Woe be unto thee, O Moab! the people of Chemosh perisheth,
&c.] The inhabitants of Moab, who worshipped the idol Chemosh; of which see ( Jeremiah 48:7 ) ; and so called his people, as Israel were called the people of the Lord; now these, notwithstanding their idol, whom they worshipped, and in whom they trusted, should perish; and sad and deplorable would be their condition and circumstances: for thy sons are taken captives, and thy daughters captives;
this explains the woe that should come upon them, and in what sense they should perish; since their sons and daughters, who they hoped would have continued their name and nation, were taken, and would be carried captives into Babylon; see ( Numbers 21:29 ) .