“ This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because the people of Moab have said that Judah is just 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,”

The Lord and King says,“ Moab and Edom 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 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;’

This message came to me concerning Moab: In one night the town of Ar will be leveled, and the city of Kir will be destroyed.Your people will go to their temple in Dibon to mourn. They will go to their sacred shrines to weep. They will wail for the fate of Nebo and Medeba, shaving their heads in sorrow and cutting off their beards.They will wear burlap as they wander the streets. From every home and public square will come the sound of wailing.The people of Heshbon and Elealeh will cry out; their voices will be heard as far away as Jahaz! The bravest warriors of Moab will cry out in utter terror. They will be helpless with fear.My heart weeps for Moab. Its people flee to Zoar and Eglath shelishiyah. Weeping, they climb the road to Luhith. Their cries of distress can be heard all along the road to Horonaim.Even the waters of Nimrim are dried up! The grassy banks are scorched. The tender plants are gone; nothing green remains.The people grab their possessions and carry them across the Ravine of Willows.A cry of distress echoes through the land of Moab from one end to the other— from Eglaim to Beer elim.The stream near Dibon runs red with blood, but I am still not finished with Dibon! Lions will hunt down the survivors— both those who try to escape and those who remain behind.

Then I gave the cup to the nations of Edom, Moab, and Ammon,

This message was given concerning Moab. This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says:“ What sorrow awaits the city of Nebo; it will soon lie in ruins. The city of Kiriathaim will be humiliated and captured; the fortress will be humiliated and broken down.No one will ever brag about Moab again, for in Heshbon there is a plot to destroy her.‘ Come,’ they say,‘ we will cut her off from being a nation.’ The town of Madmen, too, will be silenced; the sword will follow you there.Listen to the cries from Horonaim, cries of devastation and great destruction.All Moab is destroyed. Her little ones will cry out.Her refugees weep bitterly, climbing the slope to Luhith. They cry out in terror, descending the slope to Horonaim.Flee for your lives! Hide in the wilderness!Because you have trusted in your wealth and skill, you will be taken captive. Your god Chemosh, with his priests and officials, will be hauled off to distant lands!“ All the towns will be destroyed, and no one will escape— either on the plateaus or in the valleys, for the Lord has spoken.Oh, that Moab had wings so she could fly away, for her towns will be left empty, with no one living in them.Cursed are those who refuse to do the Lord’s work, who hold back their swords from shedding blood!“ From his earliest history, Moab has lived in peace, never going into exile. He is like wine that has been allowed to settle. He has not been poured from flask to flask, and he is now fragrant and smooth.But the time is coming soon,” says the Lord,“ when I will send men to pour him from his jar. They will pour him out, then shatter the jar!At last Moab will be ashamed of his idol Chemosh, as the people of Israel were ashamed of their gold calf at Bethel.“ You used to boast,‘ We are heroes, mighty men of war.’But now Moab and his towns will be destroyed. His most promising youth are doomed to slaughter,” says the King, whose name is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.“ Destruction is coming fast for Moab; calamity threatens ominously.You friends of Moab, weep for him and cry! See how the strong scepter is broken, how the beautiful staff is shattered!“ Come down from your glory and sit in the dust, you people of Dibon, for those who destroy Moab will shatter Dibon, too. They will tear down all your towers.You people of Aroer, stand beside the road and watch. Shout to those who flee from Moab,‘ What has happened there?’“ And the reply comes back,‘ Moab lies in ruins, disgraced; weep and wail! Tell it by the banks of the Arnon River: Moab has been destroyed!’Judgment has been poured out on the towns of the plateau— on Holon and Jahaz and Mephaath,on Dibon and Nebo and Beth diblathaim,on Kiriathaim and Beth gamul and Beth meon,on Kerioth and Bozrah— all the towns of Moab, far and near.“ The strength of Moab has ended. His arm has been broken,” says the Lord.“ Let him stagger and fall like a drunkard, for he has rebelled against the Lord. Moab will wallow in his own vomit, ridiculed by all.Did you not ridicule the people of Israel? Were they caught in the company of thieves that you should despise them as you do?“ You people of Moab, flee from your towns and live in the caves. Hide like doves that nest in the clefts of the rocks.We have all heard of the pride of Moab, for his pride is very great. We know of his lofty pride, his arrogance, and his haughty heart.I know about his insolence,” says the Lord,“ but his boasts are empty— as empty as his deeds.So now I wail for Moab; yes, I will mourn for Moab. My heart is broken for the men of Kir hareseth.“ You people of Sibmah, rich in vineyards, I will weep for you even more than I did for Jazer. Your spreading vines once reached as far as the Dead Sea, but the destroyer has stripped you bare! He has harvested your grapes and summer fruits.Joy and gladness are gone from fruitful Moab. The presses yield no wine. No one treads the grapes with shouts of joy. There is shouting, yes, but not of joy.“ Instead, their awful cries of terror can be heard from Heshbon clear across to Elealeh and Jahaz; from Zoar all the way to Horonaim and Eglath shelishiyah. Even the waters of Nimrim are dried up now.“ I will put an end to Moab,” says the Lord,“ for the people offer sacrifices at the pagan shrines and burn incense to their false gods.My heart moans like a flute for Moab and Kir hareseth, for all their wealth has disappeared.The people shave their heads and beards in mourning. They slash their hands and put on clothes made of burlap.There is crying and sorrow in every Moabite home and on every street. For I have smashed Moab like an old, unwanted jar.How it is shattered! Hear the wailing! See the shame of Moab! It has become an object of ridicule, an example of ruin to all its neighbors.”This is what the Lord says:“ Look! The enemy swoops down like an eagle, spreading his wings over Moab.Its cities will fall, and its strongholds will be seized. Even the mightiest warriors will be in anguish like a woman in labor.Moab will no longer be a nation, for it has boasted against the Lord.“ Terror and traps and snares will be your lot, O Moab,” says the Lord.“ Those who flee in terror will fall into a trap, and those who escape the trap will step into a snare. I will see to it that you do not get away, for the time of your judgment has come,” says the Lord.“ The people flee as far as Heshbon but are unable to go on. For a fire comes from Heshbon, King Sihon’s ancient home, to devour the entire land with all its rebellious people.“ What sorrow awaits you, O people of Moab! The people of the god Chemosh are destroyed! Your sons and your daughters have been taken away as captives.But I will restore the fortunes of Moab in days to come. I, the Lord, have spoken!” This is the end of Jeremiah’s prophecy concerning Moab.

