Jeremiah 48:40

For thus saith the LORD; Behold, he shall fly as an eagle, and shall spread his wings over Moab. HE SHALL FLY AS AN EAGLE. "He" - i:e., Nebuzaradan, the captain of Nebuchadnezzar. AS AN EAGLE - not to hear them "on eagles' wings" (; ), as God does His people, but to pounce on them as a prey (; ; )....

Here again he introduces God’s name, for it was necessary to confirm an incredible prophecy by his authority. “God is he,” he says, “who declares that enemies will come, who will fly through all the land of Moab.” He now compares the Chaldeans to eagles; and there is here a name understood which is not expressed. _Fly will he like an eagle_, that is, the king of Babylon with his army. The sum of what is said then is, that however widely extended might be the country of Moab, yet there would be no corner into which the Chaldeans would not penetrate, because they would nearly equal the eagles in swiftness. Hence he adds, _They will extend their wings_, not to cherish, as eagles spread their wings over their young ones; but by extension he means, that they would seize on all the land of Moab; so that hiding places would be sought in vain, because the Chaldeans would from one part to another...

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....

Verse Jeremiah 48:40. _HE SHALL FLY AS AN EAGLE_] The enemy will pounce upon him, carry him off, and tear him to pieces....

The rapid and irresistible attack of Nebuchadnezzar is compared to the impetuous dash of the eagle on its prey Deuteronomy 28:49....

EXPOSITION This prophecy is so full of repetitions that the question has naturally arisen whether the most prominent of these may not be due to interpolation. For instance: 1.Jeremiah 48:29-24 recur in Isaiah 16:6; Isaiah 15:4, Isaiah 15:5, Isaiah 15:6; Isaiah 16:12, Isaiah 16:11;...

FOR THUS SAITH THE LORD, BEHOLD, HE SHALL FLY AS AN EAGLE,.... The enemy, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, with his army; who is compared to an eagle for his strength, swiftness, and greediness after the prey: AND SHALL SPREAD HIS WINGS OVER MOAB; as an eagle spreads its wings, which are very large, over the little birds it seizes upon as its prey; so the king of Babylon would bring a numerous army against Moab, and spread it over his country. The Targum is, "behold, as all eagle which flies, so a king shall come up with his army, and encamp against Moab.''...

CHAPTER 48 Concerning Moab _ 1. The overthrow of Moab (Jeremiah 48:1) _ 2. The humiliation of Moab (Jeremiah 48:11) 3. Reaping what they sowed (Jeremiah 48:20) 4. Destroyed on account of its pride (Jeremiah 48:29) With these divisions the chapter may be studied in detail. Moab was of incestuous off spring Genesis 19:37. Israel is now exhorted to flee and save itself because Moab is to be destroyed. Moab's national deity was Chemosh, who was also worshipped by the sister nation, the

JEREMIAH 40-47. The foe swoops down vulture-like (Jeremiah 4:13) on Moab, destroyed because of pride against Yahweh. One disaster succeeds another in this time of punishment (visitation, Jeremiah 11:23; Jeremiah 23:12), and there is no asylum to be found in Heshbon, for a destructive flame proceeds from the house of Sihon (so read; _cf._ Numbers 21:26; Numbers 21:28) to destroy the temples of Moab's head. Moab goes into exile, but Yahweh will ultimately change her fortunes. The closing sentence ...

HE. one (not named): Nebuchadnezzar understood. SHALL FLY. Codex Oriental, 2091 (British Museum), reads "shall ascend"; but the _Massorah_ (App-30) has. note, saying "according to other codices, it is fly" (vol, 167a). AS AN EAGLE. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 28:49). App-92....