Commentary on Prov Ecc SoS Isa Jer Lam Eze Dan, Jeremiah · Chapter 48
CHAP. XLVIII.
Ver. 1. AGainſt Moab] That baſtardly brood, infamous for their inveterate hatred of Gods Iſrael, at whom they were anciently irked, fretted, vexed, though no way provoked, Num. 22.3. whom alſo they outwitted, by the counſel of Balaam, in the buſineſſe of Baal-peor, Num. 25. had been plagued and judged by the Kings of Iſrael (by David eſpecially) as alſo by Sennacherib, Iſa. 15, and 16. but were no whit amended: and are therefore here, and Ezek. 25.9. threatned with utter deſtruction by the Chaldeans; and that very much in a ſcoffing way: like as they were a proud, petulant, ſcornful people, deſpiſers of all other Nations, but eſpecially of the Jews their near neighbours and Allyes.
Woe unto Nebo] Their oracular City, as it may ſeem by the name. See Eſa. 15.2.
Eipolis.Kirjathaim is confounded] It is of a dual forme: and ſo ſeemeth to have been a double City, as was of old Jeruſalem; and as are now Rome, Prague, Cracovia.
Miſgab is confounded] It ſignifieth the high place: and is the ſame, ſay ſome, with Bamoth, Num. 21, 20. & Selah, Iſa. 16.1.
Ver. 2. There ſhall be no more praiſe of Moab] This may be taken either of a City ſo called, or of the whole Country: as now Muſcovia is oft put for all Ruſſia.A…iopolis d…cta. Adudit ſ…è Propheta ad ſingularum civitatum nomina. Jun.
In Heſho… they have deviſed evil againſt it] Or better thus, De Heſhbone, &c. As concerning Heſhbon, they (the Chaldees) have deviſed evil againſt it. There is an elegant alluſion in the original, to the names of the places both in H…ſhbon and in Madmen.
Ver. 3. A voice of crying] They would not cry for their ſins: they ſhall therefore cry for their miſeries with deſperate and bootleſſe tears: and yet worſe one day.
Ver. 4. Moab is deſtroyed] i. e. Shall be ſhortly.
Her little ones have cauſed a cry to be heard] Whilſt they either are forſaken of their parents, as chap. 47.3. or elſe ſee them to be ſlain, or carried away captives.
Ver. 5. Continual weeping ſhall go up] Heb. weeping with weeping ſhall go up. i. e. They ſhall weep abundantly.
Ver. 6. Flee, ſave your lives] Whatever elſe ye loſe.
And be like the heath in the wilderneſſe] Which is little worth: See chap. 17.6. Sit there ſad and ſolitary.
Ver. 7. For becauſe thou hast truſted in thy works] Thy creature-confidence and thine idolatry have undone thee.
Chemoſh ſhall go forth into captivity] Chemoſh (unde foreign) was the Moabites God, and is thought to be the ſame with Bacchus, or Priapus. He is here called Chemiſh by way of contempt.
Ver. 8. And the ſpoiler ſhall come] i e. Nebuchadnezzar.
As the Lord hath spoken] Who hath given him a commiſſion, and made him his executioner.
Ver. 9. Give wings unto Moab] Let him flee his utmoſt — addat timor alas: but the Chaldaean Eagle will eaſily overcatch him.
Ver. 10. Curſed be he that doth the work of the Lord deceitfully] Or ſlackly, or haſtingly, to the halves; Latè patet haec ſententia. The work of deſtroying Moab is here mainly meant. But the text taketh in all lawful employments; theſe are Gods works, and muſt be done vigorouſly, with all our might, in obedience to God, and for his greateſt glory. Not Souldiers only that have a good cauſe and in a good calling, muſt likewiſe take a good courage, and do execution luſtily: but Magiſtrates alſo, who are Keepers of both Tables of the Law, muſt do right to all without partiality: accounting it better to be counted a buſy Juſtice then an honeſt Gentleman. Miniſters muſt look to the Miniſtry which they have received of the Lord,Verbi miniſter es: hoc age. Perkinſi hoc erat ſymb…lum. to fulfil the ſame. Every man in his particular place and ſtation muſt be not ſlothful in buſineſſe but fervent in Spirit, ſerving the Lord: non tanquam canis ad Nilum, ſed ut Cygnus ad Thameſin: in Gods immediate ſervice eſpecially, men muſt ſtir up themſelves to take hold of him: minding the work, and not doing it in a cuſtomary, formal, bedulling way. A very Heathen could ſay,Ariſtides. Ignavia in rebus divinis est nefaria, Dulneſſe in divine duties is abominable. And Numa King of the Romans made a Law, that none ſhould be careleſſe or curſory in the ſervice of God: and appointed an Officer to cry oft to the people at ſuch a time Hoc agite, Mind what ye are about, and do it to your utmoſt. He that is ambitious of Gods curſe, let him do otherwiſe.
