1 Against Moab thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Woe unto Nebo! for it is spoiled: Kiriathaim is confounded and taken: Misgab is confounded and dismayed.
2 There shall be no more praise of Moab: in Heshbon they have devised evil against it; come, and let us cut it off from being a nation. Also thou shalt be cut down, O Madmen; the sword shall pursue thee.
3 A voice of crying shall be from Horonaim, spoiling and great destruction.
4 Moab is destroyed; her little ones have caused a cry to be heard.
5 For in the going up of Luhith continual weeping shall go up; for in the going down of Horonaim the enemies have heard a cry of destruction.
6 Flee, save your lives, and be like the heath in the wilderness.
7 For because thou hast trusted in thy works and in thy treasures, thou shalt also be taken: and Chemosh shall go forth into captivity with his priests and his princes together.
8 And the spoiler shall come upon every city, and no city shall escape: the valley also shall perish, and the plain shall be destroyed, as the LORD hath spoken.
9 Give wings unto Moab, that it may flee and get away: for the cities thereof shall be desolate, without any to dwell therein.
10 Cursed be he that doeth the work of the LORD deceitfully, and cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood.
11 Moab hath been at ease from his youth, and he hath settled on his lees, and hath not been emptied from vessel to vessel, neither hath he gone into captivity: therefore his taste remained in him, and his scent is not changed.
12 Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will send unto him wanderers, that shall cause him to wander, and shall empty his vessels, and break their bottles.
13 And Moab shall be ashamed of Chemosh, as the house of Israel was ashamed of Bethel their confidence.
14 How say ye, We are mighty and strong men for the war?
15 Moab is spoiled, and gone up out of her cities, and his chosen young men are gone down to the slaughter, saith the King, whose name is the LORD of hosts.
16 The calamity of Moab is near to come, and his affliction hasteth fast.
17 All ye that are about him, bemoan him; and all ye that know his name, say, How is the strong staff broken, and the beautiful rod!
18 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.
19 O inhabitant of Aroer, stand by the way, and espy; ask him that fleeth, and her that escapeth, and say, What is done?
20 Moab is confounded; for it is broken down: howl and cry; tell ye it in Arnon, that Moab is spoiled,
21 And judgment is come upon the plain country; upon Holon, and upon Jahazah, and upon Mephaath,
22 And upon Dibon, and upon Nebo, and upon Bethdiblathaim,
23 And upon Kiriathaim, and upon Bethgamul, and upon Bethmeon,
24 And upon Kerioth, and upon Bozrah, and upon all the cities of the land of Moab, far or near.
25 The horn of Moab is cut off, and his arm is broken, saith the LORD.
26 Make ye him drunken: for he magnified himself against the LORD: Moab also shall wallow in his vomit, and he also shall be in derision.
27 For was not Israel a derision unto thee? was he found among thieves? for since thou spakest of him, thou skippedst for joy.
28 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.
29 We have heard the pride of Moab, (he is exceeding proud) his loftiness, and his arrogancy, and his pride, and the haughtiness of his heart.
30 I know his wrath, saith the LORD; but it shall not be so; his lies shall not so effect it.
31 Therefore will I howl for Moab, and I will cry out for all Moab; mine heart shall mourn for the men of Kirheres.
32 O vine of Sibmah, I will weep for thee with the weeping of Jazer: thy plants are gone over the sea, they reach even to the sea of Jazer: the spoiler is fallen upon thy summer fruits and upon thy vintage.
33 And joy and gladness is taken from the plentiful field, and from the land of Moab, and I have caused wine to fail from the winepresses: none shall tread with shouting; their shouting shall be no shouting.
34 From the cry of Heshbon even unto Elealeh, and even unto Jahaz, have they uttered their voice, from Zoar even unto Horonaim, as an heifer of three years old: for the waters also of Nimrim shall be desolate.
35 Moreover I will cause to cease in Moab, saith the LORD, him that offereth in the high places, and him that burneth incense to his gods.
36 Therefore mine heart shall sound for Moab like pipes, and mine heart shall sound like pipes for the men of Kirheres: because the riches that he hath gotten are perished.
37 For every head shall be bald, and every beard clipped: upon all the hands shall be cuttings, and upon the loins sackcloth.
38 There shall be lamentation generally upon all the housetops of Moab, and in the streets thereof: for I have broken Moab like a vessel wherein is no pleasure, saith the LORD.
39 They shall howl, saying, How is it broken down! how hath Moab turned the back with shame! so shall Moab be a derision and a dismaying to all them about him.
40 For thus saith the LORD; Behold, he shall fly as an eagle, and shall spread his wings over Moab.
41 Kerioth is taken, and the strong holds are surprised, and the mighty men's hearts in Moab at that day shall be as the heart of a woman in her pangs.
42 And Moab shall be destroyed from being a people, because he hath magnified himself against the LORD.
43 Fear, and the pit, and the snare, shall be upon thee, O inhabitant of Moab, saith the LORD.
44 He that fleeth from the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that getteth up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for I will bring upon it, even upon Moab, the year of their visitation, saith the LORD.
45 They that fled stood under the shadow of Heshbon because of the force: but a fire shall come forth out of Heshbon, and a flame from the midst of Sihon, and shall devour the corner of Moab, and the crown of the head of the tumultuous ones.
46 Woe be unto thee, O Moab! the people of Chemosh perisheth: for thy sons are taken captives, and thy daughters captives.
47 Yet will I bring again the captivity of Moab in the latter days, saith the LORD. Thus far is the judgment of Moab.
1 Against Moab H4124 thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts, H6635 the God H430 of Israel; H3478 Woe H1945 unto Nebo! H5015 for it is spoiled: H7703 Kiriathaim H7156 is confounded H3001 and taken: H3920 Misgab H4869 is confounded H3001 and dismayed. H2865
2 There shall be no more praise H8416 of Moab: H4124 in Heshbon H2809 they have devised H2803 evil H7451 against it; come, H3212 and let us cut it off H3772 from being a nation. H1471 Also thou shalt be cut down, H1826 O Madmen; H4086 the sword H2719 shall pursue H3212 thee. H310
3 A voice H6963 of crying H6818 shall be from Horonaim, H2773 spoiling H7701 and great H1419 destruction. H7667
4 Moab H4124 is destroyed; H7665 her little ones H6810 have caused a cry H2201 to be heard. H8085
5 For in the going up H4608 of Luhith H3872 continual H1065 weeping H1065 shall go up; H5927 for in the going down H4174 of Horonaim H2773 the enemies H6862 have heard H8085 a cry H6818 of destruction. H7667
6 Flee, H5127 save H4422 your lives, H5315 and be H1961 like the heath H6176 in the wilderness. H4057
7 For because thou hast trusted H982 in thy works H4639 and in thy treasures, H214 thou shalt also be taken: H3920 and Chemosh H3645 shall go forth H3318 into captivity H1473 with his priests H3548 and his princes H8269 together. H3162
8 And the spoiler H7703 shall come H935 upon every city, H5892 and no city H5892 shall escape: H4422 the valley H6010 also shall perish, H6 and the plain H4334 shall be destroyed, H8045 as the LORD H3068 hath spoken. H559
9 Give H5414 wings H6731 unto Moab, H4124 that it may flee H5323 and get away: H3318 for the cities H5892 thereof shall be desolate, H8047 without any to dwell H3427 therein. H2004
10 Cursed H779 be he that doeth H6213 the work H4399 of the LORD H3068 deceitfully, H7423 and cursed H779 be he that keepeth back H4513 his sword H2719 from blood. H1818
11 Moab H4124 hath been at ease H7599 from his youth, H5271 and he hath settled H8252 on his lees, H8105 and hath not been emptied H7324 from vessel H3627 to vessel, H3627 neither hath he gone H1980 into captivity: H1473 therefore his taste H2940 remained H5975 in him, and his scent H7381 is not changed. H4171
12 Therefore, behold, the days H3117 come, H935 saith H5002 the LORD, H3068 that I will send H7971 unto him wanderers, H6808 that shall cause him to wander, H6808 and shall empty H7324 his vessels, H3627 and break H5310 their bottles. H5035
13 And Moab H4124 shall be ashamed H954 of Chemosh, H3645 as the house H1004 of Israel H3478 was ashamed H954 of Bethel H1008 their confidence. H4009
14 How say H559 ye, We are mighty H1368 and strong H2428 men H582 for the war? H4421
15 Moab H4124 is spoiled, H7703 and gone up H5927 out of her cities, H5892 and his chosen H4005 young men H970 are gone down H3381 to the slaughter, H2874 saith H5002 the King, H4428 whose name H8034 is the LORD H3068 of hosts. H6635
16 The calamity H343 of Moab H4124 is near H7138 to come, H935 and his affliction H7451 hasteth H4116 fast. H3966
17 All ye that are about H5439 him, bemoan H5110 him; and all ye that know H3045 his name, H8034 say, H559 How is the strong H5797 staff H4294 broken, H7665 and the beautiful H8597 rod! H4731
18 Thou daughter H1323 that dost inhabit H3427 Dibon, H1769 come down H3381 from thy glory, H3519 and sit H3427 in thirst; H6772 for the spoiler H7703 of Moab H4124 shall come H5927 upon thee, and he shall destroy H7843 thy strong holds. H4013
19 O inhabitant H3427 of Aroer, H6177 stand H5975 by the way, H1870 and espy; H6822 ask H7592 him that fleeth, H5127 and her that escapeth, H4422 and say, H559 What is done? H1961
20 Moab H4124 is confounded; H3001 for it is broken down: H2865 howl H3213 and cry; H2199 tell H5046 ye it in Arnon, H769 that Moab H4124 is spoiled, H7703
21 And judgment H4941 is come H935 upon the plain H4334 country; H776 upon Holon, H2473 and upon Jahazah, H3096 and upon Mephaath, H4158
22 And upon Dibon, H1769 and upon Nebo, H5015 and upon Bethdiblathaim, H1015
23 And upon Kiriathaim, H7156 and upon Bethgamul, H1014 and upon Bethmeon, H1010
24 And upon Kerioth, H7152 and upon Bozrah, H1224 and upon all the cities H5892 of the land H776 of Moab, H4124 far H7350 or near. H7138
25 The horn H7161 of Moab H4124 is cut off, H1438 and his arm H2220 is broken, H7665 saith H5002 the LORD. H3068
26 Make ye him drunken: H7937 for he magnified H1431 himself against the LORD: H3068 Moab H4124 also shall wallow H5606 in his vomit, H6892 and he also shall be in derision. H7814
27 For was not Israel H3478 a derision H7814 unto thee? was he found H4672 among thieves? H1590 for since H1767 thou spakest H1697 of him, thou skippedst H5110 for joy.
28 O ye that dwell H3427 in Moab, H4124 leave H5800 the cities, H5892 and dwell H7931 in the rock, H5553 and be like the dove H3123 that maketh her nest H7077 in the sides H5676 of the hole's H6354 mouth. H6310
29 We have heard H8085 the pride H1347 of Moab, H4124 (he is exceeding H3966 proud) H1343 his loftiness, H1363 and his arrogancy, H1346 and his pride, H1347 and the haughtiness H7312 of his heart. H3820
30 I know H3045 his wrath, H5678 saith H5002 the LORD; H3068 but it shall not be so; his lies H907 shall not so effect H6213 it.
