"Thereis praisefor Moabnolonger;In Heshbonthey have devisedcalamityagainsther: 'Comeand let us cuther offfrom [being] a nation!'You too,Madmen,will be silenced;The swordwill followafteryou.
The oracleconcerning Moab.Surelyin a nightArof Moabis devastated[and] ruined;Surelyin a nightKirof Moabis devastated[and] ruined.
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.
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."
For the handof the LORDwill reston thismountain,And Moabwill be troddendownin his placeAs strawis troddendownin the waterof a manurepile.
For thusthe LORD,the Godof Israel,saysto me, "Takethiscupof the wineof wrathfrom My handand cause allthe nationsto whomI sendyou to drinkit.
Then I tookthe cupfrom the LORD'Shandand made allthe nationsto whomthe LORDsentme drinkit:
"IfthisfixedorderdepartsFrom beforeMe," declaresthe LORD,"Then the offspringof Israelalsowill ceaseFrom beinga nationbeforeMe forever."
"Have you not observedwhatthispeoplehave spoken,saying,The twofamilieswhichthe LORDchose,He has rejectedthem'? Thus they despiseMy people,nolongerare they as a nationin their sight.
"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."
"Mournfor him, allyou who [live] aroundhim, Even allof you who knowhis name;Say,'Howhas the mightyscepterbeen broken,A staffof splendor!'
"Moabwill be destroyedfrom [being] a peopleBecausehe has becomearroganttowardthe LORD.
"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.
"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.
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.
The sonsof ReubenbuiltHeshbonand Elealehand Kiriathaim,
