Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible
Jeremiah 48:39-46
The Coming Judgment On Moab And Its Final Restoration (Jeremiah 48:39).
In its pride Moab considered itself invulnerable and well able to take care of itself. It exalted its own god, Chemosh, above YHWH as it arrogantly surveyed what had happened to Judah/Israel. But its very pride led to it refusing tribute to Babylon, with the consequences which followed. When men become too confident in themselves they are heading for a downfall. It may be delayed, but it will come. And if we put anything before God we can be sure that it will be the cause of our downfall.
How is it broken down (shattered)! How they wail!
How Moab has turned the back with shame!
So will Moab become a derision,
And a horror (terror) to all who are round about him.”
The end of Moab is vividly described. It is shattered. Its people wail. It turns away with shame. For it has become a derision to all who are around it and were aware of its arrogant claims. The proud nation is to be humbled before all, to the horror of the nations, who will themselves be terrified at the sight, something seen as already accomplished in the prophet's eyes. How many people today have experienced a similar fate when they have foolishly turned away from or forgotten God? What we sow we reap
‘For thus says YHWH:
Behold, he will fly as an eagle,
And will spread out his wings against Moab.
Kerioth is taken,
And the strongholds are seized,
And the heart of the mighty men of Moab at that day,
Will be as the heart of a woman in her birthpains.
And Moab will be destroyed from being a people,
Because he has magnified himself against YHWH.”
The people were used to the sight of the terrible eagle as it hovered in the sky and then pounced on some prey for which it had been seeking. In a similar way would Nebuchadrezzar descend upon Moab, flying as an eagle and spreading his wings over Moab, descending to seize his prey. Even mighty Kerioth (see Jeremiah 48:24) would be taken, and Moab's strongholds would all be seized, and the heart of its trained fighting men would be as desperate and helpless as a woman lying helpless in her labour pains. The dove which had its nest in the clefts of the rock (Jeremiah 48:28), and had thought itself invulnerable, would fall prey to the mighty eagle swooping down from above. For Moab was to be destroyed from being an identifiable nation. And it was because it had magnified itself against God.
“Fear, and the pit, and the snare,
Are upon you, O inhabitant of Moab,
The word of YHWH,
He who flees from the fear will fall into the pit,
He who climbs out of the pit,
Will be taken in the snare,
For I will bring on him, even upon Moab,
The year of their visitation,
The word of YHWH.”
“Fear (pahath), and the pit (pahat), and the snare (pah).” Note the play on words which brings out the inevitability of the process. For the phrase see Isaiah 24:17. It was probably by now proverbial. The picture is one of hunted animals, first the animals in terror at the approach of the hunters, then the pit prepared for them into which they are driven, and finally for those who manage to scramble out of the pit, the hunter's snare which seals the fate of those who escape.
So the vivid picture changes, although the message is the same. Moab is now seen as fleeing in fear like a hunted animal and falling into a hunter's pit. And if any manage to scramble out of the pit it is only to find themselves caught in a snarer's trap. There is to be no escape. For it is the year of their visitation, the time when they receive retribution for all that they have been and done. It is a reminder of the words of our own poet, ‘The mills of God grind slowly, but they grind exceeding small'. And all this in accordance with the prophetic word of YHWH (neum YHWH).
It is salutary for us all to recognise that ‘the day of our visitation' will come. One day every one of us will give account to God for what we have done in our bodies, whether good or bad. We should therefore live in readiness for that day.
“Those who fled stand without strength,
Under the shadow of Heshbon,
For a fire is gone forth out of Heshbon,
And a flame from the midst of Sihon,
And has devoured the shaped beard (corner) of Moab,
And the crown of the head of the panic-stricken (children of tumult).”
The Moabites are seen as fleeing to mighty Heshbon, once the city of Sihon, king of the Amorites, prior to the arrival of Israel (Numbers 21:26). Now the capital city of Ammon (Jeremiah 49:3). But Heshbon will do them no favours. For instead of succour, from Heshbon will come fire, for Heshbon also will be in the hands of their enemies. And the fire will devour them, identified as deserving of judgment as they are by their godless symbolism. Arriving at Heshbon panic-stricken, the shaping of their beards and their heads as an indication of mourning, reveal them as belonging to Chemosh, the Moabite god, for they are recognised symbols of pagan mourning. It is as such that they will be devoured.
Comparison should be made with Numbers 21:28; Numbers 24:17 b, which serves to explain the reference to Sihon. Moses' words in Numbers will be fulfilled.
“Woe to you, O Moab!
The people of Chemosh are undone,
For your sons are taken away captive,
And your daughters into captivity.
Yet will I bring back the captivity of Moab,
In the latter days, the word of YHWH.
Thus far is the judgment of Moab.
And the final consequence will be exile. As those who proudly call themselves ‘the people of Chemosh' they will be hauled away to foreign lands to eke out their existence, as Israel/Judah had been because of their worship of false gods. Chemosh can do nothing to help them. He is a nonentity.
But it is not to be a final end. In later days many of them will be restored to their land, as indeed would happen under Cyrus of Persia. And this in accordance with the prophetic word of YHWH. There is also in this the hint that one day Moab would participate in the blessing of God when the Gospel reached out to the ends of the earth.
‘Thus far is the judgment of Moab.' The judgment has been pronounced. Now awaits its execution. But it is a judgment tinged with mercy.