Jeremiah Chapter 48

Verses 1-47: The Moabites were descendants of Lot who lived east of the Jordan River, and they had opposed Israel’s efforts to enter the Promised Land in the days of Moses (Gen. 19:37; Num. chapters 22-25). The recurring theme in this message is that the Lord would Judge Moab’s excessive pride (48:7, 26, 29-30, 42).

Jeremiah 48:1 “Against Moab thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Woe unto Nebo! for it is spoiled: Kiriathaim is confounded [and] taken: Misgab is confounded and dismayed.”

“Against Moab”: Various sites of unknown location in Moab are to be destroyed (verses 1-5). The judgment is framed in similar words or some of the same words as in other passages (Isa. 15:1-9; 16:6-14; 25:10-12; Ezek. 25:8-11; Amos 2:1-3; Zeph. 2:8-11). Desolation overtook different parts of Moab at various times, but Babylon (in 588-586 B.C. or 582-581 B.C.), is likely the main destroyer (compare 48:40). The Moabites were Lot’s descendants (compare Gen. 19:37), who lived east of the Dead Sea and often fought against Israel.

For the Moabites (see the note on Judges 3:12-13). For the importance of the Moabite Stone (see the notes on 1 Kings 16:27 and 2 Kings 3:5, 27).

Moab is a Gentile city or state. “Moab” was the name of Lot’s eldest daughter’s son that she had from committing incest with her father, Lot. He was the founder of the Moabites. They had an evil beginning, and their morals were no better at the time of this prophecy. Nebo was a place in the mountains where the false god “Nebo” was worshipped. This woe is against the false god and against the area where he was worshipped. Kiriathaim was known as the city of the terrible. Misgab here could mean fortress. A fortress will not hold back God.

Jeremiah 48:2 “[There shall be] no more praise of Moab: in Heshbon they have devised evil against it; come, and let us cut it off from [being] a nation. Also thou shalt be cut down, O Madmen; the sword shall pursue thee.”

It shall be no more commended for a rich, populous, and fruitful country, being now laid waste. Though the next phrase,

“Heshbon”: Was formerly the city of Sihon (Num. 21:26). It became afterward one of the principal cities of the Moabites, as appears from (Isa. 15:4); which makes the learned author of our English Annotations think our translation not so good. For why should they devise evil in Heshbon against Moab, unless the enemies sat there in council, when they had taken it, against the other parts of the country? But possibly the sense is, they shall no more in Heshbon magnify Moab, or Moab shall no more be the glory of Heshbon, for the enemies had contrived the ruin of it.

“Madmen”: Was another city in the country of Moab. Some think the same with Ptolemy’s Madiama. To that city also the prophet threatened ruin and destruction by the sword.

Their destruction was great physically, but they were humiliated as well.

Jeremiah 48:3 “A voice of crying [shall be] from Horonaim, spoiling and great destruction.”

Another city of Moab. The word is of the dual number; and according to Kimchi and Ben Melech, there were two cities named Horon. The upper and the lower; of this place (see Isa. 15:5), this also should be destroyed. And so, a cry of the inhabitants of it should be heard out of it.

Spoiling, and great destruction”: Because the city was spoiled, and a great destruction made in the inhabitants and riches of it.

Horonaim is a city of Moab near the border of Edom.

Jeremiah 48:4 “Moab is destroyed; her little ones have caused a cry to be heard.”

Either the whole nation in general; so the Targum, “the kingdom of Moab is broken;” and so Abarbinel; or a city so called, which some take to be the city Areopolis. Jerom says, that Moab is a city of Arabia, now called Areopolis. And which also has the name of Rabbath-moab, or “grand Moab”.

“Her little ones have caused a cry to be heard”: Some understand little children. Others, inferior magistrates, or the common people. The Targum interprets it, her governors; and so Jarchi, who thinks they are so called, because they are lesser than kings.

I believe this is speaking of the entire land of Moab being destroyed. The crying of the “little ones”, just shows the magnitude of the destruction.

Jeremiah 48:5 “For in the going up of Luhith continual weeping shall go up; for in the going down of Horonaim the enemies have heard a cry of destruction.”

This is another city, which was built on a high hill, which had a considerable ascent to it. Where those that escaped from Horonaim might flee for safety. But as they went up the hill they would weep bitterly. And all the way they went, because of the loss of friends and sustenance, and the danger they themselves were still in, (of this place see Isa. 15:5).

“For in the going down of Horonaim the enemies have heard a cry of destruction”: A place before mentioned, which lay low, in the descent of which the enemies, the Chaldeans, heard the cries of those that fled from Horonaim. And went up from there to Luhith, which cry was as follows:

This shows that the destruction is widespread.

Jeremiah 48:6 “Flee, save your lives, and be like the heath in the wilderness.”

