Jeremiah 49:3

Contemporary English Version

Cry, people of Heshbon; your town will become a pile of rubble. You will turn here and there, but your path will be blocked. Put on sackcloth and mourn, you citizens of Rabbah, because the idol you worship will be taken to a foreign country, along with its priests and temple officials.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Wail, Heshbon, for Ai is devastated;cry out, daughters of Rabbah!Clothe yourselves with sackcloth, and lament;run back and forth within your walls,because Milcom will go into exiletogether with his priests and officials.

Hebrew Names Version
Wail, Heshbon, for `Ai is laid waste; cry, you daughters of Rabbah, gird you with sackcloth: lament, and run back and forth among the fences; for Malkam shall go into captivity, his Kohanim and his princes together.

King James Version
Howl, O Heshbon, for Ai is spoiled: cry, ye daughters of Rabbah, gird you with sackcloth; lament, and run to and fro by the hedges; for their king shall go into captivity, and his priests and his princes together.

English Standard Version
"Wail, O Heshbon, for Ai is laid waste! Cry out, O daughters of Rabbah! Put on sackcloth, lament, and run to and fro among the hedges! For Milcom shall go into exile, with his priests and his officials.

New American Standard Bible
"Wail, Heshbon, for Ai has been destroyed! Cry out, daughters of Rabbah, Put on sackcloth and mourn, And move about inside the walls; For Malcam will go into exile Together with his priests and his leaders.

New Century Version
"People in the town of Heshbon, cry sadly because the town of Ai is destroyed! Those who live in Rabbah, cry out! Put on your rough cloth to show your sadness, and cry loudly. Run here and there for safety inside the walls, because Molech will be taken captive and his priests and officers with him.

Amplified Bible
"Wail, O Heshbon, for Ai [in Ammon] has been destroyed! Cry out, O daughters of Rabbah! Wrap yourselves with sackcloth and lament (cry out in grief), And rush back and forth inside the enclosures; For Malcam [your powerless god] will go into exile Together with his priests and his princes.

World English Bible
Wail, Heshbon, for Ai is laid waste; cry, you daughters of Rabbah, gird you with sackcloth: lament, and run back and forth among the fences; for Malcam shall go into captivity, his priests and his princes together.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Howle, O Heshbon, for Ai is wasted: crie ye daughters of Rabbah: girde you with sackecloth: mourne and runne to and fro by the hedges: for their King shall goe into captiuitie; and his Priestes, and his princes likewise.

Legacy Standard Bible
"Wail, O Heshbon, for Ai has been destroyed!Cry out, O daughters of Rabbah,Gird yourselves with sackcloth and lament,And rush back and forth inside the walls;For Malcam will go into exileTogether with his priests and his princes.

Berean Standard Bible
Wail, O Heshbon, for Ai has been destroyed; cry out, O daughters of Rabbah! Put on sackcloth and mourn; run back and forth within your walls, for Molech will go into exile together with his priests and officials.

Complete Jewish Bible
"Wail, Heshbon, for ‘Ai is doomed! Cry out, daughters of Rabbah! Wear sackcloth and mourn, running here and there among the sheep pens. For Malkam will go into exile, together with his priests and officers.

Darby Translation
Howl, Heshbon! for Ai is laid waste; cry, daughters of Rabbah, gird you with sackcloth, lament and run to and fro within the enclosures: for Malcam shall go into captivity, his priests and his princes together.

Easy-to-Read Version
"People in Heshbon, cry because the town of Ai is destroyed! Women in Rabbah of Ammon, cry! Put on sackcloth and cry. Run to the city for safety, because the enemy will take away the god Milcom, with his priests and officials.

George Lamsa Translation
Howl, O Heshbon, for Ai is destroyed; call for help, O villages of Rabbath, gird you with sackcloth; mourn, be disquieted; for Malcolm shall go into captivity, together with his priests and princes, says the LORD.

Good News Translation
People of Heshbon, cry out! Ai is destroyed! Women of Rabbah, go into mourning! Put on sackcloth and mourn. Run about in confusion. Your god Molech will be taken into exile, together with his priests and princes.

Lexham English Bible
"Wail, Heshbon, for Ai is devastated. Cry out, O daughters of Rabbah, put on sackcloth. Lament and run back and forth among the walls. For Milcom will go into exile, his priests and his officials together.

Literal Translation
Wail, O Heshbon, for Ai is spoiled! Cry, daughters of Rabbah, gird yourselves with sackcloth; mourn, and run to and fro in the walls. For their king shall go into exile, his priests and his rulers together.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Hesebon shall mourne, for it shalbe roted out off the grounde, saieth the LORDE. The cities off Rabath shall crie out, and gyrde them selues with sack cloth: they shall mourne, and runne aboute the walles: for their kynge shall be led awaye presoner: yee his preestes and prynces with him.

