Jeremiah 48:1-47 (LXX. Ch. Jeremiah 31:1-40). Prophecy against Moab The comparative length of this utterance of itself makes it probable that it has been considerably expanded, and there is a general agreement among modern commentators on this head, though with a good deal of difference as to the p... [ Continue Reading ]
_Moab_ Its territory was the high tableland E. of the Dead Sea. See further on Jeremiah 48:2. _Nebo_ not the mountain (Deuteronomy 32:49; Deuteronomy 34:1), but the city (Numbers 32:38). It was taken by Mesha king of Moab (_c._895 b.c.) according to the records of the "Moabite stone." See transl. o... [ Continue Reading ]
_in Heshbon they have devised_ There is a play on the two Hebrew words thus rendered (_b"Ḥeshbon ḥash'bu_) which might be represented in English by _in Devizes they have devised_. Heshbon, one of the chief cities of Moab, lay to the N. E. of the Dead Sea, and was considered the N. boundary of Moab t... [ Continue Reading ]
_her little ones have caused a cry to be heard_ Read rather, with LXX, _they make a cry to be heard unto Zoar_(S.E. of the Dead Sea). The point then is that the cry extends throughout Moab from N. to S. Cp. Isaiah 15:5, from which also Jeremiah 48:5 is mainly taken.... [ Continue Reading ]
Both these _vv_. are probably later than Jeremiah.... [ Continue Reading ]
See preceding note.... [ Continue Reading ]
_the heath_ See on Jeremiah 17:6. The LXX read somewhat differently from MT., rendering _wild ass_(as shy and difficult to capture). This is probably right. Cp. Job 39:5.... [ Continue Reading ]
_in thy works and in thy treasures_ "works" perhaps meaning _results of work, gains_. This is suggested by the word "treasures" which follows. Cp. ch. Jeremiah 20:5, where, however, the Hebrew (translated "gains") is not the same. The LXX (and so the Vulg.) rightly read but one substantive (omitting... [ Continue Reading ]
_the valley_ the valley of the Jordan towards the Dead Sea. _the plain_ the tableland of Moab.... [ Continue Reading ]
_wings_ The sense is that nothing short of wings would enable the Moabites to escape before their enemies. _that she may fly and get her away_ or as mg. _for she must fly_; but better (so Dr.) FOR SHE WOULD FAIN FLY AWAY.... [ Continue Reading ]
_negligently_ lit. _with slackness_, better than mg. _deceitfully_.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Moab hath been at ease from his youth_ He hath not been driven from his land hitherto. The feeling of horror at suffering expatriation, as compared with the consequences of a more ordinary defeat in battle such as the nation had often suffered in past time, is well exhibited by these verses. _sett... [ Continue Reading ]
See introd. summary to the ch.... [ Continue Reading ]
_pour off_ rather as mg. _tilt_(a vessel). The figure of earthenware jars of wine is continued. They are emptied by being tilted on one side, an operation which was performed slowly and carefully, that the jars might be safe and the wine run off clear while the sediment was left. This work, however,... [ Continue Reading ]
_shall be ashamed_ See on Jeremiah 2:26. _was ashamed of Beth-el their confidence_ Bethel was the southern seat of Jeroboam's idolatrous worship. But Israel found their confidence in the worship there misplaced, when Shalmaneser carried them away. Cp. Amos 5:5. Pe. remarks that the mention of Bethe... [ Continue Reading ]
_Moab … her cities_ The Hebrew is difficult. Dr., followed by Pe., alters the MT. on the model of Jeremiah 48:18, so as to read, "The spoiler of Moab is come up against him, and his, etc.... [ Continue Reading ]
For the use of "How" introducing a lament, cp. Lamentations 1:1; Lamentations 2:1; Lamentations 4:1. _the strong staff_(mg. _sceptre) … the beautiful rod_ For these expressions, as implying national glory and power over others, cp. Psalms 110:2; Isaiah 14:29; Ezekiel 19:11-12; Ezekiel 19:14.... [ Continue Reading ]
