Charles Ellicott Commentary Deuteronomy 28:49

"Jehovah will bring a nation against thee from far, from the end of the earth, as the eagle flieth; a nation whose tongue thou shalt not understand;" — Deuteronomy 28:49 (ASV)

Deuteronomy 28:49–57. CONQUEST OF ISRAEL BY A STRANGE NATION. MISERIES OF THE SIEGE.

The Lord shall bring a nation against thee. —Compare “Lo, I will bring a nation upon you from far, O house of Israel, saith the Lord: it is a mighty nation, an ancient nation, a nation whose language thou knowest not, neither understandest what they say” (Jeremiah 5:15). In this instance the Chaldeans were intended, “that bitter and hasty nation” (Habakkuk 1:6).

As swift as the eagle flieth. —The eagles of Rome may be alluded to here. And of the Chaldeans it is said, “They shall fly as the eagle that hasteth to eat” (Habakkuk 1:8).

Whose tongue thou shalt not understand. —I am told by a learned Jewish friend that (excellent linguists as the Jews often are) hundreds of the people never attain the least acquaintance with the tongue of the countries where they are dispersed, and seem to lose the power of doing so.

I have myself been surprised by more than one example, even in London, of their being wholly unable to handle the commonest matter of business when presented to them in English.

It is not from lack of ability, but from a kind of paralysis of the understanding, except within a certain range of thought.