Yirmeyah 48:39

39 They shall wail, saying, How is it shattered! How hath Moav turned the back with shame! So shall Moav be a laughingstock and a horror to all them about him.

Yirmeyah 48:39 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 48:39

They shall howl, [saying], how is it broken down?
&c.] Or, "how is it broken" or "thrown into consternation ^F16? they howl"; that is, they howl out these words, or, while they are howling, say, how is Kirheres or Moab broken all to pieces; their strength, power, and glory; their cities, and their mighty men; and are in the utmost fright and confusion? Jarchi takes it to be an imperative, and paraphrases it,

``howl ye over her ^F17, and say, how is it broken!''

Kimchi says it may be taken either as in the past or in the imperative; how hath Moab turned the back with shame?
not being able to look their enemies in the face, but obliged to flee before them; so shall Moab be a derision and a dismaying to all them about him;
a derision to some, to their enemies, as Israel had been to them, and so they are paid in their own coin; and a consternation to others, their friends, who would fear sharing the same fate, at the hands of the Chaldeans.

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FOOTNOTES:

F16 (htx Kya) "quomodo consternata est", Piscator, Schmidt.
F17 (wlylyh) "ululate", Munster, Piscator; "ejulate", Junius & Tremellius.

Yirmeyah 48:39 In-Context

37 For every rosh shall be shaved, and every zakan (beard) cut: upon all the hands shall be slashes, and upon the loins sackcloth.

38 There shall be lamentation generally upon all the gagot (roofs) of Moav, and in the streets thereof; for I have broken Moav like a keli (vessel) wherein is no chefets (pleasure) saith Hashem.

39 They shall wail, saying, How is it shattered! How hath Moav turned the back with shame! So shall Moav be a laughingstock and a horror to all them about him.

40 For thus saith Hashem; Hinei, one shall fly like the nesher, and shall spread his wings over Moav.

41 Keriot is captured, and the strongholds are taken, and the lev gibborim in Moav at that day shall be as the lev isha in her birth pangs.