Matthew Poole and continuators on Jeremiah 48

1 Against Moab, thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Wo unto Nebo , for it is spoiled: Kiriathaim is confounded, and taken, Misgab is confounded and dismayed.

Moab was a large Countrey and had many Cities, we shall have diverse of them named in this Chapter, the first that we read of it in Holy Writ is, N[illegible: 1 letter]mb. 32.3, 38. Reuben built both that and Kiriathaim as may be read there, ver. 38, 39. it was also the name of a mountain Deut. 34.1. it should seem that in Ieremiahs time, the Moabites had got both the possession of Nebo, and Kiriathaim and Misgab of which we read no more in Scripture▪ it seems to be a City built upon some Hill or High place, the Prophet threatneth ruine to all these three Cities.

Marginal references: Isa. 15. and 16. ch 25.21. and 27.3 Ezek. 25.9. Amos 2.1.; Or, the high place.

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 c; Also thou shalt be cut down, O Madmen, the sword shall pursue thee .

Heshbon was formerly the City of Sihon, Numb. 21.26. it became afterward one of the principal Cities of the Moabites, as appeareth from Isa. 15.4. which maketh the learned Author of our English Annotations think our Translation not so good, for why should they devise evil in Heshbon against Moab, unless the Enemies sate there in Counsel, when they had taken it, against the other parts of the Country? but possibly the sense is, they shall no more in Heshbon magnifie Moab, or Moab shall no more glory of Heshbon for the Enemies had contrived the ruine of it.

Mad-men was another City in the Country of Moab. Some think the same with Ptolomies Madiama. To that City also the Prophet threatneth ruine, and destruction by the Sword.

Marginal references: Or, be brought to silence.; Heb. go after thee.

3 A voice of crying shall be from Horonaim , spoiling and great destruction.

Another City of Moab, mentioned onely in this place, and in Isa. 15.5. Some think it the same with Horon, where Sanballat was born, Neb. 2.10. and 13.28. The Prophet threatens also ruine and destruction to this City.

4 Moab is destroyed, her little ones have caused a cry to be heard .

Moab was both the name of the whole Country, and of a principal City in it. Some by it here understand the City; by her little ones, some understand little children; others, inferior Magistrates, or the common people.

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 .

Of Luhith we read only in this place, and Isa. 15.5. It was a City of Moab and scituated upon an Hill, as appears both here and where it is mentioned in Isaiah, some think that to this City the Moabites fled for Sanctuary from the Chaldeans, and flying made so great an outcry that their Enemies who pursued them heard their cry.

Marginal references: Heb. weeping with weeping.

6 Flee, save your lives, and be like the heath in the wilderness .

It is of no great moment whether we understand these as the words of the Moabites calling one to another to flee, and save their lives, though they lost all they had, and left themselves as bare as a naked tree, or as the words of the Prophet, speaking to the Moabites to the same sense.

Marginal references: Or, a naked tree.; chap. 17.6.

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 .

Whether by workes in this place be meant their riches got by the labour of their hands; or their Idols which often are called by way of Defamation, the works of their own hands, or their fortifications is not much considerable, a confidence in Creatures opposed to a confidence in God is doubtless the sin here intended, what ever the ground of it was, whether their Idols, or Riches or fortified places.

Chemosh was their principal Idol as appears by Num. 21.29. Iud. 11.24. 1 King. 11.7.33. 2 King. 23.13. God sheweth them the vanity of this Idolatry, by telling them, that this Idol should go into Captivity, and be so far from being able to protect them, that he should not be able to protect himself or his own Priests, or the Princes that favoured him.

Marginal references: chap. 49.3.

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 .

That is all the parts of the Country of Moab, and all the Cities as well those that stood upon Hills, and mountainous places, as those that stood in Valleys, because or for the Lord had said it, (for so the particle we translate as is better translated.)

9 Give wings unto Moab, that it may flee, and get away : for the cities thereof shall be desolate, without any to dwell therein .

That is, the Moabites had need of wings like a Bird to escape that ruine which is coming upon them.

Yea, if they had wings they should not escape, for the Lord is resolved that the Cities of Moab shall be all brought to desolation, so as no inhabitants shall be left in them.

10 Cursed be he that doth the work of the LORD deceitfully , and cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood .

These words seem like the words of the Prophet to the Chaldeans, inciting them to go on valiantly against the Moabites, calling it the work of the Lord, which he would have done, and to which he had called them.

