Jeremiah 48:21

Translation
King James Version
And judgment is come upon the plain country; upon Holon, and upon Jahazah, and upon Mephaath,
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KJV (with Strong's)
And judgment H4941 is come H935 upon the plain H4334 country H776; upon Holon H2473, and upon Jahazah H3096, and upon Mephaath H4158,
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Complete Jewish Bible
Judgment has come on the Plain - on Holon, Yachtzah, Mefa'at,
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Berean Standard Bible
Judgment has come upon the high plain— upon Holon, Jahzah, and Mephaath,
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American Standard Version
And judgment is come upon the plain country, upon Holon, and upon Jahzah, and upon Mephaath,
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World English Bible Messianic
Judgment has come on the plain country, on Holon, and on Jahzah, and on Mephaath,
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Geneva Bible (1599)
And iudgement is come vpon the plaine countrey, vpon Holon and vpon Iahazah, and vpon Mephaath,
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Young's Literal Translation
And judgment hath come in unto the land of the plain--unto Holon, And unto Jahazah, and on Mephaath,
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See also
Joshua 13:18Isaiah 15:4Numbers 21:23Jeremiah 48:8Zephaniah 2:9Joshua 21:36Joshua 21:37
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Prophecy Against Moab
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In the KJVVerse 20,102 of 31,102

Study This Verse

SUMMARY

Jeremiah 48:21 delivers a precise and unyielding declaration of divine judgment upon the "plain country" of Moab, specifically targeting the cities of Holon, Jahazah, and Mephaath. This verse is a crucial segment within a larger prophetic oracle detailing Moab's impending downfall, underscoring God's absolute sovereignty over nations and the inevitable consequences of national pride, idolatry, and persistent defiance of His will. It emphasizes the thoroughness and certainty of God's decree, ensuring that no part of the rebellious nation would escape the impending desolation.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: Jeremiah 48 is entirely devoted to a comprehensive oracle of judgment against Moab, meticulously detailing its impending destruction. The chapter opens with a broad declaration of doom (e.g., Jeremiah 48:1-6), then transitions to specific reasons for divine wrath, such as Moab's reliance on its idols and its pervasive arrogance (e.g., Jeremiah 48:7-13). Verse 21 serves to particularize this judgment, moving from general pronouncements to naming specific cities within Moab's central "plain country" or tableland. It appears after a declaration of Moab's shame and breaking (e.g., Jeremiah 48:18-20), reinforcing that the judgment is not merely abstract but will impact every facet of Moabite life and geography, culminating in a profound lament for the nation's fall. The progression from general to specific underscores the comprehensive nature of God's judgment.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: Moab was an ancient nation situated east of the Dead Sea, tracing its lineage back to Lot, Abraham's nephew (e.g., Genesis 19:37). Throughout its history, Moab frequently engaged in conflict with Israel and, at times, led Israel into idolatry, notably at Peor (e.g., Numbers 25:1-3). Renowned for its agricultural prosperity, fortified cities, and devotion to the national god Chemosh, Moab developed a strong sense of self-sufficiency and pride, often despising the Lord and His people (e.g., Jeremiah 48:29). Jeremiah's prophecy against Moab, likely delivered during the late 7th or early 6th century BCE, anticipates the sweeping Babylonian invasions that served as God's instrument of judgment against numerous nations across the Near East, including Moab. The "plain country" (Hebrew: mîyshôwr) refers to the fertile, elevated plateau east of the Jordan, a strategically vital and agriculturally rich region for Moab.
  • Key Themes: This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes prevalent in Jeremiah and the broader prophetic literature. Foremost, it highlights Divine Sovereignty and Judgment, demonstrating God's absolute authority over all nations and His unwavering commitment to execute justice upon those who defy Him. The phrase "judgment is come" signifies an imminent and certain divine decree, not merely a human conflict, emphasizing God's active involvement in history. Secondly, it underscores the Specificity of God's Condemnation, as the naming of "Holon, and upon Jahazah, and upon Mephaath" illustrates that divine judgment is precise and inescapable, leaving no part of the rebellious nation untouched. This specificity reinforces the idea that God sees and holds accountable every aspect of a nation's sin, particularly its idolatry and pride, as detailed in Jeremiah 48:7. Finally, the verse speaks to the Consequences of Pride and Rebellion, a recurring motif throughout the Old Testament. Moab's downfall is largely attributed to its arrogance and self-sufficiency, which led it to despise the Lord and His people, serving as a timeless warning that pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • Judgment (Hebrew, mishpâṭ', H4941): This significant term, derived from the root meaning "to judge," refers to a verdict, sentence, or formal decree, carrying strong legal and judicial connotations. In the context of Jeremiah 48:21, it signifies a punitive sentence or divine retribution. It is not merely a general calamity but a divinely ordained and executed legal pronouncement against Moab, emphasizing the justice and righteousness inherent in God's action. The "judgment" is a direct consequence of Moab's actions, administered by a righteous God.
  • Plain country (Hebrew, mîyshôwr' and ʼerets', H4334): Mîyshôwr denotes a level, flat region or plain, often referring to a specific geographical area like the fertile tableland of Moab. When combined with ʼerets (land/country), it specifies the particular, often prosperous, agricultural heartland of Moab. This highlights that the judgment is not just on the cities themselves but on the very foundation of Moab's economic and strategic strength, its fertile plains that symbolized its self-sufficiency and wealth.
  • Mephaath (Hebrew, Môwphaʻath', H4158): Likely meaning "illuminative" or "shining," Mephaath is one of the specific towns named in this verse. The inclusion of such precise geographical details, alongside Holon and Jahazah, lends an air of undeniable authenticity and solemnity to the prophetic declaration. It signifies that the judgment is not a vague threat but a concrete, localized event that would impact well-known and significant places within Moab, leaving no corner of the "plain country" untouched and underscoring the thoroughness of divine retribution.