_thou daughter that dwellest_(mg. _art seated) in Dibon_ meaning, inhabitants of Dibon See on Jeremiah 4:11. _Dibon_ now _Diban_(the "Moabite stone" was found there in 1868) stands on two hills. Hence the expression "come down" in the text. It is four miles N. of the Arnon, and thirteen E. of the D... [ Continue Reading ]
_Aroer_ now - _Ara-ir_, not to be confounded with the Aroer of Numbers 32:34, a Gadite city, or with an Aroer belonging to Judah (1 Samuel 30:28). The Aroer of the text was a few miles S.W. of Dibon. Mesha records on the "Moabite stone" that he "built (i.e. restored) the city and made the road over... [ Continue Reading ]
_broken down_ See on Jeremiah 48:1. _in Arnon_ rather, BY THE _Arnon_, i.e. on its banks.... [ Continue Reading ]
The metrical arrangement begun in Jeremiah 48:17 ends in the middle of Jeremiah 48:20. From "tell ye it" onwards to the end of Jeremiah 48:24 is in all probability a later addition. Of the places not already mentioned in the ch. the position of some is quite unknown.... [ Continue Reading ]
See introd. summary to the ch.... [ Continue Reading ]
_the plain country_ See Jeremiah 48:8. _Holon_ not known. It is not the H. near Hebron of Joshua 15:51; Joshua 21:15. _Jahzah_ one of the Levitical cities (the Jahaz of Joshua 21:36). There Moses defeated Sihon (Numbers 21:23). _Mephaath_ also a Levitical city (Joshua 21:37). Both M. and Jahzah w... [ Continue Reading ]
_Dibon_ See on Jeremiah 48:18. _Nebo_ See on Jeremiah 48:1. _Beth-diblathaim_ lit. _house of two figs_. Some identify it with Almondiblathaim of Numbers 33:46, but this is doubtful.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Kiriathaim_ See on Jeremiah 48:1. _Beth-gamul_ now _Umm el Jemâl_, S. of Medeba. _Beth-meon_ the B. of Numbers 32:36; Ezekiel 25:9; called Beth-baal-meon in Joshua 13:17 and on the Moabite stone.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Kerioth_ This may be another name for Ar of Moab (Numbers 21:28). See on Amos 2:2, C.B. Both nouns have _city_for their primary sense. _Bozrah_ probably the Bezer of Deuteronomy 4:43; Joshua 20:8; Joshua 21:36. The B. of Jeremiah 49:13 was in Edom.... [ Continue Reading ]
The _horn_is an emblem of strength, the _arm_of authority. For the former see Psalms 75:4-5; Psalms 75:10, for the latter ch. Jeremiah 17:5.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Make ye him drunken_ For the metaphor of drunkenness see on ch. Jeremiah 25:15. _he magnified himself against the Lord_ He resisted Reuben in his occupation of the territory which the Lord had assigned him, but also in much more recent times. See e.g. 2 Kings 24:2. _wallow_ or, _splash into_. _h... [ Continue Reading ]
Probably post-Jeremianic.... [ Continue Reading ]
_was he found among thieves_?] i.e. Thou couldst not, O Moab, have treated him with more contempt, hadst thou caught him in the act of stealing. Cp. Jeremiah 2:26. _waggest the head_ in scorn. Cp. Psalms 64:8; Matthew 27:39.... [ Continue Reading ]
_dwell in the rock_ See on Jeremiah 4:29. _in the sides of the hole's mouth_ The expression is peculiar and probably corrupt, but the figure is plain. See Tristram, _Nat. Hist. of the Bible_, p. 215, for mention of the many fissures in the rocky sides of the defiles in Palestine. Cp. Ca. Jeremiah 2... [ Continue Reading ]
Expanded from Isaiah 16:6. For pride as a characteristic of Moab cp. Isaiah 25:11; Zephaniah 2:8-10.... [ Continue Reading ]
See introd. summary to the ch. The passage may contain some Jeremianic matter, but on the whole is late (see also on Jeremiah 48:37) and borrowed to a large extent from Is. 15., 16. (chs. which are perhaps earlier than Isaiah's time and republished by him. See Skinner, C.B. _ad loc_.).... [ Continue Reading ]