Ver. 11. Moab hath been at eaſe from his youth] And his eaſe hath deſtroyed him, as Prov. 1.32. He dwelleth near the Mare mortuum, and is become a very mare mortuum: i. e. a dead Sea. Becauſe he hath had no changes, therefore he feareth not God, Pſal. 55.19. Sibi conſtat in facultatibus, &c. he is rich and reſty: here's good booty for the Souldiers, who ſhould therefore beſtir them.
And he hath ſetled on his lees] As having never been turned out of his Country: which may well be called his mother, as the lees are called the mother of wine. But now his time is come to be tranſvaſated, to be emptied from veſſel to veſſel, to be carried captive.
Ver. 12. That I will ſend him wanderers] Peregrinantes qui peregrè agant eum, the Chaldaean vagrants (as he proudly calleth and counteth them) but they ſhall make a vagrant of him in good earneſt.
And ſhall empty his veſſels, &c.] Moab abounded with the beſt wine: but dwelling ſo near Sodom, his grapes alſo became grapes of Sodom and cluſters of Gomorrah: his manners were Sodomitical too. It was but time therefore to ſend thoſe that ſhould empty his veſſels and break his bottels: carry him into another Country where he might get a new taſte, and his ſente be changed.
Ver. 13. As the houſe of Iſrael was aſhamed of Bethel] When their golden calf was carried into captivity.
Ver. 14. How ſay ye We are mighty?] q.d. Ye have great cauſe to crack, and to ſtand upon your pantables, as ver. 2.29, 30.
Ver. 15. Moab is ſpoiled] Quae hucuſque, …adem majore cum luce repetit. The ſame again, but with more exornations.
Ver. 16. The calamity of Moab is near to come] S…e on ver. 15.
Ver. 17. All ye that are about him, bemoan him] And that ye may not want a form, ſay ye, How is the ſtrong ſtaff broken!
Ver. 18. And ſit in thirſt] i. e. In want of all things.
Egregia eſt Proſopopoeja.Ver. 19. Stand by the way and eſpy, &c.] What brave Rhetorike is here? Tenendum quidem, Prophetas & Apoſtolos non affectaſſe artem dicendi: vide tamen quantâ eloquentiâ peroret Spiritus Sanctus.
Ver. 20. Moab is confounded] See on ver. 15.
Tell it in Arnon] In the Cities ſtanding upon that river.
Ver. 21. And judgement is come upon the plain countrey] Such as the moſt part of Moab was.
Ver. 22. And upon Dibon, and upon Nebo] Theſe Cities beyond Jordan belonged to Iſrael: but Moab had ſeized them, and now Gods Judgement cometh upon them.
Ver. 23. And upon Kiriathaim] See on ver. 1.
And upon Bethmeon] Baith Iſay calleth it, chap. 15 2.
Ver. 24. And upon Bozra] Called alſo B…zer, Joſh. 22.36.
Ver. 25. The horn of Moab is cut off] i. e. His ſtrength, power, glory, Kingdomes: his Sultans and Princes, ſaith the Chaldee.
Ver. 26. Make ye him drunk] Ebrietas modis omnibus maledicta: but here is meant a dry drunkenneſſe with the fierce wrath of God. Moſt things here ſpoken are to be found in Iſay: but here more clearly expreſt. See chap. 25.21.
