Jeremiah 48:17
New International Version
Mourn for her, all who live around her, all who know her fame; say, ‘How broken is the mighty scepter, how broken the glorious staff!’

New Living Translation
You friends of Moab, weep for him and cry! See how the strong scepter is broken, how the beautiful staff is shattered!

English Standard Version
Grieve for him, all you who are around him, and all who know his name; say, ‘How the mighty scepter is broken, the glorious staff.’

Berean Standard Bible
Mourn for him, all you who surround him, everyone who knows his name; tell how the mighty scepter is shattered—the glorious staff!

King James Bible
All ye that are about him, bemoan him; and all ye that know his name, say, How is the strong staff broken, and the beautiful rod!

New King James Version
Bemoan him, all you who are around him; And all you who know his name, Say, ‘How the strong staff is broken, The beautiful rod!’

New American Standard Bible
“Mourn for him, all you who live around him, And all of you who know his name; Say, ‘How the mighty scepter has been broken, A staff of splendor!’

NASB 1995
“Mourn for him, all you who live around him, Even all of you who know his name; Say, ‘How has the mighty scepter been broken, A staff of splendor!’

NASB 1977
“Mourn for him, all you who live around him, Even all of you who know his name; Say, ‘How has the mighty scepter been broken, A staff of splendor!’

Legacy Standard Bible
Mourn for him, all you who live around him, Even all of you who know his name; Say, ‘How has the strong scepter been broken, A staff of beauty!’

Amplified Bible
“Show sympathy for him, all you [nations] who are around him, And all you [distant nations] who know his name; Say, ‘How has the mighty scepter [of national power] been broken, And the splendid staff [of glory]!’

Christian Standard Bible
Mourn for him, all you surrounding nations, everyone who knows his name. Say, “How the mighty scepter is shattered, the glorious staff! ”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Mourn for him, all you surrounding nations, everyone who knows his name. Say: How the mighty scepter is shattered, the glorious staff!

American Standard Version
All ye that are round about him, bemoan him, and all ye that know his name; say, How is the strong staff broken, the beautiful rod!

Contemporary English Version
I will order the nearby nations to mourn for you and say, "Isn't it sad? Moab ruled others, but now its glorious power has been shattered."

English Revised Version
All ye that are round about him, bemoan him, and all ye that know his name; say, How is the strong staff broken, the beautiful rod!

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Mourn over it, all of its neighbors and everyone who knows its fame. Say, 'Look at the strong staff, the beautiful rod, that is broken!'

Good News Translation
"Mourn for that nation, you that live nearby, all of you that know its fame. Say, 'Its powerful rule has been broken; its glory and might are no more.'

International Standard Version
Mourn for him, all who live around him, and all who know his name. Say, 'Oh how the mighty rod is broken, the glorious staff.'

Majority Standard Bible
Mourn for him, all you who surround him, everyone who knows his name; tell how the mighty scepter is shattered?the glorious staff!

NET Bible
Mourn for that nation, all you nations living around it, all of you nations that know of its fame. Mourn and say, 'Alas, its powerful influence has been broken! Its glory and power have been done away!'

New Heart English Bible
All you who are around him, bemoan him, and all you who know his name; say, "How is the strong staff broken, the beautiful rod."

Webster's Bible Translation
All ye that are about him bemoan him; and all ye that know his name, say, How is the strong staff broken, and the beautiful rod!

World English Bible
All you who are around him, bemoan him; and all you who know his name, say, ‘How the strong staff is broken, the beautiful rod!’
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Bemoan for him, all you around him, "" And all knowing his name, say, "" How it has been broken, the staff of strength, "" The rod of beauty!

Young's Literal Translation
Bemoan for him, all ye round about him, And all knowing his name, say ye: How hath it been broken, the staff of strength, The rod of beauty.

Smith's Literal Translation
All ye about him, bewail for him; and all ye knowing his name, say, How was the strong rod broken, the beautiful shoot!
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Comfort him, all you that are round about him, and all you that know his name, say: How is the strong staff broken, the beautiful rod?

Catholic Public Domain Version
Console him, all you who surround him and all you who know his name. Say: ‘How has the strong staff become broken, the glorious staff?’

New American Bible
Mourn, all you neighbors, all you who know its name! Say: How the mighty scepter is broken, the glorious staff!

