"Thereis praisefor Moabnolonger;In Heshbonthey have devisedcalamityagainsther: 'Comeand let us cuther offfrom [being] a nation!'You too,Madmen,will be silenced;The swordwill followafteryou.
"IfthisfixedorderdepartsFrom beforeMe," declaresthe LORD,"Then the offspringof Israelalsowill ceaseFrom beinga nationbeforeMe forever."
But nowthe LORDspeaks,saying,"Within threeyears,as a hiredmanwould countthem, the gloryof Moabwill be degradedalong with all[his] greatpopulation,and [his] remnantwill be verysmall[and] impotent."
The sonsof ReubenbuiltHeshbonand Elealehand Kiriathaim,
"Wail,O Heshbon,for Aihas been destroyed!Cryout, O daughtersof Rabbah,Girdyourselveswith sackclothand lament,And rushbackand forthinside the walls;For Malcamwill gointo exileTogetherwith his priestsand his princes.
"In the shadowof HeshbonThe fugitivesstandwithoutstrength;For a firehas goneforthfrom HeshbonAnd a flamefrom the midstof Sihon,And it has devouredthe foreheadof MoabAnd the scalpsof the riotousrevelers.
"Moabwill be destroyedfrom [being] a peopleBecausehe has becomearroganttowardthe LORD.
"Mournfor him, allyou who [live] aroundhim, Even allof you who knowhis name;Say,'Howhas the mightyscepterbeen broken,A staffof splendor!'
"O JacobMy servant,do not fear,"declaresthe LORD,"For I am with you. For I will makea fullendof allthe nationsWhereI have drivenyou, Yet I will not makea fullendof you; But I will correctyou properlyAnd by nomeansleaveyou unpunished."
"Have you not observedwhatthispeoplehave spoken,saying,The twofamilieswhichthe LORDchose,He has rejectedthem'? Thus they despiseMy people,nolongerare they as a nationin their sight.
Then I tookthe cupfrom the LORD'Shandand made allthe nationsto whomthe LORDsentme drinkit:
For thusthe LORD,the Godof Israel,saysto me, "Takethiscupof the wineof wrathfrom My handand cause allthe nationsto whomI sendyou to drinkit.
For the handof the LORDwill reston thismountain,And Moabwill be troddendownin his placeAs strawis troddendownin the waterof a manurepile.
My heartcriesout for Moab;His fugitivesare as faras Zoar[and] Eglath-shelishiyah,For they goup the ascentof Luhithweeping;Surelyon the roadto Horonaimthey raisea cryof distressover [their] ruin.
The oracleconcerning Moab.Surelyin a nightArof Moabis devastated[and] ruined;Surelyin a nightKirof Moabis devastated[and] ruined.
So I will shatterElambeforetheir enemiesAnd beforethose who seektheir lives;And I will bringcalamityupon them, Even My fierceanger,'declaresthe LORD,And I will sendout the swordafterthem UntilI have consumedthem.