_I know his wrath_ The Lord corroborates the assertion of the prophet in the former verse. _that it is nought … nothing_ rather, as Dr. _his boastings are untruth; they do untruth_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Based on Isaiah 16:7, but the influence of the first person in Jeremiah 48:9 there ("I will, etc.") has led here to the prophet's grief for Moab being represented as caused by her pride. _will I howl_ In the corresponding passage in Isaiah it is first the country that mourns for itself, Jeremiah 48... [ Continue Reading ]
Based on Isaiah 16:8 f. _With more than the weeping of Jazer_ over its ruins, and wasted vineyards. But, by the slightest alteration of MT., we can obtain the reading in Is., viz. _with the weeping of Jazer_(so too LXX). _O vine of Sibmah_ Sibmah was two and a half miles W.N. W., and Jazer was ten... [ Continue Reading ]
This _v_. is taken with modifications from Isaiah 16:10. _And gladness … Moab_ probably genuine. From "and I have caused" to the end of Jeremiah 48:34 seems again an expansion. _none shall tread with shouting_ read rather, with Isaiah, _no treader shall tread_. _the shouting shall be no shouting_... [ Continue Reading ]
Abbreviated from Isaiah 15:4-6. The first words need emendation; "How criest thou, O H. and El." (Gi.), or "Crying are H. and El." (Du.). Elealeh according to Conder (HBD.) was about a mile N. of Heshbon. For the other towns see notes above. _Eglath-shelishiyah_ mg. much less suitably, as _an heife... [ Continue Reading ]
_him that offereth in_ This involves a slight modification of MT. which, as it stands, will mean, _him that bringeth up_(worshippers) _to_. LXX, omitting one consonant, render _him that goeth up to_.... [ Continue Reading ]
_soundeth for Moab like pipes_ Their use was connected with funerals, so that the word is appropriate as expressing mourning. Isaiah's word is "an harp" (Jeremiah 16:11).... [ Continue Reading ]
All shall have the usual indications of mourning. See on ch. Jeremiah 16:6.... [ Continue Reading ]
Cp. Isaiah 15:2 f. From "for I have broken" (Jeremiah 48:38) to "upon Moab" (Jeremiah 48:44) is either wholly or in a large part the work of a supplementer.... [ Continue Reading ]
_vessel, etc_.] See on Jeremiah 22:28.... [ Continue Reading ]
_broken down_ See on Jeremiah 48:1.... [ Continue Reading ]
_he shall fly as an eagle_ Cp. on Jeremiah 4:13. The simile seems taken from Deuteronomy 28:49, but is used elsewhere (see Isaiah 46:11; Ezekiel 17:3). It well represented the Babylonian empire, which "seemed to those who witnessed it like the rising of a mighty eagle, spreading out his vast wings,... [ Continue Reading ]
The LXX omit "Behold … Moab" (Jeremiah 48:40) and "and the heart … pangs" (Jeremiah 48:41). Both are probably glosses in MT. supplied from Jeremiah 49:22, with change of names.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Kerioth_ See on Jeremiah 48:20. But, because of the parallel expression "strong holds" in the next clause, the word may simply mean _cities_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Cp. Isaiah 24:17 f. and probably a proverb in frequent use. We cannot reproduce in English the assonance _paḥad vâpaḥath vâpâḥ_. See on Lamentations 3:47.... [ Continue Reading ]
Co. considers "for I will bring … saith the Lord" to be genuinely Jeremianic. _the year of their visitation_ Cp. Jeremiah 11:23; Jeremiah 23:12. 45 47 are wanting in the LXX and are pretty clearly an insertion. The greater part of Jeremiah 48:45 f. is from Numbers 21:28 f., Numbers 24:17.... [ Continue Reading ]
_They that fled … Heshbon_ i.e. the fugitives of Moab in vain seek help from Heshbon, as it is among the first to be overthrown (Jeremiah 48:2). _midst_ Read _house_, changing one letter of MT. Heshbon is meant, as the old capital (Numbers 21:26; Deuteronomy 2:26). The Moabites now are to recover i... [ Continue Reading ]
_bring again_ See on Jeremiah 46:26 for possible genuineness. _Thus far … Moab_ an editor's insertion.... [ Continue Reading ]