New International Version Every head is shaved and every beard cut off; every hand is slashed and every waist is covered with sackcloth. New Living Translation The people shave their heads and beards in mourning. They slash their hands and put on clothes made of burlap. English Standard Version “For every head is shaved and every beard cut off. On all the hands are gashes, and around the waist is sackcloth. Berean Standard Bible For every head is shaved and every beard is clipped; on every hand is a gash, and around every waist is sackcloth. Berean Literal Bible For every head is bald, and every beard is diminished; on all the hands are cuts, and upon the loins is sackcloth. King James Bible For every head shall be bald, and every beard clipped: upon all the hands shall be cuttings, and upon the loins sackcloth. New King James Version “For every head shall be bald, and every beard clipped; On all the hands shall be cuts, and on the loins sackcloth— New American Standard Bible For every head is shaved bald, and every beard cut short; there are gashes on all the hands, and sackcloth around the waists. NASB 1995 “For every head is bald and every beard cut short; there are gashes on all the hands and sackcloth on the loins. NASB 1977 “For every head is bald and every beard cut short; there are gashes on all the hands and sackcloth on the loins. Legacy Standard Bible For every head is bald and every beard cut short; there are gashes on all the hands and sackcloth on the loins. Amplified Bible For every head is [shaven] bald and every beard cut off; there are cuts (slashes) on all the hands and sackcloth on the loins [all expressions of mourning]. Berean Annotated Bible For every head is shaved and every beard is clipped; on every hand is a gash, and around every waist is sackcloth. Christian Standard Bible Indeed, every head is bald and every beard is chopped short. On every hand is a gash and sackcloth around the waist. Holman Christian Standard Bible Indeed, every head is bald and every beard clipped; on every hand is a gash and sackcloth around the waist. American Standard Version For every head is bald, and every beard clipped: upon all the hands are cuttings, and upon the loins sackcloth. English Revised Version For every head is bald, and every beard clipped: upon all the hands are cuttings, and upon the loins sackcloth. GOD'S WORD® Translation "Every head is shaved, and every beard is cut off. There are gashes on every hand and sackcloth on every waist. Good News Translation All of them have shaved their heads and cut off their beards. They have all made gashes on their hands, and everyone is wearing sackcloth. International Standard Version Indeed every head will be bald and every beard cut short. There will be gashes on all the hands and sackcloth on the loins. NET Bible For all of them will shave their heads in mourning. They will all cut off their beards to show their sorrow. They will all make gashes in their hands. They will all put on sackcloth. New Heart English Bible For every head is bald, and every beard clipped: on all the hands are cuttings, and on the waist sackcloth. Webster's Bible Translation For every head shall be bald, and every beard clipped: upon all the hands shall be cuttings, and upon the loins sackcloth. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleFor every head is shaved and every beard is clipped; on every hand is a gash, and around every waist is sackcloth. World English Bible For every head is bald, and every beard clipped. There are cuttings on all the hands, and sackcloth on the waist. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionFor every head [is] bald, and every beard diminished, "" On all hands—cuttings, and on the loins—sackcloth. Berean Literal Bible For every head is bald, and every beard is diminished; on all the hands are cuts, and upon the loins is sackcloth. Young's Literal Translation For every head is bald, and every beard diminished, On all hands cuttings, and on the loins -- sackcloth. Smith's Literal Translation For every head bald, and every beard shaved: upon all hands cuttings, and upon the loins sackcloth. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleFor every head shall be bald, and every beard shall be shaven: all hands shall be tied together, and upon every back there shall be haircloth. Catholic Public Domain Version For every head will be bald, and every beard will be shaved. All the hands will be bound together, and there will be haircloth on every back. New American Bible Every head has been shaved bald, every beard cut off; every hand gashed, and all their loins are draped in sackcloth. New Revised Standard Version For every head is shaved and every beard cut off; on all the hands there are gashes, and on the loins sackcloth. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleFor their heads are clipped and their beards shaved; upon all their hands are signs of mourning, and upon their loins sackcloth. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated For their heads are sheared and their beards are shaven and upon all their hands is sorrow, and upon the waist, sackcloth OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917For every head is bald, And every beard clipped; Upon all the hands are cuttings, And upon the loins sackcloth. Brenton Septuagint Translation They shall all have their heads shaved in every place, and every beard shall be shaved; and all hands shall beat the breasts, and on all loins shall be sackcloth. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible (Voice ▾ Musical ▾) Context The Judgment on Moab…36Therefore My heart laments like a flute for Moab; it laments like a flute for the men of Kir-heres, because the wealth they acquired has perished. 37For every head is shaved and every beard is clipped; on every hand is a gash, and around every waist is sackcloth. 38On all the rooftops of Moab and in the public squares, everyone is mourning; for I have shattered Moab like an unwanted jar,” declares the LORD.… Cross References For every head is shaved Isaiah 15:2 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. Ezekiel 7:18 They will put on sackcloth, and terror will overwhelm them. Shame will cover all their faces, and all their heads will be shaved. Micah 1:16 Shave yourselves bald and cut off your hair in mourning for your precious children; make yourselves as bald as an eagle, for they will go from you into exile. and every beard is clipped; Ezekiel 5:1 “As for you, son of man, take a sharp sword, use it as a barber’s razor, and shave your head and beard. Then take a set of scales and divide the hair. 2 Samuel 10:4-5 So Hanun took David’s servants, shaved off half of each man’s beard, cut off their garments at the hips, and sent them away. / When this was reported to David, he sent messengers to meet the men, since they had been thoroughly humiliated. The king told them, “Stay in Jericho until your beards have grown back, and then return.” Isaiah 50:6 I offered My back to those who struck Me, and My cheeks to those who tore out My beard. I did not hide My face from scorn and spittle. on every hand is a gash, Hosea 7:14 They do not cry out to Me from their hearts when they wail upon their beds. They slash themselves for grain and new wine, but turn away from Me. 1 Kings 18:28 So they shouted louder and cut themselves with knives and lances, as was their custom, until the blood gushed over them. Leviticus 19:28 You must not make any cuts in your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the LORD. and around every waist is sackcloth. 1 Kings 20:31-32 Then the servants of Ben-hadad said to him, “Look now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful. Let us go out to the king of Israel with sackcloth around our waists and ropes around our heads. Perhaps he will spare your life.” / So with sackcloth around their waists and ropes around their heads, they went to the king of Israel and said, “Your servant Ben-hadad says, ‘Please spare my life.’” And the king answered, “Is he still alive? He is my brother.” Isaiah 32:11 Shudder, you ladies of leisure; tremble, you daughters of complacency. Strip yourselves bare and put sackcloth around your waists. Genesis 37:34 Then Jacob tore his clothes, put sackcloth around his waist, and mourned for his son many days. Isaiah 22:12 On that day the Lord GOD of Hosts called for weeping and wailing, for shaven heads and the wearing of sackcloth. Amos 8:10 I will turn your feasts into mourning and all your songs into lamentation. I will cause everyone to wear sackcloth and every head to be shaved. I will make it like a time of mourning for an only son, and its outcome like a bitter day. Job 1:20 Then Job stood up, tore his robe, and shaved his head. He fell to the ground and worshiped, Leviticus 21:5 Priests must not make bald spots on their heads, shave off the edges of their beards, or make cuts in their bodies. Treasury of Scripture For every head shall be bald, and every beard clipped: on all the hands shall be cuttings, and on the loins sackcloth. every head Jeremiah 16:6 Both the great and the small shall die in this land: they shall not be buried, neither shall men lament for them, nor cut themselves, nor make themselves bald for them: Jeremiah 41:5 That there came certain from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Samaria, even fourscore men, having their beards shaven, and their clothes rent, and having cut themselves, with offerings and incense in their hand, to bring them to the house of the LORD. Jeremiah 47:5 Baldness is come upon Gaza; Ashkelon is cut off with the remnant of their valley: how long wilt thou cut thyself? clipped [heb] diminished Leviticus 19:28 Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD. 1 Kings 18:28 And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them. Mark 5:5 And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones. upon the loins Genesis 37:29,34 And Reuben returned unto the pit; and, behold, Joseph was not in the pit; and he rent his clothes… 1 Kings 21:27 And it came to pass, when Ahab heard those words, that he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly. 2 Kings 6:30 And it came to pass, when the king heard the words of the woman, that he rent his clothes; and he passed by upon the wall, and the people looked, and, behold, he had sackcloth within upon his flesh. Jump to Previous Bald Beard Body Covered Cut Cuttings Diminished Everywhere Face Hair Haircloth Hand Hands Head Loins Sackcloth Shaved Short Slashed Waist WoundsJump to Next Bald Beard Body Covered Cut Cuttings Diminished Everywhere Face Hair Haircloth Hand Hands Head Loins Sackcloth Shaved Short Slashed Waist WoundsJeremiah 48 1. The judgment of Moab7. 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 For every head is shaved Moab’s people would openly bear the marks of grief and defeat. Shaved heads expressed mourning and public humiliation as the nation faced the consequences of God’s judgment. Isa 15:2 Dibon goes up to its temple to weep at its high places.