New Revised Standard Version
Mourn over him, all you his neighbors, and all who know his name; say, “How the mighty scepter is broken, the glorious staff!”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
All who are round about him are troubled and shaken, and all who know his name, say, How is the strong staff broken, and the beautiful rod!

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
They were alarmed and all who are around him shook, and all who know his name said, “How was the strong staff broken and the rod of glory!”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Bemoan him, all ye that are round about him, And all ye that know his name; Say: 'How is the strong staff broken, The beautiful rod!'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Shake the head at him, all ye that are round about him; all of you utter his name; say ye, How is the glorious staff broken to pieces, the rod of magnificence!

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Judgment on Moab
16Moab’s calamity is at hand, and his affliction is rushing swiftly. 17Mourn for him, all you who surround him, everyone who knows his name; tell how the mighty scepter is shattered— the glorious staff! 18Come down from your glory; sit on parched ground, O daughter dwelling in Dibon, for the destroyer of Moab has come against you; he has destroyed your fortresses.…

Cross References
Isaiah 15:5
My heart cries out over Moab; her fugitives flee as far as Zoar, as far as Eglath-shelishiyah. With weeping they ascend the slope of Luhith; they lament their destruction on the road to Horonaim.

Isaiah 16:7
Therefore let Moab wail; let them wail together for Moab. Moan for the raisin cakes of Kir-hareseth, you who are utterly stricken.

Ezekiel 25:9-11
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. / So I will execute judgments on Moab, and they will know that I am 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. ...

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.

Numbers 21:29
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.

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 16:6-11
We have heard of Moab’s pomposity, his exceeding pride and conceit, his overflowing arrogance. But his boasting is empty. / Therefore let Moab wail; let them wail together for Moab. Moan for the raisin cakes of Kir-hareseth, you who are utterly stricken. / For the fields of Heshbon have withered, along with the grapevines of Sibmah. The rulers of the nations have trampled its choicest vines, which had reached as far as Jazer and spread toward the desert. Their shoots had spread out and passed over the sea. ...

2 Kings 3:21-27
Now all the Moabites had heard that the kings had come up to fight against them. So all who could bear arms, young and old, were summoned and stationed at the border. / When they got up early in the morning, the sun was shining on the water, and it looked as red as blood to the Moabites across the way. / “This is blood!” they exclaimed. “The kings have clashed swords and slaughtered one another. Now to the plunder, Moab!” ...

Psalm 60:8
Moab is My washbasin; upon Edom I toss My sandal; over Philistia I shout in triumph.”

Psalm 108:9
Moab is My washbasin; upon Edom I toss My sandal; over Philistia I shout in triumph.”

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 26:21
For behold, the LORD is coming out of His dwelling to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity. The earth will reveal her bloodshed and will no longer conceal her slain.

Isaiah 34:8
For the LORD has a day of vengeance, a year of recompense for the cause of Zion.

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. ...


Treasury of Scripture

All you that are about him, bemoan him; and all you that know his name, say, How is the strong staff broken, and the beautiful rod!

bemoan

Jeremiah 48:31-33
Therefore will I howl for Moab, and I will cry out for all Moab; mine heart shall mourn for the men of Kirheres…

Jeremiah 9:17-20
Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Consider ye, and call for the mourning women, that they may come; and send for cunning women, that they may come: …

Revelation 18:14-20
And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all…

How

Jeremiah 48:39
They shall howl, saying, How is it broken down! how hath Moab turned the back with shame! so shall Moab be a derision and a dismaying to all them about him.

Isaiah 9:4
For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian.

Isaiah 10:5
O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation.

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Beautiful Beauty Bemoan Branch Broken Fame Glorious Grief How Live Mighty Mourn Rod Round Scepter Signs Splendor Staff Strength Strong
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Beautiful Beauty Bemoan Branch Broken Fame Glorious Grief How Live Mighty Mourn Rod Round Scepter Signs Splendor Staff Strength Strong
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














Mourn for him, all you who surround him
This phrase calls for lamentation over Moab, a nation neighboring Israel. The call to mourn reflects the cultural practice of communal grieving, common in ancient Near Eastern societies. Moab, often in conflict with Israel, is now facing divine judgment. The surrounding nations, likely including those who had alliances or trade relations with Moab, are urged to mourn, indicating the widespread impact of Moab's downfall. This mourning can be seen as a recognition of God's sovereignty over all nations, not just Israel.

