Jeremiah 48:19

Translation
King James Version
O inhabitant of Aroer, stand by the way, and espy; ask him that fleeth, and her that escapeth, and say, What is done?
Ask
KJV (with Strong's)
O inhabitant H3427 of Aroer H6177, stand H5975 by the way H1870, and espy H6822; ask H7592 him that fleeth H5127, and her that escapeth H4422, and say H559, What is done H1961?
Ask
Complete Jewish Bible
Stand by the road and watch, inhabitant of 'Aro'er; ask the man fleeing and the woman escaping, "What is going on?"
Ask
Berean Standard Bible
Stand by the road and watch, O dweller of Aroer! Ask the man fleeing or the woman escaping, ‘What has happened?’
Ask
American Standard Version
O inhabitant of Aroer, stand by the way, and watch: ask him that fleeth, and her that escapeth; say, What hath been done?
Ask
World English Bible Messianic
Inhabitant of Aroer, stand by the way, and watch: ask him who flees, and her who escapes; say, What has been done?
Ask
Geneva Bible (1599)
Thou that dwellest in Aroer, stand by the way, and beholde: aske him that fleeth and that escapeth, and say, What is done?
Ask
Young's Literal Translation
On the way stand, and watch, O inhabitant of Aroer, Ask the fugitive and escaped, Say, What hath happened?
Ask
See also
Deuteronomy 2:361 Samuel 4:161 Samuel 4:131 Samuel 4:141 Chronicles 5:82 Samuel 24:5Numbers 32:34
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Prophecy Against Moab
Prophecy Against Moab View full PDF

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In the KJVVerse 20,100 of 31,102

Study This Verse

SUMMARY

Jeremiah 48:19 issues a stark, prophetic command to the inhabitants of Aroer, a city strategically located on Moab's border, to bear witness to the catastrophic and public devastation unfolding across the land of Moab. It vividly portrays a scene of utter chaos and desperate flight, where a continuous stream of refugees, both men and women, flees the destruction, prompting observers to inquire about the profound calamity that has transpired. This verse powerfully underscores the completeness, inevitability, and public nature of God's righteous judgment against a proud, idolatrous, and rebellious nation.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: Jeremiah 48 stands as a comprehensive and detailed prophecy against Moab, forming a significant part of Jeremiah's "oracles against the nations" (e.g., Jeremiah 46, Jeremiah 47, Jeremiah 49). This chapter meticulously chronicles the impending destruction of Moab's cities, its fertile agricultural lands, and the profound humiliation of its national god, Chemosh. The prophecy frequently employs powerful imagery, such as Moab being forced to drink from the "cup of wrath" (Jeremiah 48:26), thereby emphasizing the divine origin and inescapable nature of this judgment. Verse 19 specifically places observers at a crucial vantage point, highlighting the widespread scope of the calamity and the desperate flight of the Moabite populace, rendering the divine judgment undeniable to all who witness its unfolding.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: Moab was an ancient kingdom situated east of the Dead Sea, maintaining a long and often contentious relationship with Israel, tracing its origins to Lot (Genesis 19:37). The Moabites were notorious for their profound pride (Jeremiah 48:29), their considerable wealth, and their fervent worship of the idol Chemosh, often oppressing Israel. The prophecy in Jeremiah 48 most likely anticipates the impending Babylonian invasion under Nebuchadnezzar, who served as God's chosen instrument of judgment against various nations in the late 7th and early 6th centuries BCE. Aroer, mentioned in the verse, was a strategically vital city located on the northern bank of the Arnon River, a traditional border of Moab. Its inhabitants, positioned on the periphery of the Moabite heartland, would naturally be eyewitnesses to the mass exodus of refugees fleeing the core territories, thus becoming unwilling, yet crucial, observers of the unfolding divine wrath.
  • Key Themes: Jeremiah 48:19 powerfully contributes to several overarching themes pervasive throughout Jeremiah's prophecy. Foremost, it underscores the theme of Divine Judgment, portraying it as God's sovereign and righteous response to national pride, idolatry, and direct opposition to His divine standards. The verse vividly depicts the Utter Desolation that inevitably follows this judgment, illustrating a land laid waste and its inhabitants scattered in chaotic, desperate flight. The imperative commands to "espy" and "ask" position the inhabitants of Aroer as Witnesses to Calamity, emphasizing the public and undeniably fulfilled nature of God's prophetic word. This serves as a stark reminder of the severe Consequences of Sin, particularly the arrogance and false security that characterized Moab, which ultimately precipitated its downfall, echoing the broader biblical principle that God "knows the proud from afar" (Psalm 138:6).