There is a time to withhold our hands from shedding blood, and that is alwayes when we have not a special Authority, and call from God to it; and there is a time when God will curse those that do so withhold their hands, that time is, when God doth require the shedding of it.

Marginal references: See Judg. 5.23.; Or▪ n[illegible: 1 letter]gligently.

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 sent is not changed .

The Moabites ever since they began to be a people, have been a quiet people, not exercised with Wars, and Enemies making inroads upon them.

Like to a cask of Wine, that hath not been Rack'd, but hath continued in the same state.

He follows the metaphor of Wine which is drawn out from Vessel to Vessel, when it is drawn off the Lees, it is expounded by the next words neither hath he gone into Captivity.

And this is the reason why they retain their old sins, Pride, Presumption, Luxury, and old wickednesses, as Wine while it remaineth in the Lees retains more its nature, strength, and colour, then when it is once rackt.

Marginal references: Zeph. 1.12.; Heb. stood.

12 Therefore behold, the dayes come, saith the LORD, that I will send unto him wanderers, that shall cause him to wander , and shall empty his vessels, and break his bottles .

By the wanderers here mentioned, the Chaldeans are most certainly understood, who wandered from their own country to conquer other people, the word is variously translated, Vagrants, Travellers, Removers, &c. who shall conquer the Moabites, and carry them into captivity.

He had before compared the Moabites, to Wine settled upon the Lees, here he saith, that God would send those that should not only disturb and ro[illegible: 1 letter]l them, but ruine and destroy them.

13 And Moab shall be ashamed of Chemosh , as the house of Israel was ashamed of Bethel their confidence .

It is a natural, or a penal shame which is here spoken of, we are naturally ashamed when we have reposed a great confidence in, and made great boasts of a thing, which when it comes to be tried, proveth of no use, but mischievous to us. Chemosh was their great Idol, in which the Moabites had great confidence, and of which they boasted, the Prophet tells them they should be ashamed of this Idol, or for this Idol;

as the Israelites, that is the Ten Tribes were ashamed of, or for the golden Calves, which Ieroboam set up at Dan and Bethel, which were the cause of ruine to those Tribes. Confidences in any thing but in God alone in a time of danger will bring both natural and penal shame.

Marginal references: 1 Kin. 12.29.

14 ¶ How say ye, We are mighty and strong men for the war .

How can ye justifie what you say, or why say you so, or to what purpose do you brag of your valour.

Marginal references: Isa. 16.6.

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 .

Your Country will be wasted, and spoiled.

The Inhabitants of it shall be all driven out of their Cities. The Heb. is and her cities, it or he is gone up. So the sense may be Moab and her Cities are all spoiled, and he (that is) the Enemy is gone up.

And the strong, and mighty men she boasted of, and gloried in, are gone to the Battel, as oxen or sheep to a slaughter-house.

I do not speak this of my self, I cannot of my self tell things that shall come to pass hereafter, but the words I say are the words of him who is the Lord of all the Armies of Heaven and Earth, who both knoweth what shall be, and is able to effect what he saith.

Marginal references: Heb. the [illegible: 1 letter]swor[illegible: 1 letter] of.

16 The calamity of Moab is near to come, and his affliction hasteth fast .

Iosephus tells us this destruction came upon the Moabites five years after the siege of Ierusalem, but if it were longer we must consider that he who speaketh is that God to whom a thousand years is but as one day.

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 .

The Prophet having spoken of Moabs calamity, as already come upon her, or at least very near, calls to her Friends to come and condole with her, as is usually done in case of some calamity befallen to a friend.

All ye that know how terrible Moab hath been to others and how famous for mighty and strong men. Say, how is this potent Nation, and this People that hath been such a Rod against others, or hath ruled over so many others, broken; for both a Staff and a rod are as well Ensigns of Power and Government, as instruments to punish offenders.

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.

Of this Dibon we read, Num. 21.30. It was a land for cattle, Num. 32.3. both Dibon and Aroer, and Ataroh were built by the children of Gad to whose lot it fell, ver. 34. as also to the Reubenites in part, Iosh. 13.17. It should seem that the Moabites were now come into the possession of it, either by conquest, or upon the Assyrians taking the Ten Tribes.

It was a place well watered (otherwise it had not been fit for Cattel) God threatneth that she should be in thirst, that is driven into some dry, barren Countries.

For the King of Babylon whom God had appointed to spoil all Moab, shall destroy thee also, and thy strong holds shall not secure thee.

