Mourn for him, all you who surround him, everyone who knows his name; tell how the mighty scepter is shattered—the glorious staff!
Parallel translations
- WEB All you who are around him, bemoan him, and all you who know his name; say, ‘How is the strong staff broken, the beautiful rod!’
- KJV All ye that are about him, bemoan him; and all ye that know his name, say, How is the strong staff broken, and the beautiful rod!
- NKJV Bemoan him, all you who are around him; And all you who know his name, Say, ‘How the strong staff is broken, The beautiful rod!’
- NASB “Mourn for him, all you who live around him, And all of you who know his name; Say, ‘How the mighty scepter has been broken, A staff of splendor!’
- NLT You friends of Moab, weep for him and cry! See how the strong scepter is broken, how the beautiful staff is shattered!
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
All who know Moab are called to mourn that the strong staff, her beautiful scepter of power, is broken.
Overview
Neighbors are summoned to lament Moab's fall, picturing her shattered authority as a broken staff and rod. The grief acknowledges the loss of a once-respected power. The breaking of Moab's scepter reminds us that all human dominion is fragile, while the scepter of Christ's kingdom can never be broken.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Isa 9:4For as in the day of Midian You have shattered the yoke of their burden, the bar across their shoulders, and the rod of their oppressor.
- Jer 9:17–20This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Take note, and summon the wailing women; send for the most skillful among them.
- Jer 48:39“How shattered it is! How they wail! How Moab has turned his back in shame! Moab has become an object of ridicule and horror to all those around him.”
- Isa 10:5Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger; the staff in their hands is My wrath.
- Isa 14:4–5you will sing this song of contempt against the king of Babylon: How the oppressor has ceased, and how his fury has ended!
- Isa 16:8For the fields of Heshbon have withered, along with the grapevines of Sibmah. The rulers of the nations have trampled its choicest vines, which had reached as far as Jazer and spread toward the desert. Their shoots had spread out and passed over the sea.
- Ezek 19:11–14It had strong branches, fit for a ruler’s scepter. It towered high above the thick branches, conspicuous for its height and for its dense foliage.
- Zech 11:10–14Next I took my staff called Favor and cut it in two, revoking the covenant I had made with all the nations.
- Jer 48:31–33Therefore I will wail for Moab; I will cry out for all of Moab; I will moan for the men of Kir-heres.
- Rev 18:14–20And they will say: “The fruit of your soul’s desire has departed from you; all your luxury and splendor have vanished, never to be seen again.”
Resources, by level
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Christ at the center
Against the failure of false shepherds Jeremiah promises the Righteous Branch, 'The LORD our righteousness,' and the new covenant written on the heart and sealed in the blood of Christ.
How Jeremiah 48:17 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.