Jeremiah 48:11
in Jeremiah 48Moab has been at ease from youth, settled like wine on its dregs; he has not been poured from vessel to vessel or gone into exile. So his flavor has remained the same, and his aroma is unchanged.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Moab hath been at ease from his youth, and he hath settled on his lees, and hath not been emptied from vessel to vessel, neither hath he gone into captivity: therefore his taste remaineth in him, and his scent is not changed.
KJV
Moab hath been at ease from his youth, and he hath settled on his lees, and hath not been emptied from vessel to vessel, neither hath he gone into captivity: therefore his taste remained in him, and his scent is not changed.
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This verse in Jeremiah 48
Commentary
8 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Moab from the time it conquered the Emims Deu 2:9-10, and so became a nation, had retained quiet possession of its land, and enjoyed comparative prosperity. From the Moabite Stone we gather that King Mesha, after the death of Ahab threw off the yoke of Israel; nor except for a short time under Jeroboam II was Israel able to bring the Moabites back into subjection. They gradually drove the Reubenites back, and recovered most of the territory taken from the Amorites by Moses, and which originally had belonged to them.
This site's exposition
settled like wine on its dregs
on Jeremiah 48:11-17
Moab “has been at ease from youth, settled like wine on its dregs,” never “poured from vessel to vessel or gone into exile.” Now the pourers will “shatter his jars,” and Moab will feel shame over Chemosh as Israel did “when they trusted in Bethel.”
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Not emptied - A metaphor of wine which is drawn out from vessel to vessel, when it is drawn off the lees. It is expounded by the next words. Therefore - And this is the reason why they retain their old sins, pride, presumption, and luxury.
16 The calamity of Moab is near to come, and his affliction hasteth fast. 17 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! 18 Thou daughter that dost inhabit Dibon, come down from thy glory, and sit in thirst; for the spoiler of Moab shall come upon thee, and he shall destroy thy strong holds.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-scripture
Moab hath been at ease from his youth,.... Lived in great peace and prosperity from the time they became a kingdom; being very little disturbed with wars by their neighbours, or very rarely; so that they were in very prosperous and flourishing circumstances, which occasioned that pride and haughtiness they were notorious for.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
FOR a considerable season the country of Moab had been free from the inroads of war and the terrors of pestilence. The nation had, therefore, become so conceitedly secure, that the Lord said, "We have heard the pride of Moab (he is exceedingly proud), his loftiness, and his arrogance, and his pride, and the haughtiness of his heart." The people became vain, dominating, boastful, and mocked at their afflicted neighbors the Israelites, manifesting ungenerous joy in their sorrows. "For was not Israel a derision unto you? Was he found among thieves?
FOR a considerable season the country of Moab had been free from the inroads of war and the terrors of pestilence. The nation had, therefore, become so conceitedly secure, that the Lord said, "We have heard the pride of Moab (he is exceedingly proud), his loftiness, and his arrogance, and his pride, and the haughtiness of his heart." The people became vain, dominating, boastful, and mocked at their afflicted neighbors the Israelites, manifesting ungenerous joy in their sorrows. "For was not Israel a derision unto you? Was he found among thieves? For since you spoke of him, you skipped for joy." From this pride sprang luxury and all those other vices which find a convenient lair in the repose of unbroken prosperity. The warriors of Moab said, "We are mighty and strong men of war." As vainglorious sinners they defied all law and power. Trusting in Chemosh, they despised Jehovah, and magnified themselves against the Lord. The Prophet compares that country to wine, which has been allowed to stand unstirred and unmoved—it settles on its lees, grows strong, retains its aroma, and gathers daily fresh body and spirit.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Moab hath been at ease - The metaphor here is taken from the mode of preserving wines. They let them rest upon their lees for a considerable time, as this improves them both in strength and flavour; and when this is sufficiently done, they rack, or pour them off into other vessels. Moab had been very little molested by war since he was a nation; he had never gone out of his own land. Though some had been carried away by Shalmaneser forty years before this, he has had neither wars nor captivity. Therefore his taste remained in him - Still carrying on the allusion to the curing of wines; by resting long upon the lees, the taste and smell are both improved. See the note on Isa 25:6.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