Who is this who comes from Edom, from the city of Bozrah, with his clothing stained red? Who is this in royal robes, marching in his great strength?“ It is I, the Lord, announcing your salvation! It is I, the Lord, who has the power to save!”Why are your clothes so red, as if you have been treading out grapes?“ I have been treading the winepress alone; no one was there to help me. In my anger I have trampled my enemies as if they were grapes. In my fury I have trampled my foes. Their blood has stained my clothes.For the time has come for me to avenge my people, to ransom them from their oppressors.I was amazed to see that no one intervened to help the oppressed. So I myself stepped in to save them with my strong arm, and my wrath sustained me.I crushed the nations in my anger and made them stagger and fall to the ground, spilling their blood upon the earth.”

Do not bother them, for I have given them all the hill country around Mount Seir as their property, and I will not give you even one square foot of their land.

I see him, but not here and now. I perceive him, but far in the distant future. A star will rise from Jacob; a scepter will emerge from Israel. It will crush the heads of Moab’s people, cracking the skulls of the people of Sheth.

This message was given concerning Edom. This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says:“ Is there no wisdom in Teman? Is no one left to give wise counsel?Turn and flee! Hide in deep caves, you people of Dedan! For when I bring disaster on Edom, I will punish you, too!Those who harvest grapes always leave a few for the poor. If thieves came at night, they would not take everything.But I will strip bare the land of Edom, and there will be no place left to hide. Its children, its brothers, and its neighbors will all be destroyed, and Edom itself will be no more.But I will protect the orphans who remain among you. Your widows, too, can depend on me for help.”And this is what the Lord says:“ If the innocent must suffer, how much more must you! You will not go unpunished! You must drink this cup of judgment!For I have sworn by my own name,” says the Lord,“ that Bozrah will become an object of horror and a heap of ruins; it will be mocked and cursed. All its towns and villages will be desolate forever.”I have heard a message from the Lord that an ambassador was sent to the nations to say,“ Form a coalition against Edom, and prepare for battle!”The Lord says to Edom,“ I will cut you down to size among the nations. You will be despised by all.You have been deceived by the fear you inspire in others and by your own pride. You live in a rock fortress and control the mountain heights. But even if you make your nest among the peaks with the eagles, I will bring you crashing down,” says the Lord.“ Edom will be an object of horror. All who pass by will be appalled and will gasp at the destruction they see there.It will be like the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighboring towns,” says the Lord.“ No one will live there; no one will inhabit it.I will come like a lion from the thickets of the Jordan, leaping on the sheep in the pasture. I will chase Edom from its land, and I will appoint the leader of my choice. For who is like me, and who can challenge me? What ruler can oppose my will?”Listen to the Lord’s plans against Edom and the people of Teman. Even the little children will be dragged off like sheep, and their homes will be destroyed.The earth will shake with the noise of Edom’s fall, and its cry of despair will be heard all the way to the Red Sea.Look! The enemy swoops down like an eagle, spreading his wings over Bozrah. Even the mightiest warriors will be in anguish like a woman in labor.