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • inhabitant (Hebrew, yâshab', H3427): A primitive root meaning "properly, to sit down... by implication, to dwell, to remain." In this context, it refers to the settled residents of Aroer. The command is directed at those who are typically at rest, now compelled to stand and observe, highlighting the disruptive and inescapable nature of the judgment that even affects those on the periphery.
  • espy (Hebrew, tsâphâh', H6822): A primitive root meaning "properly, to lean forward, i.e., to peer into the distance; by implication, to observe, await." This word conveys a sense of intense, focused observation, requiring more than a casual glance. The inhabitants of Aroer are commanded to actively and vigilantly watch the unfolding disaster, becoming keen and deliberate eyewitnesses to the destruction of Moab.
  • done (Hebrew, hâyâh', H1961): A primitive root meaning "to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass." In this context, it is used to inquire about what has "come to pass" or "happened." The question "What is done?" is rhetorical, implying that the answer is self-evident and catastrophic – a complete and devastating judgment has occurred, leaving nothing but ruin and desperate flight in its wake.

Verse Breakdown

  • "O inhabitant of Aroer, stand by the way, and espy": This opening clause delivers a direct, imperative command to the residents of Aroer, a city strategically positioned on the border of Moab. Their location makes them natural and unavoidable observers of any significant movements or calamities in the region. The command to "stand by the way" implies taking a specific vantage point on a main road or thoroughfare, while "espy" emphasizes a deliberate, watchful, and focused observation of the unfolding cataclysm.
  • "ask him that fleeth, and her that escapeth": This clause instructs the observers to interrogate the stream of refugees. The inclusion of both masculine ("him") and feminine ("her") pronouns highlights the comprehensive and indiscriminate nature of the exodus – men, women, and children are all part of the desperate flight. This underscores the widespread panic, the utter collapse of societal order, and the complete disruption of Moabite life.
  • "[and] say, What is done?": This final command directs the observers on the specific question to pose. The question "What is done?" is not an innocent inquiry seeking information but a powerful rhetorical question, heavily laden with the weight of impending doom and the reality of destruction. It implies that the answer will be one of utter devastation and ruin, serving to confirm the severity, finality, and undeniable nature of God's judgment against Moab.

Literary Devices

Jeremiah 48:19 masterfully employs several potent Literary Devices to convey its message of impending and inescapable judgment. The most prominent is the pervasive Imperative Mood, as the verse is replete with direct commands: "stand," "espy," "ask," and "say." This creates an immediate sense of urgency and underscores the divine authority behind these events, emphasizing that they are not merely predicted but divinely ordained and unavoidable. The phrase "him that fleeth, and her that escapeth" utilizes Synecdoche, where a part (individual fleeing refugees) powerfully represents the whole (the entire Moabite population caught in desperate flight), vividly illustrating the widespread panic, displacement, and total societal breakdown. Furthermore, the concluding question, "What is done?", functions as a powerful Rhetorical Question. It is not designed to elicit new information but rather to underscore the self-evident and catastrophic nature of Moab's destruction, compelling the observers to acknowledge and confirm the overwhelming reality of the divine judgment. The verse also relies on Vivid Imagery, painting a poignant picture of a desolate landscape, a main road choked with terrified refugees, and silent, watchful observers bearing witness to an irreversible calamity.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Jeremiah 48:19 stands as a profound testament to God's sovereign justice over all nations. It unequivocally demonstrates that no nation, irrespective of its perceived strength, historical prominence, or cultural achievements, is exempt from divine accountability for its pride, idolatry, and opposition to God's righteous standards. The judgment pronounced upon Moab, though historically specific, reflects a universal theological principle: God is the ultimate arbiter of human affairs, and persistent rebellion against His holy will inevitably leads to severe and unavoidable consequences. This verse, therefore, highlights God's unwavering commitment to uphold His moral order in the world, ensuring that justice will ultimately prevail, even if its execution appears delayed. It serves as a solemn reminder that the Lord sees all actions, both individual and corporate, and will ultimately bring every deed into righteous judgment.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

