Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Jeremiah 48:30
I know his wrath, saith the LORD; but [it shall] not [be] so; his lies shall not so effect [it].
30. I know his wrath ] The Lord corroborates the assertion of the prophet in the former verse.
that it is nought nothing ] rather, as Dr. his boastings are untruth; they do untruth.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
But it shall not be so – Most commentators translate, I know, saith Jehovah, his arrogancy, and the emptiness of his boastings; they have worked emptiness.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
I know his rage, either against Israel, or other people; but he shall never execute it, or bring to pass what he thinks to do. There is no trusting to what he saith, his boastings and his confidence are but lies, and shall never effect his designs.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
30. I knowMoab’s “proudarrogancy” (Jer 48:29) or”wrath,” against My people, is not unknown to Me.
it shall not be soTheresult shall not be so as he thinks: his lies shall not soeffect what he aims at by them. CALVINtranslates, “his lies are not right (that is, his vauntings arevain because God will not give them effect); they shall not do so”as they project in their minds, for God will set at naught theirplans.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
I know his wrath, saith the Lord,…. Against the Jews, and other nations; what he has threatened to do unto them, and would do if not restrained:
but [it shall] not [be] so; as he has devised in his mind, and threatened in his wrath; all his swelling thoughts and big words shall come to nothing:
his lies shall not so effect [it]; it shall not be according to his words; they will prove lies, and of no effect. Kimchi interprets it of the sons of Moab, who shall not be able to do what they thought to do; and Jarchi of his mighty ones; and the Targum of his nobles, paraphrasing it,
“and their nobles are not right, they do not as is becoming;”
perhaps it may be better understood of his diviners and soothsayers, as the word is used in Isa 44:25; and be rendered, “his diviners have not done right” f; they have deceived him with their lying oracles; swelled him with pride; and brought him to ruin, he trusting to them.
f “vaniloqui ejus non rectum fecerunt”, Cocceius. So R. Sol. Urbin. Ohel Moed, fol. 38. 1.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
This verse is variously explained, at least the second clause. Some render it, “His indignation, and not what is right;” then they add by itself, “his lies;” and lastly, “they have not done rightly,” or as others, “they will not do anything fixed,” which is more suitable, and comes near to the rendering which I have given. But I will not here discuss other interpretations, or try at large to disprove-them, but it is sufficient for us to understand the real meaning of the Prophet.
In the first place, God is here introduced as saying, I know his insolence The pronoun אני, ani, is emphatical, for in the last verse the Prophet had said, that the boastings of Moab were a terror, as they spoke loudly of their own strength and defences. As then they thus with open mouths sounded forth their own praises, they filled all their neighbors with terror; hence the Prophet said, We have heard the pride of Moab Now God also on his part gives this answer, I know, he says, his insolence; as though he had said, “The Moabites do not thus boast, but that I am a witness; all these things ascend to my tribunal.”
He afterwards adds, still in the person of God, Not rectitude are his lies By the word עברתו, obertu, which some render, “his indignation,” the Prophet means, I think, insolence. It signifies properly excess, as it comes from עבר, ober, to pass over. The noun is indeed often taken to express indignation, because anger keeps within no limits, but is, as Horace says, a momentary madness. (15) But on account of what the passage seems to require, I render it insolence, and it is the most suitable word. And God having declared that the insolence of Moab was seen by him, mentions also his lies The word בדים, means branches of trees, and sometimes sons or children, they being members of the community; and hence some render it “sons” here, as though the Prophet had said, that after the Moabites had been cut off, there would be none remaining to continue their name in the world. As then there was to be no posterity to the Moabites, they think that בדים, badim here means sons or children. But this view cannot be admitted, because we shall hereafter see that there was to be some residue to the Moabites. We cannot then take בדים, badim, but as referring to their vain boastings, for they were nothing but lies.
