For Yahweh says: “Behold, he will fly as an eagle, and will spread out his wings against Moab.
Parallel Translations
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For Yahweh says: “Behold, he will fly as an eagle, and will spread out his wings against Moab.
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For thus saith the LORD; Behold, he shall fly as an eagle, and shall spread his wings over Moab.
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For thus saith the LORD: Behold, he shall swoop as a vulture, and shall spread out his wings against Moab.
Cross-references (9)
Passages linked to Jeremiah 48:40 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Isaiah 8:8 It will sweep onward into Judah. It will overflow and pass through. It will reach even to the neck. The stretching out of its wings will fill the width of your land, Immanuel.
- Deuteronomy 28:49 Yahweh will bring a nation against you from far, from the end of the earth, as the eagle flies: a nation whose language you will not understand,
- Jeremiah 49:22 Behold, he will come up and fly as the eagle, and spread out his wings against Bozrah. The heart of the mighty men of Edom at that day will be as the heart of a woman in her pangs.
- Ezekiel 17:3 and say, ‘The Lord Yahweh says: “A great eagle with great wings and long feathers, full of feathers, which had various colors, came to Lebanon, and took the top of the cedar.
- Hosea 8:1 “Put the trumpet to your lips! Something like an eagle is over Yahweh’s house, because they have broken my covenant, and rebelled against my law.
- Jeremiah 4:13 Behold, he will come up as clouds, and his chariots will be as the whirlwind. His horses are swifter than eagles. Woe to us! For we are ruined.
- Lamentations 4:19 Our pursuers were swifter than the eagles of the sky. They chased us on the mountains. They set an ambush for us in the wilderness.
- Daniel 7:4 “The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings. I watched until its wings were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made to stand on two feet as a man. A man’s heart was given to it.
- Habakkuk 1:8 Their horses also are swifter than leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves. Their horsemen press proudly on. Yes, their horsemen come from afar. They fly as an eagle that hurries to devour.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (16 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
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John Calvin 1540 · Public Domain Here again he introduces God’s name, for it was…
Here again he introduces God’s name, for it was necessary to confirm an incredible prophecy by his authority. “God is he,” he says, “who declares that enemies will come, who will fly through all the land of Moab.” He now compares the Chaldeans to eagles; and there is here a name understood which is not expressed. Fly will he like an eagle, that is, the king of Babylon with his army.
The sum of what is said then is, that however widely extended might be the country of Moab, yet there would be no corner into which the Chaldeans would not penetrate, because they would nearly equal the eagles in swiftness. Hence he adds, They will extend their wings, not to cherish, as eagles spread their wings over their young ones; but by extension he means, that they would seize on all the land of Moab; so that hiding places would be sought in vain, because the Chaldeans would from one part to another take possession of every place, however remote the Moabites might think it to be, and however they might hope its distance would render it safe. He afterwards adds, —
John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain That is, Nebuchadnezzar, as Jer. 49:22.
That is, Nebuchadnezzar, as Jer. 49:22.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain Jer 48:40 For thus saith the LORD; Behold, he…
Jer 48:40 For thus saith the LORD; Behold, he shall fly as an eagle, and shall spread his wings over Moab.