Jeremiah 48:19, while rooted in a specific historical judgment, carries profound and enduring implications for contemporary life and faith. It challenges us to deeply consider the nature of divine justice and the inevitable consequences of human pride, self-sufficiency, and idolatry, both in our individual lives and within our societies. In a world frequently characterized by arrogance, the pursuit of fleeting pleasures, and a disregard for divine authority, this verse calls us to profound spiritual humility and a recognition of God's ultimate and unchallengeable sovereignty. It urges us to "espy" the signs of the times, not with morbid curiosity or detached observation, but with discerning hearts, understanding that God remains actively involved in human history, bringing forth both judgment and redemption according to His perfect will. We are called to learn from Moab's tragic downfall, choosing a path of repentance, obedience, and dependence on God over stubborn rebellion. Ultimately, this passage prompts us to find our true and lasting security not in worldly power, material possessions, or human ingenuity, but solely in the unfailing character and promises of God. It serves as a sober reminder that while God is patient and merciful, His justice is absolutely sure, compelling us to live lives that honor Him and align with His righteous purposes.

Questions for Reflection

  • How does the vivid imagery of fleeing refugees and watchful observers challenge my own sense of security, self-reliance, or complacency in the face of life's uncertainties?
  • In what specific ways might pride, arrogance, or idolatry subtly manifest in my own life or in the cultural values of my society today, and what profound lessons can I draw from Moab's judgment to counter these tendencies?
  • How can I cultivate a spirit of spiritual vigilance and discernment ("espying") in my daily life, enabling me to more clearly perceive God's ongoing activity in the world and respond faithfully to His leading?

FAQ

What was the primary sin of Moab that led to this severe judgment?

Answer: The primary sin of Moab, as emphatically highlighted throughout Jeremiah 48 and other prophetic books, was its profound pride and arrogance (e.g., Jeremiah 48:29). Moab placed its trust and security in its considerable wealth, its seemingly impregnable fortified cities, and its false god, Chemosh, rather than acknowledging the supreme sovereignty of the Lord God of Israel. This deep-seated pride manifested in its contempt for God's chosen people, Israel, and its general defiance against divine authority and righteousness. The devastating judgment described in Jeremiah 48 is a direct and inevitable consequence of this pervasive spiritual rebellion and self-exaltation.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

While Jeremiah 48:19 speaks of a specific historical judgment against the nation of Moab, it powerfully points to a broader, universal theological truth that finds its ultimate and glorious fulfillment in Jesus Christ. The chaotic and desperate flight of the Moabites vividly underscores humanity's inherently precarious and condemned state when facing divine judgment, a judgment that all people justly deserve due to their pervasive sin and rebellion against a holy God (Romans 3:23). However, in Christ, God has provided the ultimate and perfect refuge, the only true escape from this impending wrath. Unlike the Moabites who fled into further desolation, those who "flee" to Christ by faith find not condemnation but abundant salvation, eternal life, and true peace (John 3:16). Jesus, the spotless Lamb of God, bore the full, unmitigated cup of God's righteous wrath on the cross, becoming the ultimate, once-for-all sacrifice that takes away the sin of the world. Thus, the desolation of Moab tragically foreshadows the righteous judgment against sin, while simultaneously illuminating the glorious provision of grace, mercy, and reconciliation found uniquely in the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ, who offers true and lasting peace to all who believe and trust in Him (Romans 5:1).

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Commentary on Jeremiah 48 verses 14–47

I. II. Main points1. 2. Sub-points

The destruction is here further prophesied of very largely and with a great copiousness and variety of expression, and very pathetically and in moving language, designed not only to awaken them by a national repentance and reformation to prevent the trouble, or by a personal repentance and reformation to prepare for it, but to affect us with the calamitous state of human life, which is liable to such lamentable occurrences, and with the power of God's anger and the terror of his judgments, when he comes forth to contend with a provoking people. In reading this long roll of threatenings, and meditating on the terror of them, it will be of more use to us to keep this in our eye, and to get our hearts thereby possessed with a holy awe of God and of his wrath, than to enquire critically into all the lively figures and metaphors here used.

I. It is a surprising destruction, and very sudden, that is here threatened. They were very secure, thought themselves strong for war and able to deal with the most powerful enemy (Jer 48:14), and yet the calamity is near, and he is not able to keep it off, nor so much as to keep the enemy long in parley, for the affliction hastens fast (Jer 48:16) and will soon come to a crisis. The enemy shall fly as an eagle, so swiftly, so strongly shall he come (Jer 48:40), as an eagle flies upon his prey, and he shall spread his wings, the wings of his army, over Moab; he shall surround it, that none may escape. The strong-holds of Moab are taken by surprise (Jer 48:41), so that all their strength stood them in no stead; and this made the hearts even of their mighty men to fail, for they had not time to recollect the considerations that might have animated them. It requires a more than ordinary degree of courage not to be afraid of sudden fear.

