Ver. 7. — In thy works ; i.e. either " in thy evil deeds" (comp. Isa. xxviii. 15) or "in thy idols" (frequently called "the work of men's hands," e.g. Deut. iv. 28, ami sometimes simply "works," e.g. Isa. xli. 29 ; Ivii. 12 ; comp. Isa. i. 31). Chemosh. In Numb. xxi. 29 Moab is called "penple of ChSmdsh," the patron-god being the king and lord of his people. In accordance with the strictly localizing theory of the nature of deity, current among primitive nations, Chemosh is said to go into captivity together with his worshippers (comp. ch. xlix. 3; Amos i. 1.?). Tliis helps us to understand the idolatry into which the Jews fell during the Exile (Isa. xiii. 17); they imagined that Jehovah himself was "in captivity," and restrained from putting forth his power on behalf of his worshippers. Tho text- reading is not Chemosh, but Chemish ; the latter form does not occur elsewhere, but has been thought to illustrate the name of the Hittite city Carchemish (the Hittites or their predecessors may have been wor- shippers of this deity), i.e. "castle of Chemdsh."
Ver. 8. — The valley ... the plain, The latter (Hebrew, mishor) is the upland region which extends from the Jordan eastward of Jericho into the Arabian desert ; in Nnmb. xxi. 20 it is called the " field " (i.e. " open country") of Moab. The former means that part of the Jordan valley which borders on this upland " plain " towards the west.
Vers. 9 — 16. — So sudden is the blow that Moab stands in need of wings to make good his escape. Were the human instrument to delay, the curse meant for Moab would come upon himself. Is a reason demanded? It is that Moab has long been in » state of morally perilous security, and requires to be thoroughly shaken and aroused, in order that he may discover the inability of Che- mosh to help his worshippers.
Ver. 9. — Give wings, etc. Comp. ver. 28 ; also Isa. xvi. 2, where the fugitive Moabites are likened to " wandering b rds."
Ver. 10.— Deceitfully ; rather, daekly, negligently. ,
Ver. 11, — Moab hath been at ease from his youth. The "youth" cf Moab dates from its subjugation of the aboriginal Emim (Deut. ii. 10). Since that event, though often at war, sometimes tributary and sometimes expelled from a part of the territory claimed liy them (see the inscrip- tion on the Moabite Stone), yet they had
OH. XLvm. 1—47.] THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET JEREMIAR
never been disturbed in their anceBtral homes to the south of the river Amon. He hath settled on his lees. It was the custom to leave wine for a time on its lees or sedi- ment, in order to heighten its strength and flavour (comp. Isa. xxv. 6). Emptied from vessel to vessel. Thevenot, an old traveller in Persia, remarks of the Shiraz wine that, after it is separated from the lees, it is apt to grow sour. " The wine is put into large earthen jars, each holding from ten or twelve to fourteen carabtu ; but when a jar lias been opened, it must be emptied as soon as possible, and the wine put into bottles or earaias, otherwise it spoils and becomes sour" ('Voyages,' ii. 245, quoted by Lowth on Isa. xxv. 6). In the applica- tion of the figure, the "ta;8te" of Moab means obviously the national character.
Ver. 12.— Wanderers, that shall cause him to wander ; rather, tiltere, and they shall tilt him. The earthen jars of which Thevenot speaks were doubtless similar to those of the Isra'elites. They would be tilted on one side, that the wine might run off clear from the dregs. Their bottles; rather, flagont or pitchers (of earthenware). The confusion of numbers and pronouns is remarkable. First, Moab collectively is spoken of as a wine-jar ; then the Moabites individually as Moab's jars ; last of all, the Moabites are sp"ken of as possessing " jars " (i.e. all the institutions, public and private, of the state and of society).
Ver. 13. — Ashamed of Bethel ; t.e. of the golden calf or bull at Bethel, set up by Jeroboam I. as a symbol of the strong God, Jehovah. This idolatry was odious to the prophetic teachers of a nobler and more spiritual form of religion. They saw that the deity and the symbol were too much confounded, and that such a religion would u II save its adherents from captivity and ruin (oomp. Hos. x. 15 ; Amos iii. 14 ; t. 5,6).
Yer. 14. — We are mighty ; rather, tee are heron. The Hebrew is gibhorim, the name of David's select warriors (2 Sam. xxiii. 8). The exclamation is designed to represent vividly to the mind the sinful vain-glory specially characteristic of Moab.
Ver. 15. — Moab is spoiled, and gone np out of her cities. The latter part of this clause in the Hebrew is extremely difScult ; the Authorized Version is indefensible. It is even doubtful whether it can be translated at all consistently with grammar, tliough Hitzig, » good grammarian, lias adopted the suggestion of Grotius, remlering, " and her cities have gone up," viz. in smoke, t.e. they have been burnt ; comp. Judg. xx. 40, ie end of which verse ought to run thus : " The whole city went up to lieaven." ^ut even if the verb in third masc. sing.
be allowable after the plural noun, it ii very harsh to give it such an interpreta- tion, when the context says nothing about fire or smoke. J. D. Micbaelis and Ewald, therefore, propose to change the vowel- points of the first word, rendering, "The spoiler of Moab and of her cities is gone np ; " and Ur. Payne ^mith inclines to follow them. We thus obtain a striking antithesis; the enemy has " gime np," and Moab's young men are gone down, i.e. are felled by murderous hands (comp, Isa. xxxiv. 7).
Ver. 16. — The calamity of Uoab, etc. The form of the verse reminds ua of Deut. xxxii. 35 ; Isa. xiii. 22.
Vers. 17 — 25. — How lamentable that such a glorious sceptre should be broken I But there is no remedy. Even Dibon, that highly honoured town, is disgraced. There is no hiding the sad fate of the Moabites ; the crowds of fugitives suifieiently proclaim it. Judgment lias been pas^sed upon all the cities of Moab, a long roll of whose names is recited.
Ver. 17.— All ye that are about him; t.e. the neighbouring nations (comp. on oh. xlvi. 14). The invitation to condolence is not ironical, but in the deepest spirit of human sympathy, as in the parallel prophecy in Isaiah (see on Isa. xv. 5). The strong staff; %.e. the sceptre as an image of royal authority (comp. Ezek. zix. 11—14). Eod; as in Ps. ex. 2.