American Standard Version
Wail, O Heshbon, for Ai is laid waste; cry, ye daughters of Rabbah, gird you with sackcloth: lament, and run to and fro among the fences; for Malcam shall go into captivity, his priests and his princes together.

Bible in Basic English
Make sounds of grief, O Heshbon, for Ai is wasted; give loud cries, O daughters of Rabbah, and put haircloth round you: give yourselves to weeping, running here and there and wounding yourselves; for Milcom will be taken prisoner together with his rulers and his priests.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
Wail, O Heshbon, for Ai is undone; cry, ye daughters of Rabbah, gird you with sackcloth; lament, and run to and fro among the folds; for Malcam shall go into captivity, his priests and his princes together.

King James Version (1611)
Howle, O Heshbon, for Ai is spoiled: cry yee daughters of Rabbah, gird yee with sackcloth: lament and runne to and fro by the hedges: for their king shall goe into captiuitie: and his priests and his princes together.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Hesbon shall mourne, for Ai shalbe rooted out of the grounde, [saith the Lorde]: the citie of Rabbah shall crye out, and gyrde them selues with sackcloth, they shall mourne and runne about the walles, for their kyng shalbe led away prisoner, yea his priestes and princes with hym.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And let the Lord thy God declare to us the way wherein we should walk, and the thing which we should do.

English Revised Version
Howl, O Heshbon, for Ai is spoiled; cry, ye daughters of Rabbah, gird you with sackcloth: lament, and run to and fro among the fences; for Malcam shall go into captivity, his priests and his princes together.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Yelle ye, Esebon, for Hay is distried; crie, ye douytris of Rabath, girde you with heiris, weile ye, and cumpasse bi heggis; for whi Melchon schal be lad in to passyng ouer, the prestis therof and princes therof togidere.

Update Bible Version
Wail, O Heshbon, for Ai is laid waste; cry, you daughters of Rabbah, gird with sackcloth: lament, and run to and fro among the fences; for Milcom shall go into captivity, his priests and his princes together.

Webster's Bible Translation
Howl, O Heshbon, for Ai is laid waste: cry, ye daughters of Rabbah, gird you with sackcloth; lament, and run to and fro by the hedges; for their king shall go into captivity, [and] his priests and his princes together.

New English Translation
Wail, you people in Heshbon, because Ai in Ammon is destroyed. Cry out in anguish, you people in the villages surrounding Rabbah. Put on sackcloth and cry out in mourning. Run about covered with gashes. For your god Milcom will go into exile along with his priests and officials.

New King James Version
"Wail, O Heshbon, for Ai is plundered! Cry, you daughters of Rabbah, Gird yourselves with sackcloth! Lament and run to and fro by the walls; For Milcom shall go into captivity With his priests and his princes together.

New Living Translation
"Cry out, O Heshbon, for the town of Ai is destroyed. Weep, O people of Rabbah! Put on your clothes of mourning. Weep and wail, hiding in the hedges, for your god Molech, with his priests and officials, will be hauled off to distant lands.

New Life Bible
"Cry out, O Heshbon, for Ai has been destroyed! Cry out, O people of Rabbah. Put on clothes made from hair and cry in sorrow. And run this way and that way inside the walls. For Malcam will go to a strange land, together with his religious leaders and his important men.

New Revised Standard
Wail, O Heshbon, for Ai is laid waste! Cry out, O daughters of Rabbah! Put on sackcloth, lament, and slash yourselves with whips! For Milcom shall go into exile, with his priests and his attendants.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Howl, O Heshbon, for Ai is spoiled Make outcry, ye daughters of Rabbah, Gird you with sackcloth, Lament ye and run to and fro among the fences, - For, Malkam, into captivity, shall go, His priests and his princes, together.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Howl, O Hesebon, for Hai is wasted. Cry, ye daughters of Rabbath, gird yourselves with haircloth: mourn and go about by the hedges: for Melchom shall be carried into captivity, his priests, and his princes together.

Revised Standard Version
"Wail, O Heshbon, for Ai is laid waste! Cry, O daughters of Rabbah! Gird yourselves with sackcloth, lament, and run to and fro among the hedges! For Milcom shall go into exile, with his priests and his princes.

