What is the meaning of Jeremiah 48:17?

Mourn for him

• “Him” points to Moab, the nation condemned throughout Jeremiah 48 (see vv. 1, 4, 20).

• A public lament signals that God’s judgment is terrifyingly real; even observers should feel the weight of it (Jeremiah 48:31; Isaiah 16:7).

• Lament also underscores the justice of God—He warned (Numbers 24:17; Isaiah 15–16) and now fulfills His word exactly.

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all you who surround him

• The neighboring peoples—Ammon, Edom, Philistia, Judah—are summoned to witness the downfall (Jeremiah 25:21; 49:1,17).

• God often calls surrounding nations to watch and learn when He judges a proud power (Ezekiel 25:9–11; Obadiah 10–12).

• Their vantage point highlights how no geography or alliance can shield a nation from divine accountability.

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everyone who knows his name

• Moab’s renown for strength and arrogance had spread (Jeremiah 48:29; Isaiah 16:6).

• Reputation crumbles when God acts; the wider world must acknowledge that His verdict, not human fame, is final (Psalm 9:16; Nahum 3:19).

• The phrase broadens the call to lament from local witnesses to the entire community of nations acquainted with Moab’s past glory.

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tell how the mighty scepter is shattered

• “Scepter” represents royal authority (Genesis 49:10; Psalm 45:6).

• God Himself breaks that power (Jeremiah 48:25 “the arm is broken”), proving His sovereignty over every throne (Daniel 2:21).

• Proclaiming the shattering serves as testimony and warning: the Lord who humbles Moab can humble any kingdom (Isaiah 14:5–6).

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the glorious staff!

• “Staff” parallels “scepter,” stressing former splendor now lying in ruins (Zechariah 11:10–11).

• What was “glorious” in human eyes is easily splintered by the Almighty (Isaiah 13:11; 1 Samuel 2:7–8).

• The exclamation mark captures the shock of watching brilliance turned to rubble—exactly what pride invites (Proverbs 16:18).

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summary

Jeremiah 48:17 is a divine summons to lament Moab’s collapse. Neighbors and onlookers alike must acknowledge that the Lord has dismantled a once-formidable rule: the scepter smashed, the staff splintered. The verse teaches that no reputation, alliance, or glory can withstand God’s righteous judgment, and that His word—spoken through prophets and fulfilled in history—stands unshakable.