Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Jeremiah 48:10

Clarke's Commentary

Verse Jeremiah 48:10. Cursed be he that doeth the work of the Lord deceitfully — Moab is doomed to destruction, and the Lord pronounces a curse on their enemies if they do not proceed to utter extirpation. God is the Author of life, and has a sovereign right to dispose of it as he pleases; and these had forfeited theirs long ago by their idolatry and other crimes.

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

A message concerning Moab (48:1-47)

Moab was one nation that tried to form an alliance with Judah against Babylon (see 27:1-3). Moab will now suffer Babylon’s anger. Jeremiah pictures the scene: the land devastated, fortresses smashed, cities destroyed, people crying out in distress, refugees fleeing from the invading armies (48:1-6).
Chemosh, Moab’s national god, cannot save the nation. Rather, it will be taken into captivity along with Moab’s civil and religious leaders. The towns of Moab will be left desolate (7-9). In destroying Moab, the Babylonians are executing God’s work of judgment. Therefore, they must carry that work out to its completion (10).
Because its people had not previously been taken into exile, Moab is likened to wine that is allowed to sit in a jar undisturbed. But now, because its people are to be taken captive to Babylon, it is likened to wine that is to be emptied out of its jar (11-12). The Moabites will lose trust in their god who has proved powerless to save them (13). The best of Moab’s soldiers will be killed in the dreadful slaughter, and there will be widespread mourning over the shattered nation (14-17).
People throughout Moab will be shocked to hear how the nation’s defences have been ruined. The proud nation will be disgraced (18-20), the mighty nation broken, as God’s judgment spreads from one Moabite city to the next (21-25).
The people of Moab once despised and mocked Israel and Judah, but now they will be despised and mocked themselves. They will drink God’s wrath till they are drunk and vomit (26-27). Once proud and arrogant, the Moabites will now be forced to flee in shame to look for refuge in the caves and dens of the mountains (28-30). Jeremiah even feels pity for them, as he sees their widespread power broken, their crops destroyed, their country ruined (31-36). The people shave their heads, cut their flesh and put on sackcloth as signs of their mourning, but it is too late. Moab is finished. It is like a broken pot that is thrown on the rubbish heap (37-39).

In a final declaration of Moab’s destruction, the prophet pictures Babylon swooping down on Moab as an eagle swoops down on its prey (40-43). No matter which way they turn, there will be no escape for those on whom God’s judgment falls (44). Moab’s chief cities will be burnt and its people taken captive (45-46; cf. Numbers 21:28-29). Yet God, in his mercy, will again preserve a remnant (47).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

"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. Flee, save your lives, and be like the heath in the wilderness. For because thou hast trusted in thy works and in thy treasures, thou also shalt be taken, and Chemosh shall go forth into captivity, his priests and his princes together. And the destroyer shall come upon every city, and no city shall escape; the valley also shall perish, and the plain shall be destroyed; as Jehovah hath spoken. Give wings unto Moab, that she may fly and get her away: and her cities shall become a desolation, without any to dwell therein. Cursed be he that doeth the work of Jehovah negligently; and cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood."

"Ascent of Luhith... descent of Horonaim" Whether fleeing to a high mountain or descending into the caves at Horonaim, the people would hear the cry of destruction. "`Luhith' is unknown";J. A. Thompson, The Bible and Archeology (Grand Rapid, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1972) p. 703. but the mention of "ascent" suggests that it was some kind of summit, or high place.

"Flee, save your lives, be like the heath in the wilderness" Textual uncertainties in Jeremiah 48:6 have led to several different translations here. "The word here rendered `heath' is also rendered as `tamarisk,' `sand-grouse,' or `wild ass' (See KJV, ASV, the English Revised Version (1884), the New English Bible, the Jerusalem Bible, and LXX).The New Layman's Bible Commentary, p. 854.