the Lord’s work The work of the destruction of Moab, which is the mission of the Omnipresent.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 7 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
23 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| שַׁאֲנַ֨ן | shaanan | it has been at ease | H7599 → | 5 times |
| מוֹאָ֜ב | moav | Moab | H4124 → | 181 times |
| מִנְּעוּרָ֗יו | mineurav | since youth<s> its | H5271 → | 47 times |
| וְשֹׁקֵ֥ט | veshoket | and [has been] undisturbed | H8252 → | 41 times |
| הוּא֙ | hu' | it | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| שְׁמָרָ֔יו | shemarav | lees its | H8105 → | |
| וְלֹֽא־ | velo'- | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| הוּרַ֤ק | hurak | it has been poured | H7324 → | |
| מִכְּלִי֙ | mikeli | from vessel | H3627 → | 325 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| כֶּ֔לִי | keli | vessel | H3627 → | 325 times |
| וּבַגּוֹלָ֖ה | uvagolah | and in <the> exile | H1473 → | 43 times |
| לֹ֣א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| הָלָ֑ךְ | halakh | it has gone | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | there- | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| כֵּ֗ן | ken | -fore | H3651 → | 771 times |
| עָמַ֤ד | ʾamad | it has remained | H5975 → | 521 times |
| טַעְמוֹ֙ | ta'mo | taste its | H2940 → | |
| בּ֔וֹ | bo | in <the> it | ||
| וְרֵיח֖וֹ | vereicho | and aroma its | H7381 → | |
| לֹ֥א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| נָמָֽר׃ ס | namar | it has been changed | H4171 → |
שַׁאֲנַ֨ןit has been at ease
shaananH7599 →5 times
מוֹאָ֜בMoab
moavH4124 →181 times
מִנְּעוּרָ֗יוsince youth<s> its
mineuravH5271 →47 times
וְשֹׁקֵ֥טand [has been] undisturbed
veshoketH8252 →41 times
הוּא֙it
hu'H1931 →1879 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
שְׁמָרָ֔יוlees its
shemaravH8105 →
וְלֹֽא־and not
velo'-H3808 →5168 times
הוּרַ֤קit has been poured
hurakH7324 →
מִכְּלִי֙from vessel
mikeliH3627 →325 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
כֶּ֔לִיvessel
keliH3627 →325 times
וּבַגּוֹלָ֖הand in <the> exile
uvagolahH1473 →43 times
לֹ֣אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
הָלָ֑ךְit has gone
halakhH1980 →1546 times
עַל־there-
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
כֵּ֗ן-fore
kenH3651 →771 times
עָמַ֤דit has remained
ʾamadH5975 →521 times
טַעְמוֹ֙taste its
ta'moH2940 →
בּ֔וֹin <the> it
bo
וְרֵיח֖וֹand aroma its
vereichoH7381 →
לֹ֥אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
נָמָֽר׃ סit has been changed
namarH4171 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Zephaniah 1:12And at that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps and punish the men settled in complacency, who say to themselves, ‘The LORD will do nothing, either good or bad.’
it leads to
- Amos 6:1
Woe to those at ease in Zion and those secure on Mount Samaria, the distinguished ones of the foremost nation, to whom the house of Israel comes.
- Ezekiel 8:12
“Son of man,” He said to me, “do you see what the elders of the house of Israel are doing in the darkness, each at the shrine of his own idol? For they are…
- Ezekiel 9:9
He replied, “The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great. The land is full of bloodshed, and the city is full of perversity. For they say, ‘The LORD has forsaken…
- Malachi 3:14–15
You have said, ‘It is futile to serve God. What have we gained by keeping His requirements and walking mournfully before the LORD of Hosts?
- Amos 6:1
Through
Zechariah 1:15but I am fiercely angry with the nations that are at ease. For I was a little angry, but they have added to the calamity.’
it leads to
- Ezekiel 25:12–17
This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Because Edom acted vengefully against the house of Judah, and in so doing incurred grievous guilt,
- Jeremiah 51:24
Before your very eyes I will repay Babylon and all the dwellers of Chaldea for all the evil they have done in Zion,” declares the LORD.
- Isaiah 54:8
In a surge of anger I hid My face from you for a moment, but with everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you,” says the LORD your Redeemer.
- Ezekiel 25:12–17
Through
Jeremiah 48:29We have heard of Moab’s pomposity, his exceeding pride and conceit, his proud arrogance and haughtiness of heart.
it leads to
- Isaiah 16:6
We have heard of Moab’s pomposity, his exceeding pride and conceit, his overflowing arrogance. But his boasting is empty.
- Isaiah 16:6
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Jeremiah
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Carl Friedrich Keil, The Prophecies of Jeremiah; Charles Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 761: “The Shrill Trumpet of Admonition” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.