Ver. 40. Behold, he shall fly as an eagle.] To an eagle Nebuchadnezzar is compared, for his strength, swiftness, and ravenousness.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain Nebuchadnezzar shall come upon Moab swiftly; and as an…
Nebuchadnezzar shall come upon Moab swiftly; and as an eagle covereth the prey which he hath taken with his wings, so Nebuchadnezzar shall spread himself over Moab.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain Kerioth is taken,.... The name of a city in…
Kerioth is taken,.... The name of a city in Moab, as in Jer 48:24; so Jarchi, and others; but Kimchi and Abarbinel observe, that it may be taken for an appellative, and be rendered "the cities"; everyone of the cities of Moab, which were as easily and quickly taken as one city; these may intend the cities in the plain, as the strong holds those in high places:
and the strong holds are surprised; everyone of them; so that there was not a city, or a fortified place, but what came into the enemies' hands:
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and the mighty men's hearts in Moab at that day shall be as the heart of a woman in her pangs; even the hearts of the soldiers, and the most courageous generals, shall sink within them; and they be not only as timorous as women in common, but as low spirited as a woman when she finds her pains are coming upon her, and the time of her delivery is at hand.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain He - Nebuchadnezzar shall come swiftly, and spread himself…
He - Nebuchadnezzar shall come swiftly, and spread himself over Moab.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 40. He shall fly as an eagle] The…
Verse 40. He shall fly as an eagle] The enemy will pounce upon him, carry him off, and tear him to pieces.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain Jer 48:40-44. Behold, he shall fly as an eagle…
Jer 48:40-44. Behold, he shall fly as an eagle — Conquerors are often compared to eagles and other birds of prey; and the encamping of their armies is represented by the spreading of the wings of such fowls. The mighty men’s hearts shall be as the heart of a woman in her pangs — They shall be dismayed at the apprehension of the evils that are coming upon them, and shall lose their wonted courage and resolution. Moab shall be destroyed from being a people — From being a nation or government, as it was before. Fear, and the pit, and the snare, &c. — These words, and those of the next verse, are taken from Isa 24:17-18, where see the notes.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain The rapid and irresistible attack of Nebuchadnezzar is compared…
The rapid and irresistible attack of Nebuchadnezzar is compared to the impetuous dash of the eagle on its prey Deu 28:49.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain he--Nebuzara-dan, the captain of Nebuchadnezzar.
he--Nebuzara-dan, the captain of Nebuchadnezzar.
as . . . eagle--not to bear them "on eagles' wings" (Exo 19:4; Deu 32:11-12), as God does His people, but to pounce on them as a prey (Jer 49:22; Deu 28:49; Hab 1:8).
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 40. He (Nebuchadrezzar) shall fly as an eagle —…
40. He (Nebuchadrezzar) shall fly as an eagle — So strong and swift shall be his coming.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 40. he shall fly as an eagle] Cp. on…
40. he shall fly as an eagle] Cp. on Jer_4:13. The simile seems taken from Deu_28:49, but is used elsewhere (see Isa_46:11; Eze_17:3). It well represented the Babylonian empire, which “seemed to those who witnessed it like the rising of a mighty eagle, spreading out his vast wings, feathered with the innumerable colours of the variegated masses which composed the Chaldean host, sweeping over the different countries, and striking fear in his rapid flight:” Stanley, J. Ch. II. 451.
40, 41. The LXX omit “Behold … Moab” (Jer_48:40) and “and the heart … pangs” (Jer_48:41). Both are probably glosses in MT. supplied from Jer_49:22, with change of names.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (40) He shall fly as an eagle . .…
(40) He shall fly as an eagle . . .—The image, as in Deu_28:49; Isa_46:11; Eze_17:3, was the natural symbol of a fierce invader, probably, in this case, of Nebuchadnezzar. Here it receives a fresh vividness from the previous comparison of Moab to the dove that had its nest in the clefts of the rock. The verse is reproduced in Jer_49:22, in reference to Edom.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain Vers. 40, 41. The Septuagint has a shorter form…
Vers. 40, 41. The Septuagint has a shorter form (see introduction to chapter).
He shall fly as an eagle; rather, he shall swoop. (same word and figure in Deu_28:49) The subject is not named, but (as in Jer_46:18) is Nebuchadnezzar.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 the enemy will come flying like an eagle, spreading…
the enemy will come flying like an eagle, spreading out his wings
These phrases compare how a powerful army will descend on Moab and conquer it to the way an eagle swoops down to capture its prey. (See: Simile)
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Kerioth has been captured, and its strongholds have been seized
This can be stated in active form. AT: "The enemy has captured Kerioth and seized its strongholds" (See: Active or Passive)
Kerioth
This is a city in Moab. See how you translated this name in Jeremiah 48:24. (See: How to Translate Names)
in that day the hearts of Moab's soldiers ... women in birth labor
This phrase compares the fear that will overwhelm the soldiers of Moab to the fear a woman may feel when she is about to give birth to her child. (See: Simile)
the hearts of Moab's soldiers will be like the hearts of women in birth labor
Here "hearts" represent a person's emotions. AT: "Moab's soldiers will be afraid like a woman about to give birth" (See: Metonymy)
translationWords
Yahweh
eagle
stronghold
labor pains
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 48:40 The eagle represents speed and surprise; its victim…
48:40 The eagle represents speed and surprise; its victim is caught and carried off before it is able to react.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.