Within Jeremiah’s lifetime, Moab was in league with the Chaldeans against Judah during Jehoiakim’s reign ( 2 Kgs. 24:2; cf. Jer. 12); and later, in Zedekiah’s reign, discussed with other nations a possible revolt against Babylon (27:1-11).
- The chapter may be divided into five sections: verses 1-10, verses 21-27, verses 28-29, verses 40-47.
What heading would you give to each of these sections to sum up its contents? - What reason for the judgment is given in verse 11?
What warning should we take for ourselves? Cf. Deut. 8:11-18; Is. 47:8-11, Amos 6:1-7; Zeph. 1:12.
What other reasons for the judgment are set forth in this chapter?
Notes
- All the numerous place-names refer to Moabite territory. Some have not been identified, including ‘Madmen’ (verse 2; the LXX reads ‘Yet you i.e., Moab, shall be brought to silence’).
- Verses 7, 13. ‘Chemosh’: the god of Moab. ‘Trusted in Bethel’: see Amos 5:5; 7:10-13 for false worship at Bethel. Bethel means ‘house of God’, and there may be present also an allusion to false trust in the temple; see Jer. 7:1-15.
- Verses 11, 12. An illustration from the treatment of the juice of grapes. It is left in a vessel until a sediment called ‘dregs’ or ‘less’ had formed at the bottom; then the liquid is poured into another vessel, and so repeatedly, until the liquid is clear. Moab had experienced no such purifying process, and so retained its original unrefined character.
- Verse 26. ‘Make her drunk’: i.e., stagger with shock and despairing grief. Cf. 13:14 (and see Note, p. 349); 25:16.