Jeremiah 48:15

15 Moab is laid waste, and gone up [out of] her cities, and his chosen young men are gone down to the slaughter, saith the king, whose name [is] the LORD of hosts.

Jeremiah 48:15 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 48:15

Moab is spoiled
The whole country is ruined; which is spoken of as present, though future, after the manner of prophecy, because of the certainty of it: and gone up [out of] her cities;
the inhabitants of Moab were gone up out of their cities, either through fear and flight; or through force, being made to go out of them, and were carried captive. The Targum is,

``the Moabites are spoiled, and their cities are desolate;''

and so Kimchi interprets it,

``the multitude of her cities is made to cease;''

the people of them. It might be as well rendered, "and he is gone up to her cities" ^F21; that is, the spoiler ^F23, as Kimchi's father rightly interprets it; see ( Jeremiah 48:8 ) ; or it may be rendered, "and his cities, into which he went up" ^F24; that is, those are spoiled and destroyed, into which the Moabites used to go up, being built on high places; or whither they went for safety, the enemy being in their country, but in vain: and his chosen young men are gone down to the slaughter;
or, "the choice of his chosen ones" ^F25; the select of them, for comeliness, strength, and valour; these being taken, when the enemy entered the cities, were had down to some place of slaughter, and there put to death; or were brought down to the grave, the pit of corruption; unless this can be understood of the choice young men of the enemy, the Chaldean army; who, mounting and scaling the walls of the cities of Moab, went down into them to slay the inhabitants of them; but this is submitted to consideration. All this was not barely said by the prophet, who was but a man, though sent of God; but by the Lord himself, as it follows: saith the King, whose name [is] the Lord of hosts;
who is "the King" by way of eminency; the King of kings, and Lord of lords; mightier than the king of Moab, or even than the king of Babylon; and the Lord of greater armies than either; and therefore what he said should certainly be accomplished.

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FOOTNOTES:

F21 (hle hyrew) "et civitates ejus conscendit", Montanus; "ascendit super urbes ejus", Gataker.
F23 "Sub. hostis", Vatablus, Calvin; "vastator", Gataker.
F24 "Et urbes ejus in quas ascendit", Schmidt.
F25 (wyrwxb rxbm) "electio electorum ejus", Gataker.

Jeremiah 48:15 In-Context

13 And Moab shall be ashamed of Chemosh, as the house of Israel was ashamed of Beth-el their confidence.

14 How say ye, We [are] mighty and strong men for the war?

15 Moab is laid waste, and gone up [out of] her cities, and his chosen young men are gone down to the slaughter, saith the king, whose name [is] the LORD of hosts.

16 The calamity of Moab [is] near to come, and his affliction hasteth fast.

17 All ye that are about him bemoan him; and all ye that know his name, say, How is the strong staff broken, [and] the beautiful rod!