Introduction: The Prophecy of Calamity Against Moab
Chapter 48 in Yirmiyahu is entirely a prophecy concerning Moab. The background to this prophecy is that Moab harassed the people of Israel, and the Holy One, blessed be He, as it were, avenges us against them. Throughout the chapter, the prophet accompanies the depiction of destruction with practical advice for the people of Moab: not to fight, but to flee and escape. As we will see, the Malbim makes this advice a central axis in understanding the entire chapter.
Verse 1: Woe Unto Nebo
לְמוֹאָב כֹּה־אָמַר יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, הוֹי אֶל־נְבוֹ כִּי שֻׁדָּדָה, הֹבִישָׁה נִלְכְּדָה קִרְיָתָיִם, הֹבִישָׁה הַמִּשְׂגָּב וָחָתָּה. - Concerning Moab, thus said the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel: Woe unto Nebo, for it is plundered; Kiryatayim is shamed and captured; the fortress is put to shame and dismayed.
"Woe" (hoi) is an expression of a cry of distress. "Plundered" (shuddadah) - from the idea of a despoiler coming upon it, one who takes their possessions and strikes them down. As for "Kiryatayim", why is it in the dual form and not "Kiryatam"? Radak brings two explanations: either the city's proper name was Kiryatayim, as in "in Shaveh-Kiryatayim"; or there were two towers in the city, and since a city (kiryah) is named after its tower, it was called Kiryatayim after the two towers.
"The fortress is put to shame and dismayed" - chatah is an expression of fear and brokenness, as in "do not fear and do not be dismayed (ve'al techat)". In Radak's view, HaMisgav is a proper place name. Alternatively, it can be understood as an expression for a place where one seeks refuge and salvation, as in "a stronghold (misgav) for the oppressed." Targum Yonatan translates accordingly: "They are ashamed of the house of their trust" - they were shamed by their fortress. A person assumed that salvation would be found in this place, but ultimately it proved disappointing and failed to protect him, and therefore he is put to shame by it.
Verse 2: In Heshbon They Plotted Evil Against Her
אֵין עוֹד תְּהִלַּת מוֹאָב, בְּחֶשְׁבּוֹן חָשְׁבוּ עָלֶיהָ רָעָה, לְכוּ וְנַכְרִיתֶנָּה מִגּוֹי, גַּם־מַדְמֵן תִּדֹּמִּי אַחֲרַיִךְ תֵּלֶךְ חָרֶב. - The praise of Moab is no more; in Heshbon they have devised evil against her: 'Come, and let us cut her off from being a nation.' You too, Madmen, shall be silenced; the sword shall pursue you.
Since Nebo, Kiryatayim, and the fortress were plundered, which were the praiseworthy and prominent places, consequently "the praise of Moab is no more" - the place in which you would boast and glory no longer exists. Not only that, but in Heshbon the enemies sat and consulted together, planning evil against her: "Come, and let us cut her off from being a nation." And Madmen, which was at the edge of the border and to which the people of Moab fled to be saved - you too "shall be silenced," and the sword will pursue those fleeing there to slay them. This is similar to what is stated in Yeshayahu: "For the waters of Dimon are full of blood, for I will bring additions upon Dimon" - which refers to the same place, where their river waters were filled with the blood of those who escaped there.
Radak notes here a play on words: because the city is called Heshbon, it says, "In Heshbon they have devised (chashvu) evil against her"; and because the place is called Madmen, it says, "Madmen, you shall be silenced (tidommi)." A similar example is "Ekron shall be uprooted (te'aker)," where the phrasing corresponds to the name Ekron through the root for uprooting. And "you shall be silenced" (tidommi) here is like what we saw earlier in "Ashkelon has been cut off (nidmetah)" - in the sense of being cut down. Madmen, too, is destined to be cut off, and the sword will pursue those who flee there.
Verses 3-5: The Descent of Horonaim and the Ascent of Luhith
קוֹל צְעָקָה מֵחֹרוֹנָיִם, שֹׁד וָשֶׁבֶר גָּדוֹל. נִשְׁבְּרָה מוֹאָב, הִשְׁמִיעוּ זְּעָקָה צְעִירֶיהָ. - A sound of crying from Horonaim, desolation and great destruction! Moab is broken; her little ones have sounded a cry.