"Chemosh shall go forth into captivity" "Chemosh is referred to on the Moabite Stone as Ashtar-Kemosh. Ashtar in Canaan was the god of the morning star."J. A. Thompson, The Bible and Archeology (Grand Rapid, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1972) p. 704. Thus we have another example of the Israelites and their kinsmen "worshipping the host of heaven" (Acts 7:42 ff). In fact, many of the ancient gods and goddesses of paganism were identified with the sun, the moon, various stars and planets

Chemosh, the national god of the Moabites, is here prophetically doomed to captivity, and that meant also that the whole nation of Moab would suffer in a similar way. Like all other manmade gods, Chemosh was of no help whatever to Moab in the day of their calamity.

Jeremiah 48:10 here is a mystery, especially the last clause, of which Robinson said, ,'Here the prophet incites to the slaughter with a curse."H. Wheeler Robinson, Jeremiah, p. 493. However, we reject that interpretation. The only true application of such a command would be to those instruments whom God commissioned to punish rebellious nations for their wickedness. Certainly, Pope Gregory VII's making this his favorite verse has no possible justification.Broadman Bible Commentary (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1971), p. 188.

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

Deceitfully - Better as in the margin.

Calvin's Commentary on the Bible

The Prophet here encourages the Chaldeans to severity, so as to make no end until they destroyed that nation. We have said that the prophets assumed different characters, so that what they said might be more impressive. The Chaldeans were not indeed the disciples of Jeremiah; nor was this exhortation intended for them, but that the Israelites might know that what they heard from the mouth of Jeremiah was certain. He then turns to address the Chaldeans; as he before spoke to any who might be present, “Give wings to Moab;” so now another apostrophe follows, Cursed, etc., — to whom does he speak? to the Chaldeans; and yet the Prophet did not address them as though he could effect anything; but, as I have said, he had a regard to the Jews.

This passage has been very absurdly explained, and it is commonly quoted as though the Prophet had said, that special care ought to be taken by us, not to omit anything of what God commands. But they thus misrepresent the meaning. We ought therefore to bear in mind what I have already said, that these words are addressed to the Chaldeans, as though he had said, “Spare not, but shed blood, and let no humanity move you, for it is the work of God; God has armed you, that ye might fully execute his judgment and spare no blood: ye shall then be accursed, except ye execute his vengeance.” It is not indeed a common mode of speaking; but as to the subject and the meaning there is no ambiguity. It is the same thing as though he had said, “Go on courageously, and boldly execute God’s vengeance, inasmuch as punishment has been denounced on them.” As when soldiers idly delay, the leader when present not only exhorts them but also urges them on with reproofs and threatenings, in order to rouse their alacrity; so the Prophet here shews that God, as though present with the Chaldeans, would chide their sloth, “Why do ye give over? cursed is every one who will not shed blood, and who will not destroy them from the least to the greatest.”

But the whole import of the passage is found in the expression, that the destruction of that ungodly nation was the work of Jehovah; as if he had said, “Though the Chaldeans shall lay waste the land of Moab, and shall do this, not in order to obey God, but from avarice and ambition, yet it will be the work of God; for God has hired the Chaldeans for this end, that they might destroy the Moabites, though they may think of no such thing.” It follows, —

Smith's Bible Commentary

Chapter 48

In forty-eight, he now directs his attention to Moab. Moab was across the Jordan on the east side of the Jordan River and of the Jordan rift.

Against Moab thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Woe unto Nebo! for it is spoiled ( Jeremiah 48:1 ):

Now, this is not mount Nebo but the city of Nebo in Moab at that time.

Kiriathaim is confounded and taken: Misgab is confounded and dismayed ( Jeremiah 48:1 ).

A couple of the cities.

There shall be no more praise of Moab: in Heshbon they have devised evil against it; come, and let us cut it off from being a nation. Also thou shalt be cut down, O Madmen; the sword shall pursue thee. A voice of crying shall be from Horonaim, spoiling and great destruction. Moab is destroyed; her little ones have caused a cry to be heard. For in the going up of Luhith continual weeping shall go up; for in the going down to Horonaim the enemies have heard a cry of destruction. Flee, save your lives, and be like the heath in the wilderness. For because thou hast trusted in thy works and in thy treasures, thou shalt be taken ( Jeremiah 48:2-7 ):

Trusting in their work and in their riches. These are the things that people commonly trust in. How many people today are trusting in their works for their standing before God. How many people are trusting in their riches for their security. But in the day of God's judgment, neither of these have any value.

