The Meaning of Jeremiah 48:28 Explained

Jeremiah 48:28

KJV: O ye that dwell in Moab, leave the cities, and dwell in the rock, and be like the dove that maketh her nest in the sides of the hole's mouth.

YLT: Forsake cities, and dwell in a rock, Ye inhabitants of Moab, And be as a dove making a nest in the passages of a pit's mouth.

Darby: Leave the cities, and dwell in the rocks, ye inhabitants of Moab, and be like the dove, that maketh her nest in the sides of the cave's mouth.

ASV: O ye inhabitants of Moab, leave the cities, and dwell in the rock; and be like the dove that maketh her nest over the mouth of the abyss.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

O ye that dwell  in Moab,  leave  the cities,  and dwell  in the rock,  and be like the dove  [that] maketh her nest  in the sides  of the hole's  mouth. 

What does Jeremiah 48:28 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The Moabites would head for the hills and hide in the caves, in view of the coming destruction of their cities. They would try to hide anywhere.
"The reputed silliness of the dove with its rickety nests is proverbial." [1]

Chapter Summary: Jeremiah 48

1  The judgment of Moab
7  for their pride
11  for their security
14  for their carnal confidence
26  and for their contempt of God and his people
47  The restoration of Moab

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 48:28 mean?

Leave the cities and dwell in the rock You who dwell in Moab and be like the dove [which] makes her nest in the sides of the mouth of cave
עִזְב֤וּ עָרִים֙ וְשִׁכְנ֣וּ בַּסֶּ֔לַע יֹשְׁבֵ֖י מוֹאָ֑ב וִֽהְי֣וּ כְיוֹנָ֔ה תְּקַנֵּ֖ן בְּעֶבְרֵ֥י פִי־ פָֽחַת

עִזְב֤וּ  Leave 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: עָזַב 
Sense: to leave, loose, forsake.
עָרִים֙  the  cities 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
וְשִׁכְנ֣וּ  and  dwell 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: שָׁכַן  
Sense: to settle down, abide, dwell, tabernacle, reside.
בַּסֶּ֔לַע  in  the  rock 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: סֶלַע  
Sense: crag, cliff, rock.
יֹשְׁבֵ֖י  You  who  dwell  in 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct
Root: יָשַׁב 
Sense: to dwell, remain, sit, abide.
מוֹאָ֑ב  Moab 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מֹואָב 
Sense: a son of Lot by his eldest daughter.
וִֽהְי֣וּ  and  be 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
כְיוֹנָ֔ה  like  the  dove 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, feminine singular
Root: יׄונָה  
Sense: dove, pigeon.
תְּקַנֵּ֖ן  [which]  makes  her  nest 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: קָנַן  
Sense: to make a nest.
בְּעֶבְרֵ֥י  in  the  sides 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: עֵבֶר  
Sense: region beyond or across, side.
פִי־  of  the  mouth 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: פֶּה  
Sense: mouth.
פָֽחַת  of  cave 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: פַּחַת  
Sense: pit, hole.