns. Your land will become empty. Then you will know that I am the Lord.“‘ “People of Edom, you have been Israel’s enemies for a long time. You let many Israelites be killed by swords when they were in great trouble. At that time I used Nebuchadnezzar to punish them and destroy them completely.Now I will hand you over to murderers. They will hunt you down. You murdered others. So murderers will chase you. And that is just as sure as I am alive,” announces the Lord and King.“ I will turn Mount Seir into a dry and empty desert. No one will be able to go anywhere or do anything there.I will fill your mountains with dead bodies. Some of those who are killed by swords will fall down dead on your hills. Others will die in your valleys and in all your canyons.I will make your land empty forever. No one will live in your towns. Then you will know that I am the Lord.“‘ “You said,‘ The nations of Israel and Judah will belong to us. We will take them over.’ You said that, even though I was there. I am the Lord.You were full of anger, jealousy and hatred toward my people. So I will punish you. When I judge you, they will know that I am the Lord. And that is just as sure as I am alive,” announces the Lord and King.“ You will know that I have heard all the terrible things you said. You said them about those who live in the mountains of Israel. You made fun of them. You said,‘ They have been destroyed. They’ve been handed over to us. Let’s wipe them out.’You bragged that you were better than I am. You spoke against me. You did not hold anything back. But I heard it.” ’ ”The Lord and King says,“ The whole earth will be glad. But I will make your land empty.You were happy when the land of Israel became empty. So I will treat you in the same way. Mount Seir, you will be empty. So will the whole land of Edom. Then you will know that I am the Lord.”

The Lord and King says,“ Edom got even with Judah. That made Edom very guilty.”The Lord continues,“ I will reach out my hand against Edom. I will kill its people and their animals. I will completely destroy it. They will be killed by swords from Teman all the way to Dedan.I will use my people Israel to pay Edom back. They will punish Edom because my anger against it is great. They will know how I pay back my enemies,” announces the Lord and King.

Then write down a message for the kings of Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre and Sidon. Give it to their messengers who have come to Jerusalem. They have come to see Zedekiah, the king of Judah.