14 "How can you say, 'We are mighty And strong men for the war'? 15 Moab is plundered and gone up from her cities; Her chosen young men have gone down to the slaughter," says the King, Whose name is the Lord of hosts. 16 "The calamity of Moab is near at hand, And his affliction comes quickly. 17 Bemoan him, all you who are around him; And all you who know his name, Say, 'How the strong staff is broken, The beautiful rod!' 18 "O daughter inhabiting Dibon, Come down from your glory, And sit in thirst; For the plunderer of Moab has come against you, He has destroyed your strongholds. 19 O inhabitant of Aroer, Stand by the way and watch; Ask him who flees And her who escapes; Say, 'What has happened?' 20 Moab is shamed, for he is broken down. Wail and cry! Tell it in Arnon, that Moab is plundered. 21 "And judgment has come on the plain country: On Holon and Jahzah and Mephaath, 22 On Dibon and Nebo and Beth Diblathaim, 23 On Kirjathaim and Beth Gamul and Beth Meon, 24 On Kerioth and Bozrah, 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 the Lord. 26 "Make him drunk, Because he exalted himself against the Lord. Moab shall wallow in his vomit, And he shall also be in derision. 27 For was not Israel a derision to you? Was he found among thieves? For whenever you speak of him, You shake your head in scorn. 28 You who dwell in Moab, Leave the cities and dwell in the rock, And be like the dove which makes her nest In the sides of the cave's mouth. 29 "We have heard the pride of Moab (He is exceedingly proud), Of his loftiness and arrogance and pride, And of the haughtiness of his heart." 30 "I know his wrath," says the Lord, "But it is not right; His lies have made nothing right. 31 Therefore I will wail for Moab, And I will cry out for all Moab; I will mourn for the men of Kir Heres. 32 O vine of Sibmah! I will weep for you with the weeping of Jazer. Your plants have gone over the sea, They reach to the sea of Jazer. The plunderer has fallen on your summer fruit and your vintage. 33 Joy and gladness are taken From the plentiful field And from the land of Moab; I have caused wine to fail from the winepresses; No one will tread with joyous shouting-- Not joyous shouting! 34 "From the cry of Heshbon to Elealeh and to Jahaz They have uttered their voice, From Zoar to Horonaim, Like a three-year-old heifer; For the waters of Nimrim also shall be desolate. 35 "Moreover," says the Lord, "I will cause to cease in Moab The one who offers sacrifices in the high places And burns incense to his gods. 36 Therefore My heart shall wail like flutes for Moab, And like flutes My heart shall wail For the men of Kir Heres. Therefore the riches they have acquired have perished. 37 "For every head shall be bald, and every beard clipped; On all the hands shall be cuts, and on the loins sackcloth-- 38 A general lamentation On all the housetops of Moab, And in its streets; For I have broken Moab like a vessel in which is no pleasure," says the Lord. 39 "They shall wail: 'How she is broken down! How Moab has turned her back with shame!' So Moab shall be a derision And a dismay to all those about her." 40 For thus says the Lord: "Behold, one shall fly like an eagle, And spread his wings over Moab. 41 Kerioth is taken, And the strongholds are surprised; The mighty men's hearts in Moab on that day shall be Like the heart of a woman in birth pangs. 42 And Moab shall be destroyed as a people, Because he exalted himself against the Lord. 43 Fear and the pit and the snare shall be upon you, O inhabitant of Moab," says the Lord. 44 "He who flees from the fear shall fall into the pit, And he who gets out of the pit shall be caught in the snare. For upon Moab, upon it I will bring The year of their punishment," says the Lord. 45 "Those who fled stood under the shadow of Heshbon Because of exhaustion. But a fire shall come out of Heshbon, A flame from the midst of Sihon, And shall devour the brow of Moab, The crown of the head of the sons of tumult. 46 Woe to you, O Moab! The people of Chemosh perish; For your sons have been taken captive, And your daughters captive. 47 "Yet I will bring back the captives of Moab In the latter days," says the Lord. Thus far is the judgment of Moab.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Jeremiah 48:14-47
Commentary on Jeremiah 48:14-47
(Read Jeremiah 48:14-47)
The destruction of Moab is further prophesied, to awaken them by national repentance and reformation to prevent the trouble, or by a personal repentance and reformation to prepare for it. In reading this long roll of threatenings, and mediating on the terror, it will be of more use to us to keep in view the power of God's anger and the terror of his judgments, and to have our hearts possessed with a holy awe of God and of his wrath, than to search into all the figures and expressions here used. Yet it is not perpetual destruction. The chapter ends with a promise of their return out of captivity in the latter days. Even with Moabites God will not contend for ever, nor be always wroth. The Jews refer it to the days of the Messiah; then the captives of the Gentiles, under the yoke of sin and Satan, shall be brought back by Divine grace, which shall make them free indeed.