And the spoiler shall come upon every city, and no city shall escape: the valley also shall perish, and the plain shall be destroyed, as the LORD hath spoken. Give wings unto Moab, that it may flee and get away: for the cities thereof shall be desolate, without any to dwell therein. Cursed be he that doeth the work of the LORD deceitfully ( Jeremiah 48:8-10 ),

Mark that one if it isn't already underlined in your Bible. God declares that curse against any man who would do the work of the Lord deceitfully.

and cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood. Moab hath been at ease from his youth, and he hath settled on his lees, and hath not been emptied from vessel to vessel, neither hath he gone into captivity: therefore his taste remained in him, and his scent is not changed ( Jeremiah 48:10-11 ).

So as God speaks of the destruction that is coming upon Moab, now He gives us the reason for the destruction that is coming. "For Moab has been at ease from his youth." Moab has not had any problems. Moab has been sheltered and protected, and because of it being sheltered and protected, it has become weak. And it is ready now to fall.

And then he turns to an illustration of winemaking processes and uses that as an illustration of Moab. "Having settled in her lees." In the making of wine they would pour the juice of the grape into a large container and then they would allow it to just set there until it fermented. And after the fermentation, these lees or dregs would begin to settle to the bottom of the vessel. And as these dregs had settled in the bottom of the vessel, then they would pour off the top into another vessel. Allow the settling process to go on again and then pour it off into the next vessel, back and forth from vessel to vessel. Letting the dregs settle down and developing the clarity and purity of the wine. Now, when these dregs begin to settle, if you did not pour the wine off of the dregs, then the dregs turn sour and they begin to smell. And he said, "This is the problem with Moab. It's been at ease. Never had any problem. Never been disturbed. Never poured from vessel to vessel. It is settled down on the lees which have turned sour. And thus the scent remains. The taste is in the wine of the sourness of the lees. Thus Moab is to be destroyed."

It is interesting how that we often complain at the processes of God in our lives as He pours us from vessel to vessel. We have sort of a nesting instinct. We like to get comfortable. We like to relax and kick back and think, "Well, we've got it made." And it's so easy for us to get in a rut. But the great danger of this is forgetting God and leaving God out of our lives. "Oh, God has a place. Yes, I've got a neat, little compartment over here, God, and You're welcome. Feel free. Come and visit anytime You want. Always glad to see You. Providing You don't come next weekend, because we plan to be gone next weekend. But anytime, Lord. But couple weeks from now we're going again so, but anytime, Lord. We're always glad to see You." Amazing how we sort of begin to leave God out of our lives as we begin to just settle in our lees in this life of the flesh and after the flesh. It is so easy, so easy to just sort of drift away from that commitment to God.

In Hebrews we are told, "Let us take the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should drift away from them" ( Hebrews 2:1 ). There are those times when God pours us from a vessel to another and we say, "God, what's going on?" And suddenly God has our attention. He begins to deal with us. We renew our commitment and we say, "Oh, Lord, I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Lord." And genuinely we are. We meant the vows when we made them to God. And we are genuinely sorry for our failures and for our drifting away from God. And God disturbs our lives. He brings in disturbing issues and He can disturb our lives in so many ways--by sickness, by accident, by the loss of a job. So many ways God can just bring a disturbance into our lives. And God does bring them for that purpose of purifying us. We've got too much flesh. We're beginning to settle in a life of the flesh. And God says, "It stinks. It's beginning to permeate your whole life. You're beginning to smell of the flesh." And so God pours you into another vessel. Disrupts, disturbs in order that He might refine. But that didn't happen to Moab. And because it didn't happen, now Moab is to be destroyed.

Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will send unto him wanderers, that shall cause him to wander, and shall empty his vessels, and break their bottles. And Moab shall be ashamed of Chemosh ( Jeremiah 48:12-13 ),

Now that was the Moabites' god.

as the house of Israel was ashamed of Bethel their confidence ( Jeremiah 48:13 ).

So the place of worship for Israel was in Bethel, but at its destruction they became ashamed. So the place of worship, Chemosh, for the Moabites was going to become the same as Bethel.

How say ye, We are mighty and strong men for the war? Moab is spoiled, 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. The calamity of Moab is near to come, and his affliction is hastening fast. 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! Thou daughter that dost inhabit Dibon, come down from thy glory, and sit in thirst; for the spoiler of Moab shall come upon thee, and he shall destroy thy strongholds. O inhabitant of Aroer, stand by the way, and spy; ask him that is fleeing, and her that is escaped, and say, What is happened? Moab is confounded; for it is broken down: howl and cry; tell it in Arnon, that Moab is spoiled, And judgment is come upon the plain country ( Jeremiah 48:14-21 );

And it begins to name these cities of Moab that have been destroyed.

all the cities of the land of Moab, both far and near. The horn of Moab is cut off, and his arm is broken, saith the LORD. Make ye him drunken: for he magnified himself against the LORD: Moab also shall wallow in his vomit, and he shall be in derision. For was not Israel a derision unto thee? ( Jeremiah 48:24-27 )

And, of course, when Israel was destroyed Moab also attacked Israel and so now Moab is to receive like in being a derision.

for since you spake of him, you have skipped for joy ( Jeremiah 48:27 ).

They were happy at the destruction of Israel.

O ye that dwell in Moab, leave the cities, and dwell in the rock, and be like the dove that maketh her nest in the sides of the hole's mouth. We have heard the pride of Moab, (he is exceeding proud), his pride, and the haughtiness of his heart. I know his wrath, saith the LORD; but it shall not be so; his lies shall not so effect it. Therefore will I howl for Moab, and I will cry out for all Moab; mine heart shall mourn for the men of Kirheres. O vine of Sibmah, I will weep for thee with the weeping of Jazer: thy plants are gone over the sea, they reach even to the sea of Jazer: the spoiler is fallen upon thy summer fruits and upon thy vintage. And joy and gladness is taken from the plentiful field, and from the land of Moab; and I have caused wine to fail from the winepresses: none shall tread with shouting; their shouting shall be no shouting. From the cry of Heshbon even unto Elealeh, and even unto Jahaz, have they uttered their voice, from Zoar even unto Horonaim, as the heifer of three years old: for the waters also of Nimrim shall be desolate. Moreover I will cause to cease in Moab, saith the LORD, him that offereth in the high places, and him that burneth incense to their gods. Therefore mine heart shall sound for Moab like pipes, and mine heart shall sound like pipes for the men of Kirheres: because the riches that he has gotten are perished. For every head shall be bald, and every beard clipped: upon all the hands shall be cuttings, and upon the loins sackcloth ( Jeremiah 48:28-37 ).

These were the pagan ways of expressing their mourning in the shaving of their heads, the cutting of their beards and the cutting of their bodies and putting on of sackcloth. It's the typical sign of mourning. And thus Moab will be in mourning.

There shall be lamentations generally upon all the housetops of Moab, and in the streets: for I have broken Moab like a vessel wherein is no pleasure, saith the LORD ( Jeremiah 48:38 ).

Very graphic.

They shall howl, saying, How is it broken down! how hath Moab turned the back with shame! so shall Moab be a derision and a dismaying to all them about him. For thus saith the LORD; Behold, he shall fly as an eagle, and shall spread his wings over Moab. Kerioth is taken, and the strongholds are surprised, and the mighty men's hearts in Moab at that day shall be as the heart of a woman in her travail. And Moab shall be destroyed from being a people, because he hath magnified himself against the LORD ( Jeremiah 48:39-42 ).