Young's Literal Translation
Howl, Heshbon, for spoiled is Ai, Cry, daughters of Rabbah, gird on sackcloth, Lament, and go to and fro by the hedges, For Malcam into captivity doth go, His priests and his princes together.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Wail, O Heshbon, for Ai has been destroyed! Cry out, O daughters of Rabbah, Gird yourselves with sackcloth and lament, And rush back and forth inside the walls; For Malcam will go into exile Together with his priests and his princes.

Contextual Overview

¹ The Lord has this to say about the nation of Ammon: The people of Israel have plenty of children to inherit their lands. So why have you worshipers of the god Milcom taken over towns and land belonging to the Gad tribe? ² Someday I will send an army to attack you in Rabbah, your capital city. It will be left in ruins, and the surrounding villages will lie in ashes. You took some of Israel's land, but on that day Israel will take yours! ³ Cry, people of Heshbon; your town will become a pile of rubble. You will turn here and there, but your path will be blocked. Put on sackcloth and mourn, you citizens of Rabbah, because the idol you worship will be taken to a foreign country, along with its priests and temple officials. ⁴ You rebellious Ammonites trust your wealth and ask, "Who could attack us?" But I warn you not to boast when your strength is fading. ⁵ I, the Lord All-Powerful, will send neighboring nations to strike you with terror. You will be scattered, with no one to care for your refugees. ⁶ Yet someday, I will bring your people back home. I, the Lord , have spoken.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Howl: Jeremiah 48:20, Jeremiah 51:8, Isaiah 13:6, Isaiah 14:31, Isaiah 15:2, Isaiah 16:7, Isaiah 23:1, Isaiah 23:6, James 5:1

gird: Jeremiah 4:8, Jeremiah 6:26, Jeremiah 48:37, Isaiah 32:11, Isaiah 32:12

run: Job 30:3-7, Isaiah 15:2

their king: or, Melcom, Jeremiah 49:1, 1 Kings 11:5, 1 Kings 11:33, 2 Kings 23:13, Milcom, Zephaniah 1:5, Malcham

shall go: Jeremiah 46:25, Jeremiah 48:7, Amos 1:15

Reciprocal: 1 Chronicles 20:1 - Rabbah Isaiah 3:24 - a girding

Cross-References

Genesis 29:32
Leah gave birth to a son and named him Reuben, because she said, "The Lord has taken away my sorrow. Now my husband will love me more than he does Rachel."

Genesis 46:8
When Jacob went to Egypt, his children who were born in northern Syria also went along with their families. Jacob and his wife Leah had a total of thirty-three children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, but two of their grandchildren had died in Canaan. Their oldest son Reuben took his sons Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. Their son Simeon took his sons Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul, whose mother was a Canaanite. Their son Levi took his sons Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. Their son Judah took his sons Shelah, Perez, and Zerah. Judah's sons Er and Onan had died in Canaan. Judah's son Perez took his sons Hezron and Hamul. Their son Issachar took his sons Tola, Puvah, Jashub, and Shimron. Their son Zebulun took his sons Sered, Elon, and Jahleel. Their daughter Dinah also went.

Genesis 48:18
Joseph said, "Father, you have made a mistake. This is the older boy. Put your right hand on him."

Numbers 1:20
The number of men from each tribe who were at least twenty years old and strong enough to fight in Israel's army was as follows: 46,500 from Reuben, the oldest son of Jacob, 59,300 from Simeon, 45,650 from Gad, 74,600 from Judah, 54,400 from Issachar, 57,400 from Zebulun, 40,500 from Ephraim, 32,200 from Manasseh, 35,400 from Benjamin, 62,700 from Dan, 41,500 from Asher, 53,400 from Naphtali. The total number of men registered by Moses, Aaron, and the twelve leaders was 603,550.

Numbers 26:5
There were 43,730 men from the tribe of Reuben, the oldest son of Jacob. These men were from the clans of Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.

1 Chronicles 2:1
Jacob was the father of twelve sons: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Dan, Joseph, Benjamin, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.

