Isaiah 24:18

Hebrew Bible

16 From the ends of the earth we hear songs—the Just One is majestic. But I say, “I’m wasting away! I’m wasting away! I’m doomed! Deceivers deceive, deceivers thoroughly deceive!” 17 Terror, pit, and snare are ready to overtake you, inhabitants of the earth! 18 The one who runs away from the sound of the terror will fall into the pit; the one who climbs out of the pit will be trapped by the snare. For the floodgates of the heavens are opened up and the foundations of the earth shake. 19 The earth is broken in pieces, the earth is ripped to shreds, the earth shakes violently. 20 The earth will stagger around like a drunk; it will sway back and forth like a hut in a windstorm. Its sin will weigh it down, and it will fall and never get up again.

Jeremiah 48:44

Hebrew Bible

42 Moab will be destroyed and no longer be a nation because she has vaunted herself against the Lord. 43 Terror, pits, and traps are in store for the people who live in Moab. I, the Lord, affirm it! 44 Anyone who flees at the sound of terror will fall into a pit. Anyone who climbs out of the pit will be caught in a trap. For the time is coming when I will punish the people of Moab. I, the Lord, affirm it! 45 In the shadows of the walls of Heshbon those trying to escape will stand helpless. For a fire will burst forth from Heshbon. Flames will shoot out from the former territory of Sihon. They will burn the foreheads of the people of Moab, the skulls of those war-loving people. 46 Moab, you are doomed! You people who worship Chemosh will be destroyed. Your sons will be taken away captive. Your daughters will be carried away into exile.

 Notes and References

"... The Only historical reference in Isaiah 24-27 is to Moab. Isaiah 24:16-18, which appear verbatim in a collection of oracles against Moab in Jeremiah 48, reinforces this identification with Moab. Smend looked to Moab for the city. His reconstruction of the historical context began with the reference to the west in Isaiah 24:14-16. Alexander the Great came from a land west of Palestine. Smend argued that those in the diaspora, particularly in Asia Minor, were filled with the messianic hope. They recognized Alexander as the one bringing in the new age, hence the jubilation of 24:14-16. The author, living in Judah, suffered from Alexander's expedition into Palestine. He saw, however, that it was deserved because of the guilt among his own people. There was hope for the faithful, in that the present suffering was but a prelude to the joy of the new age. The author's specific joy was directed to the impending, or actual, fall of Moab, which at the time was exerting political pressure on Israel and was about to fall, as well, before the forces of Alexander ..."

Millar, William R. Isaiah 24-27 and the Origin of Apocalyptic (p. 16) Scholars Press, 1976

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