The Malbim explains this based on what is written in Yeshayahu (15:5): "My heart cries out for Moav, her fugitives flee to Tzoar, Eglat Shelishiyah; for weeping ascends the ascent of Luchit, for on the road to Choronayim they raise an outcry of devastation." There, the Malbim explains that the fugitives do not fight; rather, they flee from the enemy as far as the place called Tzoar. They flee down a descent - the slope of Choronayim. It is well known that when an enemy pursues a fleeing army down a slope, it is far easier to strike them, shoot arrows at them, and kill them. Indeed, they were struck down in battle there. And whoever escaped the slope ascended the ascent of Luchit, weeping as they saw the sheer magnitude of the ruin and catastrophe. This is "a voice of crying from Choronayim" - from the very place where the descent was, where they fled, and where there was great plunder and destruction.
"Moav is shattered, her young ones cause an outcry to be heard" - who are the "young ones" (tze'ireha)? Rashi explains, following the Targum, that this refers to kings and rulers. The Metzudot explain it according to its simple meaning: the children and the youth, and perhaps they are mentioned specifically because they become terrified first. The Malbim explains that tze'ireha is not a descriptive term, but a place name: the people of Tzoar. Since the refugees fled to Tzoar, the people of Tzoar heard of the calamity and raised an outcry.
כִּי מַעֲלֵה הַלֻּחִית בִּבְכִי יַעֲלֶה־בֶּכִי, כִּי בְּמוֹרַד חוֹרֹנַיִם צָרֵי צַעֲקַת־שֶׁבֶר שָׁמֵעוּ. - For up the ascent of Luchit one climbs weeping after weeping, for on the descent of Choronayim the adversaries heard an outcry of destruction.
Choronayim was a place of descent, while Luchit was an ascent. On the descent of Choronayim, which was in the low ground, the distressed sounded an outcry of destruction over their fallen men, crying out in bitterness of soul as they ascended the ascent of Luchit. And what is "one climbs weeping after weeping" (bivechi ya'aleh bechi)? Metzudat David explains that the weeping kept growing continuously - one was already weeping, and brought upon himself further weeping. The Malbim explains that the first bechi is the action and the second is a noun: through his weeping, he brought forth weeping, meaning he intensified and added even more weeping.
Pasuk 6: Flee, Save Your Lives
נֻסוּ מַלְּטוּ נַפְשְׁכֶם, וְתִהְיֶינָה כַּעֲרוֹעֵר בַּמִּדְבָּר. - Flee, save your lives, and be like a solitary juniper in the wilderness.
The prophet advises them, as it were: Flee for your lives! And what is "like Aroer in the wilderness"? Rashi explains that Aroer refers to the tower of Aroer that stood in the desert, and a tower standing in an uninhabited place with no dwellers appears as a ruin. That is to say: Escape, and be like an uninhabited tower in the desert. Rashi also cites Menachem, and Targum Yonatan translates similarly, that aro'er is the name of a forest tree, a lonely tree growing in the desert - corresponding to the familiar phrase "like a juniper in the desert."
Metzudat David explains that the prophet is telling them: Flee and abandon your money; do not linger to collect wealth, for in any event you will be like a solitary shrub in the desert and have no hope of gathering your possessions and surviving, so save only your lives. The Malbim likewise explains that the counsel here is not to fight. Where there is a chance of defeating the enemy in battle - by all means, fight. But where prophecy declares there is no chance of overcoming the enemy, why fight? The only outcome is falling in battle, which is a form of suicide. Therefore, "Flee, save your lives." In the Malbim's view, Aroer was a Moabite city situated in the desert, and the prophet advises them: Go and dwell in the wilderness, and abandon your settled cities.
Pasuk 7: Trust in Treasures
כִּי יַעַן בִּטְחֵךְ בְּמַעֲשַׂיִךְ וּבְאוֹצְרוֹתַיִךְ גַּם־אַתְּ תִּלָּכֵדִי, וְיָצָא כְמוֹשׁ בַּגּוֹלָה כֹּהֲנָיו וְשָׂרָיו יַחְדָּיו. - For, because of your trust in your deeds and in your treasures, you too will be captured; and Kemosh will go into exile, his priests and his princes together.
The prophet asks: Why do you not flee? Because you trust in your deeds and your treasures. Radak explains: "Your deeds" refers to your possessions, just as it is said of Naval the Carmelite, "And there was a man in Maon, whose possessions (u'ma'asehu) were in Carmel" - ma'asehu means his possessions. You trust in your possessions and your treasury, as Targum Yonatan translates. And he tells her: "You too will be captured" - just like other nations that had no treasures and were captured, you too will be captured, and your treasures will not avail you. Often, a nation that had treasures would bribe an opposing king: "Take the treasures and leave us be." Here, the prophet tells her that her treasures will not save her, for even Kemosh, her god upon whom she relies, will also be taken captive and go into exile.
