40 This is what the Lord says: "Look! An eagle is swooping down, spreading its wings over Moab.
40 For thus saith the Lord; Behold, he shall fly as an eagle, and shall spread his wings over Moab.
40 For thus says the Lord: "Behold, one shall fly swiftly like an eagle and spread his wings against Moab;
40 God's verdict on Moab. Indeed! "Look! An eagle is about to swoop down and spread its wings over Moab.
40 For thus says the Lord: "Behold, one shall fly like an eagle, And spread his wings over Moab.
40 This is what the Lord says: "Look! The enemy swoops down like an eagle, spreading his wings over Moab.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Jeremiah 48:40
Commentary on Jeremiah 48:14-47
(Read Jeremiah 48:14-47)
The destruction of Moab is further prophesied, to awaken them by national repentance and reformation to prevent the trouble, or by a personal repentance and reformation to prepare for it. In reading this long roll of threatenings, and mediating on the terror, it will be of more use to us to keep in view the power of God's anger and the terror of his judgments, and to have our hearts possessed with a holy awe of God and of his wrath, than to search into all the figures and expressions here used. Yet it is not perpetual destruction. The chapter ends with a promise of their return out of captivity in the latter days. Even with Moabites God will not contend for ever, nor be always wroth. The Jews refer it to the days of the Messiah; then the captives of the Gentiles, under the yoke of sin and Satan, shall be brought back by Divine grace, which shall make them free indeed.