Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Jeremiah 49:4
Wherefore gloriest thou in the valleys, thy flowing valley, O backsliding daughter? that trusted in her treasures, [saying], Who shall come unto me?
4. Wherefore flowing valley ] mg. (scarcely possible), Wherefore gloriest thou in the valleys? thy valley floweth away. Rabbah was on a broad tableland about 2700 feet above the sea, but it was surrounded by hills, so that it could be described as in a vale. “Thy flowing valley” is, however, a strange expression, and in the Hebrew looks like a somewhat corrupted dittography of the previous letters, a conjecture to which the LXX lend a certain amount of support.
backsliding ] Cp. in Jer 31:22, referring, however, there to Ephraim. In the case of a heathen people it is less appropriate. Du. suggests an emendation, which gives the sense of arrogant.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Thy flowing valley – The (fertile) valley in which Rabbah was situated. The Septuagint again has: in the valleys of the Anakim, as in Jer 47:5 (see the note).
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 4. Wherefore gloriest thou] Though thy valleys be fruitful, yet glory not in them. Though thou have much political and military power, do not trust in them, nor in the multitude of thy cities; a stronger than thou is coming against thee.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
It should seem that this country was full of very fruitful valleys, which we know are always the most fertile places, lying lower and at a greater distance from the sun than mountains, and also receiving at second hand the moisture that falls upon the hills, and being usually watered with rivers; from whence they may be called
flowing valleys, either as flowing with receptacles of water, or plenty of corn and grass; though some read it, (and it seems rather more agreeable to the Hebrew,) thy valley floweth, either with the blood of men slain, or floweth away, the fertility of it ceaseth or decayeth. Or, floods of waters shall destroy the fruit of thy rich valleys, &c. O backsliding daughter: Ammon having never been in covenant with God, the word in the Hebrew (though it comes from which signifies to return) seemeth ill translated backsliding, thou that hast turned thyself away from God.
That trusted in her treasures, saying, Who shall come unto me? thou that trustedst in thy riches, or in thy valleys full of riches, and promisedst thyself security from the situation of thy rich country, thinking none could come at thee.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
4. thy flowing valleyrather,”thy valley shall flow,” namely with the blood of theslain; in sad contrast to their “valleys” in which they hadheretofore “gloried,” as flowing with milk and honey[GROTIUS]. Or else, asMargin, “shall flow away.”
backslidingapostatefrom Jehovah, the God of their father Lot, to Molech.
treasuresher resourcesfor resisting the foe.
Who shall, &c.Whocan come . . . (Jer 21:13).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Wherefore gloriest thou in the valleys,…. Of which there were many in the country of Ammon, fruitful and well watered, which were situated by the rivers of Arnon and Jabbok, the borders of this country, and in which was the plain of the vineyards; see
Jud 11:13; and indeed the whole country was a vale. For, as Josephus c says, the country both of the Moabites and Ammonites were in the valley of Syria, or Coelesyria; that is, hollow Syria, so called from its lying low, or in a valley; for this country lay between the mountains Libanus and Antilibanus, as Strabo d says, and brought forth a large increase; in this they gloried, in the produce of these valleys, in the grass, corn, and vines, that grew upon them, and the flocks that fed there; but now should have no occasion to glory, all being swept away by the enemy:
thy flowing valley, or, “thy valley flows” e; is overflowed with water, through abundance of rain, which destroyed the fruits of it, so Jarchi; or rather flowed with the blood of the slain, as Kimchi, Ben Melech, and Abarbinel; the enemy having entered it, and made so great a slaughter of men in it:
O backsliding daughter? the Targum is, O foolish kingdom; the whole kingdom of Ammon is meant, or the people of it; who, descending from righteous Lot, may be called backsliders; and, being also idolaters, have this character; for such revolt from the true God, to worship idols: it may be rendered, “refractory”, “rebellious” f; as all such persons are:
that trusteth in her treasures, [saying], who shall come unto me? dwelling in valleys encompassed with mountains, and in fortified cities, and abounding in wealth and riches, whereby they were able to procure men and arms to defend themselves; thought they were safe from any enemy, and that none could come nigh them, and so dwelt at ease, and in great security.