And this is precisely what happened here. The Malbim explains: they refused to flee because they did not want to abandon their labor in the fields. Since they possessed great wealth, they were loath to run and leave everything behind. To this the prophet says: know that not only will the enemy seize your treasures, but he will also put you to death, and Chemosh, along with his priests and princes, will go into exile. Would it not have been better, then, to leave all your possessions behind and flee for your lives? At least you would have saved yourselves.
Pasuk 8: The Valley Shall Perish and the Plain Be Destroyed
וְיָבֹא שֹׁדֵד אֶל־כָּל־עִיר וְעִיר לֹא תִמָּלֵט, וְאָבַד הָעֵמֶק וְנִשְׁמַד הַמִּישֹׁר, אֲשֶׁר אָמַר יְהֹוָה. - 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 Hashem has spoken.
Not only will the cities perish, but also the valley and the plain, which are less populated areas. The Malbim analyzes the precise wording: a valley "perishes" (אובד) by being filled with earth, which eradicates it - it is no longer a valley. But regarding a plain, the term "loss" does not apply, for a plain remains flat; therefore, the verse says it will be "destroyed" (נשמד). How is it destroyed? By turning into a saltland that cannot be sown or produce crops. "Destruction" (שמד) implies the ruin of an object's form and quality, rather than the total annihilation of its physical existence.
Thus, do not say: perhaps he will not arrive, perhaps we can linger and gather more property. A destroyer will come upon every city, and not even a single city will escape - and not only the cities, but also the valley and the plain. And why? "As Hashem has spoken" (אשר אמר ה') - meaning "just as Hashem said" (כאשר אמר ה'). This phrasing mirrors "you shall eat matzot as I commanded you" (אשר צויתיך), meaning just as I commanded you. Since Hashem stated and decreed it, so it will inevitably come to pass.
Pasuk 9: Give Wings to Moav
תְּנוּ־צִיץ לְמוֹאָב כִּי נָצֹא תֵּצֵא, וְעָרֶיהָ לְשַׁמָּה תִהְיֶינָה מֵאֵין יוֹשֵׁב בָּהֵן. - Give wings to Moav, for it must fly away; and her cities shall become desolate, without any to dwell in them.
Rashi and Radak explain that tzitz here means a wing. Radak notes that a fish's fin is called tzitzin, and Chazal state: these are the fins by which it flies - what wings are to a bird, fins are to a fish; a fish flies through water just as a bird flies through the air. Similarly, Rashi explains that anything protruding or hanging from a person or animal is called tzitz, as in "and it shall be for you as fringes (tzitzit)" and "and took me by a lock (tzitzit) of my head." Thus, it refers to something protruding from the body, namely a wing. What is being said here? Give Moav wings so that it may fly away quickly and escape, for this place is dangerous and the enemies will arrive shortly. This is the meaning of "for it must fly away" (ki natzo teitzei) - meaning "it will surely take flight," derived from the root of feather (notzah), as in "for they fled away and wandered" (ki natzu gam na'u). By the power of flight they will depart and be driven out; therefore, give them wings so they may leave swiftly, lest they remain behind and be struck down by the enemy.
Targum Yonatan interprets tzitz as the golden frontlet, meaning a crown, translating: "Remove the crown from Moav, for she shall surely go into exile" - strip the royalty from Moav, for they are losing their sovereignty and facing exile. A textual note is worth mentioning here: in standard printed editions of Targum Yonatan, the text reads "עדו ביטרא ממואב" (remove the bitra from Moav), a puzzling word that does not exist anywhere else in Targum Yonatan or the Yerushalmi. However, both Rashi and Radak clearly cite the reading as kitra (כתרא, crown), and ancient manuscripts confirm that the authentic reading is indeed kitra and not bitra.
The Malbim explains differently, consistent with the overarching theme of the chapter: the prophet advises them to flee, explaining that only by escaping will they survive and flourish anew; if they stay, they will be decimated and unable to recover. Therefore, "Give a blossom (tzitz) to Moav, for she must go forth" - only through what is suggested here, namely flight, will Moav retain a sprout and a shoot and be able to blossom once more, as in "and put forth blossoms (vayetzetztz tzitz) and produced almonds." Only through flight will you endure, eventually returning to restore the kingdom. But if you remain in your cities, "her cities shall become desolate," and you will have no future. Do not imagine that he will leave you behind as vinedressers and plowmen, as was done in the initial exiles of Israel; if you stay here you will be destroyed, but if you flee, Moav will retain a sprout that will blossom and flourish once again.
