Jeremiah 48:9

9 Give a flower to Moab, for in its flower it shall go out: and the cities thereof shall be desolate, and uninhabited.

Jeremiah 48:9 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 48:9

Give wings unto Moab that it may flee and get away
That is, give wings to the inhabitants of Moab; signifying that they were in great danger, and there was no probability of escaping it, unless they had the wings of a swift bird, or were as swift as such, and even that would not do; though perhaps their fleeing, and passing away with wings, may signify not their fleeing from danger, and their attempt to escape; but their swift and sudden destruction, compared to the swift flight of a bird; for the last clause may be rendered, "for in flying it shall fly away" ^F15. Some render the first clause, "give a flower to Moab", as the Vulgate Latin version; and so the word sometimes signifies, ( Isaiah 40:7 ) ; and the sense may be, hold up a flower to Moab, or a feather, such as is light, as the down of a thistle, as an emblem of its destruction; which shall pass away as easily and swiftly as so light a thing before the wind; but Jarchi and Kimchi interpret the word as we do, a wing. The Targum is,

``take away the crown from Moab, for going it shall go away into captivity.''

The word is used of the plate of gold on the high priest's mitre, ( Exodus 28:36 ) ; for the cities thereof shall be desolate, without any to dwell therein;
which expresses the utter destruction of them.

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FOOTNOTES:

F15 (aut aun yk) "quia volando volabit", Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus; "quia avolando avolabit", Schmidt; "nam avolabit", Piscator.

Jeremiah 48:9 In-Context

7 For because thou hast trusted in thy bulwarks, and in thy treasures, thou also shalt be taken: and Chamos shall go into captivity, his priests, and his princes together.

8 And the spoiler shall come upon every city, and no city shall escape: and the valleys shall perish, and the plains shall be destroyed, for the Lord hath spoken:

9 Give a flower to Moab, for in its flower it shall go out: and the cities thereof shall be desolate, and uninhabited.

10 Cursed be he that doth the work of the Lord deceitfully: and cursed be he that withholdeth his sword from blood.

11 Moab hath been fruitful from his youth, and hath rested upon his lees: and hath not been poured out from vessel to vessel, nor hath gone into captivity: therefore his taste hath remained in him, and his scent is not changed.