Neh 9:25

“And they took strong cities,.... Such as, in an hyperbolical way, are said to be walled up to heaven, Deu 1:28 and a fat land; of a good and fruitful soil, abounding with all good things, Deu 8:7 and possessed houses full of all goods; ready built and furnished for them, both with good provisions and good furniture: wells digged; to supply them with water: vineyards, and olive yards, and fruit trees in abundance; which they planted not: and they did eat, and were filled, and became fat; in body, though in mind became wanton and wicked; they made their hearts fat, or stupid, as Aben Ezra interprets it, see Deu 32:15 and delighted themselves in thy great goodness; not in praising the Lord for it, and using it to his honour and glory, but indulged themselves to luxury and intemperance; though it may be understood of a lawful pleasure in the enjoyment of the great affluence they were brought into, which last agrees with what follows.”

“Became fat, and delighted themselves - They became effeminate, fell under the power of luxury, got totally corrupted in their manners, sinned against all the mercies of God, and then were destroyed by his judgments. We have an old nervous saying, "War begets poverty, poverty begets peace, peace begets affluence, affluence begets luxury and corruption of manners; and hence civil broils, foreign wars, and desolations." A sensible Roman historian has said the same: "Imperium facile iis artibus retinetur, quibus initio partum est: verum ubi pro Labore, Desidia; pro continentia et aequitate, Libido atque Superbia invasere: fortuna simul cum moribus Immutatur."”

“Goodness. Prosperity was their ruin, (Haydock) as Moses had foretold, Deuteronomy xxxii. 15. (Calmet) — “Empire is easily retained by the same arts by which it was procured: but when idleness takes the place of industry, when lust and pride banish continence and equity, fortune is changed with manners.” (Sallust; Grotius)”