Bible Commentary (1871–1879 Edition) (continued)
Tht Judijment of Moab, JEREMIAH XLVIII. for their Contempt of God.
Rather, " Moab . . . and her cities are gone up," viz., pass awaj' in the ascending smoke of their conflagration (Joshua 8.20,21; Judges 20.40). When this took place, the young warriors would go dotvn from the burning citadels only to meet their own slaughter. [Gkotius.] English Version is somewhat favoured by the fact that "gone out" is «ui,7)(/((r, and cities plural. The antithesis favours Grotius. 16. near—to the prophet's eye, though probably twenty-three years elapsed between the utterance of the propliecy in the fourth year of Jehoiakim (2 Kings 24. 2) and its lulfilmeut in tlie fifth year of Nebuchadnezzar. 17. bemoan—not that Moab deserves pity, but this mode of expression pictures more vividly the grievousness of Moab's calamities, all ye that know his name—those at a greater distance whom the fame of Moab's "name" had reached, as distinguislied from those "about him,'" i. e., near, strong gtatf . . . rod—Moab is so called as striking terror into and oppressing other peoples (Isaiah 9.4; 14.4,5); also because of its dignity and power (Psalm 110.2; Zechariah 11.7). IS. (Isaiah
Fulfilled liy Nobnehadnezzar five years after the destruction of Jerusalem, when also he attacked Egypt (ch. 43. R-To) and Amrann (cli. -19.1-6). [Josephus, Antiquities, 10.
9, 7.] Jeiemiah in this prophecy uses that of Isaiah 15. 16, amplifying and adapting it to his purpose under inspiration, at the same time confirming its Divine authority. Isaiah, liowever, in his prophecy refers to the devastation of Moab by the Assyrian king. Shalmnneser ; Jeremiah refers to that by Nebuchadnezzar. 1. Nebo—A monntaia and town of Moab; its meaning is "that which fructifies." Kiriatliaim—A city of Moab, consisting of two cities, as the word means; originally held by the Emim (Genesis li. 5). NIsfjali—meaning elevation. It lay on an elevation. 3. no more prnisc—(Isaiah 16. 1-1.) In Heslibon—The foe having tjiken Hoshbon, the chief city of Moab {v. 4-5), in it devise evil against Moab (" it") saj'ing. Come, Ac. Heshbon was midway between the rivers Arnon and Jabbolc; it was the residence of Sihon, king of the Amorites, and afterwards a Levitical city in Gad (Numbers 21. 26). There is a play of words in the Hebrew, "Heshbon, Hashbu." Heshhon means a place of devising or counsel. The city, heretofore called Hie seat of counsel, shall find other cmin-
47.1.) dost inhabit—now so securely settleil as if in a lasting habitation, thirst— Dibon, being situated on the Arnon, abounded in water (Isaiah 15. 9). In sad contrast witli this, and with her "glory" in general, she shall be reduced not only to shame, but to the want of the commonest necessaries (" thirst") in the arid wilderness (v. 6). 19. Aroer-on the north bank of tlie Arnon, a city of Ammon (Deuteronomy 2. 36; 3.12). As it was on "the way" of the Moabites who fled into the desert, its inhabitants "ask" what is the occasion of Moab's flight, and so learn the lot that awaits themselves (cf. 1 Samuel 4.13, 16). 30. Answer of the flying Moabites to the Ammonite inquirers (v. 19; Isaiah Iti. 2). He enumerates the Moabito cities at length, as it -seemed so incredible that all should be so utterly ruined. Many of them were assigned to the Levites, whilst Israel stood, lu Arnon—the north boundary between Moab and Ammon (i'. 19;- Numbers 21. 13). 31. plain—((\ H.) Not only the mountainous regions, but also the plain, shall be wasted. Holon—(Cf. Joshua 15. 51.) Jeihazah — (Numbers 21. 'i3; Isaiah 15.4.) Mephaath— (Joshua 13. 18 ; 21. 37.) Zi. Beth-diblathalni—^/le house of Diblathaim: " Almon-diblathaim" (Numbers 33. 46>; "Diblath" (Ezekiel 6. 13). Not far from Mount Nebo (Numbers 33.46,47). 33. Beth-gamul— meaning the city of camels. Bcth-nieon the house ofhabitation. i?e//i-6aaZ-»)»eou (Joshua scllors, viz., those who devise its destruction, tliou shalt be cut down . . . Madmen—Rather, by a play of words on the meaning of madmen (i-ilence), Thoii shalt be brought to silence, so as well to deserve thy name (Isaiah 15. 1). Thou shalt not dare to utter a sound. 3. Horonalm the same as the city Avara, mentioned by Ptolemy. The word mcam the double eaves (Nehemiah 2.10; Isaiah 15.5). 4. little ones .'. . cry—heightening the distress of the scene. The foe do not spare even infants. 5. joing np of LiwUlth . . . going down of Horonalm—Horonaim lay in a plain, Luhith on a height. To the latter, therefore, the Moabitcs would flee with "continual weeping," as a place of safety from the Chaldeans. Lit., Weeping shall go iip upon u-eeping. 6. They exhort one another to flee, heath—or the juniper (see Note, ch. 17. 6). Matjreb translates, "Be like one naked in the wilderness." But the sense is. Live in the wilderness like the heath, or juniper do not "trust in" walls (v. 7). [Grotius.] (Cf. Matthew 21.