19 O inhabitant of Aroer , stand by the way and espy, ask him that fleeth, and her that escapeth, and say, What is done ?

Aroer was a City in the Lot of Gad and Reuben, Num. 32.34. In Davids time it was in the hand of the Iews, 1 Sam. 30.23. but in Isaiahs time, it belonged to Syria, Isa. 17.2. and here it is reckoned to the Moabites.

The Inhabitants of it, are call'd to stand by the way, and seeing the Moabites flying, to ask what News? Others think that Aroer was at this time a City of the Ammonites; and here called unto to see their Neighbours the Moabites fleeing before their Enemies.

Marginal references: Heb. inhabitress.

20 Moab is confounded, for it is broken down: howl and cry, tell ye it in Arnon, that Moab is spoiled .

Arnon was the name of a River, Num. 21.14 Deut. 2.36. Ios. 12.1. It was the border of Moab whither Balak went to meet Balaam, Num. 22.36. probably the adjacent Country or City might take its name from the River.

Marginal references: Isa. 16.7.

24 And upon Kerioth, and upon Bozrah, and upon all the cities of the land of Moab, far or near .

God threatneth Vengeance to come upon all Moab, which had great plains, Num. 31.12. and 33.48. For the names of these Cities, and those mentioned ver. 22, 23, 24. Some of them we read of in other places of Holy Writ. Others we read not of neither is it material for us to know their situation, they are not at this day to be known by their old names, they are all here mentioned as Cities at this time belonging to the Moabites, to whom this Vengeance is threatned, and not to them onely, but to all other Cities of the Land of Moab wherever situate.

25 The horn of Moab is cut off, and his arm is broken, saith the LORD .

That is the beauty and the strength of Moab. So these two termes often signifie in Holy Writ, the horn being much the Beauty of some Beasts, and that part of their Bodies by which they both do injury to others, and defend themselves from the assaults of others. God here declares, that Moab should both lose its glory and beauty, and also all the power it formerly had to defend it self, or offend others.

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 .

Either make ye her to stagger like a drunken man (the cause being put for the effect) or fill her with the intoxicating Wine Cup of Gods vengeance, with the effects of Gods wrath.

Because of her Pride, and exalting her self against the Lord, as if she had been stronger than he and so out of the reach of Gods power.

As drunken men vomit, and stagger, and fall, and wallow in their vomit, so let the Moabites fall by the sword, wallow in their blood, and like drunken men be mockt at, and had in derision by all those who see what their Vaunts come to, and what Vengeance they have pulled upon themselves.

Marginal references: chap. 25.27.

27 For was not Israel a derision to thee ? was he found among thieves ? for since thou spakest of him, thou skippedst for joy .

It is an ill thing to mock at the miseries of others especially such as we have some relation to, the Moabites were descended from Lot who was nearly related to Abraham the father of the Iews, and ought not to have mocked at them, but to have pitied their neighbours and kindred, they either mocked at the ten Tribes when they were carried into Captivity by Salmanasar or at Iudah captivated by the King of Babylon. God threatneth the Ammonites, Ezek. 25.6. and the Edomites by Obadiah for the same misdemeanour.

Why didst thou deal by Israel as men deal by thieves, when they are brought to shame? ought not he to have been by thee accounted in a better rank then that of thieves?

Instead of compassionating the Iews in their Calamity, thou never spakest of them but with joy and triumph. Others make a quite other sense, viz. For those words against him, thou thy self shalt wander. But the learned Author of the English Annotations ▪ observes well, that the word in the form here used will not so well bear it, though the Verb doth in its primary sense signifie to wander.

Marginal references: Zeph. 2.8.; Or, thou mov [illegible: 2 letters]st thy self.

28 O ye that dwell in Moab, leave the cities, and dwell in the rock , and be like the dove that maketh her nests in the sides of the holes mouth .

Still the Prophet speaks of the Moabites, as a people whose Armies were routed and calls to them to leave their houses in Cities, not promising themselves any security, either to or from their houses, or from the Walls of their Cities, but to get them to Rocks, which are naturally fortified and from whence (if from any place) security might be promised.

And he commends to them the natural sagacity of a Dove, which being a feeble Creature, and not able to incounter an Hawk or Eagle, makes her self a nest in the sides of some rock where she may be at safety.

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 .