Pasuk 10: Cursed Be He Who Does the Work of Hashem Deceitfully
אָרוּר עֹשֶׂה מְלֶאכֶת יְהֹוָה רְמִיָּה, וְאָרוּר מֹנֵעַ חַרְבּוֹ מִדָּם. - Cursed be he who does the work of Hashem deceitfully, and cursed be he who keeps back his sword from blood.
According to the Radak, this is an exhortation to the nations to take vengeance upon Moab. Moab oppressed the Jewish people, and therefore a harsh prophecy came upon them, reminiscent of: "O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed, happy shall he be that repayeth thee... Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the rock." The "work of the Lord" refers to what God commanded regarding exacting retribution from Moab. Therefore, accursed is anyone who does not go and exact retribution from them in accordance with God's will, for such a person executes the Creator's command and His work deceitfully, failing to act properly to bring God's word to fruition. And accursed is anyone who withholds his sword from shedding their blood, to repay them for the evil they inflicted upon us.
The Radak notes that this is said specifically concerning Moab and not other nations - we do not find the prophet cursing in the word of the Lord anyone who fails to take vengeance upon the others. Why specifically here? Because God's wrath against Moab was immense, for God had explicitly warned Israel: "Harass not Moab." Thus, we were careful regarding them and did not oppress them, yet they acted wickedly and oppressed us. Had a nation feared that we might harm them and attacked us preemptively, one could argue that this was self-defense; but Moab knew that we were commanded, "Harass not Moab," meaning they had nothing to defend against. Why, then, did they go out of their way to oppress us? Out of their overwhelming pride and abundant tranquility, they multiplied the affliction upon the people of Israel, and therefore this affliction shall come upon them.
The Malbim takes the opposite approach: "Cursed be he that doeth the work of the Lord deceitfully" was not said to the detriment of Moab, but for their benefit. Since the prophet advises them to flee, and whoever remains will die while whoever flees will merit a "blossom" (tzitz) and renewed growth, the work and will of the Lord is that they go out and leave the place. Whoever refuses to leave and decides to stay performs the work of the Lord deceitfully and disregards God's command; therefore, he deserves to be killed. God desires to save you and advises you to escape, yet you stubbornly remain - by right, death is your due. And "cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood" refers to the enemy: accursed is anyone who withholds his sword from slaying those who remain behind, for they are cursed.
Notice the distinction between the commentators: according to the Radak, both parts of the verse are directed at whoever fails to strike Moab, which means there is a repetition of the same idea in different words. The Radak often adopts this approach, whereas for the Malbim such poetic parallelism without distinct meaning does not exist; every duplicated word or phrase adds a new dimension, rather than repeating merely for poetic flair. Therefore, in the Malbim's view, the first curse refers to a Moabite who remains in his place, while the second curse is a command to the enemy to slay all those remaining who stubbornly cling to their land and refuse to go into exile according to the word of God.
Verse 11: Moab Has Been at Ease from His Youth
שַׁאֲנַן מוֹאָב מִנְּעוּרָיו וְשֹׁקֵט הוּא אֶל־שְׁמָרָיו, וְלֹא־הוּרַק מִכְּלִי אֶל־כֶּלִי וּבַגּוֹלָה לֹא הָלָךְ, עַל־כֵּן עָמַד טַעְמוֹ בּוֹ וְרֵיחוֹ לֹא נָמָר. - Moab has been at ease from his youth, and he has settled on his dregs, and has not been emptied from vessel to vessel, neither has he gone into captivity; therefore his taste has remained in him, and his scent is not changed.