But we must consider what Jeremiah says; the word כן, ken, means right; and I take the two words as being in apposition, “His lies are not right;” that is, there is no stability in his lies. For when an apposition is explained, one of the words is turned to an adjective, or a preposition is inserted: Not right then are his lies; that is, in his lies there is no rectitude, or in his lies there is no stability. But the rectitude of which the Prophet now speaks, refers not to justice or equity, but to stability; and that it has this meaning may be gathered from other places. Then he says, that the boastings which the Moabites indulged in were vain, because God would not establish what they thought, or as they commonly say, what they presumed.
And then he adds the reason; the particle כן, ken, is to be taken here adverbially; it is an adverb of likeness, “so,” or thus, they shall not so do; that is, as they had conceived in their minds. It is a confirmation of the last clause; for why was there to be no stability in their lies? because God would break down the Moabites, so that their counsels would be vain, without any effect. We now then perceive the meaning of the words. Isa 16:6 uses nearly the same expressions, but he does not add this confirmation, that they would not be able to do what they intended. He only says, “there shall no rectitude be in their boastings,” לא כן בדיו, la ken bediu, having previously spoken of the loftiness of their heart and of their ferocity and insolence; for he mentions the third word with the other two. (16)
Now this verse may be accommodated to our use; whenever the ungodly indulge in boasting, and insolently arrogate all things to themselves, let us not fear and tremble, but bear in mind what the Prophet teaches us here, whose admonition is very necessary; for he shews that this pride is in derision with God, and that when the ungodly fulminate in a terrible manner, there will be no effect to their lies. It follows, —
(15) Ira furor brevis est — Epist. 2 ad Loll.
(16) The versions and the Targ. all differ as to this verse. The Vulg. is the best; it takes בדים, branches, and also limbs, in a metaphorical sense, signifying strength. I give the following rendering, —
30. I know, saith Jehovah, his excess, ( i.e. of pride;) But not so his strength, not so have they done.
The mixture of numbers, singular and plural, is common in the prophets — “his” and “they.” The meaning seems to be, that however excessive was the pride and insolence of Moab, they had no power fully to effect their purposes. – Ed.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(30) His lies shall not so effect it.The Hebrew for lies has also, as in the margin, the meaning of bars or staves or branches as the symbol of defence (Hos. 11:6), but the version in the text is preferable. The emphasis of the original lies in the iteration. Not so, the sentence of frustration, is written alike on the wrath which leads to passionate outrage, and on the lies in which it seeks to find safety.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Jer 48:30. I know I know, saith JEHOVAH, his fierce wrath; but he is not alike in the extent of his ability, he is not alike in performing. See Vitringa on Isa 16:6.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Jer 48:30 I know his wrath, saith the LORD; but [it shall] not [be] so; his lies shall not so effect [it].
Ver. 30. I know his wrath. ] Passion is the eldest daughter of pride. See Isa 16:6 .
His lies shall not so effect it.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
know: Isa 16:6, Isa 37:28, Isa 37:29
his lies shall not so effect it: or, those on whom he stayeth (Heb. his bars) do not right, Baddim as Lowth observes, sometimes means those who pretend to the art of divination. Though the soothsayers of Moab, upon whose skill she relies, promise him success, yet in the event it will appear there was no truth in what they said. Jer 50:36, Job 9:12, Job 9:13, Psa 33:10, Pro 21:30
Reciprocal: Isa 2:17 – the loftiness Oba 1:3 – pride Luk 1:51 – he hath scattered
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jer 48:30. The same spirit described as pride in the preceding verse is here called wrath. In that attitude Moab threatened to destroy Israel (even as lie tried in the days of Balak), hut God knew all about it and decreed the failure of the plot. Shall not effect it
means Moab would not be able to bring the effect against Israel that he conspired to do.
Jer 48:31
Jer 48:31. Wifi I howl is a form o prediction, meaning that Moab would howl for the miseries that the Lord would bring against the land. Kir-heres was one name of a place in the land of Moab that was destined to feel the sting of God’s wrath.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
48:30 I know his wrath, saith the LORD; {q} but [it shall] not [be] so; his lies shall not so effect [it].
(q) He will not execute his malice against his neighbours.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Moab’s arrogant anger and baseless boasts would not save her from just judgment.