For was not Israel a derision unto thee? was he found among thieves? for since thou spakest of him, thou skippedst for joy.

For was not Israel a derision unto thee? was he found among thieves? for as often as thou speakest of him, thou waggest the head.

For Israel hath been a derision unto thee: as though thou hadst found him amongst thieves: for thy words therefore, which thou hast spoken against him, thou shalt be led away captive.

For was not Israel a derision unto thee? Was he found among thieves, that as oft as thou didst speak of him, thou didst shake the head?

For was not Israel a derision to thee? was he found among thieves? for since thou hast spoken of him, thou hast leaped for joy.

And was not Israel the derision to thee? Among thieves was he found? For since thy words concerning him, Thou dost bemoan thyself.

For was not Israel a derision to you? was he found among thieves? for since you spoke of him, you skipped for joy.

For did you not make sport of Israel? was he taken among thieves? for whenever you were talking about him, you were shaking your head over him.

For Israel had been a derision to them. It was as if you had discovered him among thieves. Because of your own words, then, which you have spoken against him, you will be led away captive.

Annon in risum fuit tibi Israel? an inter fures deprehensus fuit? quia ex quo sermo tuus de eo fuit, commovisti to.

Was he found - Or, "was he found among thieves that so often as thou speakest of him" thou waggest thy head? - in contempt for a fallen enemy.

Was not Israel a derision unto thee? - Didst thou not mock my people, and say their God was no better than the gods of other nations? See Ezekiel 25:8.
Was he found among thieves? - Did the Israelites come to rob and plunder you? Why then mock them, and rejoice at their desolation, when their enemies prevailed over them? This the Lord particularly resents.

For was not Israel a derision to thee? was he found among thieves? for since thou hast spoken of him, thou didst (p) leap for joy.
(p) You rejoiced to hear of his misery, (Isaiah 16:6).

For was not Israel a derision unto thee?.... In the time of his calamity, when the ten tribes were carried captive by the Assyrians some years ago; and of late the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin by the Chaldeans; the Moabites rejoiced at this, which they ought not to have done, upon the common principles of humanity; and especially since they were not only neighbours, but akin; and therefore, according to the law of retaliation, it was but just that they should be had in derision themselves:
was he found among thieves? that is, Israel; that he should be a derision to any, as thieves are when they are taken; men rejoice at it, insult them, and deride them; but was this the case of Israel? had he robbed any? had he done any injury to Moab, or any other? no, verily: why this derision then?
for since thou spakest of him, thou skippedst for joy; or, "shookedst thyself" (c); whenever the Moabites spoke of the distresses and calamities of Israel, and of their captivity, they laughed till they shook themselves; not only shook their heads, but their whole bodies. The Vulgate Latin version is, "therefore, because of thy words which thou hast spoken against him, thou shall be carried captive"; and Jarchi mentions such a sense of the words, as given by some of their Rabbins; and to this agrees the Targum,
"and because ye have multiplied words against them, therefore ye shall go into captivity.''
(c) "commovisti te", Vatablus, Calvin; "commoves te", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; "motitas te", Schmidt.

(Zephaniah 2:8).
a derision--The Hebrew has the article: referring to Jeremiah 48:26, "Was not Israel (the whole nation) the object of derision to thee?" Therefore, Moab is to suffer as formerly for its exultation over the calamity (2-Kings 17:6) of the ten tribes under the Assyrian Shalmaneser (Isaiah. 15:1-16:14), so now for its exultation over the fall of Judah, under the Chaldean Nebuchadnezzar. God takes up His people's cause as His own (Obadiah 1:13-18).
was he . . . among thieves-- (Jeremiah 2:26). Proverbial. What did Israel do to deserve such derision? Was he detected in theft, that thou didst so exult over him in speaking of him? Though guilty before God, Israel was guiltless towards thee.
since--"since ever" thou didst begin speaking of him.
skippedst for joy--at Israel's calamity [CALVIN]; or, "thou didst shake thy head" in "derision" [MAURER].

Was he found - Why didst thou deal by Israel as men deal by thieves, when they are brought to shame?