Jeremiah 48:4

4 Moab is broken, her little ones {make heard} a cry for help.

Jeremiah 48:4 Meaning and Commentary

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 ^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.

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FOOTNOTES:

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

Jeremiah 48:4 In-Context

2 The glory of Moab is no longer. In Heshbon they planned evil against her. Come and let us cut her off from [being] a nation. Also, Madmen, you will be silent. After you will go [the] sword.

3 [The] sound of a cry of distress [arises] from Horonaim, devastation and great destruction.

4 Moab is broken, her little ones {make heard} a cry for help.

5 For the ascent of Luhith, in weeping they go weeping, For on the slope of Horonaim they have heard [the] distresses of [the] cry of distress of [the] destruction.

6 Flee! Save your life! {For} you must not be like the juniper tree in the desert.

Footnotes

• [a]. Literally "cause to hear"