ירמיהו, פרק מ״ח, פסוק י׳

A severe command is delivered to the armies marching against the nation of Moab, carrying a strict curse directed at any soldier who hesitates in battle or holds back from the required bloodshed. The primary approach among commentators is that the divine work required in this conflict is not a religious duty in the traditional sense. Instead, it refers specifically to the divine mission of destroying Moab [רש״י, מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ, אברבנאל]. The task is an explicit mission [מצודת ציון], and a stern warning is issued to anyone executing it. A soldier who carries out this mission with deceit [ביאור שטיינזלץ] or approaches it with a lack of effort and laziness [רד״ק, אברבנאל] will bring a curse upon himself. The warning is then repeated against anyone who restrains their weapon from causing bloodshed, a repetition that serves to heavily emphasize the severity of the command and the absolute necessity of carrying out the destruction [מצודת דוד, רד״ק].

A major question arises as to why such a harsh and unique curse is placed specifically on the destruction of Moab, unlike the wars against other nations. The primary approach among commentators explains that this stems from God's intense anger toward the nation. In the past, God commanded the Israelites not to harm the Moabites. However, Moab repaid this kindness with evil and acted wickedly toward the Israelites. Because of this betrayal, their total destruction is now considered a direct decree and the explicit work of God [רד״ק, חומת אנך, אברבנאל].

Furthermore, this devastation is a response to Moab's immense pride toward God, an arrogance that grew during a long era of peace and stability [רד״ק]. Finally, the severity of the punishment is rooted in deep ingratitude. The Moabites were the descendants of Lot, yet they showed no appreciation for the Israelites' ancestor, Abraham, who once risked his own life and faced grave danger to rescue Lot [חומת אנך].