John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 48:43-44

"Fear, and the pit, and the snare, are upon thee, O inhabitant of Moab, saith Jehovah. He that fleeth from the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that getteth up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for I will bring upon him, even upon Moab, the year of their visitation, saith Jehovah." — Jeremiah 48:43-44 (ASV)

By these words the Prophet shows that though the Moabites might adopt many means of escape, yet they would be taken, for God’s hand would everywhere entrap them. He mentions terror first, then the pit, and thirdly, the snare. This means, “You will be so frightened that terror will compel you to flee; but when you flee, pits will be in the way into which you will fall. But if you rise from the pit, snares will surround you, and you will be taken.”

We then see that by these comparisons nothing else is meant but God’s judgment, which hung over the Moabites, so that it could by no means be averted by them. For they could find no way to escape, because fear would force them to flee. As is usually the case, fear would deprive them of clear thinking. Thus, they would be driven here and there, unable to move from any place without encountering a pit; and, as has been said, after the pit there would be the snare.

Now all this has not been expressed without reason, because we know with how many flatteries people are accustomed to delude themselves when God summons them to judgment. They immediately look around here and there, promise themselves impunity, and then hope for light punishment, as though they were at peace with God.

But the unbelieving harden themselves, as Isaiah says, as though they had made a covenant with death and a compact with hell (Isaiah 28:15). Since, then, the wicked set up security in opposition to God, the Prophet here shows that there are many ways in his hand by which he can take the fugitives and those who think they can escape through their own astuteness.

And so he said, He who flees from terror—that is, from present danger—shall fall into the pit. This means that when the Moabites think themselves secure, they will encounter new dangers, and new deaths will surround them.

But we must notice what is added at the end of the verse: Because I will bring on Moab the year of their visitation. Here God sustains the minds of the godly, so that they might not faint on account of long delay.

Since, then, the faithful might have been worn out with weariness while God prolonged the time regarding the Moabites, the Prophet says, Come at length shall the year of their visitation. For, as has been stated elsewhere, by this way of speaking God intimates that though he for a time passes by things and overlooks them, he will at length show himself to be the judge of the world.

We would have God always act in haste; and so, when he exhorts us to patience, all our feelings rebel. This happens because we do not consider that the proper timing of events is determined by his will.

Hence he speaks now of the year of visitation, as though he had said, “I may for a time appear to disregard human affairs and to neglect my own, while my people are cruelly oppressed by the wicked; but the time of visitation will come.” By this word “visitation,” God means that there are changes—or, as they commonly say, revolutions—which are fixed and certain.

We now understand, then, God’s design when he says that he would bring a visitation on the Moabites.