Jeremias 31:39

39 How has he changed! how has Moab turned back! Moab is put to shame, and become a laughing-stock, and an object of anger to all that are round about him.

Jeremias 31:39 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 31:39

And the measuring line shall yet go forth over against it,
&c.] Or, "before it" ^F16; the gate proceeding right on from it; of the length of the measuring line, or reed; see ( Ezekiel 40:5 ) ; though some render it, "before him" ^F17; before the Lord, under whose direction and powerful providence the work went on; so the city gates and walls of the New Jerusalem are said to be measured with a reed, ( Revelation 21:15 ) ; upon the hill Gareb;
which signifies a "scab", so called, as is supposed, from scabby and leprous persons sent here to dwell, which was a "lazaretto" for them. Lightfoot, following Lyra, takes it to be the same with Mount Calvary: it was on the north side of the city, bending to the west; and, if the same with Calvary, it was on the west side. The Targum renders it,

``the hill which was near to Gareb:''

and shall compass about to Goath;
so called perhaps from the difficulty of its ascent, it being a laborious work to go up to it, enough to make a man breathe. Lyra takes it to be Golgotha, which is not very likely; it seems to be at some distance from the former; since from that there was a round about, a compass fetched to this: it is supposed to lie on the west side of the city, towards the south. The Targum renders it the calves' pool, or the round pool; it is thought by some more likely to be the hill Josephus ^F18 speaks of, that hung over the valley of Siloam.

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FOOTNOTES:

F16 (wdgn) "ante ipsam", Tigurine version, Gataker
F17 "Coram eo", Pagninus, Montanus; "coram ipso", Calvin.
F18 De Bello Jud. l. 5. c. 12. sect. 2.

Jeremias 31:39 In-Context

37 They shall all have their heads shaved in every place, and every beard shall be shaved; and all hands shall beat , and on all loins shall be sackcloth.

38 And on all the housetops of Moab, and in his streets : for I have broken , saith the Lord, as a vessel, which is useless.

39 How has he changed! how has Moab turned back! Moab is put to shame, and become a laughing-stock, and an object of anger to all that are round about him.

40 For thus said the Lord;

41 Carioth is taken, and the strong-holds have been taken together.