Yers. B-10.-The Divine judgment upon the Moabites and Ammonites. The Moo.bites o.nd Ammonites were related to the Israelites by kinship. They were the descendants of Lot--the Moe.bites by Moe.b, the elder son of that patriarch, and the .Ammonites by Ben-Arnmi, or Ammon, his younger son (Gen. xix. 37, 38). With these tribes, in view of this blood-relationship, the Israelites were di8tinctly forbidden to we.ge we.r (Deut. ii. 9, 19). These pastoral tribes, however, did not act thus peace- ably toward fsrael. They cherished the spirit of hatred in reference to the Israelites, which manifested itself in their revilings and boastings, and also in the incursions they made upon their territory (Isa. xvi. 6; Jer. xlviii. 29). The prophet here proceeds to declare against these tribes the judgments of God. Note- I. THE PBEVAll,IN0 BIN OF THE MoABITEB AND AMMONITES. Pride (ver. 10; Jer. x.lviii. 29). This spirit manifested itself (1) in their evil-speaking,-" they reproached and reviled God's people" (ver. 8); (2) in their arrogant and insolent bearing,-they "magnified themselves against the people of the Lord of hosts" (ver. 10); (3) in their deeds of oppression and cruelty ,-they "magnified themselves against their border" (ver. 8), crossing this and making raids upon Judah, and taking special advantage of those seasons when, through conflict with foreign adversaries, that nation had become enfeebled. This sin of pride, so characteristic of these tribes, is still very prevalent, aud lies at the very root of human misery ; it leads to the cherishing of false appear- ances, to inconsiderateness and injustice with reference to the rights of others; it occasions misunderstandings, and then, standing in the way of mutual concession, causes alienation. It inflicts likewise self-injury, carries.. with it its own chastisement in the unhappy spirit it engenders; it is its own condemnation, for it is evident to all that trees whose boughs do not bend to the ground are not very well laden with fruit; and it ends in ruin, for "pride goeth before destruction," etc. (Prov. xvi. 18). !I. 'l'HE BUBE PUNISHMENT WITH WHICH THEY WERE TO BE OVERTAKEN ON ACCOUNT THEREOF. (Yer. 9.) 1. 'rheir cities were to be destroyed. Even as Sodom a.nd Gomorrah of old had become engulfed in the Dead Sea, upon which these haughty ones constantly gazed without recalling the past and laying to heart its lessons of warning, so theirs should likewise pass away. 2. Their rich pasture-lands should become barren, and the fertile region changed into a region of nettles and salt-pits a.nd a perpetual desert (ver. 9). 3. Israel, so often oppressed by them and called upon to endure their scorn and contempt, should eventually triumph over them, and take possession of their territory as the spoils of war (ver. 9). 4. 'rhis fate should really come to pass, since Jehovah was against them, and was pledged to its accomplish- ment. "'l'herefore as I live," etc. (ver. 9). All that his people had suffered through their haughtiness, he had known (ver. 8), and would duly requite. .And so ever, since he reigneth, shall pride be subdued and the haughty oppressor be laid in the dust. "He scatters the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He puts down the mighty from their seats, and exalts them of low degree" (Luke i. 51, 52). 11 True dignity abides with him alone
Who, in the silent hour of inward tbo11ght, Can still suspect and still revere himself In lowliness of heart."
Ver. 11.-The Divine purpose in reference to the race, and the way of its fulfilment. A very erroneous notion has been widely entertained respecting God's relations to the peoples of the earth. The representation has been very current that, in selecting the Jewish tribes and constituting these his "peculiar treasure," the Most High left ail other nations to their own resources, and that they became practically outcasts from his love and care. We have, however, abundant evidence that such is by no means the teaching of Scripture; that whilst with o. view to the revealing and developing of his plan of redeeming mercy he did select the Jewish race, imparting to them special privileges and communicating to them a knowledge of his will, yet the.t all the nations were likewise under his government and nurture. We think of what is recorded in the Bible respecting Job the Chalde1m, Balaam the heathen soothsayer, the mission of Elisha to the woman of Sarepta, and of Jonah to Nineveh, and the Divine revelations made to heathen monarchs, and, with all this before us, we cannot foster the notion that the worlcl outside the pale of Judo.ism was disregarded by Heaven, but we aee ZEPHANIAIT. D 34 THE BOOK OF ZEPHANIAH. [ oli, II, 1-lli,