Historical chapter commentary
Verse 2–3. Ammon. These nations were punished five years after the Jews. Calmet. 21:19. Jeremiah 27:3. Calmet.—“Egypt, Syria, Phœnicia, and Arabia,” were conquered. Beros.—Hast. God saw their dispositions, which they manifested afterwards. Calmet.—They rejoiced most, and were therefore punished with other nations. Worthington.
Verse 4. East; the Chaldeans, (Sanct.) who conquered them, ( Bible.) though the Scenite Arabs, who occupied the country after the inhabitants were removed, or the Armenians and Agarens, are rather meant than the Chaldees. Worthington.
Verse 5. Rabbath, the capital city of the Ammonites: it was afterwards called Philadelphia. Challoner.—Flocks. These constituted the riches of those Arabians.
Verse 7. Lord, and that it was not through impotence that my people became a prey. Ammon and Moab returned after some time. verse 10. Calmet. 16:53. Jeremiah 49:6.
Verse 8. Seir; Idumea.—Nations, whose gods could not defend them. Calmet.—Thus they blasphemed the Lord. Theod.
Verse 9. Shoulder; reduce to slavery, ( Bible.) or take the strong places, (Jeremiah 48:7. Calmet.) or cities and strength of Moab. Worthington.
Verse 10. With, or “like thee.” Moab (verse 11) shall be treated like Ammon. Bible.—Hebrew “As for the,” and so forth Calmet.
Verse 12. Revenge; exhorting the Chaldeans to destroy utterly, (Psalms 136:7) and seizing every opportunity of injuring the Jews. 2 Chronicles 28:18. Amos 1:11.
Verse 13. South. Hebrew “Theman,” a city at one extremity. The Chaldeans laid waste the country, (Calmet. 32:29) but did not remove the people, who seized the southern parts of Juda, till they were forced to submit to the Machabees.
Verse 15. Enmities. They also watched every moment to injure the Jews, Amos 1:5. But Nabuchodonosor was irritated, because they had assisted Tyre. Jeremiah 47:4.
Verse 16. Killers. Hebrew “Ceretheans.” David’s guards were of this nation. 2 Kennicott. 8:18. They came originally from Crete; and the Septuagint have here, “Cretans;” ( Calmet.) as Grabe substitutes for “Judges of Sidon.” Bible.—Chal. “archers.”—Remnant. They deserve not the name of a nation, having been much reduced by Egypt and the Chaldeans. Calmet.