Jeremiah 48:2

2 The praise of Moab is no more; in Heshbon they have devised evil against her: Come, and let us cut her off from being a nation. Thou also, O Madmen, shalt be brought to silence: the sword shall pursue thee.

Jeremiah 48:2 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 48:2

[There shall be] no more praise of Moab
It shall be no more commended for a rich, populous, and fruitful country, being now laid waste; though the next phrase, in Heshbon,
or "concerning Heshbon" ^F2, should be read in connection with this; and then the sense is, there shall be none any more in Heshbon to praise the country of Moab, what a fine and fertile country it is, since that city will be destroyed also; or there will be no more a Moabite to boast of his being an inhabitant in Heshbon, such an utter destruction will be made of it; or there will be no more boasting of Moab, or of any Moabite concerning Heshbon, what a famous, opulent, or strong city that is, since it is no more. Of this city (See Gill on Isaiah 15:4); they have devised evil against it;
that is, the Chaldeans devised evil against Heshbon, to besiege it, take and destroy it: there is in the expression a beautiful allusion to the name of the city of Heshbon, which has its name from a word that signifies to devise and consult {c}; come, and let us cut it off from [being] a nation:
this is what the Babylonians consulted together against Heshbon; and not only against that, a principal city; but against the whole country of Moab, to make such an entire desolation of it, that it should be no more a nation: that which the Moabites with others devised against the people of Israel is now devised against them; a just retaliation this; see ( Psalms 83:4-6 ) ; also thou shalt be cut down, O Madmen;
or utterly destroyed: it may be rendered, "shall become silent" ^F4; the voice of man shall not be heard in it, especially the voice of praise, of boasting, and rejoicing: there is in this clause also an elegant allusion to the name of the place, which comes from a root that signifies to "cut down", or "be silent" ^F5. This is thought by Grotius to be the Madiama of Ptolemy ^F6: the sword shall pursue thee;
after it has destroyed other cities, it should come in great haste and with great force to Madmen; or it should pursue after the inhabitants, of it, that should make their escape, or attempt to do so. The Targum is,

``after thee shall go out those that slay with the sword.''

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FOOTNOTES:

F2 (Nwbvxb bawm tlht dwe Nya) "nulla amplius gloriatio Moab in Chesbon", Calvin; "non ultra laus, Moab in Chesbon", Montanus; to the same purpose Vatablus.
F3 (Nwbvx) a (bvx) "cogitavit", "excogitavit".
F4 (ymdt) "silebis", Montanus; so R. Judah in Ben Melech; "ad silentium redigeris"; so some in Vatablus.
F5 (Nmdm wmdt) .
F6 Geograph. l. 6. c. 7.

Jeremiah 48:2 In-Context

1 Of Moab. Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel: Woe unto Nebo! for it is laid waste; Kiriathaim is put to shame, it is taken; Misgab is put to shame and broken down.

2 The praise of Moab is no more; in Heshbon they have devised evil against her: Come, and let us cut her off from being a nation. Thou also, O Madmen, shalt be brought to silence: the sword shall pursue thee.

3 The sound of a cry from Horonaim, desolation and great destruction!

4 Moab is destroyed; her little ones have caused a cry to be heard.

5 For by the ascent of Luhith with continual weeping shall they go up; for at the descent of Horonaim they have heard the distress of the cry of destruction.