Westminster Annotations, Jeremiah · Chapter 48
CHAP. XLVIII.
Vers. 1. AGainst Moab] Isa. 15. & 16. Ezek. 25. 9. Amos 2. 1.
Wo unto Nebo] A citie of Moab. Isa. 15. 2.
Kiriathaim] Another, sometime belonging to the Reubenites, Josh. 13. 19.
Misgab] Or, the high-place. Or, the citie of the high-place. as vers. 8. Otherwise called Bamoth, Num. 21. 20. and Sela, Isa. 16. 1.
V. 2. There shall be no more praise of Moab, &c.] Or, There shall be no more vaunting of Moab in Heshbon. Or, Moab shall vaunt no more of Heshbon. Or, as for Heshbon, they have devised evil against it. An allusion to the name of Heshbon in the originall: like some other, Isa. 15. 9. Mic. 1. 10. See Isa. 15. 4.
come, &c.] The words of the Chaldeans encouraging one another: as Chap. 6, 4, 5.
let us cut it off from being a nation] Psal. 83. 4. Vers. 42.
thou shalt be cut down] Or, be brought to silence. Psal. 31. 17, 18.
O Madmen] Isa. 25. 10.
the sword shall pursue thee] Heb. go after thee. Chap. 42. 16. and 49. 37.
V. 3. from Horonaim] A citie of Moab; whence Sanballat was, or whereof he was sometime governour, Nehem. 2. 10.
great destruction] Chap. 50. 22. & 51. 54.
V. 4. Moab is destroyed] Heb. broken. Chap. 22. 20.
V. 5. in the going up of Luhith] Up and down, all along the way, that the Moabites flie from the Chaldeans, shall be nothing but weeping, Isa. 15. 5.
continuall weeping shall go up] Heb. weeping with weeping. Isa. 16. 9.
in the going down of Horonaim] Vers. 3.
V. 6. save your lives] Heb. soul. Chap. 51. 6.
be like the heath in the wildernesse] Or, a naked tree in the wildernesse. Betake your selves to the wildernesse, Psal. 55. 7. Or, be as bare and as vile as the heath that groweth there: or, like a naked tree, that standeth alone there without shelter, stript of all gracefull furniture, and exposed to all winds and weathers. See Chap. 17. 6.
V. 7. thou hast trusted in thy works] Thine idols, Psal. 115. 3. Chap. 32. 30. or, thy possessions, 1 Sam. 25. 2. or, thy fortifications. vers. 18. 41.
Chemosh] Thy chief idoll, and his maintainers: whom in vain therefore he should seek to, Isa. 15. 2. Vers. 13. 46. Num. 21. 29. 1 King. 11. 7, 33.
shall go forth into captivitie] Or, go into captivitie. as Chap. 15. 1, 2. Isa. 46. 2. Chap. 43. 12.
with his priests and his princes] Chap. 49. 3.
V. 8. the spoiler] The King of Babylon, Chap. 6. 26.
the valley also shall perish, &c.] The cities situate in the vale and in the plain, as well as on hils and higher grounds. vers. 1.
V. 9. Give wings unto Moab] Psal. 55. 6.
shall be desolate] Heb. desolation. Chap. 44. 2, 22.
V. 10. Cursed be he that doth the work of the LORD] In destroying the Moabites, and doing execution upon them: which God had given in charge, as that on Amalek to Saul, 1 Sam. 15. and would have done to the purpose. See Chap. 50. 25.
deceitfully] Or, negligently; or, slackly. Pro. 10. 4. & 12. 24.
V. 11. he hath settled on his lees, and hath not been emptied from vessel to vessel] He hath not been stirred or removed, as Israel hath been: but hath lived long at ease, as wine settled on its lees.
his taste remained in him] Heb. stood. Eccl. 1. 4. He retaineth still his state, his dignitie, his strength, his wealth; and withall his pride, his presumption, his securitie, his impietie, his impuritie. Psal. 55. 19. Zeph. 1. 12. Vers. 26. 29.
V. 12. I will send unto him wanderers that shall cause him to wander] The Chaldeans; that shall come from farre, and drive him out of his countrey.
shall emptie his vessels, and break their bottles] Depopulate his cities, Chap. 51. 34. and break them like earthen bottles, Isa. 30. 14. Psal. 2. 9. Chap. 19. 10, 11.
V. 13. Moab shall be ashamed of Chemosh, as the house of Israel was ashamed of Beth-el] Because he shall be no more able to deliver him; then the golden calf at Bethel, 1 King. 12. 39. was able to deliver Israel. vers. 7. Isa. 15. 2. & 16. 12.
V. 15. gone up out of her cities] Or, is departed from them. as Chap. 37. 5. hath left them, Chap. 4. 29. Vers. 28.
his chosen young men] Heb. the choyce of his young men. as Exod. 15. 4.
gone down to the slaughter] Isa. 34. 7.
whose name is the LORD of hosts] Chap. 46. 18. & 51. 57.