There is a passage, Isa. 16.6. &c. concerning Moab, very little differing from this, Isaiah lived some years before this Prophet who yet complaineth of them for the same sins, so as they were not at all reformed. God saith he had heard of their Pride and Arrogancy; a Vice which commonly attendeth ease and prosperity, and is exceeding odious in the sight of God, so as a wicked man is often in Scripture set out under the notion of a proud man.

30 I know his wrath, saith the LORD , but it shall not be so , his lies shall not so effect it .

I know his Rage, either against Israel ▪ or other people,

but he shall never execute it, or bring to pass what he thinks to do.

There is no trusting to what he saith, his boastings and his confidence are but lies, and shall never effect his designs.

Marginal references: Or, t[illegible: 1 letter]ose on whom he sta[illegible: 1 letter]s. (Heb. his bars) do not right.

31 Therefore will I howl for Moab, and I will cry out for all Moab, mine heart shall mourn for the men of Kir-herez .

Though wicked men rejoyce, and Triumph in the ruine of good men, yet their Charity suffereth them not to do the like, but ingageth them to mourn for them in the day of their Affliction. Ieremy declareth his compassion toward these Moabites, tho' they derided the Iews when they were carried into Captivity. Nay he mourns upon the prospect of their Misery at some distance when the sight of the Iews present Calamity would not affect the Moabites with any compassion at all, we find the like compassion in another Prophet Isaiah, chap. 16.11. ver. 7. there it is called Kir-haraseth, which was a City of Moab as we read, 2 King 3.25.

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 faln upon thy summer fruits, and upon thy vintage.

We read of this Vine of Sibmah also Isa. 16.8, 9. both Si[illegible: 1 letter] mah, and Iahaza were places in the portion of Reuben, Ios. 13.18, 19. Sibmah was doubtless a place famous in those dayes for Vines, and Vineyards.

This Iahaza or Iazer was as it should seem first taken, and carried into captivity, which caused a great Lamentation. The Prophet foretells such a weeping for Sibmah, as was for Iazer.

By plants he means the Inhabitants of Sibmah, which he prophesieth should be carried into captivity over the dead Sea.

As an Aggravation of the Judgment that should come upon them, God by his Prophets tell them that the spoiler should come upon them in their Vintage and harvest time.

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 .

The time of Harvest and Vintage being times when the Husbandmen were wont to reap the fruit of all their labours the preceding year, were times of great joy ordinarily, but the Prophet foretells them of a year when there should be no such rejoycing, for they should have no wine from the Winepresses, there should be no shouting as used to be in the time of Harvest and of Vintage.

Marginal references: Isa. 16.10▪

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 c: for the waters also of Nimrim shall be desolate .

Heshbon, and Eleal[illegible: 1 letter]h, and Iahaz, and Zoar, and Horonaim; were all Cities of Moab who are here all threatned with ruine; with the Country about Nimrim, which Nimrim is mentioned no where in Scripture, but here, and in Isa. 15.6. nor are interpreters well agreed, whether in this place it be the name of a River, or a Lake, or a City. The sense is, the whole country of Moab shall be destroyed, the Cry shall reach from one part of the country to another, either the cry of the inhabitants, or of their Enemies pursuing them with a great noise.

Marginal references: Isa. 15.4, 5, 6.; Heb. desolations.

35 Moreover, I will cause to cease in Moab, saith the LORD, him that offereth in the [illegible: 1 page] [illegible: 1 page] high places, and him that burneth incense to his gods .

That is every one or some of all orders, (for [illegible: 1 letter]he Moabites generally were Idolaters) though the expressing it under this notion may hint to us also one great cause of this Judgments coming upon them, viz. their Idolatry.

Marginal references: Isa. 15.2 [illegible: 1 word] 16.18.

36 Therefore mine heart shall sound for Moab like pipes, and mine heart shall sound like pipes for the men of Kir-heres: because the riches that he hath gotten are perished .

The Prophet means such Pipes as they were wont to use at Funerals, and other sad occasions to play doleful Lessons upon. See Isa. 15.5. because of the great change in the state of this poor people, which had got together a great deal of wealth which is all perished.

Marginal references: Isa. 16.11.; Isa. 15.7.

37 For every head shall be bald, and every beard clipt: upon all the hands shall be cuttings, and upon the loyns sackcloth .

These Phrases are expounded in the beginning of the following verse, There shall be Lamentations generally upon all the house-tops of Moab. Shaving of the hair, and clipping the beards, and cutting themselves were Rites and Ceremonies of Mourning used by these Heathens.