Met any Moabites lately? God said they'd be destroyed from being a people.

Fear, and the pit, and the snare, shall be upon thee, O inhabitant of Moab. He that fleeth from the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that gets up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for I will bring upon it, even upon Moab, the year of their visitation, saith the LORD. They that fled stood under the shadow of Heshbon because of the force: but a fire shall come forth out of Heshbon, and a flame from the midst of Sihon, and shall devour the corner of Moab, and the crown of the head of the tumultuous ones. Woe be unto thee, O Moab! the people of Chemosh perisheth: for thy sons are taken captives, and thy daughters captives. Yet will I bring again the captivity of Moab in the latter days, saith the LORD. Thus far is the judgment of Moab ( Jeremiah 48:43-47 ).

And so Moab's in trouble. And surely God did fulfill these prophecies that were declared against Moab.

"

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

1. The destruction of Moab 48:1-10

The oracle begins with a general prediction of Moab’s destruction.

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

The Lord uttered a curse on any of the soldiers that would not carry out His will against Moab as He had ordered. Christians often use this verse, appropriately, as a challenge to serve the Lord diligently. The last word in the AV rendering of the first line is "slackness" rather than "deceit."

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

Cursed [be] he that doeth the work of the Lord deceitfully,.... Which is said with respect to the Chaldeans, who were enjoined to destroy the Moabites; which is called the work of the Lord, because he had given them a commission to do it; and which was to be done by them, not by halves, or in a remiss and negligent manner, but fully and faithfully; they were not to spare them, as Saul did the Amalekites, and Ahab Benhadad. This is a general rule, which may be applied to all divine work and service; every man has work to do for God; some in a more public, others in a more private way; all should be done in uprightness and sincerity, with all faithfulness and integrity: it is done deceitfully when men play the hypocrite; and negligently when they are backward to it, lukewarm in it, and infrequent in the performance of it; which brings upon them the curse of God; and which is not a curse causeless, but a legal one; and is no other than the wrath of God in strict justice:

and cursed [be] he that keepeth back his sword from blood; from shedding the blood of the Moabites, when God had given command to do it. The curse is repeated, as Kimchi observes, to confirm the matter, that it might be most assuredly expected; since it would certainly come, if the Lord's work was not done aright.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      1 Against Moab thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Woe unto Nebo! for it is spoiled: Kiriathaim is confounded and taken: Misgab is confounded and dismayed.   2 There shall be no more praise of Moab: in Heshbon they have devised evil against it; come, and let us cut it off from being a nation. Also thou shalt be cut down, O Madmen; the sword shall pursue thee.   3 A voice of crying shall be from Horonaim, spoiling and great destruction.   4 Moab is destroyed; her little ones have caused a cry to be heard.   5 For in the going up of Luhith continual weeping shall go up; for in the going down of Horonaim the enemies have heard a cry of destruction.   6 Flee, save your lives, and be like the heath in the wilderness.   7 For because thou hast trusted in thy works and in thy treasures, thou shalt also be taken: and Chemosh shall go forth into captivity with his priests and his princes together.   8 And the spoiler shall come upon every city, and no city shall escape: the valley also shall perish, and the plain shall be destroyed, as the LORD hath spoken.   9 Give wings unto Moab, that it may flee and get away: for the cities thereof shall be desolate, without any to dwell therein.   10 Cursed be he that doeth the work of the LORD deceitfully, and cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood.   11 Moab hath been at ease from his youth, and he hath settled on his lees, and hath not been emptied from vessel to vessel, neither hath he gone into captivity: therefore his taste remained in him, and his scent is not changed.   12 Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will send unto him wanderers, that shall cause him to wander, and shall empty his vessels, and break their bottles.   13 And Moab shall be ashamed of Chemosh, as the house of Israel was ashamed of Beth-el their confidence.