II. It is an utter destruction, and such as lays Moab all in ruins: Moab is spoiled (Jer 48:15), quite spoiled, is confounded and broken down (Jer 48:20); their cities are laid in ashes, or seized by the enemy so that they are forced to quit them, Jer 48:15. Divers cities are here named, upon which judgment has come, and the list concludes with an et cetera - and such like. What occasion was there for him to mention more particulars when it comes upon all the cities of Moab in general, far and near? Jer 48:21-24. Note, When iniquity is universal we have reason to expect that calamity should be so too. The kingdom is deprived of its dignity and authority: The horn of Moab is cut off, the horn of its strength and power, both offensive and defensive; his arm is broken, that he can neither give a blow nor prevent a blow, Jer 48:25. Is the youth of the kingdom the strength and beauty of it? His chosen young men have gone down to the slaughter, Jer 48:15. They went down to the battle promising themselves that they should return victorious; but God told them that they went down to the slaughter; so sure are those to fall against whom God fights. In a word, Moab shall be destroyed from being a people, Jer 48:42. Those that are enemies to God's people will soon be made no people.

III. It is a lamentable destruction; it will be just matter of mourning and will turn joy into heaviness. 1. The prophet that foretels it does himself lament it, and mourns at the very foresight of it, from a principle of compassion to his fellow-creatures and concern for human nature. The prophet will himself howl for Moab; his very heart shall mourn for them (Jer 48:31); he will weep for the vine of Sibmah (Jer 48:32); his heart shall sound like pipes for Moab, Jer 48:36. Though the destruction of Moab would prove him a true prophet, yet he could not think of it without trouble. The ruin of sinners is no pleasure to God, and therefore should be a pain to us; even those that give warning of it should lay it to heart. These passages, and many others in this chapter, are much the same with what Isaiah had used in his prophecies against Moab (Isa 15:1-9, Isa 16:1-14); for, though there was a long distance of time between that prophecy and this, yet they were both dictated by one and the same Spirit, and it becomes God's prophets to speak the language of those that went before them. It is no plagiarism sometimes to make use of old expressions, provided it be with new affections and applications. 2. The Moabites themselves shall lament it; it will be the greatest mortification and grief imaginable to them. Those that sat in glory, in the midst of wealth, and mirth, and all manner of pleasure, shall sit in thirst, in a dry and thirsty land, where no water, no comfort is, Jer 48:18. It is time for them to sit in thirst, and inure themselves to hardship, when the spoiler has come, who will strip them of all, and empty them. The Moabites in the remote corners of the country, that are furthest from the danger, will be inquisitive to know how the matter goes, what news from the army, will ask every one that escapes, What is done? Jer 48:19. And when they are told that all is gone, that the invader is the conqueror, they will howl and cry, in bitterness and anguish of spirit (Jer 48:20); they will abandon themselves to solitude, to lament the desolations of their country; they will leave the cities that used to be full of mirth, and dwell in the rock where they may have their full of melancholy; they shall no more be singing birds, but mourning birds, like the dove (Jer 48:28); the doves of the valley, Eze 7:16. Let those that give themselves up to mirth know that God can soon change their note. Their sorrow shall be so very extreme that they shall make themselves bald and cut themselves (Jer 48:37), which were expressions of a desperate grief, such as tempted men to be even their own destroyers. Job indeed rent his mantle and shaved his head, but he did not cut himself. When the flood of passion rises ever so high wisdom and grace must set bounds to it, set banks to it, to restrain it from such barbarities. The sorrow shall be universal (Jer 48:38): There shall be a general lamentation upon all the house-tops of Moab, where they worshipped their idols, to whom they shall in vain bemoan themselves, and in all the streets, where they conversed with one another, for they shall be free in communicating their grief and fears and in propagating them; for they see all lost: "I have broken Moab like a vessel wherein is no pleasure, which shall not be regarded and cannot be pieced again." That which Moab used to rejoice in was their pleasant fruits and the abundance of their rich wines. The delights of sense were all the matter of their joy. Take away these, destroy their gardens and vineyards, and you make all their mirth to cease, Hos 2:11, Hos 2:12. There is great weeping when their plants are transplanted, have gone over the sea (Jer 48:32), are carried into other countries, to be planted there. The spoiler has fallen upon thy summer-fruits and upon thy vintage, and it is this that makes the cry of Heshbon to reach even to Elealeh, Jer 48:34. Take joy and gladness from the plentiful field, and you take it from the land of Moab, Jer 48:33. If the wine fail from the wine-presses, that used to be trodden with acclamations of joy, all their gladness is cut off. Take away that shouting, and there shall be no shouting. Note, Those who make the delights of sense their chief joy, their exceeding joy, since these are things they may easily be deprived of in a little time subject themselves to the tyranny of the greatest grief; whereas those who rejoice in God may do that even when the fig-tree does not blossom and there is no fruit in the vine. These Moabites lost not only their wine, but their water too: Even the waters of Nimrim shall be desolate (Jer 48:34), and therefore their grief grew extravagantly loud and noisy, and their lamentations were heard in all placed like the lowing of a heifer of three years old. The expressions here are borrowed from Isa 15:5, Isa 15:6. 3. All their neighbours are called to mourn with them, and to condole with them on their ruin (Jer 48:17): All you that are about him bemoan him, Let him have that allay to his grief, let him see himself pities by the adjoining countries. Nay, let those at a distance, who do but know his name and have heard of his reputation, take notice of his fall, and say, How is the strong staff broken, whose strength was the terror of its enemies, and the beautiful rod, whose beauty was the pride of its friends! Let the nations take notice of this and receive instruction. Let none be puffed up with or put confidence in their strength or beauty, for neither will be a security against the judgments of God.

