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.

JEREMIAH 48:18KJV
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Jeremiah 48:18 (KJV)

What does Jeremiah 48:18 mean?

Jeremiah 48:18 warns the people of Dibon, a city in Moab, that they will lose their position of honor and be brought low, forced to sit in a state of need and vulnerability because a destroyer is coming to conquer them and tear down their defenses. The verse uses the image of a "daughter" to address the city, highlighting its coming humiliation and loss.

The prophet Jeremiah is speaking God's message to Moab, specifically to those living in Dibon. The verse paints a vivid picture: people who once lived in "glory" will be humbled, sitting in "thirst"—a sign of desperation—because their strongholds will be destroyed by an invading force. This is part of a larger prophecy against Moab, describing the downfall of its cities due to their pride and false security.

The Hebrew behind Jeremiah 48:18

  • "daughter" (בַּת, bat): This word often personifies a city or people as a young woman, emphasizing vulnerability and the loss of protection or status.
  • "glory" (כָּבוֹד, kavod): This term means honor, splendor, or importance. The call to "come down from thy glory" signals a dramatic fall from a place of pride or security.
  • "sit in thirst" (צָמָא, tsama): The word for "thirst" points to deprivation and need, not just physical thirst but also a lack of resources or comfort after defeat.
  • "spoiler" (שָׁדַד, shadad): This is a word for a violent destroyer or plunderer, highlighting the total devastation that is coming upon Dibon.

Why Jeremiah 48:18 matters

  • Jeremiah 48:18 clarifies that even strong, proud cities like Dibon are not immune to judgment; their "glory" can be stripped away.
  • The verse connects to the wider chapter, which lists the downfall of several Moabite cities, showing that the judgment is thorough and not random.
  • The use of vivid imagery—like a daughter brought low and sitting in thirst—emphasizes the depth of loss and humiliation that comes with defeat, making the warning more personal and memorable.

Where else these words appear

“Dibon” Hebrew H1769 · used in 11 verses

  • Numbers 21:30 We have shot at them; Heshbon is perished even unto Dibon, and we have laid them waste even unto Nophah, which reacheth unto Medeba.
  • Numbers 33:45 And they departed from Iim, and pitched in Dibongad.
  • Joshua 13:17 Heshbon, and all her cities that are in the plain; Dibon, and Bamothbaal, and Bethbaalmeon,

“thirst” Hebrew H6772 · used in 17 verses

  • Exodus 17:3 And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?
  • Nehemiah 9:20 Thou gavest also thy good spirit to instruct them, and withheldest not thy manna from their mouth, and gavest them water for their thirst.
  • Isaiah 50:2 Wherefore, when I came, was there no man? when I called, was there none to answer? Is my hand shortened at all, that it cannot redeem? or have I no power to deliver? behold, at my rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness: their fish stinketh, because there is no water, and dieth for thirst.

“holds” Hebrew H4013 · used in 37 verses

  • Numbers 13:19 And what the land is that they dwell in, whether it be good or bad; and what cities they be that they dwell in, whether in tents, or in strong holds;
  • 2 Kings 18:8 He smote the Philistines, even unto Gaza, and the borders thereof, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city.
  • Jeremiah 34:7 When the king of Babylon's army fought against Jerusalem, and against all the cities of Judah that were left, against Lachish, and against Azekah: for these defenced cities remained of the cities of Judah.

“spoiler” Hebrew H7703 · used in 47 verses

  • Judges 5:27 At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay down: at her feet he bowed, he fell: where he bowed, there he fell down dead.
  • Jeremiah 4:20 Destruction upon destruction is cried; for the whole land is spoiled: suddenly are my tents spoiled, and my curtains in a moment.
  • Jeremiah 49:3 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.