      We may observe in these verses,

      I. The author of Moab's destruction; it is the Lord of hosts, that has armies, all armies, at his command, and the God of Israel (Jeremiah 48:1; Jeremiah 48:1), who will herein plead the cause of his Israel against a people that have always been vexatious to them, and will punish them now for the injuries done to Israel of old, though Israel was forbidden to meddle with them (Deuteronomy 2:9), therefore the destruction of Moab is called the work of the Lord (Jeremiah 48:10; Jeremiah 48:10), for it is he that pleads for Israel; and his work will exactly agree with his word, Jeremiah 48:8; Jeremiah 48:8.

      II. The instruments of it: Spoilers shall come (Jeremiah 48:8; Jeremiah 48:8), shall come with a sword, a sword that shall pursue them,Jeremiah 48:2; Jeremiah 48:2. "I will send unto him wanderers, such as come from afar, as if they were vagrants, or had missed their way, but they shall cause him to wander; they seem as wanderers themselves, but they shall make the Moabites to be really wanderers, some to flee and others to be carried into captivity." These destroyers stir up themselves to do execution; they have devised evil against Heshbon, one of the principal cities of Moab, and they aim at no less than the ruin of the kingdom: Come, and let us cut it off from being a nation (Jeremiah 48:2; Jeremiah 48:2); nothing less will serve the turn of the invaders; they come, not to plunder it, but to ruin it. The prophet, in God's name, engages them to make thorough work of it (Jeremiah 48:10; Jeremiah 48:10): Cursed be he that does the work of the Lord deceitfully, this bloody work, this destroying work; though it goes against the grain with men of compassion, yet it is the work of the Lord, and must not be done by the halves. The Chaldeans have it in charge, by a secret instinct (says Mr. Gataker), to destroy the Moabites, and therefore they must not spare, must not, out of foolish pity, keep back their sword from blood; they would thereby bring a sword, and a curse with it, upon themselves, as Saul did by sparing the Amalekites and Ahab by letting Benhadad go. Thy life shall go for his life. To this work is applied that general rule given to all that are employed in any service for God, Cursed by he that does the work of the Lord deceitfully or negligently, that pretends to do it, but does it not to purpose, makes a show of serving God's glory, but is really serving his own ends and carries on the work of the Lord no further than will suit his own purposes, or that is slothful in business for God and takes neither care nor pains to do it as it should be done, Malachi 1:14. Let not such deceive themselves, for God will not thus be mocked.