c Ibid. (Antiqu.) l. 1. c. 11. sect. 5. d Geograph. l. 16. p. 519, 520. e “defluxit vallis tua”, V. L. Schmidt; “fluxit”, Pagninus, Montanus; “fluit”, Cocceius. f “O filia pervesa”, Schmidt; “pervicax” vel “temeraria”, Grotius; “rebellis”, Pagninus, Calvin; “refractaria”, Montanus.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
As the minds of men continually vacillate, because they do not sufficiently consider the infinite power of God, the Prophet, that he might remove all obstacles which might have rendered his prophecy doubtful, now declares that the Ammonites gloried in vain in their valleys. Some understand by valleys a fertile land, well watered. But the Prophet, as I think, refers rather to fortified places. He then says, that they in vain gloried in their deep valleys; as they were surrounded with mountains, so they thought that they could not be approached. He derides this vain confidence, Why, he says, dost thou glory in thy valleys, or, profundities? Flown down has thy valley. By saying, that the valley, or depth, had flown down, he alludes to its situation: for when any one considers a region situated among mountains, the land appears as flowing, like a river gliding between its banks. It is then a striking allusion to a deep place, when he says that the valley flowed down (33) It was the same as though he had said, “Thy depth has vanished,” or, “It shall not be to thee such a protection as thou thinkest.” But the meaning is, that though the Ammonites, confiding in their defences, disregarded all attacks of enemies, they would yet be exposed to plunder; for their mountains and valleys would avail them nothing, notwithstanding the opinion they entertained, that they were so fortified, that they could not be assailed.
He calls Ammon a rebellious, or a backsliding daughter, though he mentions no particulars. But Ezekiel and also Amos and Zephaniah, these three, clearly show why God was so severe towards the Ammonites, (Eze 25:0; Amo 1:13; Zep 2:9😉 it was because they had uttered blasphemies against him and his people, exulted over the miseries and calamities of the chosen people, and plundered them when they saw them overcome by their enemies. For these reasons, then, our Prophet now calls them a rebellious people: they had proudly exalted themselves against God, and exercised cruel tyranny as to the miserable Israelites, who were yet, as it has been stated, connected with them by blood.
Who trusts in her secrecies, or hidden places: rendered by some, “in her treasures.” But as אצר, atser, means to hide, the reference is, as I think, to strongholds; for the Prophet in the next words explains himself, Who can come to me? It appears, then, that the Ammonites thought themselves thus secure, because they were not exposed to their enemies, but protected by their mountains, as though they were in hiding places. This boasting sufficiently shews that they did not so much trust in their treasures as in their hidden places, because they dwelt in recesses. The meaning is, that though the Ammonites gloried that they were beyond the reach of danger, yet God would become the avenger of the cruelty which they had exercised towards their relations, the Israelites. It follows —
(33) The verb means to flow out, and to flow away, to waste. The latter seems to be the meaning here, “wasted has thy valley.” (See Lam 4:9.) It has a noun after it, when it means to flow out in the sense of abounding; but when used intransitively, it means to flow away in the sense of wasting, —
Why gloriest thou in deep valleys! Flown away has thy deep valley, O daughter, who hast turned aside, Who hast trusted in thy treasures, Who hast said in thine heart, “Who can come to me?”
The participle השובבה, “who hast turned aside,” or away, is rendered “delicate,” by the Vulg., and “beloved,” by the Syr., and the idea of impudence or folly, is conveyed by the Sept. and Targ. How the word could be so rendered, it is difficult to say. The verb means to turn to or from. Being a reduplicate here, it means to turn away resolutely; hence “rebellious” would be no improper rendering. “Her” before “treasures,” refers to “daughter,” but in our language “thy” reads better, as adopted by the Vulg. and the Syr. There is an addition in several copies of the words, “Who hast said in thine heart,” and all the versions have what corresponds with them. — Ed
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(4) In the valleys.The word exactly describes the conformation of the Ammonite country, as a high plateau intersected by streams which make their way to the Jordan. For thy flowing valley read thy valley (this is, of course, the valley in which Rabbah was situated) that floweth with plenty. The words admit, however, of being rendered, Thy valley floweth away, i.e., is wasted and emptied.
