For because thou hast trusted in thy works
The strong works and fortifications they had made about their cities, and so thought themselves safe in them; which is the sense of the Septuagint and Vulgate Latin versions, and those that follow them. Kimchi and Ben Melech interpret it of their cattle and other possessions, as the word is rendered in ( 1 Samuel 25:2 ) ; which they observe. It may very well be understood of their idols, the works of their hands, in which they placed their confidence; and therefore their chief God after mentioned is threatened to be taken and carried away: and in thy treasures:
their gold and silver, and other riches they had heaped together: thou shalt be taken:
some particular city seems to be meant, the city Moab, or Ar of Moab, ( Jeremiah 48:4 ) ; or Horonaim, ( Jeremiah 48:5 ) ; and Chemosh shall go forth in captivity, [with] his priests and his
princes together;
this was the god of the Ammonites, ( Judges 11:24 ) ; and of the Moabites, ( 1 Kings 11:7 1 Kings 11:33 ) ( 2 Kings 23:13 ) ; hence the Moabites are called the people of Chemosh, ( Numbers 21:29 ) ; which Philo the Jew F9 explains thus; that is, thy people and power are found blind, and deprived of sight; and says that Chemosh is interpreted "as groping", or feeling, which is the property of one that cannot see. "Mosh" in Hebrew signifies to grope or feel; and "caph" is a servile letter, and a note of similitude; and by another Jewish writer F11 Chemosh is called the god of the blind. Jerom F12 takes it to be the same idol with Baalpeor, thought by some the Priapus of the Heathens. Camus, the god of festivals and merriment, seems to have had his name from hence; very probably the sun was worshipped by the Moabites under this name, which may be so called from its swiftness; for the Arabic word <arabic>, "camash", signifies swift and hastening F13; as the sun is to run its race. The Moabites put their trust in this their deity; and to let them see that he would be of no avail unto them, in this time of their distress, he himself should be taken away by the enemy out of his temple, for the sake of the gold or silver that was upon him, and with him the priests that attended his service; or his worshippers, as the Targum; and the princes of the nation that served him, and supported the worship of him, and defrayed the expenses of it.