31 Therefore will I howl H3213 for Moab, H4124 and I will cry out H2199 for all Moab; H4124 mine heart shall mourn H1897 for the men H582 of Kirheres. H7025
32 O vine H1612 of Sibmah, H7643 I will weep H1058 for thee with the weeping H1065 of Jazer: H3270 thy plants H5189 are gone over H5674 the sea, H3220 they reach H5060 even to the sea H3220 of Jazer: H3270 the spoiler H7703 is fallen H5307 upon thy summer fruits H7019 and upon thy vintage. H1210
33 And joy H8057 and gladness H1524 is taken H622 from the plentiful field, H3759 and from the land H776 of Moab; H4124 and I have caused wine H3196 to fail H7673 from the winepresses: H3342 none shall tread H1869 with shouting; H1959 their shouting H1959 shall be no shouting. H1959
34 From the cry H2201 of Heshbon H2809 even unto Elealeh, H500 and even unto Jahaz, H3096 have they uttered H5414 their voice, H6963 from Zoar H6820 even unto Horonaim, H2773 as an heifer H5697 of three years old: H7992 for the waters H4325 also of Nimrim H5249 shall be desolate. H4923
35 Moreover I will cause to cease H7673 in Moab, H4124 saith H5002 the LORD, H3068 him that offereth H5927 in the high places, H1116 and him that burneth incense H6999 to his gods. H430
36 Therefore mine heart H3820 shall sound H1993 for Moab H4124 like pipes, H2485 and mine heart H3820 shall sound H1993 like pipes H2485 for the men H582 of Kirheres: H7025 because the riches H3502 that he hath gotten H6213 are perished. H6
37 For every head H7218 shall be bald, H7144 and every beard H2206 clipped: H1639 upon all the hands H3027 shall be cuttings, H1417 and upon the loins H4975 sackcloth. H8242
38 There shall be lamentation H4553 generally upon all the housetops H1406 of Moab, H4124 and in the streets H7339 thereof: for I have broken H7665 Moab H4124 like a vessel H3627 wherein is no pleasure, H2656 saith H5002 the LORD. H3068
39 They shall howl, H3213 saying, How is it broken down! H2865 how hath Moab H4124 turned H6437 the back H6203 with shame! H954 so shall Moab H4124 be a derision H7814 and a dismaying H4288 to all them about H5439 him.
40 For thus saith H559 the LORD; H3068 Behold, he shall fly H1675 as an eagle, H5404 and shall spread H6566 his wings H3671 over Moab. H4124
41 Kerioth H7152 is taken, H3920 and the strong holds H4679 are surprised, H8610 and the mighty men's H1368 hearts H3820 in Moab H4124 at that day H3117 shall be as the heart H3820 of a woman H802 in her pangs. H6887
42 And Moab H4124 shall be destroyed H8045 from being a people, H5971 because he hath magnified H1431 himself against the LORD. H3068
43 Fear, H6343 and the pit, H6354 and the snare, H6341 shall be upon thee, O inhabitant H3427 of Moab, H4124 saith H5002 the LORD. H3068
44 He that fleeth H5127 H5211 from H6440 the fear H6343 shall fall H5307 into the pit; H6354 and he that getteth up H5927 out of the pit H6354 shall be taken H3920 in the snare: H6341 for I will bring H935 upon it, even upon Moab, H4124 the year H8141 of their visitation, H6486 saith H5002 the LORD. H3068
45 They that fled H5127 stood H5975 under the shadow H6738 of Heshbon H2809 because of the force: H3581 but a fire H784 shall come forth H3318 out of Heshbon, H2809 and a flame H3852 from the midst H996 of Sihon, H5511 and shall devour H398 the corner H6285 of Moab, H4124 and the crown of the head H6936 of the tumultuous H7588 ones. H1121
46 Woe H188 be unto thee, O Moab! H4124 the people H5971 of Chemosh H3645 perisheth: H6 for thy sons H1121 are taken H3947 captives, H7628 and thy daughters H1323 captives. H7633
47 Yet will I bring again H7725 the captivity H7622 of Moab H4124 in the latter H319 days, H3117 saith H5002 the LORD. H3068 Thus far H2008 is the judgment H4941 of Moab. H4124
1 Of Moab. Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel: Woe unto Nebo! for it is laid waste; Kiriathaim is put to shame, it is taken; Misgab is put to shame and broken down.
2 The praise of Moab is no more; in Heshbon they have devised evil against her: Come, and let us cut her off from being a nation. Thou also, O Madmen, shalt be brought to silence: the sword shall pursue thee.
3 The sound of a cry from Horonaim, desolation and great destruction!
4 Moab is destroyed; her little ones have caused a cry to be heard.
5 For by the ascent of Luhith with continual weeping shall they go up; for at the descent of Horonaim they have heard the distress of the cry of destruction.
6 Flee, save your lives, and be like the heath in the wilderness.
7 For, because thou hast trusted in thy works and in thy treasures, thou also shalt be taken: and Chemosh shall go forth into captivity, his priests and his princes together.
8 And the destroyer shall come upon every city, and no city shall escape; the valley also shall perish, and the plain shall be destroyed; as Jehovah hath spoken.
9 Give wings unto Moab, that she may fly and get her away: and her cities shall become a desolation, without any to dwell therein.
10 Cursed be he that doeth the work of Jehovah negligently; and cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood.
11 Moab hath been at ease from his youth, and he hath settled on his lees, and hath not been emptied from vessel to vessel, neither hath he gone into captivity: therefore his taste remaineth in him, and his scent is not changed.
12 Therefore, behold, the days come, saith Jehovah, that I will send unto him them that pour off, and they shall pour him off; and they shall empty his vessels, and break their bottles in pieces.
13 And Moab shall be ashamed of Chemosh, as the house of Israel was ashamed of Beth-el their confidence.
14 How say ye, We are mighty men, and valiant men for the war?
15 Moab is laid waste, and they are gone up into his cities, and his chosen young men are gone down to the slaughter, saith the King, whose name is Jehovah of hosts.
16 The calamity of Moab is near to come, and his affliction hasteth fast.
17 All ye that are round about him, bemoan him, and all ye that know his name; say, How is the strong staff broken, the beautiful rod!
18 O thou daughter that dwellest in Dibon, come down from thy glory, and sit in thirst; for the destroyer of Moab is come up against thee, he hath destroyed thy strongholds.
19 O inhabitant of Aroer, stand by the way, and watch: ask him that fleeth, and her that escapeth; say, What hath been done?
20 Moab is put to shame; for it is broken down: wail and cry; tell ye it by the Arnon, that Moab is laid waste.
21 And judgment is come upon the plain country, upon Holon, and upon Jahzah, and upon Mephaath,
22 and upon Dibon, and upon Nebo, and upon Beth-diblathaim,
23 and upon Kiriathaim, and upon Beth-gamul, and upon Beth-meon,
24 and upon Kerioth, and upon Bozrah, and upon all the cities of the land of Moab, far or near.
25 The horn of Moab is cut off, and his arm is broken, saith Jehovah.
26 Make ye him drunken; for he magnified himself against Jehovah: and Moab shall wallow in his vomit, and he also shall be in derision.
27 For was not Israel a derision unto thee? was he found among thieves? for as often as thou speakest of him, thou waggest the head.
28 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.
29 We have heard of the pride of Moab, `that' he is very proud; his loftiness, and his pride, and his arrogancy, and the haughtiness of his heart.
30 I know his wrath, saith Jehovah, that it is nought; his boastings have wrought nothing.
31 Therefore will I wail for Moab; yea, I will cry out for all Moab: for the men of Kir-heres shall they mourn.
32 With more than the weeping of Jazer will I weep for thee, O vine of Sibmah: thy branches passed over the sea, they reached even to the sea of Jazer: upon thy summer fruits and upon thy vintage the destroyer is fallen.
33 And gladness and joy is taken away from the fruitful field and from the land of Moab; and I have caused wine to cease from the winepresses: none shall tread with shouting; the shouting shall be no shouting.
34 From the cry of Heshbon even unto Elealeh, even unto Jahaz have they uttered their voice, from Zoar even unto Horonaim, to Eglath-shelishiyah: for the waters of Nimrim also shall become desolate.
35 Moreover I will cause to cease in Moab, saith Jehovah, him that offereth in the high place, and him that burneth incense to his gods.
36 Therefore my heart soundeth for Moab like pipes, and my heart soundeth like pipes for the men of Kir-heres: therefore the abundance that he hath gotten is perished.
37 For every head is bald, and every beard clipped: upon all the hands are cuttings, and upon the loins sackcloth.
38 On all the housetops of Moab and in the streets thereof there is lamentation every where; for I have broken Moab like a vessel wherein none delighteth, saith Jehovah.
39 How is it broken down! `how' do they wail! how hath Moab turned the back with shame! so shall Moab become a derision and a terror to all that are round about him.
40 For thus saith Jehovah: Behold, he shall fly as an eagle, and shall spread out his wings against Moab.
41 Kerioth is taken, and the strongholds are seized, and the heart of the mighty men of Moab at that day shall be as the heart of a woman in her pangs.
42 And Moab shall be destroyed from being a people, because he hath magnified himself against Jehovah.
43 Fear, and the pit, and the snare, are upon thee, O inhabitant of Moab, saith Jehovah.
44 He that fleeth from the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that getteth up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for I will bring upon him, even upon Moab, the year of their visitation, saith Jehovah.
45 They that fled stand without strength under the shadow of Heshbon; for a fire is gone forth out of Heshbon, and a flame from the midst of Sihon, and hath devoured the corner of Moab, and the crown of the head of the tumultuous ones.
46 Woe unto thee, O Moab! the people of Chemosh is undone; for thy sons are taken away captive, and thy daughters into captivity.
47 Yet will I bring back the captivity of Moab in the latter days, saith Jehovah. Thus far is the judgment of Moab.
1 Concerning Moab: `Thus said Jehovah of Hosts, God of Israel: Wo unto Nebo, for it is spoiled, Put to shame, captured hath been Kiriathaim, Put to shame hath been the high tower, Yea, it hath been broken down.
2 There is no more praise of Moab, In Heshbon they devised against it evil: Come, and we cut it off from `being' a nation, Also, O Madmen, thou art cut off, After thee goeth a sword.
3 A voice of a cry `is' from Horonaim, Spoiling and great destruction.
4 Destroyed hath been Moab, Caused a cry to be heard have her little ones.
5 For the ascent of Luhith with weeping, Go up doth weeping, For in the descent of Horonaim Adversaries a cry of desolation have heard.
6 Flee ye, deliver yourselves, Ye are as a naked thing in a wilderness.
7 For, because of thy trusting in thy works, And in thy treasures, even thou art captured, And gone out hath Chemosh in a removal, His priests and his heads together.
8 And come in doth a spoiler unto every city, And no city doth escape, And perished hath the valley, And destroyed been the plain, as Jehovah said.
9 Give wings to Moab, for she utterly goeth out, And her cities are for a desolation, Without an inhabitant in them.
10 Cursed `is' he who is doing the work of Jehovah slothfully, And cursed `is' he Who is withholding his sword from blood.
11 Secure is Moab from his youth, And at rest `is' he for his preserved things, And he hath not been emptied out from vessel unto vessel, And into captivity he hath not gone, Therefore hath his taste remained in him, And his fragrance hath not been changed.
12 Therefore, lo, days are coming, An affirmation of Jehovah, And I have sent to him wanderers, And they have caused him to wander, And his vessels they empty out, And his bottles they dash in pieces.
13 And ashamed hath been Moab because of Chemosh, As the house of Israel have been ashamed Because of Beth-El their confidence.
