Profeti imod Moab
1Herren, den Almægtige, Israels Gud, siger om Moab:
„Byen Nebo er dømt, og den bliver snart jævnet med jorden. Samme skæbne venter byen Kirjatajim. Dens fæstninger bliver indtaget og ødelagt. 2Moabs storhedstid er forbi. I Heshbon lægges der planer om at udslette landet. ‚Kom,’ siger man, ‚lad os udrydde det folk!’ Byen Madmen bliver løbet over ende af den fremstormende hær. 3Der høres fortvivlede råb i Horonajim: ‚Åh, hvilken forfærdelig ødelæggelse!’ 4Moab vil blive lagt i ruiner, og børnene vil skrige af skræk. 5Flygtningene går grædende op over Luhits bakker. På vejen fra Horonajim hører de rædselsskrigene fra byen nedenfor. 6Flygt for livet. Løb som et vildæsel i ørkenen.48,6 Efter LXX. Den hebraiske tekst er uklar. 7I stolede på jeres egen styrke og rigdom. Derfor skal I dø, og jeres gud, Kemosh, skal føres i eksil sammen med sine præster og stormænd.
8Alle dalenes byer og landsbyerne i højlandet skal ødelægges, siger Herren. 9Rejs en gravsten for Moab,48,9 Teksten er uklar. Måske: „Giv et tegn til Moab”, eller: „Lad Moab flyve væk”. for alle landets byer skal ligge øde og ubeboede hen. 10Forbandet være de, som nægter at udføre Herrens befaling og ikke deltager i blodbadet.
11Moabs befolkning har altid levet uforstyrret, som vin, der får lov at bundfælde sig uden at blive hældt fra fad til fad. Moab har aldrig været i eksil, men har kunnet nyde en stabil tilværelse. 12Men nu er tiden kommet, siger Herren, hvor jeg sender soldater, der skal hælde vinen ud på jorden. De vælter beholderne omkuld og knuser dem. 13Moab bliver skuffet over, at Kemosh ikke kan hjælpe, ligesom Israel blev skuffet over guldkalven i Betel.48,13 Den guldkalv, som Jeroboam satte op, jf. 1.Kong. 12,25ff.
14Moabs indbyggere plejer at prale med deres heltebedrifter i krig. 15Men nu skal Moab ødelægges. Ødelæggeren er på vej for at slagte alle landets øvede krigere, siger Herren, den almægtige Konge. 16Moabs undergang er uhyggeligt nær.
17I, som er Moabs venner, sørg og græd over landets skæbne. Se, den stærke herskerstav, det prægtige scepter, ligger knust i støvet. 18Kom ned fra hæderspladsen og sæt jer i støvet, Dibons indbyggere.48,18 Dibon var sandsynligvis den største by i Moab. De, der kommer for at knuse Moab, vil også bryde igennem jeres fæstninger og rasere jeres by. 19Aroers indbyggere står frygtsomme langs vejen og råber til de flygtende fra Moab: ‚Hvad er der sket?’ 20Svaret lyder: ‚Græd og sørg! Moab blev ydmyget og ligger i ruiner. Råb det ud langs Arnonflodens bredder, at Moab er gået til grunde.’
21-24Alle højslettens byer ligger i ruiner, både Holon, Jahatz, Mefa’at, Dibon, Nebo, Bet-Diblatajim, Kirjatajim, Bet-Gamul, Bet-Meon, Kerijot og Botzra, for Herrens dom har ramt samtlige Moabs byer.
25Moabs storhedstid er forbi, hendes48,25 Byer personificeres på hebraisk som kvinder. styrke er brudt, hendes arme er brækket. 26Fordi hun har sat sig op mod mig, Herren, skal hun tømme min vredes bæger. Hun raver beruset omkring, til hun falder og roder rundt i sit eget bræk. Hun vil blive hånet af alle, der ser det. 27Var det ikke dig, der hånligt rystede på hovedet af Israel som af en gemen tyv?
28Moabs folk, flygt fra jeres byer og slå jer ned i bjerghulerne som duer, der bygger rede i klippespalterne. 29Det er velkendt, hvor utrolig indbildsk, overmodig, selvsikker og overlegen Moab er. 30Jeg kender jeres indbildskhed, siger Herren. Men jeres pral er tomme ord, for der er ingen basis for jeres selvsikkerhed. 31Jeg må græde over Moab og sørge over befolkningen i Kir-Heres.
