Jeremiah 48:9
Give wings unto Moab, that it may flee and get away: for the cities thereof shall be desolate, without any to dwell therein.
Original Language Analysis
תְּנוּ
Give
H5414
תְּנוּ
Give
Strong's:
H5414
Word #:
1 of 12
to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)
צִ֣יץ
wings
H6731
צִ֣יץ
wings
Strong's:
H6731
Word #:
2 of 12
properly, glistening, i.e., a burnished plate; a wing (as gleaming in the air)
לְמוֹאָ֔ב
unto Moab
H4124
לְמוֹאָ֔ב
unto Moab
Strong's:
H4124
Word #:
3 of 12
moab, an incestuous son of lot; also his territory and descendants
כִּ֥י
H3588
כִּ֥י
Strong's:
H3588
Word #:
4 of 12
(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
תֵּצֵ֑א
and get away
H3318
תֵּצֵ֑א
and get away
Strong's:
H3318
Word #:
6 of 12
to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proxim
וְעָרֶ֙יהָ֙
for the cities
H5892
וְעָרֶ֙יהָ֙
for the cities
Strong's:
H5892
Word #:
7 of 12
a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)
לְשַׁמָּ֣ה
thereof shall be desolate
H8047
לְשַׁמָּ֣ה
thereof shall be desolate
Strong's:
H8047
Word #:
8 of 12
ruin; by implication, consternation
תִֽהְיֶ֔ינָה
H1961
תִֽהְיֶ֔ינָה
Strong's:
H1961
Word #:
9 of 12
to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
מֵאֵ֥ין
H369
Cross References
Isaiah 16:2For it shall be, that, as a wandering bird cast out of the nest, so the daughters of Moab shall be at the fords of Arnon.Psalms 11:1In the LORD put I my trust: how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain?Jeremiah 48:28O ye that dwell in Moab, leave the cities, and dwell in the rock, and be like the dove that maketh her nest in the sides of the hole's mouth.
Historical Context
Archaeological evidence shows major Moabite cities experienced destruction and abandonment in the 6th century BC, with settlement gaps lasting centuries. The Mesha Stele (c. 840 BC) had earlier boasted of Moabite strength; Jeremiah's prophecy announces the reversal of that pride. By the Hellenistic period, Moab effectively ceased to exist as a distinct people.
Questions for Reflection
- Why does God sometimes express judgment through irony and metaphor (giving wings to flee)?
- What does complete desolation 'without any to dwell' teach about the finality of refusing God's warnings?
- How does Moab's disappearance from history demonstrate the temporary nature of all human kingdoms compared to God's eternal kingdom?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
Give wings unto Moab (תְּנוּ־צִיץ לְמוֹאָב tenu-tzitz leMoav)—the Hebrew tzitz can mean 'flower' or 'wing,' here used metaphorically for swift flight. The irony is palpable: Moab needs supernatural aid to escape the coming disaster. That it may flee and get away (כִּי תֵצֵא תֵּצֵא ki tetze tetze)—another Hebrew repetition for emphasis: 'surely it will go forth,' or 'it must absolutely escape.'
For the cities thereof shall be desolate, without any to dwell therein (וְעָרֶיהָ לְשַׁמָּה תִּהְיֶינָה מֵאֵין יֹשֵׁב ve'areha leshamah tihyeynah me'ein yoshev). The word shamah (desolation, waste) appears throughout prophetic judgment oracles (Isaiah 1:7, Jeremiah 4:7). Complete depopulation—not conquest and resettlement, but utter abandonment. This fulfills Levitical covenant curses where cities become uninhabited ruins (Leviticus 26:31-33).