14 How do ye say, We `are' mighty, And men of strength for battle?
15 Spoiled is Moab, and her cities hath one gone up, And the choice of its young men Have gone down to slaughter, An affirmation of the King, Jehovah of Hosts `is' His name.
16 Near is the calamity of Moab to come, And his affliction hath hasted exceedingly.
17 Bemoan for him, all ye round about him, And all knowing his name, say ye: How hath it been broken, the staff of strength, The rod of beauty.
18 Come down from honour, sit in thirst, O inhabitant, daughter of Dibon, For a spoiler of Moab hath come up to thee, He hath destroyed thy fenced places.
19 On the way stand, and watch, O inhabitant of Aroer, Ask the fugitive and escaped, Say, What hath happened?
20 Put to shame hath been Moab, For it hath been broken down, Howl and cry, declare ye in Arnon, For spoiled is Moab,
21 And judgment hath come in unto the land of the plain -- unto Holon, And unto Jahazah, and on Mephaath,
22 And on Dibon, and on Nebo, And on Beth-Diblathaim, and on Kirathaim,
23 And on Beth-Gamul, and on Beth-Meon,
24 And on Kerioth, and on Bozrah, And on all cities of the land of Moab, The far off and the near.
25 Cut down hath been the horn of Moab, And his arm hath been broken, An affirmation of Jehovah.
26 Declare ye him drunk, For against Jehovah he made himself great And Moab hath stricken in his vomit, And he hath been for a derision -- even he.
27 And was not Israel the derision to thee? Among thieves was he found? For since thy words concerning him, Thou dost bemoan thyself.
28 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.
29 We have heard of the arrogance of Moab, Exceeding proud! His haughtiness, and his arrogance, And his pride, and the height of his heart,
30 I -- I have known, an affirmation of Jehovah, His wrath, and `it is' not right, His devices -- not right they have done.
31 Therefore for Moab I howl, even for Moab -- all of it, I cry for men of Kir-Heres, it doth mourn,
32 With the weeping of Jazer, I weep for thee, O vine of Sibmah, Thy branches have passed over a sea, Unto the sea of Jazer they have come, On thy summer fruits, and on thy harvest, A spoiler hath fallen.
33 And removed hath been joy and gladness From the fruitful field, Even from the land of Moab, And wine from wine-presses I have caused to cease, Shouting doth not proceed, The shouting `is' no shouting!
34 Because of the cry of Heshbon unto Elealeh, Unto Jahaz they have given their voice, From Zoar unto Horonaim, A heifer of the third `year', For even waters of Nimrim become desolations.
35 And I have caused to cease to Moab, An affirmation of Jehovah, Him who is offering in a high place, And him who is making perfume to his god.
36 Therefore my heart for Moab as pipes doth sound, And my heart for men of Kir-Heres As pipes doth sound, Therefore the abundance he made did perish.
37 For every head `is' bald, and every beard diminished, On all hands cuttings, and on the loins -- sackcloth.
38 On all roofs of Moab, and in her broad-places, All of it -- `is' lamentation, For I have broken Moab as a vessel in which there is no pleasure, An affirmation of Jehovah.
39 How hath it been broken down! they have howled, How hath Moab turned the neck ashamed, And Moab hath been for a derision. And for a terror to all round about her.
40 For thus said Jehovah: Lo, as an eagle he doth flee, And hath spread his wings unto Moab.
41 Captured have been the cities, And the strongholds are caught, And the heart of the mighty of Moab Hath been in that day as the heart of a distressed woman.
42 And Moab hath been destroyed from `being' a people, For against Jehovah he exerted himself.
43 Fear, and a snare, and a gin, `are' for thee, O inhabitant of Moab -- an affirmation of Jehovah,
44 Whoso is fleeing because of the fear falleth into the snare, And whoso is coming up from the snare is captured by the gin, For I bring in unto her -- unto Moab -- The year of their inspection, An affirmation of Jehovah.
45 In the shadow of Heshbon stood powerless have fugitives, For fire hath gone forth from Heshbon, And a flame from within Sihon, And it consumeth the corner of Moab, And the crown of the sons of Shaon.
46 Wo to thee, O Moab, Perished hath the people of Chemosh, For thy sons were taken with the captives, And thy daughters with the captivity.
47 And I have turned back `to' the captivity of Moab, In the latter end of the days, An affirmation of Jehovah! Hitherto `is' the judgment of Moab.
1 Concerning Moab. Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel: Woe unto Nebo! for it is spoiled; Kirjathaim is put to shame, it is taken; Misgab is put to shame and dismayed.
2 Moab's praise is no more; in Heshbon they have devised evil against her: Come, and let us cut her off from [being] a nation. Thou also, O Madmen, shalt be cut down; the sword shall pursue thee.
3 A voice of crying from Horonaim; wasting and great destruction!
4 Moab is destroyed; her little ones have caused a cry to be heard.
5 For by the ascent of Luhith continual weeping shall go up; for in the descent of Horonaim is heard the anguish of the cry of destruction.
6 Flee, save your lives, and be like a shrub in the wilderness.
7 For because thou hast confided in thy works and in thy treasures, thou also shalt be taken, and Chemosh shall go forth into captivity, his priests and his princes together.
8 And the waster shall come upon every city, that not a city shall escape; and the valley shall perish, and the plateau shall be destroyed: as Jehovah hath said.
9 Give wings unto Moab, that she may flee and get away; and the cities thereof shall become a desolation, without inhabitant.
10 Cursed be he that doeth the work of Jehovah negligently, and cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood!
11 Moab hath been at ease from his youth, and hath settled on his lees; he hath not been emptied from vessel to vessel, neither hath he gone into captivity: therefore his taste hath remained in him, and his scent is not changed.
12 Therefore behold, days come, saith Jehovah, that I will send unto him pourers that shall pour him off, and shall empty his vessels, and break in pieces his flagons.
13 And Moab shall be ashamed of Chemosh, as the house of Israel was ashamed of Bethel, their confidence.
14 How do ye say, We are mighty, and men of valour for the war?
15 Moab is laid waste, and his cities are gone up [in smoke], and his chosen young men are gone down to the slaughter, saith the King, whose name is Jehovah of hosts.
16 The calamity of Moab is near to come, and his affliction hasteth fast.
17 All ye that are about him, bemoan him; and all ye that know his name, say, How is the strong staff broken, the beautiful rod!
18 Come down from [thy] glory and sit in the drought, O inhabitress, daughter of Dibon; the spoiler of Moab is come up against thee, thy strongholds hath he destroyed.
19 Stand by the way, and watch, inhabitress of Aroer; ask him that fleeth, and her that escapeth; say, What is done?
20 Moab is put to shame; for he is broken down: howl and cry; tell it in Arnon, that Moab is laid waste.
21 And judgment is come upon the country of the plateau; upon Holon, and upon Jahzah, and upon Mephaath;
22 and upon Dibon, and upon Nebo, and upon Beth-diblathaim;
23 and upon Kirjathaim, and upon Beth-gamul, and upon Beth-meon;
24 and upon Kerijoth, and upon Bozrah, and upon all the cities of the land of Moab, far and near.
25 The horn of Moab is cut off, and his arm is broken, saith Jehovah.
26 Make him drunken, for he magnified himself against Jehovah; and Moab shall wallow in his vomit, and he also shall be in derision.
27 For was not Israel a derision unto thee? Was he found among thieves, that as oft as thou didst speak of him, thou didst shake the head?
28 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.
29 We have heard of the arrogance of Moab, -- [he is] very proud; -- his loftiness, and his arrogance, and his pride, and the haughtiness of his heart.
30 I know his wrath, saith Jehovah; his pratings are vain: they do not as [they say].
31 Therefore will I howl for Moab, and I will cry out for all Moab: for the men of Kir-heres shall there be moaning.
32 O vine of Sibmah, I will weep for thee with more than the weeping of Jaazer: thy shoots passed over the sea, they reached to the sea of Jaazer. The spoiler is fallen upon thy summer fruits and upon thy vintage.
33 And joy and gladness is taken away from the fruitful field and from the land of Moab; and I have caused wine to fail from the winepresses: they shall no more tread with shouting; the shouting shall be no shouting.
34 Because of the cry from Heshbon, unto Elaleh, unto Jahaz have they uttered their voice, from Zoar unto Horonaim, [unto] Eglath-shelishijah: for even the waters of Nimrim shall become desolations.
35 And I will cause to cease in Moab, saith Jehovah, him that offereth in the high place, and him that burneth incense to his gods.
36 Therefore my heart shall sound for Moab like pipes, and my heart shall sound like pipes for the men of Kir-heres; because the abundance that he hath gotten is perished.
37 For every head is bald, and every beard clipped; upon all the hands are cuttings, and upon the loins sackcloth.
38 It is wholly lamentation upon all the housetops of Moab, and in the public places thereof; for I have broken Moab, like a vessel wherein is no pleasure, saith Jehovah.
39 They howl, How is it broken down! how hath Moab turned the back with shame! And Moab shall be a derision and a terror to all that are round about him.
40 For thus saith Jehovah: Behold, he shall fly as an eagle, and shall spread forth his wings over Moab.
41 Kerijoth is taken, and the strongholds are seized, and at that day the heart of the mighty men of Moab shall be as the heart of a woman in her pangs.
42 And Moab shall be destroyed from being a people, because he hath magnified himself against Jehovah.
43 Fear, and the pit, and the snare shall be upon thee, O inhabitant of Moab, saith Jehovah.
44 He that fleeth from the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that getteth up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for I will bring upon her, upon Moab, the year of their visitation, saith Jehovah.
45 They that fled stood under the shadow of Heshbon powerless; for a fire hath come forth from Heshbon, and a flame from the midst of Sihon, and hath consumed the corner of Moab, and the crown of the head of the sons of tumult.
46 Woe to thee, Moab! The people of Chemosh is undone; for thy sons are taken away in captivity, and thy daughters are captives.
47 But I will turn the captivity of Moab at the end of the days, saith Jehovah. Thus far is the judgement of Moab.
1 Of Moab. Thus says Yahweh of Hosts, the God of Israel: Woe to Nebo! for it is laid waste; Kiriathaim is disappointed, it is taken; Misgab is put to shame and broken down.
2 The praise of Moab is no more; in Heshbon they have devised evil against her: Come, and let us cut her off from being a nation. You also, Madmen, shall be brought to silence: the sword shall pursue you.
3 The sound of a cry from Horonaim, desolation and great destruction!
4 Moab is destroyed; her little ones have caused a cry to be heard.
5 For by the ascent of Luhith with continual weeping shall they go up; for at the descent of Horonaim they have heard the distress of the cry of destruction.
6 Flee, save your lives, and be like the heath in the wilderness.
7 For, because you have trusted in your works and in your treasures, you also shall be taken: and Chemosh shall go forth into captivity, his priests and his princes together.
8 The destroyer shall come on every city, and no city shall escape; the valley also shall perish, and the plain shall be destroyed; as Yahweh has spoken.
9 Give wings to Moab, that she may fly and get her away: and her cities shall become a desolation, without any to dwell therein.
10 Cursed be he who does the work of Yahweh negligently; and cursed be he who keeps back his sword from blood.
11 Moab has been at ease from his youth, and he has settled on his lees, and has not been emptied from vessel to vessel, neither has he gone into captivity: therefore his taste remains in him, and his scent is not changed.
12 Therefore, behold, the days come, says Yahweh, that I will send to him those who pour off, and they shall pour him off; and they shall empty his vessels, and break their bottles in pieces.