V. 16. The calamitie of Moab is neare] Isa. 13. 22.
his affliction hasteth] Mal. 3. 5. 2 Pet. 2. 1, 3.
V. 17. How is the strong staff broken, and the beautifull rod] Heb. staff of strength, and rod of beautie. See Ezek. 19. 12, 14. How are they destroyed, for all their strength, and their state, that they gloried in, and trusted so much to? Ezek. 19. 11.
V. 18. Thou daughter that dost inhabite Dibon] Thou goodly citie, like a beautifull damsell. See Chap. 46. 11. and of Dibon, Num. 21. 30.
come down] Isa. 47. 1. Chap. 13. 18.
sit in thirst] Not in thy fat soil, and well-watered plains, as formerly, Num. 21. 13, 14, 20. & 22. 1. See Chap. 2. 25.
the spoiler of Moab] Vers. 8.
V. 19. O inhabitant] Heb. inhabitresse. Chap. 10. 17. and 22. 23. & 51. 35.
of Aroer] Of this citie, see Deut. 2. 36. & 3. 12.
aske him that fleeth, &c.] Enquire of every passenger, man or woman; as persons full of fear use to do. 1 Sam. 4. 13, 14.
What is done] What is the matter, that ye flie thus? Or, How do things go abroad?
V. 20. Moab is confounded, &c.] Their answer, that flie, or passe by.
it is broken down] Vers. 4.
howl and crie] Isa. 16. 7.
tell ye it in Arnon] Num. 21. 13.
V. 21. upon Holon, &c.] Cities of Moab. vers. 24.
upon Jahazah] Josh. 13. 18.
upon Mephaath] Josh. 21. 37.
V. 22. upon Dibon] Isa. 15. 2.
upon Nebo] Vers. 1.
upon Beth-diblathaim] Num. 33. 47.
V. 23. upon Kiriathaim] Vers. 1.
upon Beth-meon] Isa. 15. 2.
V. 24. upon Kirioth] Amos 2. 2.
upon Bozrah] Not that of Edom, Isa. 63. but another of the same name in the land of Moab; called also Bezer, Josh. 21. 36. The word signifieth a strong fort, or hold, Isaiah 25. 2. and 27. 10.
V. 25. The horn of Moab is cut off, and his arm is broken] His might and majestie: set forth by two expressions; the one taken from those beasts, whose force and grace is in their horns; Psal. 75. 4, 5, 10. & 89. 17. & 148. 14. Lam. 2. 3. the other from man, whose strength is in his arms, Job 22. 9. Psal. 10. 15. & 18. 34. & 37. 17. & 89. 13, 21. Ezek. 30. 21, 22.
V. 26. Make ye him drunken] Lay afflictions on him to the full; till he even stagger, and fall, and lye along, exposed to contempt and derision; as men in drink are wont to do. Psal. 107. 27. Chap. 25. 17, 21, 27. Gen. 9. 21.
he magnified himself against the LORD] Lam. 1. 9. Zeph. 2. 10.
shall wallow in his vomit] Isa. 19. 14.
V. 27. was not Israel a derision unto thee?] Didst not thou deride him in his miserie, and rejoyce at his fall? Job 31. 29. and is it not just then, that the like now befall thee? Judg. 1. 7. Pro. 24. 17, 18.
was he found among theeves] Or, as one found. as Psal. 11. 1. Isa. 21. 8. Or, not as one found among theeves. the negative is wanting, but may be supplied, from the fore-going member; as Psal. 9. 18. Isa. 28. 28. Didst thou not insult over him, shout at him, and make a laughing stock of him, as if he had beene a thief taken in the manner? Chap. 2. 26.
for since thou spakest of him] Or, that when. as Chap. 42. 20.
thou skippedst for joy] Or, movedst thy self. that is, thou shookest thy head at him, in way of derision and insultation, Psal. 22. 7. Lam. 1. 8.
V. 28. leave the cities] Vers. 15.
dwell in the rock] Or, abide. Chap. 42. 10. Betake your selves to the ragged rocks, for shelter, and secrecie, for suretie and safegard, Judg. 20. 45. 21. 13. Isa. 2. 19, 21.
be like the dove that maketh her nest in the sides of the holes mouth] Cant. 2. 14. Chap. 49. 16.
V. 29. We have heard] A great part of that which followeth, is found almost the same in the Prophecies of Isaiah; as the notes of direction shew.
We have heard the pride of Moab] Isa. 16. 6.
V. 30. it shall not be so] His vain, vauntings and menacies against me and my people, vers. 26. Zeph. 2. 8, 10. shall not take effect, Psal. 1. 4. and 33. 10, 11.
his lies shall not so effect it] Or, those on whom he stayeth (Heb. his barres) do not right. Chap. 50. 36.