IV. It is a shameful destruction and such as shall expose them to contempt: Moab is made drunk (Jer 48:26), and he that is made drunk is made vile; he shall wallow in his vomit, and become an odious spectacle, and shalljustly be in derision. Let the Moabites be intoxicated with the cup of God's wrath till they stagger and fall, and be brought to their wits' end, and make themselves ridiculous by the wildness not only of their passions but of their counsels. And again (Jer 48:39): Moab shall be a derision and a dismaying to all about him; they shall laugh at the fall of the pomp and power he was so proud of. Note, Those that are haughty are preparing reproach and ignominy for themselves.

V. It is the destruction of that which is dear to them, not only of their summer fruits and their vintage, but of their wealth (Jer 48:36): The riches that he has gotten have perished, though he thought he had laid them up very safely, and promised himself a long enjoyment of them, yet they are gone. Note, The money that is hoarded in the chest is as liable to perishing as the summer-fruits that lie exposed in the open field. Riches are shedding things, and, like dust as they are, slip through our fingers even when we are in most care to hold them fast and gripe them hard. Yet this is not the worst; even those whose religion was false and foolish were fond of it above any thing, and, such as it was, would not part with it; and therefore, though it was really a promise, yet to them it was a threatening (Jer 48:35), that God will cause to cease him that offers in the high places, for the high places shall be destroyed, and the fields of offerings shall be laid waste, and the priests themselves, who burnt incense to their gods, shall be slain or carried into captivity, Jer 48:7. Note, It is only the true religion, and the worship and service of the true God, that will stand us in stead in a day of trouble.

VI. It is a just and righteous destruction, and that which they have deserved and brought upon themselves by sin.

1.The sin which they had been most notoriously guilty of, and for which God now reckoned with them, was pride. It is mentioned six times, Jer 48:29. We have all heard of the pride of Moab; his neighbours took notice of it; it has testified to his face, as Israel's did; he is exceedingly proud, and grows worse and worse. Observe his loftiness, his arrogancy, his pride, his haughtiness; the multiplying of words to the same purport intimates in how many instances he discovered his pride, and how offensive it was both to God and man. It was charged upon them Isa, Jer 16:6, but here it is expressed more largely that there. Since then they had been under humbling providences, and yet were unhumbled; nay, they grew more arrogant and haughty, which plainly marked them for that utter destruction of which pride is the forerunner. Two instances are here given of the pride of Moab: - (1.) He had conducted himself insolently towards God. He must be brought down with shame (Jer 48:26), for he has magnified himself against the Lord; and again (Jer 48:42), he shall be destroyed from being a people, for this very reason. The Moabites preferred Chemosh before Jehovah, and thought themselves a match for the God of Israel, whom they set at defiance. (2.) He had conducted himself scornfully towards Israel, particularly in their late troubles; therefore Moab shall fall into the same troubles; into the same hands, and be a derision, for Israel was a derision to him, Jer 48:26, Jer 48:27. The generality of the Moabites, when they heard of the calamities and desolations of their neighbours the Jews, instead of lamenting them, rejoiced in them, they skipped for joy. Many, in such a case, entertain in their minds a secret pleasure at the fall of those they had a dislike to, who yet have so much discretion as to conceal it; it is so invidious a thing. But the Moabites industriously proclaimed their joy, and avowed the enmity they had to Israel, triumphing over every Israelite they met with in distress and laughing at him, which was as inhuman as it was impious and an impudent affront both to man, whose nature they were of, and to God, whose name they were called by. Note, Those that deride others in distress will justly and certainly, sooner or later, come into distress themselves, and be had in derision. Those that are glad at calamities, especially the calamities of God's church, shall not long go unpunished.