13 Moab shall be ashamed of Chemosh, as the house of Israel was ashamed of Bethel their confidence.
14 How say you, We are mighty men, and valiant men for the war?
15 Moab is laid waste, and they are gone up into his cities, and his chosen young men are gone down to the slaughter, says the King, whose name is Yahweh of Hosts.
16 The calamity of Moab is near to come, and his affliction hurries fast.
17 All you who are round about him, bemoan him, and all you who know his name; say, How is the strong staff broken, the beautiful rod!
18 You daughter who dwells in Dibon, come down from your glory, and sit in thirst; for the destroyer of Moab is come up against you, he has destroyed your strongholds.
19 Inhabitant of Aroer, stand by the way, and watch: ask him who flees, and her who escapes; say, What has been done?
20 Moab is disappointed; for it is broken down: wail and cry; tell you it by the Arnon, that Moab is laid waste.
21 Judgment is come on the plain country, on Holon, and on Jahzah, and on Mephaath,
22 and on Dibon, and on Nebo, and on Beth Diblathaim,
23 and on Kiriathaim, and on Beth Gamul, and on Beth Meon,
24 and on Kerioth, and on Bozrah, and on all the cities of the land of Moab, far or near.
25 The horn of Moab is cut off, and his arm is broken, says Yahweh.
26 Make you him drunken; for he magnified himself against Yahweh: and Moab shall wallow in his vomit, and he also shall be in derision.
27 For wasn't Israel a derision to you? was he found among thieves? for as often as you speak of him, you wag the head.
28 You inhabitants of Moab, leave the cities, and dwell in the rock; and be like the dove that makes her nest over the mouth of the abyss.
29 We have heard of the pride of Moab, [that] he is very proud; his loftiness, and his pride, and his arrogance, and the haughtiness of his heart.
30 I know his wrath, says Yahweh, that it is nothing; his boastings have worked nothing.
31 Therefore will I wail for Moab; yes, I will cry out for all Moab: for the men of Kir Heres shall they mourn.
32 With more than the weeping of Jazer will I weep for you, vine of Sibmah: your branches passed over the sea, they reached even to the sea of Jazer: on your summer fruits and on your vintage the destroyer is fallen.
33 Gladness and joy is taken away from the fruitful field and from the land of Moab; and I have caused wine to cease from the wine presses: none shall tread with shouting; the shouting shall be no shouting.
34 From the cry of Heshbon even to Elealeh, even to Jahaz have they uttered their voice, from Zoar even to Horonaim, to Eglath Shelishiyah: for the waters of Nimrim also shall become desolate.
35 Moreover I will cause to cease in Moab, says Yahweh, him who offers in the high place, and him who burns incense to his gods.
36 Therefore my heart sounds for Moab like pipes, and my heart sounds like pipes for the men of Kir Heres: therefore the abundance that he has gotten is perished.
37 For every head is bald, and every beard clipped: on all the hands are cuttings, and on the loins sackcloth.
38 On all the housetops of Moab and in the streets of it there is lamentation every where; for I have broken Moab like a vessel in which none delights, says Yahweh.
39 How is it broken down! [how] do they wail! how has Moab turned the back with shame! so shall Moab become a derision and a terror to all who are round about him.
40 For thus says Yahweh: Behold, he shall fly as an eagle, and shall spread out his wings against Moab.
41 Kerioth is taken, and the strongholds are seized, and the heart of the mighty men of Moab at that day shall be as the heart of a woman in her pangs.
42 Moab shall be destroyed from being a people, because he has magnified himself against Yahweh.
43 Fear, and the pit, and the snare, are on you, inhabitant of Moab, says Yahweh.
44 He who flees from the fear shall fall into the pit; and he who gets up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for I will bring on him, even on Moab, the year of their visitation, says Yahweh.
45 Those who fled stand without strength under the shadow of Heshbon; for a fire is gone forth out of Heshbon, and a flame from the midst of Sihon, and has devoured the corner of Moab, and the crown of the head of the tumultuous ones.
46 Woe to you, O Moab! the people of Chemosh is undone; for your sons are taken away captive, and your daughters into captivity.
47 Yet will I bring back the captivity of Moab in the latter days, says Yahweh. Thus far is the judgment of Moab.
1 Of Moab. The Lord of armies, the God of Israel, has said: Sorrow on Nebo, for it has been made waste; Kiriathaim has been put to shame and is taken: the strong place is put to shame and broken down.
2 The praise of Moab has come to an end; as for Heshbon, evil has been designed against her; come, let us put an end to her as a nation. But your mouth will be shut, O Madmen; the sword will go after you.
3 There is the sound of crying from Horonaim, wasting and great destruction;
4 Moab is broken; her cry has gone out to Zoar.
5 For by the slope of Luhith they will go up, weeping all the way; for on the way down to Horonaim the cry of destruction has come to their ears.
6 Go in flight, get away with your lives, and let your faces be turned to Aroer in the Arabah.
7 For because you have put your faith in your strong places, you, even you, will be taken: and Chemosh will go out as a prisoner, his priests and his rulers together.
8 And the attacker will come against every town, not one will be safe; and the valley will be made waste, and destruction will come to the lowland, as the Lord has said.
9 Put up a pillar for Moab, for she will come to a complete end: and her towns will become a waste, without anyone living in them.
10 Let him be cursed who does the Lord's work half-heartedly; let him be cursed who keeps back his sword from blood.
11 From his earliest days, Moab has been living in comfort; like wine long stored he has not been drained from vessel to vessel, he has never gone away as a prisoner: so his taste is still in him, his smell is unchanged.
12 So truly, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will send to him men who will have him turned over till there is no more wine in his vessels, and his wine-skins will be completely broken.
13 And Moab will be shamed on account of Chemosh, as the children of Israel were shamed on account of Beth-el their hope.
14 How say you, We are men of war and strong fighters?
15 He who makes Moab waste has gone up against her; and the best of her young men have gone down to their death, says the King, whose name is the Lord of armies.
16 The fate of Moab is near, and trouble is coming on him very quickly.
17 All you who are round about him, give signs of grief for him, and all you who have knowledge of his name, say, How is the strong rod broken, even the beautiful branch!
18 Come down from your glory, O people of Dibon, and take your seat in the place of the waste; for the attacker of Moab has gone up against you, sending destruction on your strong places.
19 O daughter of Aroer, take your station by the way, on the watch: questioning him who is in flight, and her who has got away safe, say, What has been done?
20 Moab has been put to shame, she is broken: make loud sounds of grief, crying out for help; give the news in Arnon, that Moab has been made waste.
21 And punishment has come on the lowlands; on Holon and Jahzah, and on Mephaath,
22 And on Dibon, and on Nebo, and on Beth-diblathaim,
23 And on Kiriathaim, and on Beth-gamul, and on Beth-meon,
24 And on Kerioth, and on Bozrah, and on all the towns of the land of Moab, far and near.
25 The horn of Moab is cut off, and his arm is broken, says the Lord.
26 Make him full of wine, for his heart has been lifted up against the Lord: and Moab will be rolling in the food he was not able to keep down, and everyone will be making sport of him.
27 For did you not make sport of Israel? was he taken among thieves? for whenever you were talking about him, you were shaking your head over him.
28 O people of Moab, go away from the towns and take cover in the rock; be like the dove of the Arabah, which makes her living-place in holes.
29 We have had word of the pride of Moab, how great it is; how he is lifted up in pride; and his great opinion of himself, and that his heart is lifted up.
30 I have knowledge of his wrath, says the Lord, that it is nothing; his high-sounding words have done nothing.
31 For this cause I will give cries of grief for Moab, crying out for Moab, even for all of it; I will be sorrowing for the men of Kir-heres.
32 My weeping for you, O vine of Sibmah, will be more than the weeping of Jazer: your branches have gone over the sea, stretching even to Jazer: destruction has come down on your summer fruits and your cut grapes.
33 All joy is gone; no longer are they glad for the fertile field and for the land of Moab; I have made the wine come to an end from the crushing vessels: no longer will the grapes be crushed with the sound of glad voices.
34 The cry of Heshbon comes even to Elealeh; to Jahaz their voice is sounding; from Zoar even to Horonaim and to Eglath-shelishiyah: for the waters of Nimrim will become dry.
35 And I will put an end in Moab, says the Lord, to him who is making offerings in the high place and burning perfumes to his gods.
36 So my heart is sounding for Moab like the sound of pipes, and my heart is sounding like pipes for the men of Kir-heres: for the wealth he has got for himself has come to an end.
37 For everywhere the hair of the head and the hair of the face is cut off: on every hand there are wounds, and haircloth on every body.
38 On all the house-tops of Moab and in its streets there is weeping everywhere; for Moab has been broken like a vessel in which there is no pleasure, says the Lord.
39 How is it broken down! how is Moab's back turned in shame! so Moab will be a cause of sport and of fear to everyone round about him.
40 For the Lord has said, See, he will come like an eagle in flight, stretching out his wings against Moab.
41 Kerioth is taken, and the strong places have been forced, and the hearts of Moab's men of war in that day will be like the heart of a woman in birth-pains.
42 And Moab will come to an end as a people, because he has been lifting himself up against the Lord.
43 Fear and death and the net have come on you, O people of Moab, says the Lord.
44 He who goes in flight from the fear will be overtaken by death; and he who gets free from death will be taken in the net: for I will make this come on Moab, even the year of their punishment, says the Lord.
45 Those who went in flight from the fear are waiting under the shade of Heshbon: for a fire has gone out from Heshbon and a flame from the house of Sihon, burning up the pride of Moab and the crown of the head of the violent ones.
46 Sorrow is yours, O Moab! the people of Chemosh are overcome: for your sons have been taken away as prisoners, and your daughters made servants.
47 But still, I will let the fate of Moab be changed in the last days, says the Lord.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » John Gill's Exposition of the Bible » Commentary on Jeremiah 48
Commentary on Jeremiah 48 John Gill's Exposition of the Bible
INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 48
This chapter contains a prophecy of the destruction of Moab, and of the mourning that should be for it; and not only its destruction in general is predicted, but particular places are mentioned, on which it should fall, Jeremiah 48:1; the causes of which were their confidence in their works and riches, their carnal ease and security, and their idolatry, they should now be ashamed of, Jeremiah 48:6; and this destruction is represented both as certain and as near, notwithstanding their mighty warriors and choice young men, Jeremiah 48:14; and then other cities are particularly named, that should share in the calamity, Jeremiah 48:18; and all this because of their insolence to the Lord; their contempt of his people; their pride, arrogance, and haughtiness; their wrath, and their lies, Jeremiah 48:26; and this destruction is further exaggerated by the lamentation of the prophet over Moab in general, and over several particular cities; and by the lamentation of the inhabitants of them, because of the spoiling of their vines, their fruits, and their riches, Jeremiah 48:31; and this is confirmed by the Lord, as to the swiftness of the enemy that should destroy them; the consternation and fear that should seize them; the flight they should be put to; and the consumption and captivity of them, Jeremiah 48:40; and the chapter is concluded with a promise of the return of their captivity in the latter day, Jeremiah 48:47.
