John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 48:30

"I know his wrath, saith Jehovah, that it is nought; his boastings have wrought nothing." — Jeremiah 48:30 (ASV)

This verse is explained in various ways, at least the second clause. Some interpret it as, “His indignation, and not what is right;” then they add by itself, “his lies;” and lastly, “they have not done rightly,” or as others, “they will not do anything fixed,” which is more suitable, and is close to the interpretation I have given. But I will not discuss other interpretations here, or attempt at length to disprove them; it is enough for us to understand the true meaning of the Prophet.

In the first place, God is here introduced as saying, I know his insolence. The pronoun אני, ani, is emphatic, for in the previous verse the Prophet had said that the boastings of Moab were a terror, as they spoke loudly of their own strength and defenses. Since they thus openly proclaimed their own praises, they filled all their neighbors with terror; therefore, the Prophet said, We have heard the pride of Moab. Now God, on His part, also gives this answer: I know, He says, his insolence; as if He had said, “The Moabites do not boast in this way without Me being a witness; all these things come before My tribunal.”

He later adds, still speaking as God, Not rectitude are his lies. By the word עברתו, obertu, which some interpret as “his indignation,” the Prophet, I think, means insolence. It properly signifies excess, as it comes from עבר, ober, to pass over. The noun is indeed often used to express indignation, because anger keeps no limits, but is, as Horace says, a momentary madness.

But because of what the passage seems to require, I interpret it as insolence, and it is the most suitable word. And God, having declared that He saw the insolence of Moab, also mentions his lies. The word בדים, badim, means branches of trees, and sometimes sons or children, as they are members of the community; and therefore, some interpret it as “sons” here, as if the Prophet had said that after the Moabites had been cut off, no one would remain to continue their name in the world.

Since, then, there was to be no posterity for the Moabites, they think that בדים, badim, here means sons or children. But this view cannot be accepted, because we shall later see that there was to be some remnant of the Moabites. We cannot, then, interpret בדים, badim, as anything other than referring to their vain boastings, for they were nothing but lies.

But we must consider what Jeremiah says. The word כן, ken, means “right,” and I take the two words as being in apposition: “His lies are not right”—that is, there is no stability in his lies. For when an apposition is explained, one of the words is turned into an adjective, or a preposition is inserted: Not right then are his lies; that is, in his lies there is no rectitude, or in his lies there is no stability.

The rectitude of which the Prophet is now speaking, however, does not refer to justice or equity, but to stability; and that it has this meaning can be gathered from other passages. Then he says that the Moabites' boastings were vain, because God would not bring about what they thought or, as is commonly said, what they presumed.

And then he adds the reason. The particle כן, ken, is to be understood here adverbially; it is an adverb of likeness, “so,” or “thus”: they shall not so do—that is, not in the way they had conceived in their minds. This is a confirmation of the previous clause. For why would there be no stability in their lies? Because God would break down the Moabites, so that their plans would be futile, without any effect.

We now, then, perceive the meaning of the words. Isaiah 16:6 uses nearly the same expressions, but he does not add this confirmation that they would not be able to do what they intended. He only says, “there shall no rectitude be in their boastings,” לא כן בדיו, la ken bediu, having previously spoken of their arrogance, ferocity, and insolence (for he mentions this third word with the other two).

Now this verse may be applied for our benefit. Whenever the ungodly indulge in boasting and insolently claim all things for themselves, let us not fear and tremble, but remember what the Prophet teaches us here, whose admonition is very necessary. For he shows that this pride is an object of derision to God, and that when the ungodly rage terribly, their lies will have no effect.