“Be like the heath in the wilderness”: Here (as in Jer. 17:6), the stunted solitary shrub in the desert is taken as the type of desolation. The LXX, which adopts the meaning (in Jer. 17:6), here strangely enough gives “as a wild ass in the wilderness.” (Psalm 11:1), gives us an example of a like comparison. Here probably there is, as before, a play on words for the name of the Moabite city Aroer, which closely resembles the Hebrew word for “heath.” In thus finding an ominous significance in the names of cities, Jeremiah follows in the wake of (Micah 1).

Their only chance of survival is to flee to the wilderness. Heath is speaking of the destitute. We are all destitute until we reach out to God for His help. Our help is in the Lord.

Jeremiah 48:7 “For because thou hast trusted in thy works and in thy treasures, thou shalt also be taken: and Chemosh shall go forth into captivity [with] his priests and his princes together.”

“Chemosh”: He was the leading god of Moab (compare Num. 21:29; Judges 11:24; 1 Kings 11:7; 2 Kings 23:13).

The works are probably the same as the works of their hands. This could be speaking of their idols they worshipped. They worshipped idols and trusted in their money as well. This sounds very familiar doesn’t it?

Jeremiah 48:8 “And the spoiler shall come upon every city, and no city shall escape: the valley also shall perish, and the plain shall be destroyed, as the Lord hath spoken.”

That is, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and his army. The Targum is, the spoilers, who came against and took every city of Moab, and wasted them. Josephus makes particular mention of Nebuchadnezzar subduing the Ammonites and Moabites.

“And no city shall escape”: the spoiler, and destruction by him.

“The valley also shall perish, and the plain shall be destroyed, as the Lord hath spoken. Not only the cities, and the inhabitants of them; but the inhabitants of the valleys and plains, as the Targum paraphrases it, should be destroyed. And also the corn that grew upon them, and the flocks and herds that grazed there, exactly as the Lord had foretold.

This needs no explanation as this is total destruction.

Jeremiah 48:9 “Give wings unto Moab, that it may flee and get away: for the cities thereof shall be desolate, without any to dwell therein.”

That is, the Moabites had need of wings like a bird to escape that ruin which is coming upon them. Yea, if they had wings, they should not escape, for the Lord is resolved that the cities of Moab shall be all brought to desolation, so as no inhabitants shall be left in them.

Moab is spoken of here as a bird that flies away. The problem is, there is no safe place to land. The whole land is desolate.

Jeremiah 48:10 “Cursed [be] he that doeth the work of the LORD deceitfully, and cursed [be] he that keepeth back his sword from blood.”

“Cursed be he”: God’s aim to judge Moab was so intense that He pronounced a curse on whatever instrument (army), He would use should they carry it out “negligently”, i.e., “carelessly”, or “with slackness”.

This is not just Moab, but anyone who deals deceitfully with the Word of God.

2 Timothy 2:15 “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

Verses 11-12: Like wine that had been allowed to settle on its sediments, in order that it might gain strength and flavor before being strained and poured into a new wineskin (compare Isa. 25:6; Zeph. 1:12), so “Moab” had been allowed to remain in its land. However, the “vessel” of Moab would soon be poured out and be broken by invaders. The Moabite kingdom ceased with the conquest of Nebuchadrezzar. Centuries later the area was occupied by the famed Nabateans, under whom the land flourished once again, perhaps a harbinger of God’s gracious restoration of the area in the end times (compare verse 47).

Moab was not taken from suffering to suffering so that her bitter dregs would be removed through the purging of pain. Thus, the nation was settled into the thickness and bitterness of its own sin. Judgment from God was coming to smash them.

Jeremiah 48:11 “Moab hath been at ease from his youth, and he hath settled on his lees, and hath not been emptied from vessel to vessel, neither hath he gone into captivity: therefore his taste remained in him, and his scent is not changed.”

The Chaldeans are to destroy the Moabites. We should be thankful that we are required to seek the salvation of men’s lives, and the salvation of their souls, not to shed their blood. But we shall be the more without excuse if we do this pleasant work deceitfully. The cities shall be laid in ruins, and the country shall be wasted. There will be great sorrow. There will be great hurry. If any could give wings to sinners, still they could not fly out of the reach of Divine indignation. There are many who persist in unrepented sin, yet long enjoy outward prosperity. They had been long corrupt and unreformed, secure and sensual in prosperity. They have no changes of their peace and prosperity, therefore their hearts and lives are unchanged (Psalm 55:19).

Another way of explaining this is that God has not chastised them before. They have lived as they pleased. Their sins have not been pointed out to them for them to change the smell. God here is chastening His children, not the world.

Jeremiah 48:12 “Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will send unto him wanderers, that shall cause him to wander, and shall empty his vessels, and break their bottles.”

“Wanderers”: Here mentioned the Chaldeans are most certainly understood, who wandered from their own country to conquer other people. The word is variously translated, vagrants, travelers, removers, etc., who shall conquer the Moabites, and carry them into captivity.