Against Moab thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel,.... The prophecy concerning Moab is introduced with these epithets of God, partly to observe that the God of Israel was the only true God, in opposition to the gods of Moab, and other nations; and partly to point out his omnipotence, being able to perform what he here predicts and threatens; as also to suggest, that for the enmity of the Moabites to his people Israel, and their contempt of them, which is taken notice of in this chapter, and the ill treatment of them, the Lord would now take vengeance on them. Some render it, "concerning Moab"F26למואב "ad Moab", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus; "de Moabo", Vatablus, Cocceius. ; because every thing that is here said is not against it; the chapter concludes in favour of it; though the far greater part, and ever, all but the last verse, is against it. This prophecy, according to JosephusF1Antiqu. l. 10. c. 9. sect. 7. , had its fulfilment about five years after the destruction of Jerusalem;
woe unto Nebo, for it is spoiled; its walls broken down; its houses demolished; its inhabitants destroyed, and plundered of their riches; this, in prophetic language, is represented as done, because of the certainty of it. Of this city See Gill on Isaiah 15:2; It is thought to be an oracular one, where was a temple of their idol; and from whence their priests gave out oracles, promising peace, and prosperity and safety, to Moab; and therefore the desolation of that is first prophesied of, to show that no dependence was to be had on those lying oracles;
Kirjathaim is confounded and taken; a city in the tribe of Reuben, which afterwards came into the hands of the Moabites, Joshua 13:19. The word is of the dual form; and it might be a double city, like Jerusalem, consisting of a lower and upper city; or it might be divided by a river; or, as Kimchi and Ben Melech think, it was so called because it had two towers in it. It seems to be the same with Kir of Moab, Kirharesh, and Kirhareseth, Isaiah 15:1; when it was taken by the Chaldeans, the inhabitants were confounded, as having looked upon the place, and boasted of it, as impregnable;
Misgab is confounded and dismayed; so called from its being built on a high place, and well fortified; though some think that this is not the proper name of a place; but only signifies a high and fortified place both by nature and art; a place of refuge, where persons thought themselves safe; and so the Targum renders it,
"the house of their confidence;'
this, when besieged and taken by the Babylonians, threw the inhabitants into the utmost consternation and confusion. Some take it to be the same with Bamoth, a name of much the same signification, Joshua 13:17; see Isaiah 15:2.
There shall be no more praise of Moab,.... It shall be no more commended for a rich, populous, and fruitful country, being now laid waste; though the next phrase,
in Heshbon, or "concerning Heshbon"F2אין עוד תהלת מואב בחשבון "nulla amplius gloriatio Moab in Chesbon", Calvin; "non ultra laus, Moab in Chesbon", Montanus; to the same purpose Vatablus. , should be read in connection with this; and then the sense is, there shall be none any more in Heshbon to praise the country of Moab, what a fine and fertile country it is, since that city will be destroyed also; or there will be no more a Moabite to boast of his being an inhabitant in Heshbon, such an utter destruction will be made of it; or there will be no more boasting of Moab, or of any Moabite concerning Heshbon, what a famous, opulent, or strong city that is, since it is no more. Of this city See Gill on Isaiah 15:4;
they have devised evil against it; that is, the Chaldeans devised evil against Heshbon, to besiege it, take and destroy it: there is in the expression a beautiful allusion to the name of the city of Heshbon, which has its name from a word that signifies to devise and consultF3חשבון a חשב "cogitavit", "excogitavit". ;
come, and let us cut it off from being a nation: this is what the Babylonians consulted together against Heshbon; and not only against that, a principal city; but against the whole country of Moab, to make such an entire desolation of it, that it should be no more a nation: that which the Moabites with others devised against the people of Israel is now devised against them; a just retaliation this; see Psalm 83:4;
also thou shalt be cut down, O Madmen; or utterly destroyed: it may be rendered, "shall become silent"F4תדמי "silebis", Montanus; so R. Judah in Ben Melech; "ad silentium redigeris"; so some in Vatablus. ; the voice of man shall not be heard in it, especially the voice of praise, of boasting, and rejoicing: there is in this clause also an elegant allusion to the name of the place, which comes from a root that signifies to "cut down", or "be silent"F5תדמו מדמן. . This is thought by Grotius to be the Madiama of PtolemyF6Geograph. l. 6. c. 7. :
the sword shall pursue thee; after it has destroyed other cities, it should come in great haste and with great force to Madmen; or it should pursue after the inhabitants, of it, that should make their escape, or attempt to do so. The Targum is,
"after thee shall go out those that slay with the sword.'
A voice of crying shall be from Horonaim,.... Another city of Moab. The word is of the dual number; and, according to Kimchi and Ben Melech, there were two Horons, the upper and the lower; of this place See Gill on Isaiah 15:5; this also should be destroyed; and so a cry of the inhabitants of it should be heard out of it:
spoiling, and great destruction; because the city was spoiled, and a great destruction made in the inhabitants and riches of it.
Moab is destroyed,.... Either the whole nation in general; so the Targum,
"the kingdom of Moab is broken;'
and so Abarbinel; or a city so called, which some take to be the city Areopolis. JeromF7De locis Heb. fol. 87. H. & 93. B. says, that Moab is a city of Arabia, now called Areopolis; and which also has the name of Rabbathmoab, or "grand Moab";
her little ones have caused a cry to be heard; seeing their parents killed, and they left desolate, and in the hands of the enemy; and not only so, but just going to be dashed in pieces by them. The Targum interprets it, her governors; and so Jarchi, who thinks they are so called, because they are lesser than kings. Kimchi and Ben Melech suggest, that these are called so by way of contempt. The word "tzeir" signifies both "little" and "great", as the learned PocockF8Not. Miscell. in Port. Mosis, p. 17,18. has abundantly proved.
For in the going up of Luhith continual weeping shall go up,.... This is another city, which was built on a high hill, which had a considerable ascent to it, whither those that escaped from Horonaim might flee for safety; but as they went up the hill would weep bitterly, and all the way they went, because of the loss of friends and sustenance, and the danger they themselves were still in. Of this place See Gill on Isaiah 15:5;
for in the going down of Horonaim the enemies have heard a cry of destruction; a place before mentioned, which lay low, in the descent of which, the enemies, the Chaldeans, heard the cries of those that fled from Horonaim, and went up from thence to Luhith, which cry was as follows:
Flee, save your lives,.... These are either the words of the Moabites, their cry of destruction mentioned in the latter part of Jeremiah 48:5; who, seeing nothing but ruin before their eyes, advise one another to flee in all haste, and save their lives if possible, since nothing else could be saved: or else they are the words of the prophet, giving counsel to the Moabites to betake themselves to flight for the safety of their lives, these being in great danger; so Abarbinel; with whom others agree, only think they are spoken ironically; suggesting, that when they had endeavoured by flight to save their lives, it would be to no purpose; they should not escape the hands of their enemies; which seems to be the truest sense:
and be like the heath in the wilderness; which is called "erice", or "ling", which grows in waste places. Kimchi and Menachem in Jarchi interpret it of a tree that grows in dry and desert places; a low, naked, barren, fruitless shrub; signifying, that, when they were fled from their habitations, they should be as solitary and stripped of all their good things as such a bare and naked shrub in a desert. Kimchi's note is, that when they had left their cities and fled, their cities would be as the heath in the wilderness. The Targum is,
"and be ye as the tower of Aroer, "as they" who dwell in tents in the wilderness.'
Jarchi observes that the tower of Aroer was built in the wilderness, and there was no inhabitant round it but those that dwelt in tents; and, the tower standing where there was no inhabitant, it looked like a waste. The Septuagint version is very foreign, "as a wild ass in the wilderness"; which is followed by the Arabic version.
For because thou hast trusted in thy works,.... The strong works and fortifications they had made about their cities, and so thought themselves safe in them; which is the sense of the Septuagint and Vulgate Latin versions, and those that follow them. Kimchi and Ben Melech interpret it of their cattle and other possessions, as the word is rendered in 1 Samuel 25:2; which they observe. It may very well be understood of their idols, the works of their hands, in which they placed their confidence; and therefore their chief God after mentioned is threatened to be taken and carried away:
and in thy treasures: their gold and silver, and other riches they had heaped together:
thou shalt be taken: some particular city seems to be meant, the city Moab, or Ar of Moab, Jeremiah 48:4; or Horonaim, Jeremiah 48:5;
and Chemosh shall go forth in captivity, with his priests and his princes together; this was the god of the Ammonites, Judges 11:24; and of the Moabites, 1 Kings 11:7; hence the Moabites are called the people of Chemosh, Numbers 21:29; which Philo the JewF9Allegor. l. 2. p. 104. explains thus; that is, thy people and power are found blind, and deprived of sight; and says that Chemosh is interpreted "as groping", or feeling, which is the property of one that cannot see. "Mosh" in Hebrew signifies to grope or feel; and "caph" is a servile letter, and a note of similitude; and by another Jewish writerF11R. Iedaia Habadreshi, Bechinat Olam, c. 30. p. 184. Chemosh is called the god of the blind. JeromF12Comment in lsaiam, c. 15. 2. takes it to be the same idol with Baalpeor, thought by some the Priapus of the Heathens. Camus, the god of festivals and merriment, seems to have had his name from hence; very probably the sun was worshipped by the Moabites under this name, which may be so called from its swiftness; for the Arabic word, "camash", signifies swift and hasteningF13Vid. Castell. Lex. Polyglott. col. 1749. & Gol. Lex. Arab. p. 2064. ; as the sun is to run its race. The Moabites put their trust in this their deity; and to let them see that he would be of no avail unto them, in this time of their distress, he himself should be taken away by the enemy out of his temple, for the sake of the gold or silver that was upon him, and with him the priests that attended his service; or his worshippers, as the Targum; and the princes of the nation that served him, and supported the worship of him, and defrayed the expenses of it.
And the spoiler shall come upon every city,.... That is, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and his army. The Targum is, the spoilers, who came against and took every city of Moab, and wasted them. JosephusF14Antiqu. l. 10. c. 9. sect. 7. makes particular mention of Nebuchadnezzar subduing the Ammonites and Moabites:
and no city shall escape; the spoiler, and destruction by him:
the valley also shall perish, and the plain shall be destroyed, as the Lord hath spoken; not only the cities, and the inhabitants of them; but the inhabitants of the valleys and plains, as the Targum paraphrases it, should be destroyed; and also the corn that grew upon them, and the flocks and herds that grazed there, exactly as the Lord had foretold.
Give wings unto Moab that it may flee and get away,.... That is, give wings to the inhabitants of Moab; signifying that they were in great danger, and there was no probability of escaping it, unless they had the wings of a swift bird, or were as swift as such, and even that would not do; though perhaps their fleeing, and passing away with wings, may signify not their fleeing from danger, and their attempt to escape; but their swift and sudden destruction, compared to the swift flight of a bird; for the last clause may be rendered, "for in flying it shall fly away"F15כי נצא תצא "quia volando volabit", Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus; "quia avolando avolabit", Schmidt; "nam avolabit", Piscator. . Some render the first clause, "give a flower to Moab", as the Vulgate Latin version; and so the word sometimes signifies, Isaiah 40:7; and the sense may be, hold up a flower to Moab, or a feather, such as is light, as the down of a thistle, as an emblem of its destruction; which shall pass away as easily and swiftly as so light a thing before the wind; but Jarchi and Kimchi interpret the word as we do, a wing. The Targum is,
"take away the crown from Moab, for going it shall go away into captivity.'
The word is used of the plate of gold on the high priest's mitre, Exodus 28:36;
for the cities thereof shall be desolate, without any to dwell therein; which expresses the utter destruction of them.
