Jeremiah 48:30 (KJV)

What does Jeremiah 48:30 mean?

Jeremiah 48:30 says that the LORD knows Moab’s anger, but Moab’s claims will not bring about what its people expect. The verse exposes a gap between Moab’s confident words and what those words can accomplish.

The LORD speaks about Moab as “his,” treating the nation as a single person. Following the description of Moab’s pride in verse 29, the words “it shall not be so” dismiss the outcome Moab asserts.

The Hebrew behind Jeremiah 48:30

• “wrath” — עֶבְרָה (ʿevrah): This word can mean anger or fury. It presents Moab’s reaction as intense feeling, alongside the pride named in the preceding verse.
• “lies” — בַּדִּים (baddim): This word can refer to empty talk or false claims. The KJV’s “lies” points to words that have no power to produce their promised result.
• “effect” — עָשָׂה (ʿasah): This word often means “to do” or “to make.” In the KJV, “shall not so effect it” means that Moab’s claims will not make the asserted outcome happen.

Why Jeremiah 48:30 matters

• The LORD’s knowledge is part of the response to Moab’s pride. “I know his wrath” presents Moab’s anger as something fully visible to the speaker.
• The verse places Moab’s words beside the suffering described in the surrounding passage. The lament that follows in verse 31 gives a somber setting to the judgment on Moab’s claims.