everyone who knows his name
Knowing a name in biblical terms often implies a deeper understanding or relationship. Here, it suggests that those familiar with Moab's reputation or history should lament its fate. Moab was known for its pride and idolatry, as seen in other scriptures like Isaiah 16 and Amos 2. The call to mourn by those who know Moab's name underscores the loss of a once-prominent nation and serves as a warning to others about the consequences of pride and rebellion against God.

tell how the mighty scepter is shattered
The scepter symbolizes authority and power, often associated with kingship. Moab's scepter being shattered signifies the end of its political power and influence. This imagery is consistent with biblical prophecies where God humbles the proud and powerful, as seen in Daniel 2:21. The shattering of the scepter is a fulfillment of divine judgment, illustrating that no earthly power can withstand God's will.

the glorious staff!
The staff, like the scepter, represents leadership and strength. Describing it as "glorious" highlights Moab's former prestige and the respect it commanded. The destruction of this staff indicates a complete loss of glory and honor. This serves as a reminder of the transient nature of human glory compared to the eternal glory of God. The imagery of a broken staff can also be seen as a type pointing to Christ, the true Shepherd, whose reign is unbreakable and eternal, contrasting with the temporary and fragile power of earthly rulers.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Moab
An ancient nation located east of the Dead Sea, often in conflict with Israel. Moab is the subject of God's judgment in this chapter.

2. Jeremiah
The prophet who conveyed God's messages of judgment and hope to the nations, including Moab.

3. The Neighbors of Moab
Surrounding nations and peoples who are called to mourn for Moab's downfall.

4. The Mighty Scepter
Symbolizes Moab's power and authority, which is now broken.

5. The Glorious Staff
Represents Moab's strength and leadership, now shattered.
Teaching Points
The Consequences of Pride
Moab's downfall serves as a warning against pride and self-reliance. Nations and individuals alike must recognize their dependence on God.

God's Sovereignty Over Nations
This passage reminds us that God is in control of all nations and their destinies. No power is beyond His reach.

The Call to Mourn
The surrounding nations are called to mourn for Moab, teaching us empathy and compassion even for those who face judgment.

The Fragility of Human Power
The broken scepter and staff symbolize the temporary nature of human authority and strength. True power and security are found in God alone.

The Role of Prophecy
Jeremiah's prophecy against Moab demonstrates the role of prophetic messages in calling nations to account and offering a chance for repentance.Verses 17-25. - How lamentable that such a glorious sceptre should be broken! But there is no remedy. Even Dibon, that highly honoured town, is disgraced. There is no hiding the sad fate of the Moabites; the crowds of fugitives sufficiently proclaim it. Judgment has been passed upon all the cities of Moab, a long roll of whose names is recited. Verse 17. - All ye that are about him; i.e. the neighbouring nations (setup. on Jeremiah 46:14). The invitation to condolence is not ironical, but in the deepest spirit of human sympathy, as in the parallel prophecy in Isaiah (see on Isaiah 15:5). The strong staff; i.e. the sceptre as an image of royal authority (comp. Ezekiel 19:11-14). Rod; as in Psalm 110:2.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Mourn for him,
נֻ֤דוּ (nu·ḏū)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 5110: To nod, waver, to wander, flee, disappear, to console, deplore, taunt

all you
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

who surround him,
סְבִיבָ֔יו (sə·ḇî·ḇāw)
Adverb | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5439: A circle, neighbour, environs, around

everyone
וְכֹ֖ל (wə·ḵōl)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

who knows
יֹדְעֵ֣י (yō·ḏə·‘ê)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct
Strong's 3045: To know

his name;
שְׁמ֑וֹ (šə·mōw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 8034: A name

tell
אִמְר֗וּ (’im·rū)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 559: To utter, say

how
אֵיכָ֤ה (’ê·ḵāh)
Interjection
Strong's 349: How?, how!, where

the mighty
עֹ֔ז (‘ōz)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5797: Strength, might

scepter
מַטֵּה־ (maṭ·ṭêh-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4294: A staff, rod, shaft, branch, a tribe

is shattered—
נִשְׁבַּר֙ (niš·bar)
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7665: To break, break in pieces

the glorious
תִּפְאָרָֽה׃ (tip̄·’ā·rāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 8597: Beauty, glory

staff!
מַקֵּ֖ל (maq·qêl)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4731: A shoot, stick


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OT Prophets: Jeremiah 48:17 All you who are around him bemoan (Jer.)
Jeremiah 48:16
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