Cursed be he that doeth the work of the Lord deceitfully,.... Which is said with respect to the Chaldeans, who were enjoined to destroy the Moabites; which is called the work of the Lord, because he had given them a commission to do it; and which was to be done by them, not by halves, or in a remiss and negligent manner, but fully and faithfully; they were not to spare them, as Saul did the Amalekites, and Ahab Benhadad. This is a general rule, which may be applied to all divine work and service; every man has work to do for God; some in a more public, others in a more private way; all should be done in uprightness and sincerity, with all faithfulness and integrity: it is done deceitfully when men play the hypocrite; and negligently when they are backward to it, lukewarm in it, and infrequent in the performance of it; which brings upon them the curse of God; and which is not a curse causeless, but a legal one; and is no other than the wrath of God in strict justice:
and cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood; from shedding the blood of the Moabites, when God had given command to do it. The curse is repeated, as Kimchi observes, to confirm the matter, that it might be most assuredly expected; since it would certainly come, if the Lord's work was not done aright.
Moab hath been at ease from his youth,.... Lived in great peace and prosperity from the time they became a kingdom; being very little disturbed with wars by their neighbours, or very rarely; so that they were in very prosperous and flourishing circumstances, which occasioned that pride and haughtiness they were notorious for. This is an emblem of unregenerate men; who, though sinners from their birth, and liable to the curse of the law, subject to the stroke of death, and must come to judgment; yet stupid and quite at ease, having no sight of sin, nor feeling of the burden of its guilt, nor grief or trouble for it; no sense of danger, or fear of hell; but in the utmost security: all which arise from ignorance, hardness of heart, profaneness, and infidelity; thoughtlessness about their immortal souls; putting the evil day far from them; and being under the influence of Satan, who keeps his goods in peace:
and he hath settled on his lees; a metaphor taken from wine; which, the longer it remains on the lees, the better body it has, and the richer and stronger it is; and denotes the great tranquillity of the Moabites; the riches they were possessed of, and in which they trusted. The Targum renders it,
"quiet in their substance;'
herein they were an emblem of unconverted sinners, who are settled and hardened in the corruptions of their nature; and not at all disturbed at the evil of sin; the wrath of God; his judgments on men; the last and awful judgment; or at the terrors of hell; and likewise of such who trust in their own righteousness, and depend upon that for salvation:
and hath not been emptied from vessel to vessel; like wine that has never been racked off from the vessel or vessels it was first put into: they were never removed from place to place, but always continued in their land; in which they were an emblem of such who have never seen their own emptiness, and their want of the grace of God, and have never been emptied of sin, nor of self-righteousness:
neither hath he gone into captivity; this explains in proper words the metaphor in the preceding clause: the Moabites had never been carried captive out of their own land into others; an emblem of such who have never seen their captive state to sin and Satan; or ever brought to complain of it, or become the captives of Christ;
therefore his taste remained in him, and his scent is not changed; his wealth, riches, and prosperity, continued without any change and alteration; and also his sins and vices, idolatry, pride, luxury, and which were the cause of his ruin; and for that reason are here mentioned; an emblem of unregenerate men, whose taste is vitiated by sin, and continues as it was originally; they relish sin, and disrelish everything that is good; and savour the things that be of man, and not the things of God; and so are in a most dangerous condition.
Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord,.... This being their case, they should not continue in it; a change would be made, and that in a very short time, as there was; for, according to JosephusF16Antiqu. l. 10. c. 9. sect. 7. , it was about five years after the destruction of Jerusalem that the Moabites were subdued by the king of Babylon:
that I will send unto him wanderers that shall cause him to wander; the Chaldeans, who wandered out of their own country to Moab, directed by the providence of God to come there to do his work; and who, at first, might be treated by the Moabites with contempt, as vagrants, but would soon be made to know that they would cause them to wander; or would remove them out of their own country into other lands, particularly Babylon, to be vagrants there. The word may be rendered "travellers"F17צעים "viatores", Tigurine version. ; and signifies such that walk with great strength of body, in a stately way, and with great agility and swiftness; in which manner the Chaldeans are described as coming to Moab, and who should cause them to travel back with them in all haste; see word in Isaiah 63:1. The Targum renders it "spoilers"; according to the metaphor of wine used in Jeremiah 48:11, it may signify a sort of persons that cause wine to go, or empty it from one vessel to another; such as we call "wine coopers"; and this agrees with what follows:
and shall empty his vessels, and break their bottles; depopulate the cities of Moab; destroy the inhabitants of them, and make them barren and empty of men. The Targum is,
"I will send spoilers upon them, and they shall spoil them, and empty their substance, and consume the good of their land;'
see Jeremiah 48:8. The Septuagint version is, "they shall cut in pieces his horns"; which, as OrigenF18Apud Drusium in fragmentis in loc. interprets them, were a kind of cups anciently used; for in former times they drank out of horns, either of oxen, or other animals; and PlinyF19Nat. Hist. l. 11. e. 37. says that the northern people used to drink out of the horns of buffaloes, a creature larger than a bull, and which the Muscovites call "thur"; the same is asserted by AthenaeusF20Deipnosoph. l. 11. p. 235. Rhodigin. 1. 30. , and others, that the horns of beasts were drinking vessels before cups were invented.
And Moab shall be ashamed of Chemosh,.... His idol; see Jeremiah 48:7; of his worship of him, prayers to him, and confidence in him; he not being able to save him from the destruction of the Chaldeans, and being carried captive by them; he himself also going into captivity:
as the house of Israel were ashamed of Bethel their confidence; that is, of the golden calf that was set up in Bethel by Jeroboam, and which the ten tribes of Israel worshipped, and in which they trusted; but that could not save them from being carried captive by the Assyrians; and so were ashamed of it, and of their idolatrous worship, and vain confidence.
How say ye, we are mighty and strong men for the war? The Moabites were proud, haughty, and arrogant; boasted much of their strength and valour; of the strength of their bodies, and fitness for war, and skill in it; and of the strength of their fortified cities; and thought themselves a match for the enemy, and secure from all danger: for this their pride, vanity, and self-confidence, they are here reproved, since their destruction was at hand.
Moab is spoiled,.... The whole country is ruined; which is spoken of as present, though future, after the manner of prophecy, because of the certainty of it:
and gone up out of her cities; the inhabitants of Moab were gone up out of their cities, either through fear and flight; or through force, being made to go out of them, and were carried captive. The Targum is,
"the Moabites are spoiled, and their cities are desolate;'
and so Kimchi interprets it,
"the multitude of her cities is made to cease;'
the people of them. It might be as well rendered, "and he is gone up to her cities"F21ועריה עלה "et civitates ejus conscendit", Montanus; "ascendit super urbes ejus", Gataker. ; that is, the spoilerF23"Sub. hostis", Vatablus, Calvin; "vastator", Gataker. , as Kimchi's father rightly interprets it; see Jeremiah 48:8; or it may be rendered, "and his cities, into which he went up"F24"Et urbes ejus in quas ascendit", Schmidt. ; that is, those are spoiled and destroyed, into which the Moabites used to go up, being built on high places; or whither they went for safety, the enemy being in their country, but in vain:
and his chosen young men are gone down to the slaughter; or, "the choice of his chosen ones"F25מבחר בחוריו "electio electorum ejus", Gataker. ; the select of them, for comeliness, strength, and valour; these being taken, when the enemy entered the cities, were had down to some place of slaughter, and there put to death; or were brought down to the grave, the pit of corruption; unless this can be understood of the choice young men of the enemy, the Chaldean army; who, mounting and scaling the walls of the cities of Moab, went down into them to slay the inhabitants of them; but this is submitted to consideration. All this was not barely said by the prophet, who was but a man, though sent of God; but by the Lord himself, as it follows:
saith the King, whose name is the Lord of hosts; who is "the King" by way of eminency; the King of kings, and Lord of lords; mightier than the king of Moab, or even than the king of Babylon; and the Lord of greater armies than either; and therefore what he said should certainly be accomplished.
The calamity of Moab is near to come,.... As it did come within live years after the destruction of Jerusalem, as observed on Jeremiah 48:12; out of Josephus:
and his affliction hasteth fast: or, "his evil"F26רעתו "malum ejus", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Calvin, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Cocceius, Schmidt. the evil of punishment for his sin; his utter destruction.
All ye that are about him, bemoan him,.... The neighbouring nations, such as the Ammonites, and others, are called upon to condole the sad case of Moab; all upon the borders of the country of Moab, either within them or without them:
and all ye that know his name; not only that had heard of his fame and glory, but knew in what grandeur and splendour he lived; these have a form of condolence given them:
say, how is the strong staff broken, and the beautiful rod! the mighty men of war, the staff of the nation, in which they trusted, destroyed; their fortified cities demolished; the powerful kingdom, which swayed the sceptre, and ruled in great glory, and was terrible and troublesome to others, now pulled down. The Targum is,
"how is the king broken that did evil, the oppressing ruler!'
Thou daughter that dost inhabit Dibon,.... A city in Moab; See Gill on Isaiah 15:2. The Targum is,
"O kingdom of the congregation of Dibon;'
but this was not a kingdom of itself, though a principal city in the kingdom of Moab:
come down from thy glory, and sit in thirst; in a dry and thirsty land; in want of all the necessaries of life; in captivity; who before abounded with all good things, inhabiting a well watered and fruitful soil; see Isaiah 15:9; but now called to quit all their former glory and happiness, their fulness and felicity, and submit to the greatest straits and difficulties:
for the spoiler of Moab shall come upon thee, and he shall destroy thy strong holds; the king of Babylon and his army, who spoiled the other cities of Moab; he should come against this also, and take it, and demolish its fortifications, by reason of which it thought itself secure; but these should not be able to protect it.
O inhabitant of Aroer,.... Another city that belonged to Moab, situated on the border of it towards Ammon, near the river Arnon; See Gill on Isaiah 17:2;
stand by the way, and espy; get to the road side where travellers pass, and look out for them:
ask him that fleeth, and her that escapeth; whether man or woman you see fleeing, having escaped the army of the Chaldeans:
and say, what is done? by the Chaldeans; ask what cities they have taken; what progress they have made; what is done to their cities, that they flee from them? tell all the particulars of things.
Moab is confounded, for it is broken down,.... This is the answer returned, by those that had escaped and were fleeing, to those who inquired of them; who report that the whole country of Moab was in the utmost confusion and consternation; not being able to stand before the enemy, who broke down and destroyed all that was in his way: and therefore calls upon them to
howl and cry; because of the general ruin at the nation, and who must expect themselves to share the same fate; and therefore should prepare themselves and their neighbours for it, as follows:
tell ye it in Arnon, that Moab is spoiled; the country of Arnon, so called from a river of that name, on the banks of which Aroer was situated; the inhabitants of which are desired to spread it all over that part of the country, that Moab was utterly ruined by the Chaldean army; the particulars of which follow:
And judgment is come upon the plain country,.... Of Moab, which was for the most part such, especially that which lay near Arnon; the judgment of God's vengeance, punishment for sin, by the hand of the Chaldeans. The Targum is,
"they that execute vengeance are come:'
upon Holon; a city of Moab; of which see Joshua 15:51; it had its name perhaps from the sandy ground on which it stood. Grotius takes it to be the Alabana of Ptolemy:
and upon Jahazah: the same with Jahaz; see Gill on Isaiah 15:4; reckoned by Grotius to be the Jadu of Ptolemy; see Joshua 13:18;
and upon Mephaath; of which see Joshua 13:18; said by Grotius to be the Maipha of Ptolemy.
And upon Dibon,.... Whose destruction by this time was come upon it, as suggested, Jeremiah 48:18;
and upon Nebo: of which see Jeremiah 48:1;
and upon Bethdiblathaim: the same with Almondiblathaim in Numbers 33:46 and Diblath in Ezekiel 6:14.