32Jeg sørger over Jazer og ikke mindst over ødelæggelsen af Sibmas vingårde. For vinen fra Sibma var så udsøgt, at den nåede længere end til Jazer, ja, helt til den anden side af havet.48,32 Teksten er usikker, men kan sammenlignes med Es. 16,6-10. Men nu bliver både vinplanter og figentræer fuldstændigt ødelagte. 33Der er ingen glæde mere i Moabs frugtplantager. Vinpersen står ubrugt. Ingen træder druer i takt med den glade sang. 34I stedet høres rædselsskrig over hele landet, fra Heshbon helt over til Elale og Jahatz, fra Zoar til Horonajim og Eglat-Shelishija. Selv Nimris bæk er udtørret.
35Jeg gør ende på Moab, siger Herren, for de bringer ofre på afgudsaltrene og brænder røgelse for deres falske guder. 36Jeg sørger over Moab og Kir-Heres’ folk som en fløjtespiller, der udtrykker sin sorg over de tabte rigdomme med en klagesang. 37Alle indbyggerne vil i fortvivlelse rage hår og skæg af, skære rifter i hænderne og klæde sig i sæk og aske. 38På alle de flade tage og på torvene i Moab vil der lyde gråd og klage, for jeg knuser Moab som en ubrugelig lerskål. 39Ja, Moab vil blive fuldstændigt knust, ydmyget ved fjendernes hån, et afskrækkende eksempel for alle dets naboer.
40Fjenden kredser over Moabs land som en ørn, siger Herren, klar til at slå ned på dem. 41Byerne vil falde, og fæstningerne blive brudt ned. Selv den tapreste kriger ryster af skræk som en fødende kvinde. 42Moab er færdig som nation, for hun satte sig op mod Herren. 43Moabs indbyggere kan se frem til frygt, fælder og fangenskab, siger Herren. 44De, som flygter på grund af frygt, vil gå i fælden, og de, som slipper fri af fælden, vil senere blive fanget. Nu er dommens time kommet for Moabs land, siger Herren. 45De, der flygter mod Heshbon, vil miste alt håb, for den prægtige Sihons by står i flammer. Fra Heshbon spreder ødelæggelsen sig ud over hele landet, og Moabs stærkeste byer bliver lagt i ruiner.
46Stakkels Moab, det er ude med dig. Det folk, som tilbad Kemosh, skal udryddes, deres sønner og døtre føres bort som slaver. 47Men engang i fremtiden vil jeg genrejse Moabs folk,” siger Herren. Det var domsprofetien over Moab.
A message about Moab
1Concerning Moab:
This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says:
‘Woe to Nebo, for it will be ruined.
Kiriathaim will be disgraced and captured;
the stronghold48:1 Or captured; / Misgab will be disgraced and shattered.
2Moab will be praised no more;
in Heshbon48:2 The Hebrew for Heshbon sounds like the Hebrew for plot. people will plot her downfall:
“Come, let us put an end to that nation.”
You, the people of Madmen,48:2 The name of the Moabite town Madmen sounds like the Hebrew for be silenced. will also be silenced;
the sword will pursue you.
3Cries of anguish arise from Horonaim,
cries of great havoc and destruction.
4Moab will be broken;
her little ones will cry out.48:4 Hebrew; Septuagint / proclaim it to Zoar
5They go up the hill to Luhith,
weeping bitterly as they go;
on the road down to Horonaim
anguished cries over the destruction are heard.
6Flee! Run for your lives;
become like a bush48:6 Or like Aroer in the desert.
7Since you trust in your deeds and riches,
you too will be taken captive,
and Chemosh will go into exile,
together with his priests and officials.
8The destroyer will come against every town,
and not a town will escape.
The valley will be ruined
and the plateau destroyed,
because the Lord has spoken.
9Put salt on Moab,
for she will be laid waste48:9 Or Give wings to Moab, / for she will fly away;
her towns will become desolate,
with no-one to live in them.
10‘A curse on anyone who is lax in doing the Lord’s work!
A curse on anyone who keeps their sword from bloodshed!
11‘Moab has been at rest from youth,
like wine left on its dregs,
not poured from one jar to another –
she has not gone into exile.
So she tastes as she did,
and her aroma is unchanged.
12But days are coming,’ declares the Lord,
‘when I will send men who pour from pitchers,
and they will pour her out;
they will empty her pitchers
and smash her jars.
