Jeremiah 48:7

48:1-13. 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 iniquity, 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, Ps 55:19.

Jeremiah 48:7-10 . Chemosh shall go, &c. — Chemosh was the idol of the Moabites, Numbers 21:29 . The valley also shall perish and the plain — Those who live in the country, with their flocks and pastures, shall be involved in the same calamity with the inhabitants of the cities. Give wings to Moab, &c. — It is not a common speed that can deliver him from that imminent danger which threatens him. Cursed be he, &c. — God executes his judgments upon sinners by the ministry of men, and those oftentimes as great sinners as they who suffer by them. He had declared by Jeremiah his purpose of making the Chaldeans his instruments in punishing the Jews and the neighbouring countries: see Jeremiah 25:9 . And it is here signified, that they would expose themselves to the divine wrath and curse if they spared Moab, and did not execute judgment upon it effectually.

Verse 7. - In thy works; i.e. either "in thy evil deeds" (comp. Isaiah 28:15 ) or "in thy idols" (frequently called "the work of men's hands," e.g. Deuteronomy 4:28 , and sometimes simply "works," e.g. Isaiah 41:29 ; Isaiah 57:12 ; comp. Isaiah L 31). Chemoah . In Numbers 21:29 Moab is called "people of Chemosh," the patron-god being the king and lord of his people. In accordance with the strictly localizing theory of the nature of deity, current among primitive nations, Chemosh is said to go into captivity together with his worshippers (comp. Jeremiah 49:3 ; Amos 1:15 ). This helps us to understand the idolatry into which the Jews fell during the Exile ( Isaiah 42:17 ); they imagined that Jehovah himself was "in captivity," and restrained from putting forth his power on behalf of his worshippers. The text reading is not Chemosh, but Chemish; the latter form does not occur elsewhere, but has been thought to illustrate the name of the Hittite city Carchemish (the Hittites or their predecessors may have been worshippers of this deity), i.e. "castle of Chemosh." Jeremiah 48:7

7 . 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 “works”), and render, from what was doubtless the original form of the Heb., strongholds . “Works” is a later insertion referring to Chemosh. So Co. For “work” in the sense of an idol cp. Deuteronomy 4:28 and elsewhere. The exile of a people was considered to involve that of their deity. For Chemosh’s captivity cp. Isaiah 46:1 f., and for the latter part of the v ., Amos 1:15 . Chemosh ] the object of Moab’s national worship ( Numbers 21:29 ; 1 Kings 11:7 ). If the god is powerless to prevent his own captivity, what chance is there for the people ?.

For because thou hast trusted in thy {f} works and in thy treasures, thou also shalt be taken: and {g} Chemosh shall go forth into captivity with his priests and his princes together. (f) That is, the idols which are the works your hands. Some read, in your possessions, for so the word may signify as in 1Sa 25:2. (g) Both your great idol and his maintainers will be led away captives so that they will then know that it is in vain to look for help at idols, Isa 15:2.

(7) Chemosh shall go forth into captivity. —The name appears as that of the national deity of Moab in Numbers 21:29 , as worshipped also by the Ammonites in Judges 11:24 . Solomon introduced and Josiah abolished his worship at Jerusalem ( 1Kings 11:7 ; 2Kings 23:13 ). He is identified by Jerome ( Comm. on Isaiah 15:2 ) with the Baal-peor of Numbers 25:3 . The name is prominent in the Moabite Inscription as that of the national deity, who subdues the people of his rival, Jehovah. The captivity of the idol implies, of course, that of the people The “works” in which Moab is said to have trusted are represented in the LXX. and Vulgate as “fortresses,” but the word is not used in this sense elsewhere, and it is more probable that the prophet represents Moab as relying on its past achievements and deeds of prowess. The last words of the verse are an echo of Amos 1:15 . Benson CommentaryJeremiah 48:7-10. Chemosh shall go, &c. — Chemosh was the idol of the Moabites, Numbers 21:29. The valley also shall perish and the plain — Those who live in the country, with their flocks and pastures, shall be involved in the same calamity with the inhabitants of the cities. Give wings to Moab, &c. — It is not a common speed that can deliver him from that imminent danger which threatens him. Cursed be he, &c. — God executes his judgments upon sinners by the ministry of men, and those oftentimes as great sinners as they who suffer by them.

He had declared by Jeremiah his purpose of making the Chaldeans his instruments in punishing the Jews and the neighbouring countries: see Jeremiah 25:9. And it is here signified, that they would expose themselves to the divine wrath and curse if they spared Moab, and did not execute judgment upon it effectually.Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary48:1-13. 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 iniquity, 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, Ps 55:19.Barnes' Notes on the BibleWorks - Possibly the products of labor. The versions render fortifications.Chemosh - As the national god of Moab Numbers 21:29, he represents the whole land; and his being led into captivity implies the total ruin of those under his protection. His name here spelled Chemish is repeated in Car-chemish, i. e., the fortress of Chemish.

Works - Possibly the products of labor. The versions render fortifications. Chemosh - As the national god of Moab Numbers 21:29, he represents the whole land; and his being led into captivity implies the total ruin of those under his protection. His name here spelled Chemish is repeated in Car-chemish, i. e., the fortress of Chemish.

Whether by works in this place he meant their riches, got by the labour of their hands, or their idols , which often are called, by way of defamation, the works of their own hands, or their fortifications, is not much considerable; a confidence in creatures, opposed to a confidence in God, is doubtless the sin here intended, whatever the ground of it was, whether their idols, or riches, or fortified places. Chemosh was their principal idol, as appears by Numbers 21:29 Judges 11:24 1 Kings 11:7,33 2 Kings 23:13 . God showeth them the vanity of this idolatry, by telling them that this idol should go into captivity, and be so far from being able to protect them, that he should not be able to protect himself or his own priests, or the princes that favoured him.