John Gill Commentary Jeremiah 48

Against Moab thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel,
and so on.] The prophecy concerning Moab is introduced with these epithets of God, partly to observe that the God of Israel was the only true God, in opposition to the gods of Moab, and other nations; and partly to point out his omnipotence, being able to perform what he here predicts and threatens; as also to suggest, that for the enmity of the Moabites to his people Israel, and their contempt of them, which is taken notice of in this chapter, and the ill treatment of them, the Lord would now take vengeance on them. Some render it, "concerning Moab" ^F26; because every thing that is here said is not against it; the chapter concludes in favour of it; though the far greater part, and indeed, all but the last verse, is against it.

This prophecy, according to Josephus ^F1, had its fulfilment about five years after the destruction of Jerusalem; woe unto Nebo, for it is spoiled; its walls broken down; its houses demolished; its inhabitants destroyed, and plundered of their riches; this, in prophetic language, is represented as done, because of the certainty of it. Of this city (See Gill on Isaiah 15:2); It is thought to be an oracular one, where was a temple of their idol; and from where their priests gave out oracles, promising peace, and prosperity and safety, to Moab; and therefore the desolation of that is first prophesied of, to show that no dependence was to be had on those lying oracles.

Kirjathaim is confounded [and] taken; a city in the tribe of Reuben, which afterwards came into the hands of the Moabites, (Joshua 13:19). The word is of the dual form; and it might be a double city, like Jerusalem, consisting of a lower and upper city; or it might be divided by a river; or, as Kimchi and Ben Melech think, it was so called because it had two towers in it. It seems to be the same with Kir of Moab, Kirharesh, and Kirhareseth, (Isaiah 15:1) (Isaiah 16:7Isaiah 16:11); when it was taken by the Chaldeans, the inhabitants were confounded, as having looked upon the place, and boasted of it, as impregnable.

Misgab is confounded and dismayed; so called from its being built on a high place, and well fortified; though some think that this is not the proper name of a place; but only signifies a high and fortified place both by nature and art; a place of refuge, where persons thought themselves safe; and so the Targum renders it, ``the house of their confidence;'' this, when besieged and taken by the Babylonians, threw the inhabitants into the utmost consternation and confusion. Some take it to be the same with Bamoth, a name of much the same signification, (Joshua 13:17); see (Isaiah 15:2).

FOOTNOTES:

• F26: (bawml) "ad Moab", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus; "de Moabo", Vatablus, Cocceius.
• F1: Antiqu. l. 10. c. 9. sect. 7.

[There shall be] no more praise of Moab
It shall be no more commended for a rich, populous, and fruitful country, being now laid waste; though the next phrase, in Heshbon,
or "concerning Heshbon" ^F2, should be read in connection with this; and then the sense is, there shall be none any more in Heshbon to praise the country of Moab, what a fine and fertile country it is, since that city will be destroyed also; or there will be no more a Moabite to boast of his being an inhabitant in Heshbon, such an utter destruction will be made of it; or there will be no more boasting of Moab, or of any Moabite concerning Heshbon, what a famous, opulent, or strong city that is, since it is no more. Of this city (See Gill on Isaiah 15:4);

they have devised evil against it;
that is, the Chaldeans devised evil against Heshbon, to besiege it, take and destroy it: there is in the expression a beautiful allusion to the name of the city of Heshbon, which has its name from a word that signifies to devise and consult {c};

come, and let us cut it off from [being] a nation:
this is what the Babylonians consulted together against Heshbon; and not only against that, a principal city; but against the whole country of Moab, to make such an entire desolation of it, that it should be no more a nation: that which the Moabites with others devised against the people of Israel is now devised against them; a just retaliation this; see (Psalms 83:4–6) ;

also you shall be cut down, O Madmen;
or utterly destroyed: it may be rendered, "shall become silent" ^F4; the voice of man shall not be heard in it, especially the voice of praise, of boasting, and rejoicing: there is in this clause also an elegant allusion to the name of the place, which comes from a root that signifies to "cut down", or "be silent" ^F5. This is thought by Grotius to be the Madiama of Ptolemy ^F6:

the sword shall pursue you;
after it has destroyed other cities, it should come in great haste and with great force to Madmen; or it should pursue after the inhabitants, of it, that should make their escape, or attempt to do so. The Targum is,

FOOTNOTES:

• F2: (Nwbvxb bawm tlht dwe Nya) "nulla amplius gloriatio Moab in Chesbon", Calvin; "non ultra laus, Moab in Chesbon", Montanus; to the same purpose Vatablus.
• F4: (ymdt) "silebis", Montanus; so R. Judah in Ben Melech; "ad silentium redigeris"; so some in Vatablus.
• F5: (Nmdm wmdt) .
• F6: Geograph. l. 6. c. 7.

A voice of crying [shall be] from Horonaim Another city of Moab. The word is of the dual number; and, according to Kimchi and Ben Melech, there were two Horons, the upper and the lower; of this place (See Gill on Isaiah 15:5); this also should be destroyed; and so a cry of the inhabitants of it should be heard out of it.

spoiling, and great destruction ; because the city was spoiled, and a great destruction made in the inhabitants and riches of it.

Moab is destroyed
Either the whole nation in general; so the Targum, ``the kingdom of Moab is broken;'' and so Abarbinel; or a city so called, which some take to be the city Areopolis. Jerom ^F7 says, that Moab is a city of Arabia, now called Areopolis; and which also has the name of Rabbathmoab, or "grand Moab"; her little ones have caused a cry to be heard ;
seeing their parents killed, and they left desolate, and in the hands of the enemy; and not only so, but just going to be dashed in pieces by them.

The Targum interprets it, her governors; and so Jarchi, who thinks they are so called, because they are lesser than kings. Kimchi and Ben Melech suggest, that these are called so by way of contempt. The word "tzeir" signifies both "little" and "great", as the learned Pocock ^F8 has abundantly proved.

FOOTNOTES:

• F7: De locis Heb. fol. 87. H. & 93. B.
• F8: Not. Miscell. in Port. Mosis, p. 17, 18.

For in the going up of Luhith continual weeping shall go up ,
&c.] This is another city, which was built on a high hill, which had a considerable ascent to it, whither those that escaped from Horonaim might flee for safety; but as they went up the hill would weep bitterly, and all the way they went, because of the loss of friends and sustenance, and the danger they themselves were still in.

Of this place (See Gill on Isaiah 15:5); for in the going down of Horonaim the enemies have heard a cry of
destruction ;
a place before mentioned, which lay low, in the descent of which, the enemies, the Chaldeans, heard the cries of those that fled from Horonaim, and went up from thence to Luhith, which cry was as follows: