Thus saith the Lord: Behold he shall fly as an eagle, and shall stretch forth his wings to Moab.

For thus said Jehovah: Lo, as an eagle he doth flee, And hath spread his wings unto Moab.

For the Lord has said, See, he will come like an eagle in flight, stretching out his wings against Moab.

For thus saith the LORD: Behold, he shall swoop as a vulture, And shall spread out his wings against Moab.

Thus says the Lord: "Behold, he will fly like the eagle, and he will extend his wings to Moab.

Quia sic dicit Jehova, Ecce tanquam aquila volabit, et expandet alas suas super Moab.

Here again he introduces God's name, for it was necessary to confirm an incredible prophecy by his authority. "God is he," he says, "who declares that enemies will come, who will fly through all the land of Moab." He now compares the Chaldeans to eagles; and there is here a name understood which is not expressed. Fly will he like an eagle, that is, the king of Babylon with his army. The sum of what is said then is, that however widely extended might be the country of Moab, yet there would be no corner into which the Chaldeans would not penetrate, because they would nearly equal the eagles in swiftness. Hence he adds, They will extend their wings, not to cherish, as eagles spread their wings over their young ones; but by extension he means, that they would seize on all the land of Moab; so that hiding places would be sought in vain, because the Chaldeans would from one part to another take possession of every place, however remote the Moabites might think it to be, and however they might hope its distance would render it safe. He afterwards adds, --

The rapid and irresistible attack of Nebuchadnezzar is compared to the impetuous dash of the eagle on its prey Deuteronomy 28:49.

He shall fly as an eagle - The enemy will pounce upon him, carry him off, and tear him to pieces.

For thus saith the LORD; Behold, (x) he shall fly as an eagle, and shall spread his wings over Moab.
(x) That is, Nebuchadnezzar, as in (Jeremiah 49:22).

For thus saith the Lord, behold, he shall fly as an eagle,.... The enemy, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, with his army; who is compared to an eagle for his strength, swiftness, and greediness after the prey:
and shall spread his wings over Moab; as an eagle spreads its wings, which are very large, over the little birds it seizes upon as its prey; so the king of Babylon would bring a numerous army against Moab, and spread it over his country. The Targum is,
"behold, as all eagle which flies, so a king shall come up with his army, and encamp against Moab.''

he--Nebuzara-dan, the captain of Nebuchadnezzar.
as . . . eagle--not to bear them "on eagles' wings" (Exodus 19:4; Deuteronomy 32:11-12), as God does His people, but to pounce on them as a prey (Jeremiah 49:22; Deuteronomy 28:49; Habakkuk 1:8).

He - Nebuchadnezzar shall come swiftly, and spread himself over Moab.