2.Besides this they had been guilty of malice against God's people, and treachery in their dealings with them, Jer 48:30. They made a jest of the desolations of Judah and Jerusalem, and pretended, when they laughed at them, that it was but in sport and to make themselves merry; but, says God, "I know his wrath; I know it comes from the old enmity he has to the seed of Abraham and the worshippers of the true God. I know he thinks these calamities of the Jewish nation will end in their utter extirpation. He now tells the Chaldeans what bad people the Jews are, and irritates them against them; but it shall not be so as he expects; his lies shall not so effect it. The nation, whose fall they triumph in, shall recover itself." Some read it, I know his rage. Is it not so? Is he not very furious against the people of God? And his lies I know also. Do they not do so? Do they not belie them? Note, All the fury and all the falsehood of the church's enemies are perfectly known to God, whatever the pretenses are with which they think to cover them, Isa 37:28.

VII. It is a complicated destruction, and by one instance after another will at length be completed; for those that make their escape from one judgment shall perish by another: Fear, and the pit, and the snare, shall be upon them, Jer 48:43. There shall be fear to drive them into the pit, and a snare to hold them fast in it when they are in it; so that they shall neither escape from the destruction nor escape out of it. What was said of sinners in general (Isa 24:17, Isa 24:18), that those who flee from the fear shall fall into the pit and those who come up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare, is here particularly foretold concerning the sinners of Moab (Jer 48:44); for it is the year of their visitation, when God comes to reckon with them, and will be known by the judgments which he executes, for he is the King whose name is the Lord of hosts (Jer 48:15); he is not only the King who has authority to give judgment, but he is the Lord of hosts, who is able to do what he has determined. The figurative expressions used Jer 48:44 are explained in one instance (Jer 48:45): Those that fled out of the villages for fear of the enemy's forces put themselves under the shadow of Heshbon, stood there, and supposed they stood safely, as now armies sometimes retire under the cannon of a fortified city, and it is their protection; but here they should be disappointed, for, when they flee out of the pit, they fall into the snare; Heshbon, which they thought would shelter them, devours them as Moses had foretold long since (Num 21:28): A fire has gone out of Heshbon, and a flame from the city of Sihon, and devours those that come from all the corners of Moab, and fastens upon the crown of the head of the tumultuous noisy ones, or of the revellers, or children of noise, not meant of the rude clamorous multitude, but of the great men, who bluster, and hector, and make a noise; the judgments of God shall light on them. Shall we hear the conclusion of this whole matter? We have it (Jer 48:46): "Woe be to thee, O Moab! thou art undone; the people that worship Chemosh perish, and are gone; farewell, Moab. Thy sons and daughters, the hopes of the next generation, have gone into captivity after the Jews, whose calamities they rejoiced in."

VIII. Yet it is not a perpetual destruction. The chapter concludes with a short promise of their return out of captivity in the latter days. God, who brings them into captivity, will bring again their captivity, Jer 48:47. Thus tenderly does God deal with Moabites, much more with his own people! Even with Moabites he will not contend for ever, nor be always wrath. When Israel returned, Moab did; and perhaps the prophecy was intended chiefly for the encouragement of God's people to hope for that salvation which even Moabites shall share in. Yet it looks further, to gospel times; the Jews themselves refer it to the days of the Messiah; then the captivity of the Gentiles, under the yoke of sin and Satan, shall be brought back by divine grace, which shall make them free, free indeed. This prophecy concerning Moab is long, but here it ends; it ends comfortably: Thus far is the judgment of Moab.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 14–47. Public domain.
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Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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