Moab alſo ſhall wallow in his vomit] As once he did when drunk with wine to the deriſion of others, ſo now he ſhall when drunk with wrath. It will be a woe time with drunkards one day doubtleſſe.
Ver. 27. For was not Iſrael a deriſion unto thee?] ſc. When he was carried captive by Salmaneſer: didſt not thou make thy ſelf merry in his miſery, and compoſe Comedies out of his Tragedies?
Was he found among theeves] Was he therefore obnoxious becauſe religious? What reaſon hadſt thou to ſhout after him, as one would do after a thief that is taken ſtealing?
Impotentiſſimè cachinnaris.Thou skippeſt for joy] Thou ſhakeſt thy ſelf, that is thy head: or thou laugheſt till thou art ready to break thy midriff; — Petulanti ſplene cachinnas.
Ver. 28. And be like the dove] That is glad to creep in at any cranny of the craggy rock, to be hid from the Hawk.
Ver. 29. We have heard the pride of Moab] See Iſay 16.6. Proud he was then, and the ſame he is ſtill: no changeling is he.
Ver. 30. I know his wrath] Paſſion is the eldeſt daughter of pride. See Iſa. 16.6.
His lyes ſhall not ſo effect it] Heb. his barres. Lyes were his refuge, his ſtrength the barres he truſted to and leaned on.
Ver. 31. Therefore will I houle] Iſa. 16.7. & 15.5.
Ver. 32. I will weep with thee for the weeping of Jazer] Or, more then the weeping of Jazer. i. e. ſaith Junius, more largely and lamentably, then Iſay bewailed Iazer, Iſa. 16.8.9.
Ver. 33. And joy and gladneſſe is taken] See Iſa. 16.10.
Their ſhouting ſhall be no ſhouting] Their chear ſhall be changed, their note altered from what it was wont to be, at their gathering in the vintage. So it ſhall one day fare with the drunkards and belly-gods; whoſe laetitia vertetur in luctum, plauſus in planctum, &c. mirth ſhall be turned into mounting, clapping of hands into wringing of hands, hollowing into houling.
Ver. 34. From Heſhbon even unto Elealeh] See Iſa. 15.4, 5, 9.
At a heifer of three-yeers old] Which at that age, beginneth to low after the bull.
Ver. 35. Moreover I will cauſe to ceaſe] Such a ſcarcity there ſhall be of people. See ver. 7. & Num. 21.28.
Ver. 36. Therefore my heart] See Iſa. 15.5. & 16.11.
Ver. 37. For every head ſhall be bald] This was the doings among the Eaſterlings, in times of mourning.
Ver. 38. There ſhall be lamentation] See Iſa. 15.3.
Like a veſſel wherein is no pleaſure] See chap. 22.28.
Ver. 39. How hath Moab turned the back with ſhame?] Heb. neck.
Submiſit triſti colla ſuperba jugo.
Ver. 40. Behold he ſhall fly as an Eagle] To an Eagle Nebuchadnezzar is compared, for his ſtrength, ſwiftneſſe, and ravenouſneſſe.
Ver. 41. Kerioth is taken] Of this City, ſome ſay, was Judas Iſcariot.
As the heart of a woman in her pangs] Which is very low: neither is ſuch a one in caſe to defend her ſelf.
Ver. 42. Becauſe he hath magnified himſelfe againſt the Lord] i. e. Againſt his people, who are as the apple of his eye.
Ver. 43. Fear and the pit] See Iſa. 24.17.
Ver. 44. Hee that fleeth] See Iſa. 24.18.
Ver. 45. Stood under the ſhadow of Heſhbon] As thinking they had had a good buſh on thei… backs.
But a fire ſhall come forth out of Heſhbon] As once before it did, Num. 21.28, 29. and became a proverb.
Of the tumultuous ones] Of thoſe revelling gallants.
Ver. 46. Wo be unto thee, O Moab] See Num. 21.29.
Ver. 47. Yet will I bring again the captivity of Moab] Laetiora demum annuntiat. But becauſe this was never that we find fulfilled in the letter, therefore it was a preſage of the calling of the Gentiles to an intereſt in Chriſt, and benefit by him.