O backsliding daughter.There is something suggestive in the fact that the prophet applies to Ammon the epithet which he had applied before to the kingdom of the Ten Tribes (Jer. 3:6; Jer. 3:8; Jer. 3:11; Jer. 3:14). Ammon also had the opportunity of worshipping the God of Israel, and had probably, as long as the Israelites were her rulers, adopted that worship wholly or in part, and so she also was an apostate. The question which follows, as in Jer. 21:13, implies that the people of Rabbah looked on their city as impregnable.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
4. Valleys The territory of the Ammonites is largely made up of elevated tablelands, crossed by fertile valleys made by streams which make their way to the Jordan. The singular, thy flowing valley, probably may have reference to that one in which Rabbah was situated.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Jer 49:4. Thy flowing valley Valley of Anakim. Houbigant renders the verse, Wherefore dost thou glory in thy valleys? Thy valley is spoiled, O backsliding daughter, who didst trust, &c.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Jer 49:4 Wherefore gloriest thou in the valleys, thy flowing valley, O backsliding daughter? that trusted in her treasures, [saying], Who shall come unto me?
Ver. 4. Wherefore gloriest thou in the valleys? ] Because fat and fertile, as being near to Sodom and Gomorrah, that pleasant plain. Gen 13:10
O backsliding daughter.
That trusted in her treasures.
Who shall come unto me?
a Appellat homines regni erroneos filiam vagam.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Wherefore . . . ? Who . . . ? Figure of speech Erotesis.
thy flowing valley = thy valley flowing [with blood].
trusted = confided. Hebrew. batah. App-69.
saying. Some codices, with three early printed editions, read “she who is saying in her heart”.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
gloriest: Jer 9:23, Isa 28:1-4, Isa 47:7, Isa 47:8, Rev 18:7
thy flowing valley: or, they valley floweth away
O backsliding: Jer 3:14, Jer 7:24, Hos 4:16
trusted: Jer 48:7, Psa 49:6, Psa 52:7, Psa 62:10, Pro 10:15, Eze 28:4-7, 1Ti 6:17
Who: Jer 49:16, Jer 21:13, Oba 1:4, Oba 1:5
Reciprocal: Jer 31:22 – backsliding Oba 1:3 – saith
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jer 49:4. Daughter is a figurative name of a city or country, and it is here applied to the Ammonites. They are called backsliding because they had slipped In their national conduct and had brought upon themselves the displeasure of the Lord. Flowing valley means the resources of thetr prosperity in which they gloried. They boasted that their wealth would provide them security against any who might come to them.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Jer 49:4-6. Wherefore gloriest thou in the valleys? That is, in the riches of thy fat and plentiful valleys, which overflow with abundance of all things: compare Isa 28:1; Isa 28:4. Though they be fruitful, yet glory not therein, for, notwithstanding their fertility, they shall be no security to thee against the terror which I shall bring upon thee. Behold, I will bring fear upon thee When God gives up a people to destruction, he commonly takes from them their usual courage. But the word fear here may denote a hostile army, the cause of fear and terror. And ye shall be driven out every man right forth That is, so as not to dare to look back, or stop to consider which way to go, but flee for your lives that way which lies next. And none shall gather up him that wandereth None shall bring him that flees from the enemy to his house, or afford him any shelter or accommodation. And afterward I will bring again the captivity of Ammon. See note on Jer 48:47.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
49:4 Why gloriest thou in the {e} valleys, thy flowing valley, O backsliding daughter? that trusted in her treasures, [saying], Who shall come to me?
(e) In your plentiful country.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Ammon’s sins were her pride in her natural resources (cf. Jer 48:26; Jer 48:29; Jer 48:42) and her material treasures that she had accumulated (cf. Jer 48:7; 1Ti 6:17), and her false security (cf. Jer 48:11). Steep valleys surrounded remote Ammon on three sides. The people of Ammon, personified as a daughter, were slipping away from their secure position, as the water in their valleys flowed away.