      III. The woeful instances and effects of this destruction. The cities shall be laid in ruins; they shall be spoiled (Jeremiah 48:1; Jeremiah 48:1) and cut down (Jeremiah 48:2; Jeremiah 48:2); they shall be desolate (Jeremiah 48:9; Jeremiah 48:9), without any to dwell therein; there shall be no houses to dwell in, or no people to dwell in them, or no safety and ease to those that would dwell in them. Every city shall be spoiled and no city shall escape. The strongest city shall not be able to secure itself against the enemies' power, nor shall the finest city be able to recommend itself to the enemies' pity and favour. The country also shall be wasted, the valley shall perish, and the plain be destroyed,Jeremiah 48:8; Jeremiah 48:8. The corn and the flocks, which used to cover the plains and make the valleys rejoice, shall all be destroyed, eaten up, trodden down, or carried off. The most sacred persons shall not escape: The priests and princes shall go together into captivity. Nay, Chemosh, the god they worship, who, they hope, will protect them, shall share with them in the ruin; his temples shall be laid in ashes and his image carried away with the rest of the spoil. Now the consequence of all this will be, 1. Great shame and confusion: Kirjathaim is confounded, and Misgah is so. They shall be ashamed of the mighty boasts they have sometimes made of their cities: There shall be no more vaunting in Moab concerning Heshbon (so it might be read, Jeremiah 48:2; Jeremiah 48:2); they shall no more boast of the strength of that city when the evil which is designed against it is brought upon it. Nor shall they any more boast of their gods (Jeremiah 48:13; Jeremiah 48:13); they shall be ashamed of Chemosh (ashamed of all the prayers they have made to and all the confidence they put in that dunghill deity), as Israel was ashamed of Beth-el, of the golden calf they had at Beth-el, which they confided in as their protector, but were deceived in, for it was not able to save them from the Assyrians; nor shall Chemosh be able to save the Moabites from the Chaldeans. Note, Those that will not be convinced and made ashamed of the folly of their idolatry by the word of God shall be convinced and made ashamed of it by the judgments of God, when they shall find by woeful experience the utter inability of the gods they have served to do them any service. 2. There will be great sorrow; there is a voice of crying heard (Jeremiah 48:3; Jeremiah 48:3) and the cry is nothing but spoiling and great destruction. Alas! alas! Moab is destroyed,Jeremiah 48:4; Jeremiah 48:4. The great ones having quitted the cities to shift for their own safety, even the little ones have caused a cry to be heard, the meaner sort of people, or the little children, the innocent harmless ones, whose cries at such a time are the most piteous. Go up to the hills, go down to the valleys, and you meet with continual weeping (weeping with weeping); all are in tears; you meet none with dry eyes. Even the enemies have heard the cry, from whom it would have been policy to conceal it, for they will be animated and encouraged by it; but it is so great that it cannot be hid, 3. There will be great hurry; they will cry to one another, "Away, away! flee; save your lives (Jeremiah 48:6; Jeremiah 48:6); shift for your own safety with all imaginable speed, though you escape as bare and naked as the heath, or grig, or dry shrub, in the wilderness; think not of carrying away any thing you have, for it may cost you your life to attempt it, Matthew 24:16-18. Take shelter, though it be in a barren wilderness, that you may have your lives for a prey. The danger will come suddenly and swiftly; and therefore give wings unto Moab (Jeremiah 48:9; Jeremiah 48:9); that would be the greatest kindness you could do them; that is what they will call for, O that we had wings like a dove! for unless they have wings, and can fly, there will be no escaping."

      IV. The sins for which God will now reckon with Moab, and which justify God in these severe proceedings against them. 1. It is because they have been secure, and have trusted in their wealth and strength, in their works and in their treasures,Jeremiah 48:7; Jeremiah 48:7. They had taken a great deal of pains to fortify their cities and make large works about them, and to fill their exchequer and private coffers, so that they thought themselves in as good a posture for war as any people could be and that none durst invade them, and therefore set danger at defiance. They trusted in the abundance of their riches and strengthened themselves in their wickedness,Psalms 52:7. Now, for this reason, that they may have a sensible conviction of the vanity and folly of their carnal confidences, God will send an enemy that will master their works and rifle their treasures. Note, We forfeit the comfort of that creature which we repose that confidence in which should be reposed in God only. The reed will break that is leaned upon. 2. It is because they have not made a right improvement of the days of the peace and prosperity, Jeremiah 48:11; Jeremiah 48:11. (1.) They had been long undisturbed: Moab has been at ease from his youth. It was an ancient kingdom before Israel was, and had enjoyed great tranquillity, though a small country and surrounded with potent neighbours. God's Israel were afflicted from their youth (Psalms 129:1; Psalms 129:2), but Moab at ease from his youth. He has not been emptied from vessel to vessel, has not known any troublesome weakening changes, but is as wine kept on the lees, and not racked or drawn off, by which it retains its strength and body. He has not been unsettled, nor any way made uneasy; he has not gone into captivity, as Israel have often done, and yet Moab is a wicked idolatrous nation, and one of the confederates against God's hidden ones,Psalms 83:3; Psalms 83:6. Note, There are many that persist in unrepented iniquity and yet enjoy uninterrupted prosperity. (2.) They had been as long corrupt and unreformed: He has settled on his lees; he has been secure and sensual in his prosperity, has rested in it, and fetched all the strength and life of the soul from it, as the wine from the lees. His taste remained in him, and his scent is not changed; he is still the same, as bad as ever he was. Note, While bad people are as happy as they used to be in the world it is no marvel if they are bad as they used to be. They have no changes of their peace and prosperity, therefore fear not God, their hearts and lives are unchanged, Psalms 55:19.