1 Chronicles 5:1
Reuben was the oldest son of Jacob, but he lost his rights as the first-born son because he slept with one of his father's wives. The honor of the first-born son was then given to Joseph, even though it was the Judah tribe that became the most powerful and produced a leader. Reuben had four sons: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. The descendants of Joel included Shemaiah, Gog, Shimei, Micah, Reaiah, Baal, and Beerah, a leader of the Reuben tribe. Later, King Tiglath Pileser of Assyria took Beerah away as prisoner. The family records also include Jeiel, who was a clan leader, Zechariah, and Bela son of Azaz and grandson of Shema of the Joel clan. They lived in the territory around the town of Aroer, as far north as Nebo and Baal-Meon, and as far east as the desert just west of the Euphrates River. They needed this much land because they owned too many cattle to keep them all in Gilead. When Saul was king, the Reuben tribe attacked and defeated the Hagrites, then took over their land east of Gilead. The tribe of Gad lived in the region of Bashan, north of the Reuben tribe. Gad's territory extended all the way to the town of Salecah. Some of the clan leaders were Joel, Shapham, Janai, and Shaphat. Their relatives included Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jacan, Zia, and Eber. They were all descendants of Abihail, whose family line went back through Huri, Jaroah, Gilead, Michael, Jeshishai, Jahdo, and Buz. Ahi, the son of Abdiel and the grandson of Guni, was the leader of their clan. The people of Gad lived in the towns in the regions of Bashan and Gilead, as well as in the pastureland of Sharon. Their family records were written when Jotham was king of Judah and Jeroboam was king of Israel. The tribes of Reuben, Gad, and East Manasseh had 44,760 soldiers trained to fight in battle with shields, swords, bows, and arrows. They fought against the Hagrites and the tribes of Jetur, Naphish, and Nodab. Whenever these soldiers went to war against their enemies, they prayed to God and trusted him to help. That's why the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and East Manasseh defeated the Hagrites and their allies. These Israelite tribes captured fifty thousand camels, two hundred fifty thousand sheep, two thousand donkeys, and one hundred thousand people. Many of the Hagrites died in battle, because God was fighting this battle against them. The tribes of Reuben, Gad, and East Manasseh lived in that territory until they were taken as prisoners to Assyria. East Manasseh was a large tribe, so its people settled in the northern region of Bashan, as far north as Baal-Hermon, Senir, and Mount Hermon. Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah, and Jahdiel were their clan leaders; they were well-known leaders and brave soldiers. The people of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and East Manasseh were unfaithful to the God their ancestors had worshiped, and they started worshiping the gods of the nations that God had forced out of Canaan. So God sent King Tiglath Pileser of Assyria to attack these Israelite tribes. The king led them away as prisoners to Assyria, and from then on, he forced them to live in Halah, Habor, Hara, and near the Gozan River.

1 Chronicles 5:3
Reuben had four sons: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.

Psalms 78:51
He killed the first-born son of each Egyptian family.

Psalms 105:36
Then God took the life of every first-born son.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Howl, O Heshbon,.... Which was a city of Moab, though it formerly belonged to the Amorites; see Jeremiah 48:2; it was upon the border of Ammon, and near to Ai, now destroyed; and therefore is called upon to howl and lament, because its destruction also was near at hand, and might be expected; hence Kimchi gathers, that the Ammonites were destroyed before the Moabites: but some have thought that Heshbon was a double city, divided by a river, which ran through it; and that that city which was on one side of the river belonged to Moab, and that on the other side to Ammon:

for Ai is spoiled; not that which was near Jericho in the land of Canaan, but a city in the land of Ammon, thought to be the Gaia of Ptolemy; this seems to be the first city in the country of Ammon that Nebuchadnezzar would lay waste:

cry, ye daughters of Rabbah; the royal city before mentioned;

Jeremiah 48:2- :; either the inhabitants of it, particularly the women, especially the younger women, who would be in the utmost distress on hearing the enemy was so near them, and what had befallen Ai; or the villages about Rabbah, as Kimchi interprets it; that is, as the Targum,

"the inhabitants of the villages of Rabbah:''

gird ye with sackcloth; as a token of calamity and mourning for it, as was usual:

lament, and run to and fro by the hedges; which Jarchi, Kimchi, and Ben Melech, understand of the enclosures or fences of villages, like those of gardens, fields, and folds, in distinction from walls of cities, and fortified places; but rather it signifies the hedges in the fields, whither, being drove from their habitations, they would seek unto for shelter, and run about among them for safety, lamenting their unhappy case:

for their king shall go into captivity; be taken and carried captive; either their principal governor; or rather Milcom their god, since it follows:

[and] his priests and his princes together; both such as offered sacrifices to him, and attended on and supported his worship: the same is said of Chemosh, the god of the Moabites, Jeremiah 48:7.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Ai - Not the town on the west of the Jordan Joshua 7:2; a place not mentioned elsewhere. For Ai some read Ar.

Hedges - Fields were not divided by hedges until recent times; the term probably means the walls which enclose the vineyards Numbers 22:24.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Jeremiah 49:3. Run to and fro by the hedges — It is supposed that this may refer to the women making lamentations for the dead, that were in general buried by the walls of their gardens; but others think that it refers to the smaller cities or villages, called here the daughters of Rabbah, the metropolis; the inhabitants of which are exhorted to seek safety somewhere else, as none can be expected from them, now that the enemy is at hand.