I know his wrath, saith the LORD; but it shall not be so; his lies shall not so effect it.

I know his wrath, saith Jehovah, that it is nought; his boastings have wrought nothing.

I know, saith the Lord, his boasting, and that the strength thereof is not according to it, neither hath it endeavoured to do according as it was able.

I know his wrath, saith Jehovah; his pratings are vain: they do not as they say.

I, I have known, an affirmation of Jehovah, His wrath, and it is not right, His devices, not right they have done.

I have knowledge of his wrath, says the Lord, that it is nothing; his high-sounding words have done nothing.

I know his arrogancy, saith the LORD, That it is ill-founded; His boastings have wrought nothing well-founded.

I myself know, says the Lord, his boasting, and that his ability is not in accord with it, nor is it in accord with what he has been striving to do.

Ego cognovi, dicit Jehova, insolentiam ejus; et mendacia ejus non rectitudo; non sic facient.

This verse is variously explained, at least the second clause. Some render it, "His indignation, and not what is right;" then they add by itself, "his lies;" and lastly, "they have not done rightly," or as others, "they will not do anything fixed," which is more suitable, and comes near to the rendering which I have given. But I will not here discuss other interpretations, or try at large to disprove-them, but it is sufficient for us to understand the real meaning of the Prophet. In the first place, God is here introduced as saying, I know his insolence The pronoun 'ny, ani, is emphatical, for in the last verse the Prophet had said, that the boastings of Moab were a terror, as they spoke loudly of their own strength and defences. As then they thus with open mouths sounded forth their own praises, they filled all their neighbors with terror; hence the Prophet said, We have heard the pride of Moab Now God also on his part gives this answer, I know, he says, his insolence; as though he had said, "The Moabites do not thus boast, but that I am a witness; all these things ascend to my tribunal." He afterwards adds, still in the person of God, Not rectitude are his lies By the word vrtv, obertu, which some render, "his indignation," the Prophet means, I think, insolence. It signifies properly excess, as it comes from vr, ober, to pass over. The noun is indeed often taken to express indignation, because anger keeps within no limits, but is, as Horace says, a momentary madness. [1] But on account of what the passage seems to require, I render it insolence, and it is the most suitable word. And God having declared that the insolence of Moab was seen by him, mentions also his lies The word vdym, means branches of trees, and sometimes sons or children, they being members of the community; and hence some render it "sons" here, as though the Prophet had said, that after the Moabites had been cut off, there would be none remaining to continue their name in the world. As then there was to be no posterity to the Moabites, they think that vdym, badim here means sons or children. But this view cannot be admitted, because we shall hereafter see that there was to be some residue to the Moabites. We cannot then take vdym, badim, but as referring to their vain boastings, for they were nothing but lies. But we must consider what Jeremiah says; the word kn, ken, means right; and I take the two words as being in apposition, "His lies are not right;" that is, there is no stability in his lies. For when an apposition is explained, one of the words is turned to an adjective, or a preposition is inserted: Not right then are his lies; that is, in his lies there is no rectitude, or in his lies there is no stability. But the rectitude of which the Prophet now speaks, refers not to justice or equity, but to stability; and that it has this meaning may be gathered from other places. Then he says, that the boastings which the Moabites indulged in were vain, because God would not establish what they thought, or as they commonly say, what they presumed. And then he adds the reason; the particle kn, ken, is to be taken here adverbially; it is an adverb of likeness, "so," or thus, they shall not so do; that is, as they had conceived in their minds. It is a confirmation of the last clause; for why was there to be no stability in their lies? because God would break down the Moabites, so that their counsels would be vain, without any effect. We now then perceive the meaning of the words. Isaiah 16:6 uses nearly the same expressions, but he does not add this confirmation, that they would not be able to do what they intended. He only says, "there shall no rectitude be in their boastings," l' kn vdyv, la ken bediu, having previously spoken of the loftiness of their heart and of their ferocity and insolence; for he mentions the third word with the other two. [2] Now this verse may be accommodated to our use; whenever the ungodly indulge in boasting, and insolently arrogate all things to themselves, let us not fear and tremble, but bear in mind what the Prophet teaches us here, whose admonition is very necessary; for he shews that this pride is in derision with God, and that when the ungodly fulminate in a terrible manner, there will be no effect to their lies. It follows, --

Footnotes

1 - Ira furor brevis est -- Epist. 2 ad Loll.

2 - The versions and the Targ. all differ as to this verse. The Vulg. is the best; it takes vdym, branches, and also limbs, in a metaphorical sense, signifying strength. I give the following rendering, -- 30. I know, saith Jehovah, his excess, (i.e. of pride;) But not so his strength, not so have they done. The mixture of numbers, singular and plural, is common in the prophets -- "his" and "they." The meaning seems to be, that however excessive was the pride and insolence of Moab, they had no power fully to effect their purposes. - Ed.

But it shall not be so - Most commentators translate, "I know, saith Jehovah, his arrogancy, and the emptiness of his boastings; they have worked emptiness."

I know his wrath, saith the LORD; (q) but [it shall] not [be] so; his lies shall not so effect [it].
(q) He will not execute his malice against his neighbours.

I know his wrath, saith the Lord,.... Against the Jews, and other nations; what he has threatened to do unto them, and would do if not restrained:
but it shall not be so; as he has devised in his mind, and threatened in his wrath; all his swelling thoughts and big words shall come to nothing:
his lies shall not so effect it; it shall not be according to his words; they will prove lies, and of no effect. Kimchi interprets it of the sons of Moab, who shall not be able to do what they thought to do; and Jarchi of his mighty ones; and the Targum of his nobles, paraphrasing it,
"and their nobles are not right, they do not as is becoming;''
perhaps it may be better understood of his diviners and soothsayers, as the word is used in Isaiah 44:25; and be rendered, "his diviners have not done right" (f); they have deceived him with their lying oracles; swelled him with pride; and brought him to ruin, he trusting to them.
(f) "vaniloqui ejus non rectum fecerunt", Cocceius. So R. Song. Urbin. Ohel Moed, fol. 38. 1.

I know--Moab's "proud arrogancy" (Jeremiah 48:29) or "wrath," against My people, is not unknown to Me.
it shall not be so--The result shall not be so as he thinks: his lies shall not so effect what he aims at by them. CALVIN translates, "his lies are not right (that is, his vauntings are vain because God will not give them effect); they shall not do so" as they project in their minds, for God will set at naught their plans.

I know - He shall never execute what he thinks to do. But - His boastings and his lies, still never effect his designs.