Verse Breakdown

  • "And judgment is come upon the plain country;": This opening clause declares the certainty and imminence of divine retribution. The "judgment" (Hebrew: mishpâṭ) is not merely a future possibility but is described as having "come" (Hebrew: bôwʼ), indicating a present, active, and irreversible divine decree. This judgment is specifically directed at "the plain country," referring to the fertile, elevated plateau of Moab, a region vital to its prosperity and a symbol of its self-reliance. The phrase sets the stage for a comprehensive and devastating divine intervention, emphasizing that God's decree is already in motion.
  • "upon Holon, and upon Jahazah, and upon Mephaath,": This part of the verse particularizes the judgment, naming three specific cities within the "plain country." Holon, Jahazah, and Mephaath were likely significant towns, perhaps administrative or agricultural centers, or strategic locations. Their explicit mention underscores the thoroughness and precision of God's judgment. It implies that no stronghold, no prosperous settlement, and no part of Moab's heartland would be spared from the impending desolation, leaving no room for escape or denial of the prophecy's fulfillment. This specificity highlights God's intimate knowledge of the land and His direct targeting of the sources of Moab's pride and security.

Literary Devices

Jeremiah 48:21 employs several potent literary devices to convey its message of impending doom. The most prominent is Specific Naming, where the prophet lists "Holon, and upon Jahazah, and upon Mephaath." This precise enumeration of towns within the "plain country" lends an air of undeniable authenticity and vividness to the prophecy. It transforms a general declaration of judgment into a tangible, localized threat, emphasizing the comprehensive and inescapable nature of God's wrath. This specificity also serves as a form of Foreshadowing, painting a clear picture of the coming devastation by identifying its exact targets. Furthermore, the declarative statement "judgment is come" functions as a Prophetic Perfect, asserting the certainty and immediacy of the divine decree. It uses the perfect tense to describe a future event as if it has already occurred, highlighting God's absolute sovereignty and the inevitability of His word. The repetition of "upon" also creates a sense of Anaphora, building intensity and emphasizing the widespread impact of the judgment across the land.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Jeremiah 48:21 profoundly illustrates God's unyielding justice and His sovereign control over the destinies of nations. It stands as a stark reminder that national pride, idolatry, and persistent rebellion against divine authority will inevitably lead to divine judgment. The specificity of the named cities underscores that God's justice is not abstract or general, but precise and comprehensive, reaching into every corner of a nation's life. This verse, within the broader context of Jeremiah's prophecies against foreign nations, reinforces the theological truth that the God of Israel is the universal Lord, holding all peoples accountable for their actions and spiritual posture. It serves as a powerful testament to the reliability of God's word, for what He declares, He brings to pass, demonstrating His faithfulness to His own righteous character.