Marginal references: Isa. 15.2, 3. chap. 47.5.; Heb. diminished.

38 There shall be lamentation generally upon all the house-tops of Moab, and in the streets thereof: for I have broken Moab like a vessel, wherein is no pleasure, saith the LORD .

We met with the same phrase applied to Coniah, chap. 22.27. The meaning is, I have broken Moab all in pieces, as people use to do vessels they care not for, they never go about to mend such a vessel, but dash it in pieces against some stones or walls.

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 .

Those that formerly lived in Moab when it was in its glory shall lament to see how the case is altered with it, that all its glory is broken down, and they that were wont to conquer their Enemies, turn their backs with shame upon their Enemies.

And Moab that was wont to be the praise and admiration of all people, was become an astonishment, and an object of derision and scoffing to them.

Marginal references: Heb. neck.

40 For thus saith the LORD, Behold, he shall fly as an eagle, and shall spread his wings over Moab .

Nebuchadnezzar shall come upon Moab swiftly, and as an Eagle covereth the prey which he hath taken with his wings, so Nebuchadnezzar, shall spread himself over Moab.

Nebuchadnezzar shall come upon Moab swiftly, and as an Eagle covereth the prey which he hath taken with his wings, so Nebuchadnezzar, shall spread himself over Moab.

Marginal references: Deut. 28.49. chap. 49.22. Dan. 7.4. Hos. 8.1. Hab. 1.8.

41 Kerioth is taken, and the strong holds are surprised , and the mighty mens hearts in Moab at that day shall be as the heart of a woman in her pangs .

Whether Kerioth here be the proper name of a City, as it is ver. 24. Or an appellative Noun signifying Cities, is doubtful. The latter seems best to agree to this place, The Cities and the strong holds are all taken, and

though Moab hath in it many mighty and valiant men, yet their hearts will be full of fear, or ready to fail them, like a womans who is in her travail and hath great, and sore pains.

Marginal references: Or, the cities.; chap. 49.22.

42 And Moab shall be destroyed from being a people , because he hath magnified himself against the LORD .

That is for a time; see ver. 47. Or being such a people as it hath been, so full of splendor and glory.

The reason given is the same with that ver. 26.

43 Fear, and the pit, and the snare , shall be upon thee, O inhabitant of Moab, saith the LORD.

These three words Fear, Pit, Snare, signifie no more than a variety of dangers that should be on all sides of them, so as if any escaped one danger, he should presently meet with another, for this was the time when the Lord was resolved to punish all the inhabitants of the land of Moab.

Marginal references: Isa. 24.17, 18.

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 .

Heshbon was a great City, and as it should seem, a place of some force, the War being in the Country, they made Heshbon the place of their Sanctuary.

But the Prophet applying to the Chaldeans what was said in Moses his time. Num. 21.28. prophesieth, That Heshbon also should be destroyed and the fire should devour the crown of the head, that is the glory of the brave revelling Gallants, called in the Heb. the children of Noise.

Marginal references: Heb. childr[illegible: 2 letters] of noise.

46 Wo be unto thee, O Moab, the people of Chemosh perisheth, for thy sons are taken captives; and thy daughters captives .

The Prophet closing the threatning part of his Prophesie against Moab, repeateth the same thing, which he had often said, that the Moabites should be carried into Captivity by the King of Babylon, and denounceth a wo unto them upon that account.

Marginal references: Num. 21.[illegible: 2 letters].; Heb. in ca[illegible: 3 letters] vity.

47 ¶ Yet will I bring again the captivity of Moab in the latter dayes, saith the LORD . Thus far is the judgment of Moab x.

Some think this Prophesie was fulfilled upon the return of the Iews out of Babylon, when the Iews inhabited the land of Moab, Zeph. 2.9. but this doth not seem to be the bringing again the Captivity of Moab, but of Iudah, besides in that place it is said that Moab should be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, even the breeding of Nettles and Salt-pits, and a perpetual desolation. It is therefore rather to be understood of a spiritual reduction of them, by calling some of them under the Kingdom of the Messiah as the Iewish Doctors themselves interpret it. Some think this a promise rather respecting the Iews than the Moabites, it is said ver. 2.9. That the remnant of the Lords People should possess Moab, and ver. 11. that all the Isles of the heathen should worship God.

These last words are doubtless to be interpreted rather as a conclusion of this Prophecy against Moab, then (as some would have it) as a limitation of the time how long this Judgment on Moab should indure, as if thus far, were as much as thus long.