This verse is familiar to many from a Midrash Aggadah on Megillat Esther. When Ahasuerus sought to execute Vashti, he summoned the wise men who "knew the times." Our Sages explained that these were the Jewish sages, who knew how to intercalate the years and understood the astrological times. He asked them, "What shall we do unto the queen Vashti according to law?" They realized that no matter how they answered, they were in grave danger. If they said, "Your Majesty, spare her; she may have been insolent, so impose some penalty, but spare her life" - he would say, "Do you have no regard for my honor?" and execute them, for she had disgraced the king with harsh and brazen words, and yet the Jewish sages showed no concern. On the other hand, if they said, "You are right, execute her" - once he sobered up from his wine and demanded, "Who were the fools who advised me to do this?" they would reply, "The Jewish sages," and he would execute them. Either way, it would end poorly, and in such a situation one must be clever rather than merely right. So they told him: "We, the Jewish people, have been exiled, and in such a state, 'The wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.' You must consult people who have never been exiled - the sages of Moab, of whom it is said, 'Moab has been at ease from his youth, and he has settled on his dregs, and has not been emptied from vessel to vessel, neither has he gone into captivity; therefore his taste has remained in him, and his scent is not changed.' Turn to them; their wisdom remains intact, and they will know how to answer you." Thus, they rolled the burning coal into the lap of the sages of Moab.
Now let us examine the verse according to its context here. The Radak notes that the letter nun has a patach - "sha'anan" - because it is in the past tense: until now, Moab had been tranquil. From his youth he settled on his dregs, like wine resting quietly on its sediment. It is well known that when wine is poured from vessel to vessel, its aroma dissipates and its flavor begins to scatter. Wine connoisseurs use specific glasses for each variety: some wines require a wide bowl so the bouquet can expand, while others require a narrow glass so the aroma remains concentrated. Even in Halachah, wine left uncovered is disqualified for Kiddush, because simply remaining exposed causes it to lose its flavor, and pouring it from vessel to vessel diminishes it. Moab, however, was not emptied from vessel to vessel - meaning he was never sent into exile. The people of Israel were poured from vessel to vessel and driven into exile, whereas Moab was not; hence, his taste remained in him, and his scent "was not changed" (lo namar) - it did not alter, nor did it fade. The Targum renders it "did not dissipate," related to expiration or passing, or related to "the Torah becomes lax" (tafug Torah) and "give thyself no respite" (al titni fugat lach), an expression of cessation or slackening.
The Malbim explains that here the prophet answers the question: Why did God decree exile upon you? Because Moab had been at ease from his youth, with none to make him afraid. And what is the distinction between "at ease" (sha'anan) and "settled on his dregs" (shoket el shemarav)? A terrifier comes from without - no foreign king or nation came from outside to terrorize them. Dregs, on the other hand, are within - "settled on his dregs" means that internally, too, there was no rebellion, and no one rose up against the king.
The Malbim further elaborates on the parable: when wine is poured from vessel to vessel, the sediment remains behind in the first vessel, leaving us with clarified wine free of dregs. The dregs are the sediment - the skins and seeds remaining from the pressed grapes, which sink to the bottom of the vat while the wine is decanted off them. Moab, however, remained on his dregs; he was left in the original vessel and never transferred. Therefore, his original flavor remained intact, for wine that is separated from its dregs loses some of its pungency and aroma.
The application of the parable is as follows: a nation exiled from place to place inevitably absorbs the manners and customs of the nation among whom they dwell; this is simply reality. When the Jewish people were exiled to Europe, they adopted European manners; when exiled to Iraq, Yemen, Morocco, and so forth, they adopted the manners and customs of those lands. When a nation is exiled into another, it absorbs its etiquette and conduct, and just as wine poured from vessel to vessel has its flavor altered, so too the "taste" of the nation changes - its lifestyle and conduct adapt to the local population. Moab, however, was not emptied from vessel to vessel and never went into captivity; they had dwelt in their ancestral land from ancient times without undergoing transformations. This is the meaning of "and his scent is not changed" (lo namar), from the root signifying transformation (temurah).
In summary:
In this section of the chapter, the prophet opens with a prophecy of retribution against Moav, who tormented Israel: Nevo, Kiryatayim, and HaMisgav have been plundered, the glory of Moav is gone, the enemies plot in Cheshbon to cut it off, and the sword pursues even those fleeing to Madmen. The outcry ascends from the descent of Choronayim and the ascent of Luchith, and the prophet advises: do not fight, but flee and save your lives, and do not trust in your acquisitions and treasures - for even Chemosh, along with his officers and priests, is going into exile. According to the Malbim, fleeing is itself the work of Hashem, and whoever refuses it and remains behind is cursed, while the sword will strike down those who stay. Finally, the root cause of the judgment is explained: Moav, who had been tranquil from his youth, was neither shaken from without nor rebellious from within; he was not emptied from vessel to vessel and never went into exile. Therefore, his taste remained in him and his scent was not diminished - and out of that very tranquility and arrogance, he acted with great malice against Israel. Therefore, the time of emptying and exile has now arrived.