Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Jeremiah 48:17
All ye that are about him, bemoan him; and all ye that know his name, say, How is the strong staff broken, [and] the beautiful rod!
17. For the use of “How” introducing a lament, cp. Lam 1:1; Lam 2:1; Lam 4:1.
the strong staff (mg. sceptre) the beautiful rod ] For these expressions, as implying national glory and power over others, cp. Psa 110:2; Isa 14:29; Eze 19:11-12; Eze 19:14.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The lamentation over Moab uttered by those round about him, i. e., the neighboring nations, and those that know his name, nations more remote, who know little more than that, there is such a people, takes the form of an elegy. The metaphorical expressions, staff of strength, and rod or scepter of beauty, indicate the union of power and splendor in the Moabite kingdom.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Jer 48:17
How is the strong staff broken.
The strong staff and the beautiful rod
I. The purposes of our Heavenly Father in great bereavements.
1. To teach us that we should not misplace our trust.
2. To convince us of our sins and to sever us from them.
3. To teach us His own independence of the instruments He employs.
4. To remind us of the sovereignty of God.
5. To exhibit His wise and watchful providence.
II. The duties to which we are, and such scenes, specially called.
1. We are to exercise submission.
2. That we should profit by the example of those who have died in the Lord.
3. That we should cease from man and put our trust in God. (W. R. Williams.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 17. How is the strong staff broken] The sceptre. The sovereignty of Moab is destroyed.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
All ye that are about him, bemoan him: the prophet having spoken of Moabs calamity as already come upon him, or at least very near, calls to his friends to come and condole with him, as is usually done in case of some calamity befallen to a friend.
All ye that know his name, say, How is the strong staff broken, and the beautiful rod! All ye that know how terrible Moab hath been to others, and how famous for mighty and strong men, say, How is this potent nation, and this people that hath been such a rod against others, or hath ruled over so many others, broken! for both a staff and a rod are as well ensigns of power and government, as instruments to punish offenders.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
17. bemoanNot that Moabdeserves pity, but this mode of expression pictures more vividly thegrievousness of Moab’s calamities.
all ye that know hisnamethose at a greater distance whom the fame of Moab’s “name”had reached, as distinguished from those “about him,” thatis, near.
strong staff . . . rodMoabis so called as striking terror into and oppressing other peoples(Isa 9:4; Isa 14:4;Isa 14:5); also because of itsdignity and power (Psa 110:2;Zec 11:7).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
All ye that are about him, bemoan him,…. The neighbouring nations, such as the Ammonites, and others, are called upon to condole the sad case of Moab; all upon the borders of the country of Moab, either within them or without them:
and all ye that know his name; not only that had heard of his fame and glory, but knew in what grandeur and splendour he lived; these have a form of condolence given them:
say, how is the strong staff broken, [and] the beautiful rod! the mighty men of war, the staff of the nation, in which they trusted, destroyed; their fortified cities demolished; the powerful kingdom, which swayed the sceptre, and ruled in great glory, and was terrible and troublesome to others, now pulled down. The Targum is,
“how is the king broken that did evil, the oppressing ruler!”
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The Prophet seems indeed to exhort all neighbors to sympathy; but we have stated for what purpose he did this; for it was not his object to show that the Moabites deserved pity, so that their neighbors ought to have condoled with them in their calamities: but by this figurative mode of speaking he exaggerated the grievousness of the evils which were soon to happen to the Moabites; as though he had said, “This judgment of God will be so dreadful as to make all their neighbors to tremble; all who had previously known the state of the people of Moab, will be smitten with such terror as will make them to groan and mourn with them.” In short, the Prophet had nothing else in view than to show that God’s vengeance on the Moabites would not be less severe and dreadful than it had been on the ten tribes, and what it would be on the tribe of Judah.
Say ye, he says, how is the staff broken ? He introduces here all their neighbors as astonished with wonder; for the same purpose are other things mentioned, even to show that the calamity of Moab would be deemed a prodigy, for the people thought them unassailable, and no one had ever dared to attempt anything against their land. This, then, was the reason why the Prophet here asks as one astonished, even in the person of all nations, How has it happened that the staff is broken ? and the beautiful rod ? (9) These are metaphorical words, which refer to the royal dignity and the condition of the whole people. It follows —
(9) The literal rendering is, —
How has the rod of strength been broken, The staff of honor?
“
How” is by what means, or how much: the first seems to be the meaning here. The rod and the staff are the same — the sceptre an ensign of power and of honor or glory. — Ed.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
PARTICULARS OF MOAB’S RUIN, Jer 48:16-25.
17. Strong staff beautiful rod The power and the splendour of Moab have departed.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Jer 48:17. How is the strong staff broken How is the powerful rod, the glorious sceptre broken! The Moabites were remarkable for their pride and vanity; of which Jeremiah speaks in the 29th verse.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Jer 48:17 All ye that are about him, bemoan him; and all ye that know his name, say, How is the strong staff broken, [and] the beautiful rod!
Ver. 17. All ye that are about him, bemoan him. ] And that ye may not want a form, say ye, How is the strong staff broken!
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
bemoan: Jer 48:31-33, Jer 9:17-20, Isa 16:8, Rev 18:14-20
How: Jer 48:39, Isa 9:4, Isa 10:5, Isa 14:4, Isa 14:5, Eze 19:11-14, Zec 11:10-14
Reciprocal: Jer 48:2 – no more
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jer 48:17. The downfall of Moab was to be so evident and humiliating that the surrounding nations would lament over it They are predicted as being so affected because the men of Moab had been regarded as great and strong and it would be a matter of astonishment to see them meet such great defeat.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
48:17 All ye that are about him, bemoan him; and all ye that know his name, say, {l} How is the strong staff broken, [and] the beautiful rod!
(l) How are they destroyed that put their trust in their strength and riches?