V. 31. Therefore will I howl for Moab] Isa. 16. 7.
cry out for all Moab] Isa. 15. 5.
V. 32. O vine of Sibmah] Isa. 16. 8, 9.
I will weep for thee, with the weeping of Jazer] Or, above. or, more then the. as Psal. 130 6. Chap. 49. 19. I will bewail thee more lamentably, then Isaiah bewailed Jazer; whose words of lamentation he here enlargeth: the rather, for that this devastation of Moab by the Chaldeans was to be much more grievous then that, which Isaiah foretold, by the Assyrians, Isa. 16. 14.
the spoiler] Vers. 8. 18.
V. 33. joy and gladnesse is taken, &c.] Isa. 16. 10.
their shouting shall be no shouting] The shout of the enemie breaking in upon them, Chap. 25. 30. Or, the shout, that they shall make, when the enemie breaketh in upon them, shall be an other manner of crie, then that which they were wont to use in the vintage time: an out-cry, not of joy and mirth, but of terrour and dread. vers. 34. Chap. 51. 14. See Exod. 32. 18.
V. 34. From the cry of Heshbon, &c.] Isa. 15. 4.
from Zoar, &c.] Isa. 15. 5, 6.
unto Horonaim] Vers. 3.
as an heifer of three yeers old] That beginneth to low after the Bull, Isa. 15. 5.
shall be desolate] Heb. desolations. Chap. 51. 62.
V. 35. I will cause to cease, &c.] Isa. 15. 2. & 16. 12.
V. 36. mine heart shall sound &c.] Isa. 15. 5. & 16. 11.
like pipes] Alluding to their custome of playing, on flutes and pipes, certain heavie and sad tunes, at funeralls, and in times of mourning, Matth. 9. 23.
the riches that he hath gotten is perished] Isa. 15. 7.
V. 37. every head shall be bald] Isa. 15. 2, 3. Chap. 47. 5.
eve…y beard clipt] Heb. diminished. Ezek. 5. 1, 11.
V. 38. I have broken Moab like a vessel, wherein is no pleasure] Chap. 22. 28.
V. 39. turned the back] Heb. n…k Josh. 7. 8, 12.
V. 40. he shall flie as an eagle, and shall spread his wings over Moab] Nebuchadnezzar shall come swiftly, like an eagle flying at, and spreading his wings over, his prey, Deut. 28. 49. Chap. 4. 13. & 49. 22. Dan. 7. 4. Hos. 8. 1. Hab. 1. 8.
V. 41. Kerioth is taken] Or, The cities are taken. Vers. 14. See vers. 24.
as the heart of a woman in her pangs] Isa. 21. 3. Chap. 49. 22. 24. Mic. 4. 9, 10.
V. 42. Moab shall be destroyed from being a people] Vers. 2. Isa. 7. 8.
because he hath magnified himself against the LORD] Vers. 26.
V. 43. Fear, and the pit, and the snare, &c.] Isa. 24. 17, 18.
V. 44. He that fleeth from the fear, shall fall into the pit, &c.] He that escapeth one danger, shall be surprised with an other, 1 King. 19. 17. & 20. 30. Amos 5. 19.
the yeer of their visitation] Chap. 11. 23. & 29. 12.
V. 45. They that fled] Out of the villages; or from the enemie pursuing them.
stood under the shadow of Heshbon] Being a strong citie; hoping to find succour and shelter there, as in the shade against heat, or under the covert of a great tree against a storm. Eccl. 7. 12. Isa. 32. 2. Dan. 4. 12.
a fire shall come forth] Num. 21. 28.
out of Heshbon] That shall be surprised by the Chaldeans; as it was sometime by the Amorites; Num. 21. 26. who shall thence surround the rest of the countrey. vers. 2.
a flame from the midst of Sihon] Or, from out of Sihon. Num. 24. 17.
shall devoure the corner of Moab] Or, side. Num. 34. 3.
the crown of the head] The King and his Peers, Num. 21. 28. Isa. 1. 5, 6.
of the tumultuous ones] The rude multitude. Isa. 16. 14. & 17. 12. & 22. 3. Heb. children of noise. Chap. 46. 17.
V. 46. Wo be unto thee, O Moab] Num. 21. 29.
the people of Chemosh] So called of their chief idol. vers. 7. 13.
thy sonnes are taken captives, &c.] Heb. in captivitie. vers. 7.
V. 47. will I bring again the captivitie] Or, captives. Psal. 126. 1. Chap. 30. 3.
in the latter dayes] Heb. posteritie of dayes. Chap. 23. 20. and 30. 24. After a long time of desolation; principally by a spirituall restitution under the Messias. Isa. 49. 6. Chap. 49. 6.