We destroyed Calno just as we did Carchemish. Hamath fell before us as Arpad did. And we destroyed Samaria just as we did Damascus.Yes, we have finished off many a kingdom whose gods were greater than those in Jerusalem and Samaria.So we will defeat Jerusalem and her gods, just as we destroyed Samaria with hers.’”

“ I have heard the taunts of the Moabites and the insults of the Ammonites, mocking my people and invading their borders.Now, as surely as I live,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel,“ Moab and Ammon will be destroyed— destroyed as completely as Sodom and Gomorrah. Their land will become a place of stinging nettles, salt pits, and eternal desolation. The remnant of my people will plunder them and take their land.”They will receive the wages of their pride, for they have scoffed at the people of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.The Lord will terrify them as he destroys all the gods in the land. Then nations around the world will worship the Lord, each in their own land.

I chose some of your sons to be prophets and others to be Nazirites. Can you deny this, my people of Israel?” asks the Lord.“ But you caused the Nazirites to sin by making them drink wine, and you commanded the prophets,‘ Shut up!’

For the Lord’s hand of blessing will rest on Jerusalem. But Moab will be crushed. It will be like straw trampled down and left to rot.

“ Come,” they say,“ let us wipe out Israel as a nation. We will destroy the very memory of its existence.”Yes, this was their unanimous decision. They signed a treaty as allies against you—these Edomites and Ishmaelites; Moabites and Hagrites;Gebalites, Ammonites, and Amalekites; and people from Philistia and Tyre.Assyria has joined them, too, and is allied with the descendants of Lot. Interlude

This is what the Lord says:“ The people of Moab have sinned again and again, and I will not let them go unpunished! They desecrated the bones of Edom’s king, burning them to ashes.So I will send down fire on the land of Moab, and all the fortresses in Kerioth will be destroyed. The people will fall in the noise of battle, as the warriors shout and the ram’s horn sounds.And I will destroy their king and slaughter all their princes,” says the Lord.

Come here and listen, O nations of the earth. Let the world and everything in it hear my words.For the Lord is enraged against the nations. His fury is against all their armies. He will completely destroy them, dooming them to slaughter.Their dead will be left unburied, and the stench of rotting bodies will fill the land. The mountains will flow with their blood.The heavens above will melt away and disappear like a rolled up scroll. The stars will fall from the sky like withered leaves from a grapevine, or shriveled figs from a fig tree.And when my sword has finished its work in the heavens, it will fall upon Edom, the nation I have marked for destruction.The sword of the Lord is drenched with blood and covered with fat— with the blood of lambs and goats, with the fat of rams prepared for sacrifice. Yes, the Lord will offer a sacrifice in the city of Bozrah. He will make a mighty slaughter in Edom.Even men as strong as wild oxen will die— the young men alongside the veterans. The land will be soaked with blood and the soil enriched with fat.For it is the day of the Lord’s revenge, the year when Edom will be paid back for all it did to Israel.The streams of Edom will be filled with burning pitch, and the ground will be covered with fire.This judgment on Edom will never end; the smoke of its burning will rise forever. The land will lie deserted from generation to generation. No one will live there anymore.It will be haunted by the desert owl and the screech owl, the great owl and the raven. For God will measure that land carefully; he will measure it for chaos and destruction.It will be called the Land of Nothing, and all its nobles will soon be gone.Thorns will overrun its palaces; nettles and thistles will grow in its forts. The ruins will become a haunt for jackals and a home for owls.Desert animals will mingle there with hyenas, their howls filling the night. Wild goats will bleat at one another among the ruins, and night creatures will come there to rest.There the owl will make her nest and lay her eggs. She will hatch her young and cover them with her wings. And the buzzards will come, each one with its mate.Search the book of the Lord, and see what he will do. Not one of these birds and animals will be missing, and none will lack a mate, for the Lord has promised this. His Spirit will make it all come true.He has surveyed and divided the land and deeded it over to those creatures. They will possess it forever, from generation to generation.

