Ver. 1. Against Moab.] That bastardly brood, infamous for their inveterate hatred of God’s Israel, at whom they were anciently irked, fretted, vexed, though no way provoked, (Numbers 22:3) whom also they outwitted, by the counsel of Balaam, in the business of Baal-peor, (Numbers 25:1-3,16-18) had been plagued and judged by the kings of Israel, by David especially, as also by Sennacherib, (Isaiah 15:1-16:14) but were no whit amended; and are therefore here, and Ezekiel 25:9, threatened 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 allies. Woe unto Nebo.] Their oracular city, as it may seem by the name. See Isaiah 15:2. Kiriathaim is confounded.] It is of a dual form, and so seemeth to have been Bipolis, a double city; as was of old Jerusalem, and as are now Rome, Prague, Craeovia. Misgab is confounded.] It signifieth the high place, and is the same, say some, with Bamoth, (Numbers 21:20) and Selah. (Isaiah 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. In Heshbon 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 Heshben and in Madmen. Ariopolis dicta. Alludit fere propheta ad singularum civitatum nomina. -Jun.
Ver. 3. A voice of crying.] They would not cry for their sins: they shall therefore cry for their miseries with desperate and bootless 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.] While they either are forsaken of their parents, [as Jeremiah 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 wilderness.] Which is little worth. See Jeremiah 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 captivlty.] Chemosh— unde Κωμος —was the Moabites’ god, and is thought to be the same with Bacchus or Priapus. He is here called Chemosh 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 flea his utmost— addat timor alas: but the Chaldean eagle will easily overcatch him.
Ver. 10. Cursed be he that doeth the work of the Lord deceitfully.] Or, Slackly, or hastingly, to the halves: Late pater haec sententia. The work of destroying Moab is here mainly meant. But the text taketh in all lawful employments; these are God’s works, and must be done vigorously, with all our might, in obedience to God, and for his greatest glory. Not soldiers 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 than an honest gentleman. Ministers must look to the ministry which they have received of the Lord, to fulfil the same. Every man in his particular place and station must be “not slothful in business, but fervent in spirit, serving the Lord”: non tanquam canis ad Nilum, sed ut Cygnus ad Thamesin: in God’s 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, Ignavia in rebus divinis est nefaria, Dulness in divine duties is abominable. And Numa, king of the Romans, made a law that none should be careless 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 God’s curse, let him do otherwise. “Verbi minister es; hoc age”: Perkinsi hoc erat symbolum. Aristides.
Ver. 11. Moab hath been at ease from his youth.] And his ease hath destroyed him. [as Proverbs 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. (Psalms 55:19) Sibi constat in facultatibus, &c., he is rich and testy. Here is good booty for the soldiers, who should therefore bestir them. And he hath settled 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 peregre agant eum; the Chaldean 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 Sodomitish too. It was but time therefore to send those that should empty his vessels and break his bottles, carry him into another country, where he might get a new taste, and his scent 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 pantofle. [as Jeremiah 48:2,29,30] A slipper or sandle.
Ver. 15. Moab is spoiled.] Quae hucusque, eadem maiore cum luce repetit. The same again, but with more exornations.
Ver. 16. The calamity of Moab is near to come.] See on Jeremiah 48:15.
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.
Ver. 19. Stand by the way and espy, &c.] What brave rhetoric is here? Tenendum quidem, prophetas et apostolos non affectasse artem dicendi: vide tamen quanta etoquentia peroret Spiritus, Sanctus. Egregia est prosopopoeia.
Ver. 20. Moab is confounded.] See on Jeremiah 48:15. Tell it in Arnon.] In the cities standing upon that river.
Ver. 21. And judgment is come upon the plain country.] 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 God’s judgment cometh upon them.
Ver. 23. And upon Kiriathaim.] See on Jeremiah 48:1. And upon Bethmeon.] “Baiith” Isaiah calleth it. (Jeremiah 15:2)
Ver. 24. And upon Bazrah.] Called also Bezer. (Joshua 21:36)
Ver. 25. The horn of Moab is cut off,] i.e., His strength, power, glory, kingdoms; his sultans and princes, saith the Chaldee.
Ver. 26. Make ye him drunk.] Ebrietas modis omnibus maledicta. But here is meant a dry drunkenness with the fierce wrath of God. Most things here spoken are to be found in Isaiah, but here more clearly expressed. See Jeremiah 25:17,21. 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 doubtless.
Ver. 27. For was not Israel a derision unto thee?] sc., When he was carried captive by Shalmaneser, didst not thou make thyself merry in his misery, and compose comedies out of his tragedies? Was he found among thieves?] 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? Thou skippest for joy.] Thou shakest thyself, that is, thy head; or thou laughest till thou art ready to break thy midriff; “ Petulanti splene cachinnas. ” Impotentissime cachinnaris
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 Isaiah 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 Isaiah 16:6. His lies shall not so effect it.] Heb., His bars. Lies were his refuge, his strength, the bars he trusted to and leaned on.
Ver. 31. Therefore will I howl.] Isaiah 16:7 15:5.
Ver. 32. I will weep with thee for the weeping of Jazer.] Or, More than the weeping of Jazer— i.e., saith Junius, more largely and lamentably than Isaiah bewailed Jazer. (Isaiah 16:8,9)
Ver. 33. And joy and gladness is taken.] See Isaiah 16:10. Their shouting shall be no shouting.] Their cheer 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 mourning, clapping of hands into wringing of hands, hallooing into howling.
Ver. 34. From Heshbon even unto Elealeh.] See Isaiah 15:4,5,9. As a heifer of three years 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 Jeremiah 48:7 Nu 21:28.
Ver. 36. Therefore my heart.] See Isaiah 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 Isaiah 15:3. Like a vessel wherein is no pleasure.] See Jeremiah 22:28.
Ver. 39. How hath Moab turned the back with shame?] Heb., Neck. “ Submisit tristi colla superba iugo. ”
Ver. 40. Behold, he shall fly as an eagle.] To an eagle Nebuchadnezzar is compared, for his strength, swiftness, and ravenousness.
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 herself.
Ver. 42. Because he hath magnified himself against the Lord,] i.e., Against his people, who are as the apple of his eye.
Ver. 43. Fear and the pit.] See Isaiah 24:17.
Ver. 44. He that seeth.] See Isaiah 24:18.
Ver. 45. Stood under the shadow of Heshbon.] As thinking they had had a good bush on their backs. But a fire shall come forth out of Heshbon.] As once before it did, (Numbers 21:28,29) and became a proverb. Of the tumultuous ones.] Of those revelling gallants.
Ver. 46. Woe be unto thee, O Moab.] See Numbers 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.