16-lS.) 7. thy works— viz., fortifications built by thy work. Moab was famous for its fortresses (v. 18). The antithesis is to v. 6, "Be ... in the wilderness," where there are no fortified cities, thou . . . also—like the rest of the surroun<ling peoples, Judah, Ac. Chemosh—the tutelary god of Moab (Numbers 21.29; Judges 11.21; 1 Kings 11.7; 2 Kings 2."!. 13i. When a people was vanquished, their gods also were taken away by the victors
13. 17). Now its ruins are called Miun. 34. Kerloth (Joshua 15. 25; Amos 2. 2). Bozrah—See Note, Isaiah 34. 6. Atone time under the dominion of Edom, though belonging originally to Moab (Genesis 36. 33; Isaiah 6.3. 1). Others think the Bozrah in Edom distinct from that of Moab. " Bezer" (Joshua 21. 36). 35. horn—the einbleni of strength and sovereignty : it is the horned animal's means of offence and defence (Psalm 75.5, 10; Lamentations 2.3), 30. drttnkrn {Note, ch. 13. 12; "25. 17.) Intoxicated with
(ch. 4.3. 12). 8. the valley . . . shall perish i. e., those dwelling in the valley. 9. Give wings, &c.—(Psalm 55. 6.) T'nless it get wings, it caunot escape the foe. "Wings," the Hebrew root meaning in a flotrer (Job 14. 2), so the flower-like plumage of a bird. 10. work of . . . Lord the divinely-appointed utter dev.astation of Moab. To represent how entirely this is God's will, a curse is pronounced on the Chaldeans, the instrument, if the.v do it tlie cup of Divine wrath, so as to be in lielpless distraction, niagnllled . . . against . . . Lord—boasted arrogantly against ad's people, that whereas Israel was fallen, Moab remained nourishing, wallow in . . . vomit—Following up the image of a drunken man, t. p., shall be so afflicted by God's wrath as to t/(.s,i70)f/e all his past pride, riches, and vain-glory, and fall in his shameful abasement, he also . . . derision—he in his disaster shall bo an object of derision to us, us we in ours have been to him negligenll;/ {Mar<rin) or by halves (Judges 5.23); cf. Saul's sin as to ,\malekd(l Samuel 15. 3, 9), and Ahab's as to Syria
(1 Kings 20.421. 11. settled on . . . lees—(A'o;(', Isaiah 25.
6; Zephanlah 1. 12). As wine left, to .settle on its own leea retains Its flavour and strength, which it would lose by being poiu'cd from one vessel into another, so Moab, owing to Its never having been dislodged from its settlements, retains its pride of strength nniinpalred. emptied from vessel, Ac.—to make it fit for use, it used to be filtered from vessel to vessel, scent^—retaining the linage.
(('. 27). Uetribtit icm in kind. 37. (/ephaniali 2. 8.) a «l«rrislon—The Hebrew has the article: referring to v. 26, "Was not Israel (the ii'Aoie nation) </ic object of derision to thee'?" Therefore as formerly for its exultation over the calamity (2 Kings 17. 6) of the ten tribes under the Assyrian Khalmaneser (J.saiah 15. 16), so now for its e.xultiition over the fall of Judah, under the ("haldean Nebuchadnezzar, Moab is to suffer. God takes up His people's cause as His own (Obadiali 18-13). was ho . . , among thieve* —(Ch. '2. 26.) Proverbial. What did Israel do to deserve such derision ? UVi.v he detected in theft, that thou didst so ea»/M)ver him in speaking of himf Tliough guilty beforo (rod, Israel wi\s guiltless towards thee, since-.vincc ever thou didst begin spealiing of lilin. skippedst for Joy—at
Tlie bounuet or perfume of the wine. Vi. wanderers Rather, pourers out, retaining the imago of v. 11, i. e., the Chaldeans who shall remove Moab from his settlements, lis men pour wine from off the lees into other vessels. " His vessels" are the cities of Moab ; the broken "bottles" the men slain. [Gkotiu.s.] The //eftrejw and the kindred Arabic wm-iX mennf*, to turn on one side, so as to emjity a vessel. fMAlTRF.n.l 1.3. ashamed — have the shame of (I'sappointnient as to the |m)|>i's they entertained of aid from Chemosh, their idol. He«l»-el—(l Kings 12.27,2!))— i.e., the golden calf set up tliere l)y Jeroboam, l.l. gone up . . . gone flown— in anlltheslH. «ut of her cities— 552 iBruel'tt ca UuuUy [CAiiViNj; or, "thou Uldst s/iakt tky