… and every beard is clipped; Beards represented a man’s dignity and honor, so their removal portrayed shame and distress. No rank or status would shield Moab from disgrace. Ezk 5:1 “As for you, son of man, take a sharp sword,”… on every hand is a gash, Their mourning included self-inflicted wounds associated with pagan lamentation. The widespread gashes revealed desperation and the depth of the nation’s anguish. Hos 7:14 They do not cry out to Me from their hearts.… and around every waist is sackcloth. Sackcloth, the rough garment of mourning, would be worn throughout Moab. The nation’s sorrow would be universal as its cities, strength, and security collapsed. 1Ki 20:31-32 Then the servants of Ben-hadad said to him, … Persons / Places / Events 1. MoabAn ancient nation located east of the Dead Sea, often in conflict with Israel. In this chapter, Moab is the subject of God's judgment through the prophet Jeremiah. 2. Jeremiah A major prophet in the Old Testament, known for his messages of judgment and hope. He is the mouthpiece of God in this passage, delivering a prophecy against Moab. 3. The People of Moab The recipients of the prophecy, who are depicted as mourning and in distress due to the impending judgment. 4. Sackcloth A coarse material worn as a sign of mourning or repentance. Its mention signifies deep sorrow and humiliation. 5. Cultural Mourning Practices The shaving of heads, clipping of beards, and gashing of hands were traditional expressions of grief and lamentation in ancient Near Eastern cultures. Teaching Points The Universality of God's JudgmentGod's judgment is not limited to Israel but extends to all nations, including Moab. This reminds us of God's sovereignty over all the earth. Expressions of Mourning and Repentance The physical expressions of grief in Moab serve as a reminder of the importance of genuine repentance and humility before God. The Consequences of Sin Moab's mourning is a direct result of their sin and rebellion against God. This serves as a warning to us about the serious consequences of turning away from God. Cultural Context in Scripture Understanding the cultural practices of mourning helps us grasp the depth of Moab's despair and the seriousness of God's judgment. Hope Beyond Judgment While this passage focuses on judgment, the broader account of Scripture assures us of God's mercy and the hope of restoration for those who turn back to Him. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Jeremiah 48:37?2. How does Jeremiah 48:37 illustrate God's judgment on Moab's pride and idolatry? 3. What cultural practices in Jeremiah 48:37 symbolize mourning and repentance? 4. How can we apply the lessons of Jeremiah 48:37 to modern-day repentance? 5. What other scriptures highlight consequences of pride similar to Jeremiah 48:37? 6. How does Jeremiah 48:37 encourage humility in our relationship with God? 7. What historical events does Jeremiah 48:37 refer to in Moab's context? 8. How does Jeremiah 48:37 reflect God's judgment on nations? 9. What is the significance of shaving heads in Jeremiah 48:37? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Jeremiah 48? Verses 37, 38 (first part). - Based on Isaiah 15:2 (latter part), 3 (first part). On the primitive Arabic, Egyptian, and Hebrew custom of cutting off the hair, see on Jeremiah 16:6, and comp. Herod., 2:36. Clipped. The difference from the word in Isaiah is so slight that it may easily have arisen from a copyist. The meaning is virtually the same. Cuttings. So of Philistia (Jeremiah 47:5); see on Jeremiah 16:6. Jeremiah 48:37 paints four vivid, literal images—shaven heads, clipped beards, gashed hands, and sackcloth belts—to picture total, nation-wide grief in Moab. Each sign removes human pride and exposes deep distress, proving that God’s announced judgment will touch every life. What looks like mere ritual grief is really the Creator’s wake-up call: idols and self-reliance fail, but the LORD’s word stands forever (Isaiah 40:8). Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Forכִּ֤י (kî) Conjunction Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction every כָל־ (ḵāl) Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every head רֹאשׁ֙ (rōš) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 7218: The head is shaved קָרְחָ֔ה (qā·rə·ḥāh) Noun - feminine singular Strong's 7144: Baldness, bald spot and every וְכָל־ (wə·ḵāl) Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every beard זָקָ֖ן (zā·qān) Noun - common singular Strong's 2206: Beard, chin is clipped; גְּרֻעָ֑ה (gə·ru·‘āh) Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - feminine singular Strong's 1639: To scrape off, to shave, remove, lessen, withhold on עַ֤ל (‘al) Preposition Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against every כָּל־ (kāl-) Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every hand יָדַ֙יִם֙ (yā·ḏa·yim) Noun - fd Strong's 3027: A hand is a gash גְּדֻדֹ֔ת (gə·ḏu·ḏōṯ) Noun - feminine plural Strong's 1417: A furrow, cutting and around וְעַל־ (wə·‘al-) Conjunctive waw | Preposition Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against every waist מָתְנַ֖יִם (mā·ṯə·na·yim) Noun - md Strong's 4975: The waist, small of the back, the loins [is] sackcloth. שָֽׂק׃ (śāq) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 8242: A mesh, coarse loose cloth, sacking, a bag Additonal Resources Jeremiah 48:37 Blue Letter BibleJeremiah 48:37 Bible Gateway Jeremiah 48:37 Bible.com Jeremiah 48:37 NIV |
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