  • Isaiah 13:1-22 - A comprehensive prophecy against Babylon, demonstrating God's judgment on powerful nations.
  • Amos 1:3-2:16 - A series of oracles against various nations, including Moab, highlighting God's universal justice.
  • Nahum 1:1-3:19 - A detailed prophecy against Nineveh, illustrating the certainty of divine retribution against wicked cities.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

Jeremiah 48:21 serves as a profound reminder that God's justice is not merely a theological concept but a tangible reality that impacts nations and individuals. It calls us to reflect on the dangers of pride, self-sufficiency, and idolatry, whether in our personal lives or in the collective actions of our societies. Just as Moab was judged for its arrogance and reliance on false gods, so too are we accountable for where we place our trust and how we respond to God's truth. This verse encourages a posture of humility and dependence on God, acknowledging His supreme authority over all things. It challenges us to examine our own hearts and the values of our communities, ensuring that we are not building our foundations on fleeting earthly securities or false gods, but on the enduring principles of God's righteousness and grace. The certainty of judgment for Moab should inspire a reverent fear of the Lord and a renewed commitment to walk in His ways, trusting that His warnings are true and His promises are steadfast. It prompts us to consider how our own "plain countries" – our areas of comfort, prosperity, or self-reliance – might be vulnerable to spiritual or even temporal judgment if not aligned with God's will.

Questions for Reflection

  • In what ways might individuals or nations today exhibit the same pride and self-sufficiency that led to Moab's downfall?
  • How does the specificity of God's judgment on Holon, Jahazah, and Mephaath encourage or challenge your understanding of God's justice?
  • What "idols" or false securities might we be trusting in today that could lead to spiritual or societal consequences, and how can we turn from them?

FAQ

Why did God specifically name these towns (Holon, Jahazah, Mephaath) in His prophecy against Moab?

Answer: God specifically named Holon, Jahazah, and Mephaath to underscore the precision, certainty, and comprehensive nature of His judgment. Rather than a vague threat against Moab as a whole, the naming of these specific cities, likely significant centers within Moab's "plain country" (the fertile, central plateau), demonstrated that no part of the nation, no matter how prosperous or fortified, would escape the impending divine wrath. This literary device adds an undeniable sense of authenticity and solemnity to the prophecy, making it clear that God's word is not abstract but will be fulfilled in concrete, localized ways. It also serves as a powerful testament to God's omniscience and His intimate knowledge of the very land and people He is judging, reinforcing His absolute sovereignty over all nations, as seen in other prophecies like those against Tyre in Ezekiel 26 or Babylon in Isaiah 13. The specificity ensures that the prophecy is seen as a direct, targeted divine decree, leaving no room for doubt about its fulfillment.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

While Jeremiah 48:21 speaks directly to God's judgment upon Moab, its Christ-centered fulfillment lies in the ultimate revelation of God's justice and mercy through Jesus Christ. The "judgment" that "is come" upon Moab foreshadows the ultimate divine judgment that will come upon all unrighteousness and rebellion against God, a judgment fully revealed in Christ. Jesus, as the righteous judge, will one day execute perfect justice, bringing every hidden thing into the light (e.g., John 5:27; Acts 17:31). However, the Christ-centered message also pivots to profound redemption. For those who are "in Christ," the judgment for sin has already been borne by Him on the cross. The Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29), became the object of divine wrath so that believers might be spared. Thus, while Moab faced desolation, humanity is offered salvation from eternal judgment through faith in Jesus, who fulfilled the demands of God's justice and offers reconciliation, ushering in a new covenant where judgment for sin is transformed into grace for those who believe (Romans 8:1). He is the ultimate fulfillment of God's righteous judgment and the source of ultimate deliverance.

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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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