John Calvin Commentary Jeremiah 48:7

"For, because thou hast trusted in thy works and in thy treasures, thou also shalt be taken: and Chemosh shall go forth into captivity, his priests and his princes together." — Jeremiah 48:7 (ASV)

Jeremiah assigns here the reason why God would take vengeance on the Moabites; however, we will later see other reasons why God had been so displeased with them. Let us then understand that we are not here taught explicitly why God determined to lay waste and destroy the land of Moab. Only one reason is given here, while there were others, and greater ones: they had wantonly exulted over the miseries of the Jews, they had conspired against them, they had betrayed them, and lastly, they had, as it were, carried on war with their God.

But here Jeremiah briefly shows that, even if there were no other reasons, the Moabites deserved for God to pour forth His wrath on them for this very reason: because they trusted in their own works and treasures. By "works," some understand herds and flocks; and in this sense, the term is sometimes used, and it is an acceptable exposition.

However, we may understand "works" to mean fortifications, especially since "treasures" are also mentioned. He then says that the Moabites were such that it was just for God to be roused against them, because they were inebriated with false confidence in their own power and because they had many treasures; therefore, they thought themselves impregnable.

The Prophet meanwhile intimates that the Moabites greatly deceived themselves in thinking they were safe from God’s hand because they were strongly fortified and had immense treasures laid up. Therefore, he says that all these things would avail nothing, because God would destroy the whole land.

Even thou, he says, shalt be taken. There is no small emphasis in the particle גם, gam, meaning "even" or "also." The Prophet uses it to express what was then to take place. For, while the Moabites trusted in vain in their treasures and power, God would nevertheless destroy them, and His hand would penetrate their fortresses.

God then will find you out just the same, as though you were exposed to all dangers. Those who abound in warlike preparations, furnished with all kinds of defenses, think themselves exempt from the common lot of men. Therefore, he says, Even thou, equally the same as any village exposed to the will of enemies, even thou shalt be taken; and go forth shall Chemosh.

This Chemosh was the tutelary god of the land, as it appears from the book of Judges and other places, and even from what Moses says (Judges 11:25; 1 Kings 11:7, 33; Numbers 21:29).

Since, then, the Moabites worshipped this idol, they thought themselves safe whatever evil might be near. The Prophet then derides this confidence.

We have said before that the ungodly, in part, set up their own earthly power in opposition to God, and in part, imagined that they were aided by their idols.

Therefore, the prophets exposed these two evils, as also appears from the present passage. The Prophet had said, Because thou trustest in thy fortresses and treasures, even thou shalt be taken; and now he says, Because thou thinkest Chemosh to be a sure and invincible defense, it shall be driven into exile and be kept captive.

This he said in reproach to the idol. He adds, its priests and its princes; even those princes, who seem to lie down safely under its shadow, will also be driven into exile.