The Meaning of Jeremiah 48:10 Explained

Jeremiah 48:10

KJV: Cursed be he that doeth the work of the LORD deceitfully, and cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood.

YLT: Cursed is he who is doing the work of Jehovah slothfully, And cursed is he Who is withholding his sword from blood.

Darby: Cursed be he that doeth the work of Jehovah negligently, and cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood!

ASV: Cursed be he that doeth the work of Jehovah negligently; and cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Cursed  [be] he that doeth  the work  of the LORD  deceitfully,  and cursed  [be] he that keepeth back  his sword  from blood. 

What does Jeremiah 48:10 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The Lord uttered a curse on any of the soldiers that would not carry out His will against Moab as He had ordered. Christians often use this verse, appropriately, as a challenge to serve the Lord diligently. The last word in the AV rendering of the first line is "slackness" rather than "deceit."

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 48:10 mean?

Cursed [is] he who does the work of Yahweh deceitfully and cursed [is] he who keeps back his sword from blood
אָר֗וּר עֹשֶׂ֛ה מְלֶ֥אכֶת יְהוָ֖ה רְמִיָּ֑ה וְאָר֕וּר מֹנֵ֥עַ חַרְבּ֖וֹ מִדָּֽם

אָר֗וּר  Cursed  [is] 
Parse: Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, masculine singular
Root: אָרַר  
Sense: to curse.
עֹשֶׂ֛ה  he  who  does 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
מְלֶ֥אכֶת  the  work 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: מְלָאכָה  
Sense: occupation, work, business.
יְהוָ֖ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
רְמִיָּ֑ה  deceitfully 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: רְמִיָּה 
Sense: laxness, slackness, slackening, deceit, treachery.
וְאָר֕וּר  and  cursed  [is] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, masculine singular
Root: אָרַר  
Sense: to curse.
מֹנֵ֥עַ  he  who  keeps  back 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: מָנַע  
Sense: to withhold, hold back, keep back, refrain, deny, keep restrain, hinder.
חַרְבּ֖וֹ  his  sword 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: חֶרֶב  
Sense: sword, knife.
מִדָּֽם  from  blood 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּם  
Sense: blood.