Matthew Henry on Jeremiah 48:1-13
We may observe in these verses,
I. The author of Moab's destruction; it is the Lord of hosts, that has armies, all armies, at his command, and the God of Israel (Jer 48:1), who will herein plead the cause of his Israel against a people that have always been vexatious to them, and will punish them now for the injuries done to Israel of old, though Israel was forbidden to meddle with them (Deu 2:9), therefore the destruction of Moab is called the work of the Lord (Jer 48:10), for it is he that pleads for Israel; and his work will exactly agree with his word, Jer 48:8.
II. The instruments of it: Spoilers shall come (Jer 48:8), shall come with a sword, a sword that shall pursue them, Jer 48:2. "…
Read the whole note in the consoleJamieson-Fausset-Brown on Jeremiah 48:4
little ones . . . cry--heightening the distress of the scene. The foe does not spare even infants.
John Gill on Jeremiah 48:4
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 (g) 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 w…
Read the whole note in the consoleJohn Calvin on Jeremiah 48:4
Jeremiah 48:4
4. Moab is destroyed; her little ones have caused a cry to be heard.
4. Afflicta est Moab; audire fecerunt clamorem parvuli ejus.
The Prophet speaks again generally of the whole country. It is said that the land of Moab was afflicted; not that it was so then; but to make certain the prophecy, he speaks of the event as having already taken place; for the prophets, as it is well known, speaking in the person of God, relate things as yet hidden, as though they had been completed. He says that the little ones of Moab so cried as to be heard. [5] This is much more emphatic than if he had said that men and women cried out; for children do not soon perceive what is going on, for th…