And upon Kirjathaim,.... Of which see Jeremiah 48:1;
and upon Bethgamul; this is nowhere else mentioned in Scripture; supposed by Grotius to be the Maccala of Ptolemy, put for Camala:
and upon Bethmeon: of which see Isaiah 15:2.
And upon Kerioth,.... Which once belonged to the tribe of Judah, Joshua 15:25; from this place Judas Iscariot is by some thought to have his name; as if it was "Ish Kerioth", "a man of Kerioth". Grotius takes it to be the Goiratha of Ptolemy:
and upon Bozrah; not in Idumea, but in Moab; the same with Bezer, Joshua 21:36;
and upon all the cities of the land of Moab, for and near; all the rest of the cities not named, whether nearer or farther off from Aroer.
The horn of Moab is cut off,.... The kingdom of Moab, high and strong, his power and strength, by which he defended himself, and offended others, as a beast with his horns; his powerful kingdom, and the glory of it:
and his arm is broken, saith the Lord; so that he cannot hold a sword, or manage any weapon of war against the enemy, or do anything to annoy him, or in his own defence. The Targum is,
"the kingdom of Moab is cut off, and their rulers are broken, saith the Lord;'
and so Ben Melech interprets it of his princes, and his armies, which were the arm of the king, and of the people.
Make ye him drunken,.... Not with wine, but with the cup of divine wrath; with the vengeance of God; with sore judgments, afflictions, and calamities; give him his fill of them, till he is quite intoxicated with them, and has lost his senses, and is brought to madness and distraction, and reels, and staggers, and falls to the ground, like a drunken man; and his state and kingdom is quite ruined: this is said to the enemies of Moab, the king of Babylon and his army:
for he magnified himself against the Lord; made himself as great as he; yea, set himself above him; thought himself out of his reach; spoke proudly, haughtily, and contemptibly of him, and blasphemously against him, as if he could not deliver his people, or destroy his and their enemies. The Targum interprets it of the people of God, as in Zephaniah 2:10; paraphrasing the words thus;
"bring distress upon them, that they may be like to drunken men; for against the people of the Lord have they magnified themselves:'
Moab also shall wallow in his vomit; as drunken men do: or, he shall "clap", or "dashF1וספק מואב בקיאו "plaudat", Junius & Tremellius, Cocceius; "plaudet", Piscator; "complodat", Munster, Tigurine version, Schmidt; "allidet", Lyranus. his hand in his vomit": dash his hands and feet against the ground as he lies in his vomit, as persons in such a condition do: or shall wring his hands, and clap them together for sorrow, being sick, and in distress. Some render it, "he shall clap the hand at Moab in his vomit"F2"Complodet manus super Moabum jacentem in vomitu suo", Gataker. ; men shall laugh at him as he lies wallowing in it, or rejoice at his fall and ruin; but this is expressed in the next clause:
and he also shall be in derision; as drunken men are; he shall be derided by others, as others have been derided by him; now it will be his turn.
For was not Israel a derision unto thee?.... In the time of his calamity, when the ten tribes were carried captive by the Assyrians some years ago; and of late the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin by the Chaldeans; the Moabites rejoiced at this, which they ought not to have done, upon the common principles of humanity; and especially since they were not only neighbours, but akin; and therefore, according to the law of retaliation, it was but just that they should be had in derision themselves:
was he found among thieves? that is, Israel; that he should be a derision to any, as thieves are when they are taken; men rejoice at it, insult them, and deride them; but was this the case of Israel? had he robbed any? had he done any injury to Moab, or any other? no, verily: why this derision then?
for since thou spakest of him, thou skippedst for joy; or, "shookedst thyself"F3תתנודד "commovisti te", Vatablus, Calvin; "commoves te", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; "motitas te", Schmidt. ; whenever the Moabites spoke of the distresses and calamities of Israel, and of their captivity, they laughed till they shook themselves; not only shook their heads, but their whole bodies. The Vulgate Latin version is, "therefore, because of thy words which thou hast spoken against him, thou shall be carried captive"; and Jarchi mentions such a sense of the words, as given by some of their Rabbins; and to this agrees the Targum,
"and because ye have multiplied words against them, therefore ye shall go into captivity.'
O ye that dwell in Moab, leave the cities, and dwell in the rock,.... Signifying hereby that they would not be in safety in their strongest and most fortified cities, which would be besieged by the enemy, and taken; and therefore are advised to leave them, and flee to the rocks and mountains, that if possible they might be safe there:
and be like the dove, that maketh her nest in the sides of the hole's mouth; which, for fear of birds of prey, makes her nest in the side of a hole, or cleft of a rock, that she and her young may be safe from them; and which being pursued by the hawk, flies into a hollow rock or cavern, as HomerF4Iliad. 21. v. 495. observes: but here it intends the place where it makes its nest; which is for the most part in deserts and rocky places, where great numbers of doves resort, and make their nests, as Diodorus SiculusF5Bibliothec. l. 2. p. 92. relates; and especially in the holes and clefts of rocks, to which the allusion is in Song of Solomon 2:14. The Targum is,
"and be as a dove that leaves her dove house, and comes down and dwells in the bottom of a pit,'
or ditch.
We have heard the pride of Moab,.... Israel, and all the nations round about, had heard of this, and seen or heard of many instances of it; the thing was notorious; according to Kimchi, it is the prophet that here speaks in the name of the nations; but it seems best to understand it of the Lord himself, as appears from the Jeremiah 48:30; and who here speaks in the plural number, because of the plurality of persons in the Godhead; as he afterwards does in the singular number, to denote the unity of the divine essence:
(he is exceeding proud) his loftiness, and his arrogancy, and his pride, and the haughtiness of his heart; a heap of words to express the same thing; suggesting that the instances of his pride were many, and that it was exceeding great indeed: these many words were little enough; and indeed words were wanting fully to declare it. The same was observed in Isaiah's time, and in much the same language; only more words are here used, to show that his pride was increased since that time; see Isaiah 16:6.
I know his wrath, saith the Lord,.... Against the Jews, and other nations; what he has threatened to do unto them, and would do if not restrained:
but it shall not be so; as he has devised in his mind, and threatened in his wrath; all his swelling thoughts and big words shall come to nothing:
his lies shall not so effect it; it shall not be according to his words; they will prove lies, and of no effect. Kimchi interprets it of the sons of Moab, who shall not be able to do what they thought to do; and Jarchi of his mighty ones; and the Targum of his nobles, paraphrasing it,
"and their nobles are not right, they do not as is becoming;'
perhaps it may be better understood of his diviners and soothsayers, as the word is used in Isaiah 44:25; and be rendered, "his diviners have not done right"F6בדיו לא כן עשו "vaniloqui ejus non rectum fecerunt", Cocceius. So R. Sol. Urbin. Ohel Moed, fol. 38. 1. ; they have deceived him with their lying oracles; swelled him with pride; and brought him to ruin, he trusting to them.
Therefore will I howl for Moab,.... The prophet, being as a man affected with the miseries of a people very wicked, and so deserving of them; though indeed by this he does not so much design to express the affections of his own heart, as to show what reason the Moabites would have to howl for the calamities of their country; for, as Kimchi observes, the prophet here speaks in the person of the people of Moab; see Isaiah 16:7;
and I will cry out for all Moab; the whole country of Moab, which should become desolate:
mine heart shall mourn for the men of Kirheres; the same with Kirhareseth, a city of Moab, Isaiah 16:7; whose foundations should be sapped, the city taken, and the men of it put to the sword, or caused to flee; and their case being deplorable, the prophet says his heart should mourn for them like a dove, as Kimchi and Jarchi observe; though it may be rendered, "he shall mourn"F7יהגה "gemet", Montanus. ; that is, Moab; for the destruction of such a principal city, and the men of it. The Targum renders it,
"for the men of the city of their strength.'
O vine of Sibmah, I will weep for thee with the weeping of Jazer,.... Sibmah was a city in the land of Moab abounding with vines, but now should be destroyed; and Jazer another city in the same country, which was destroyed before the other; and therefore its destruction should be lamented and wept over, as that had been: or "from", or "after the weeping of Jazer"F8מבכי "a fletu", Pagninus, Montanus, Calvin, Schmidt. ; when that is over, or from thence will I go in course as the desolation proceeds, to weep for Sibmah: or I will weep for that "more than the weeping of Jazer"F9"Supra fletum", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Gataker. ; make a greater lamentation for it than for Jazer; or, as some, than Isaiah made for Jazer; of which see Isaiah 16:9;
thy plants are gone over the sea; the Dead sea; meaning the inhabitants of Sibmah, the governors and common people, who were gone over sea into captivity, as it is generally understood:
they reach even to the sea of Jazer; a lake or confluence of water near to Jazer, called a sea; as it was usual with the Jews to call such seas; as the sea of Tiberias, and the like: this spread of the plants seems to refer to the multitudes of those that belonged to Sibmah, and the villages of it, which extended beyond the Dead sea, even to the sea of Jazer; but as fruitful as this vine was, and extensive as its branches were, they should come to destruction:
the spoiler is fallen upon thy summer fruits, and upon thy vintage: the king of Babylon, who came upon them with his army in the summer season, and at the time of their vintage, and devoured the fruits of their vines and fig trees, with which this country abounded; and so impoverished and ruined them. The Targum of the whole is,
"therefore as I have brought an army against Jazer, so I will bring slayers against Sibmah; they that carry them captive have waded; they have passed through the sea; they are come to the sea of Jazer; upon thy harvest, and upon thy vintage, the spoilers are fallen.'
And joy and gladness is taken from the plentiful field,.... Or, from CarmelF11מכרמל "de Carmelo", V. L. "de Charmel", Montanus; "ex Carmelo", Schmidt. ; not Mount Carmel in the land of Israel; for the prophecy is of Moab; though that reached to Sibmah; but here it signifies any fruitful place, like Carmel, where were good pasturage, corn, and fruit bearing trees, which produced great plenty of good things, and caused joy to the owners of them: but now all being destroyed by the enemy, joy and gladness would cease:
and from the land of Moab; from all parts of it, where there had used to be plenty, and so joy:
and I have caused wine to fail from the wine presses: there being no grapes to put into them, or men to tread them, were there any; or, if put in and trodden, not the owners, but the enemy, should have the wine; so that it should fail from the Moabites; they should be never the better for it. These are the words of the Lord, who has the disposal of the fruits of the earth:
none shall tread with shouting; as treaders in the wine press used to do, to encourage one another, and make their labour more easy, and the time to pass on in it more pleasantly; but now there should neither be treading nor shouting; see Isaiah 16:10;
their shouting shall be no shouting; not a shouting of joy, as used to be when they trod out the wine; but a cry of mourning and lamentation, because of the sword of the enemy.
From the cry of Heshbon even unto Elealeh,.... Two cities in the land of Moab; of which see Isaiah 15:4. Heshbon being destroyed, a cry was made by the inhabitants of it, which either reached from thence to Elealeh; or the destruction being carried on to that city, the cry was continued there:
and even unto Jahaz, have they uttered their voice; another city of Moab; see Isaiah 15:4; which also was laid waste, and where the Moabites uttered their voice of lamentation on account of it:
from Zoar even unto Horonaim, as an heifer of three years old: that is, as the destruction should go on to Zoar, and so to Horonaim; of which places see Isaiah 15:5; so the cry of the distressed, and of those that flee, should also go from place to place; and be as loud, and as strong, and heard as far, as the lowing of a heifer of three years old. NaturalistsF12Aristotel. Hist. Animal. l. 4. c. 11. Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 11. c. 51. observe, that the voice in all female creatures is smaller and shriller, excepting the ox; for the voices of the females of that creature is stronger than in the males; and also that the taming of these creatures is when they are three years old, that is the proper time; before it is too soon, and afterwards too lateF13Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 8. c. 45. ; and then it is their voice is fuller, and their strength firmer, to which the allusion here is; See Gill on Isaiah 15:5;
for the waters also of Nimrim shall be desolate; being disturbed by the Chaldean army, their horses treading them with their feet, and so fouling them; or being mixed with the blood of the slain, and so unfit to drink. A sad case this, to have neither wine nor water; See Gill on Isaiah 15:6; to which may be added, that Jerom also makes mention of a village in his time called Benamerium, to the north of Zoar; and seems rather the place intended.
Moreover I will cause to cease in Moab, saith the Lord, him that offereth in the high places,.... A burnt offering there; that is, the priest, who shall be taken and carried captive, Jeremiah 48:7; even everyone of them; so that there will not be one left to otter sacrifice:
and him that burneth incense to his gods: Chemosh, and others, the Moabites worshipped: this suggests that idolatry was one of the sins for which they were punished; and as all places and all sorts of persons should suffer in this calamity, so likewise idolatrous places, priests, and worshippers.
Therefore my heart shall sound for Moab like pipes,.... That are sounded on mournful occasions, as at funerals, and the like; see Matthew 9:23. This the prophet said, as Kimchi observes, in the person of the people, the inhabitants of Moab; whose hearts would yearn and sound for the calamities of their country like the doleful sound of minstrels. So the Targum,
"therefore the Moabites shall sound in their hearts like a harp:'
and my heart shall sound like pipes for the men of Kirheres; as for the country of Moab in general, so for this principal city, and the inhabitants of it, in particular; See Gill on Isaiah 16:11;
because the riches that he hath gotten is perished; either Moab or Kirheres; the abundance of goods they had got together were now lost, falling into the hands of the enemy; and which was matter of lamentation. The Targum is,
"for the rest of their substance they had got were spoiled.'
Some understand it of the residue of men that escaped the sword; these perished by famine, or other means; see Isaiah 15:7.
For every head shall be bald, and every beard clipped,.... Men, in times of mourning, used to pluck off the hairs of their head till they made them bald, and shaved their beards; which, as Kimchi says, were the glory of their faces; see Isaiah 15:2;
upon all the hands shall be cuttings: it was usual with the Heathens to make incisions in the several parts of their bodies, particularly in their hands and arms, with their nails, or with knives, in token of mourning; which are forbidden the Israelites, Deuteronomy 14:1;
and upon the loins sackcloth; this is a well known custom for mourners, to put off their clothes, and put on sackcloth; all these things are mentioned, to show how great was the mourning of Moab for the calamities of it.
There shall be lamentation generally,.... Or, "all of it is mourning"F14כלה מספד "totus luctus (est) vel omnia luctus (sunt)", Schmidt; "totus erit planctus", Junius & Tremellius; "per omnia erit planctus", Piscator. ; the whole country of Moab is in mourning; or all is full of mourning; all persons, places, and things, express nothing but mourning; go where you will, it is to be seen:
upon all the house tops of Moab, and in the streets thereof; the mourning, as it was general, it was public; it was seen by all, and everywhere; See Gill on Isaiah 15:3;
for I have broken Moab like a vessel wherein is no pleasure, saith the Lord; as an earthen vessel, which the potter does not like, and which is useless and unprofitable to any, and which he takes and dashes into pieces; into a thousand shivers, as the wordF15שברתי "totalis confractio praedicitur", Schmidt. here signifies, and can never be put together again; or as a filthy unclean vessel a man cannot bear in his sight: Moab is by the Lord called his wash pot, Psalm 60:8. The Moabites were vessels of wrath, fitted for destruction by their own this; and now the time of it was come.
They shall howl, saying, how is it broken down?.... Or, "how is it broken" or "thrown into consternationF16איך חתה "quomodo consternata est", Piscator, Schmidt. ? they howl"; that is, they howl out these words, or, while they are howling, say, how is Kirheres or Moab broken all to pieces; their strength, power, and glory; their cities, and their mighty men; and are in the utmost fright and confusion? Jarchi takes it to be an imperative, and paraphrases it,
"howl ye over herF17הילילו "ululate", Munster, Piscator; "ejulate", Junius & Tremellius. , and say, how is it broken!'
Kimchi says it may be taken either as in the past or in the imperative;
how hath Moab turned the back with shame? not being able to look their enemies in the face, but obliged to flee before them;
so shall Moab be a derision and a dismaying to all them about him; a derision to some, to their enemies, as Israel had been to them, and so they are paid in their own coin; and a consternation to others, their friends, who would fear sharing the same fate, at the hands of the Chaldeans.
For thus saith the Lord, behold, he shall fly as an eagle,.... The enemy, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, with his army; who is compared to an eagle for his strength, swiftness, and greediness after the prey:
and shall spread his wings over Moab; as an eagle spreads its wings, which are very large, over the little birds it seizes upon as its prey; so the king of Babylon would bring a numerous army against Moab, and spread it over his country. The Targum is,
"behold, as all eagle which flies, so a king shall come up with his army, and encamp against Moab.'
Kerioth is taken,.... The name of a city in Moab, as in Jeremiah 48:24; so Jarchi, and others; but Kimchi and Abarbinel observe, that it may be taken for an appellative, and be rendered "the cities"; everyone of the cities of Moab, which were as easily and quickly taken as one city; these may intend the cities in the plain, as the strong holds those in high places:
and the strong holds are surprised; everyone of them; so that there was not a city, or a fortified place, but what came into the enemies' hands:
and the mighty men's hearts in Moab at that day shall be as the heart of a woman in her pangs; even the hearts of the soldiers, and the most courageous generals, shall sink within them; and they be not only as timorous as women in common, but as low spirited as a woman when she finds her pains are coming upon her, and the time of her delivery is at hand.
And Moab shall be destroyed from being a people,.... For some time, not always; since the captivity of Moab is promised to be returned, Jeremiah 48:47; or from being such a people as they had been, enjoying so much ease, wealth, power, and prosperity. Abarbinel takes it to be a comparative, and renders it, "more than a people"; that is, shall be destroyed more than any other people; but the former sense is best;
because he hath magnified himself against the Lord; the Targum is, against the people of the Lord; this is the cause of his destruction; See Gill on Jeremiah 48:26.
Fear, and the pit, and the snare, shall be upon thee,.... A proverbial expression, showing, that if they escaped one danger, or sore judgment, they should fall into another and greater: the words seem to be taken from Isaiah 24:17; See Gill on Isaiah 24:17;
O inhabitant of Moab, saith the Lord; what in the prophecy of Isaiah is said of the inhabitants of the earth in general, is here applied to the inhabitants of Moab in particular.
He that fleeth from the fear,.... From terrible enemies he is afraid of, and dares not face them, but flees, in order to escape them:
shall fall into the pit; into some misfortune or another:
and he that getteth out of the pit shall be taken in the snare; laid by the enemy for him, and so shall fall into his hands. Sanctius very ingeniously observes that the allusion is to the hunting of deer, and such like creatures; when first a line of feathers of various colours is placed to frighten them; and if they get over that, then there is a pit dug for them, to catch them in; and if they get out of that, a snare is laid to take them; so that they rarely escape: and thus it would be with the Moabites, if they got rid of a first and second danger, a third would involve them; their destruction was certain, as follows; see Isaiah 24:18;
for I will bring upon it, even upon Moab, the year of their visitation, saith the Lord; in a way of wrath and punishment; for which there was a time fixed, and was now at hand, and would quickly take place, according to the will and word of the Lord, of which Moab might be assured; who is expressed by name, for the sake of explanation, and that it might be manifest who was intended.
They that fled stood under the shadow of Heshbon, because of the force,.... Heshbon was a strong city in the land of Moab, to which many of the Moabites betook themselves in this time of their calamity; thinking they should be sheltered, under the protection of it, from the fury of the Chaldean army; hither they fled, and here they stood, imagining they were safe, "because of the force"; because of the strength of the city of Heshbon, as Kimchi; or because of the force of their enemies, for fear of them, as Kimchi's father; or for want of strength, because they had no more strength to flee, and therefore stopped there, so Jarchi and Abarbinel: but the words should rather be rendered, "they that stood under the shadow of Heshbon"; thinking themselves safe, but now perceiving danger, "fled with strength"F18מכוח נסים "ex virbus (soil. suis) erunt fugientes", Schmidt. ; or as swiftly as they could, and with all the strength they had, that they might, if possible, escape from thence:
for a fireF19כי אש "quia ignis", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Cocceius, Schmidt. (for so it should be rendered, and not "but a fire")
shall come forth out of Heshbon, and a flame from the midst of Sihon; the same with Heshbon; so called from Sihon, an ancient king of it; the meaning is, that the Chaldeans should make themselves masters of Heshbon, this strong city, in which the Moabites trusted; and from thence should go out like a flame of fire, and spread themselves all over the country, and destroy it: what was formerly said of the Amorites, who took the land of Moab out of the hands of the king of it, and it became afterwards a proverbial expression, is here applied to the Chaldeans; see Numbers 21:26; so the Targum, by a flame of fire, understands warriors:
and shall devour the corner of Moab; the whole country, even to the borders of it. The Targum is,
"and shall slay the princes of Moab;'
so great men are sometimes called corners; see Zechariah 10:4;
and the crown of the head of the tumultuous ones; not of the common people that were tumultuous and riotous, but of the great ones, who swaggered and boasted, and made a noise about their strength and riches; but now should have their heads broke, and their pride and glory laid in the dust. So the Targum,
"and the nobles, the children of noise.'
Woe be unto thee, O Moab! the people of Chemosh perisheth,.... The inhabitants of Moab, who worshipped the idol Chemosh; of which see Jeremiah 48:7; and so called his people, as Israel were called the people of the Lord; now these, notwithstanding their idol, whom they worshipped, and in whom they trusted, should perish; and sad and deplorable would be their condition and circumstances:
for thy sons are taken captives, and thy daughters captives; this explains the woe that should come upon them, and in what sense they should perish; since their sons and daughters, who they hoped would have continued their name and nation, were taken, and would be carried captives into Babylon; see Numbers 21:29.
Yet will I bring again the captivity of Moab in the latter day, saith the Lord,.... Some think this is added, not so much for the sake of Moab as of the Jews, to assure them of their return from captivity, as had been promised them, since this would be the case even of Moab. It had a literal accomplishment under Cyrus, as is thought, when they were restored to their land; and certain it is they were a people in the times of Alexander, or King Jannaeus, who subdued them, as JosephusF20Antiqu. l. 13. c. 13. sect 5. relates: and it had a spiritual one in the times of the Messiah, in the conversion of some of these people, as very probably in the first times of the Gospel; so it will have in the latter day; see Isaiah 11:14. Kimchi interprets it of the days of the Messiah. For though that people are no more, yet there are a people which inhabit their country, who will, at least many of them, be converted, when the fulness of the Gentiles is brought in; and it is no unusual thing in Scripture for the present inhabitants of many countries to be called after those who formerly inhabited them, as the Turks are often called Assyrians;
thus far is the judgment of Moab; that is, either so long, unto the latter days, will the judgment of Moab continue. So the Targum,
"hitherto to execute vengeance of judgment on Moab;'
or rather, thus far is the prophecy concerning the destruction of Moab; this is the conclusion of it; here it ends, being a long one.