“ Don’t let Hezekiah mislead you by saying,‘ The Lord will rescue us!’ Have the gods of any other nations ever saved their people from the king of Assyria?What happened to the gods of Hamath and Arpad? And what about the gods of Sepharvaim? Did any god rescue Samaria from my power?What god of any nation has ever been able to save its people from my power? So what makes you think that the Lord can rescue Jerusalem from me?”

This is the vision that the Sovereign Lord revealed to Obadiah concerning the land of Edom. We have heard a message from the Lord that an ambassador was sent to the nations to say,“ Get ready, everyone! Let’s assemble our armies and attack Edom!”The Lord says to Edom,“ I will cut you down to size among the nations; you will be greatly despised.You have been deceived by your own pride because you live in a rock fortress and make your home high in the mountains.‘ Who can ever reach us way up here?’ you ask boastfully.But even if you soar as high as eagles and build your nest among the stars, I will bring you crashing down,” says the Lord.“ If thieves came at night and robbed you( what a disaster awaits you!), they would not take everything. Those who harvest grapes always leave a few for the poor. But your enemies will wipe you out completely!Every nook and cranny of Edom will be searched and looted. Every treasure will be found and taken.“ All your allies will turn against you. They will help to chase you from your land. They will promise you peace while plotting to deceive and destroy you. Your trusted friends will set traps for you, and you won’t even know about it.At that time not a single wise person will be left in the whole land of Edom,” says the Lord.“ For on the mountains of Edom I will destroy everyone who has understanding.The mightiest warriors of Teman will be terrified, and everyone on the mountains of Edom will be cut down in the slaughter.

Again a message came to me from the Lord:“ Son of man, turn and face Mount Seir, and prophesy against its people.Give them this message from the Sovereign Lord:“ I am your enemy, O Mount Seir, and I will raise my fist against you to destroy you completely.I will demolish your cities and make you desolate. Then you will know that I am the Lord.“ Your eternal hatred for the people of Israel led you to butcher them when they were helpless, when I had already punished them for all their sins.As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, since you show no distaste for blood, I will give you a bloodbath of your own. Your turn has come!I will make Mount Seir utterly desolate, killing off all who try to escape and any who return.I will fill your mountains with the dead. Your hills, your valleys, and your ravines will be filled with people slaughtered by the sword.I will make you desolate forever. Your cities will never be rebuilt. Then you will know that I am the Lord.“ For you said,‘ The lands of Israel and Judah will be ours. We will take possession of them. What do we care that the Lord is there!’Therefore, as surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, I will pay back your angry deeds with my own. I will punish you for all your acts of anger, envy, and hatred. And I will make myself known to Israel by what I do to you.Then you will know that I, the Lord, have heard every contemptuous word you spoke against the mountains of Israel. For you said,‘ They are desolate; they have been given to us as food to eat!’In saying that, you boasted proudly against me, and I have heard it all!“ This is what the Sovereign Lord says: The whole world will rejoice when I make you desolate.You rejoiced at the desolation of Israel’s territory. Now I will rejoice at yours! You will be wiped out, you people of Mount Seir and all who live in Edom! Then you will know that I am the Lord.

“ This is what the Sovereign Lord says: The people of Edom have sinned greatly by avenging themselves against the people of Judah.Therefore, says the Sovereign Lord, I will raise my fist of judgment against Edom. I will wipe out its people and animals with the sword. I will make a wasteland of everything from Teman to Dedan.I will accomplish this by the hand of my people of Israel. They will carry out my vengeance with anger, and Edom will know that this vengeance is from me. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!

Then send messages to the kings of Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre, and Sidon through their ambassadors who have come to see King Zedekiah in Jerusalem.