13Then Moab will be ashamed of Chemosh,
as Israel was ashamed
when they trusted in Bethel.
14‘How can you say, “We are warriors,
men valiant in battle”?
15Moab will be destroyed and her towns invaded;
her finest young men will go down in the slaughter,’
declares the King, whose name is the Lord Almighty.
16‘The fall of Moab is at hand;
her calamity will come quickly.
17Mourn for her, all who live around her,
all who know her fame;
say, “How broken is the mighty sceptre,
how broken the glorious staff!”
18‘Come down from your glory
and sit on the parched ground,
you inhabitants of Daughter Dibon,
for the one who destroys Moab
will come up against you
and ruin your fortified cities.
19Stand by the road and watch,
you who live in Aroer.
Ask the man fleeing and the woman escaping,
ask them, “What has happened?”
20Moab is disgraced, for she is shattered.
Wail and cry out!
Announce by the Arnon
that Moab is destroyed.
21Judgment has come to the plateau –
to Holon, Jahzah and Mephaath,
22to Dibon, Nebo and Beth Diblathaim,
23to Kiriathaim, Beth Gamul and Beth Meon,
24to Kerioth and Bozrah –
to all the towns of Moab, far and near.
25Moab’s horn48:25 Horn here symbolises strength. is cut off;
her arm is broken,’
declares the Lord.
26‘Make her drunk,
for she has defied the Lord.
Let Moab wallow in her vomit;
let her be an object of ridicule.
27Was not Israel the object of your ridicule?
Was she caught among thieves,
that you shake your head in scorn
whenever you speak of her?
28Abandon your towns and dwell among the rocks,
you who live in Moab.
Be like a dove that makes its nest
at the mouth of a cave.
29‘We have heard of Moab’s pride –
how great is her arrogance! –
of her insolence, her pride, her conceit
and the haughtiness of her heart.
30I know her insolence but it is futile,’ declares the Lord,
‘and her boasts accomplish nothing.
31Therefore I wail over Moab,
for all Moab I cry out,
I moan for the people of Kir Hareseth.
32I weep for you, as Jazer weeps,
you vines of Sibmah.
Your branches spread as far as the sea48:32 Probably the Dead Sea;
they reached as far as48:32 Two Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint; most Hebrew manuscripts as far as the Sea of Jazer.
The destroyer has fallen
on your ripened fruit and grapes.
33Joy and gladness are gone
from the orchards and fields of Moab.
I have stopped the flow of wine from the presses;
no-one treads them with shouts of joy.
Although there are shouts,
they are not shouts of joy.
34‘The sound of their cry rises
from Heshbon to Elealeh and Jahaz,
from Zoar as far as Horonaim and Eglath Shelishiyah,
for even the waters of Nimrim are dried up.
35In Moab I will put an end
to those who make offerings on the high places
and burn incense to their gods,’ declares the Lord.
36‘So my heart laments for Moab like the music of a pipe;
it laments like a pipe for the people of Kir Hareseth.
The wealth they acquired is gone.
37Every head is shaved
and every beard cut off;
every hand is slashed
and every waist is covered with sackcloth.
38On all the roofs in Moab
and in the public squares
there is nothing but mourning,
for I have broken Moab
like a jar that no-one wants,’ declares the Lord.
39‘How shattered she is! How they wail!
How Moab turns her back in shame!
Moab has become an object of ridicule,
an object of horror to all those around her.’
40This is what the Lord says:
‘Look! An eagle is swooping down,
spreading its wings over Moab.
41Kerioth48:41 Or The cities will be captured
and the strongholds taken.
In that day the hearts of Moab’s warriors
will be like the heart of a woman in labour.
42Moab will be destroyed as a nation
because she defied the Lord.
43Terror and pit and snare await you,
you people of Moab,’
declares the Lord.
44‘Whoever flees from the terror
will fall into a pit,
whoever climbs out of the pit
will be caught in a snare;
for I will bring on Moab
the year of her punishment,’
declares the Lord.
45‘In the shadow of Heshbon
the fugitives stand helpless,
for a fire has gone out from Heshbon,
a blaze from the midst of Sihon;
it burns the foreheads of Moab,
the skulls of the noisy boasters.
46Woe to you, Moab!
The people of Chemosh are destroyed;
your sons are taken into exile
and your daughters into captivity.
47‘Yet I will restore the fortunes of Moab
in days to come,’
declares the Lord.
Here ends the judgment on Moab.
