3. tops of . . . houses—flat; places of resort for prayer, c., in the East ( :-). weeping abundantly—"melting away in tears." HORSLEY prefers "descending to weep." Thus there is a "parallelism by alternate construction" [LOWTH], or chiasmus "howl" refers to "tops of houses." "Descending to weep" to "streets" or squares, whither they descend from the housetops. read more
4. Heshbon—an Amorite city, twenty miles east of Jordan; taken by Moab after the carrying away of Israel (compare :-). Elealeh—near Heshbon, in Reuben. Jahaz—east of Jordan, in Reuben. Near it Moses defeated Sihon. therefore—because of the sudden overthrow of their cities. Even the armed men, instead of fighting in defense of their land, shall join in the general cry. life, &c.—rather, "his soul is grieved" ( :-) [MAURER]. read more
5. My—The prophet himself is moved with pity for Moab. Ministers, in denouncing the wrath of God against sinners, should do it with tender sorrow, not with exultation. fugitives—fleeing from Moab, wander as far as to Zoar, on the extreme boundary south of the Dead Sea. HORSLEY translates, "her nobility," or "rulers" ( :-). heifer, c.—that is, raising their voices "like a heifer" (compare Jeremiah 48:34 Jeremiah 48:36). The expression "three years old," implies one at its full vigor (Jeremiah... read more
6. For—the cause of their flight southwards (2 Kings 3:19; 2 Kings 3:25). "For" the northern regions and even the city Nimrim (the very name of which means "limpid waters," in Gilead near Jordan) are without water or herbage. read more
7. Therefore—because of the devastation of the land. abundance—literally, "that which is over and above" the necessaries of life. brook of . . . willows—The fugitives flee from Nimrim, where the waters have failed, to places better watered. Margin has "valley of Arabians"; that is, to the valley on the boundary between them and Arabia-Petræa; now Wady-el Arabah. "Arabia" means a "desert." read more
8. Eglaim— ( :-), En-eglaim. Not the Agalum of EUSEBIUS, eight miles from Areopolis towards the south; the context requires a town on the very borders of Moab or beyond them. Beer-elim—literally, "the well of the Princes"—(so :-). Beyond the east borders of Moab. read more
9. Dimon—same as Dibon ( :-). Its waters are the Arnon. full of blood—The slain of Moab shall be so many. bring more—fresh calamities, namely, the "lions" afterwards mentioned (2 Kings 17:25; Jeremiah 5:6; Jeremiah 15:3). VITRINGA understands Nebuchadnezzar as meant by "the lion"; but it is plural, "lions." The "more," or in Hebrew, "additions," he explains of the addition made to the waters of Dimon by the streams of blood of the slain. read more
The oracle against Moab chs. 15-16"The Babylon oracle revealed that world history, even in its most threatening and climactic forms, is so organized that the people of God are cared for. The Philistia oracle confirmed this by insisting that the Davidic promises would be kept, and the Moab oracle corrects any impression that the hope expressed in the Davidic promises is exclusivist." [Note: Motyer, p. 149.] The literary structure of this oracle is generally chiastic, focusing the reader’s... read more
Isaiah began by announcing Moab’s certain ruin. The two main cities, Ar on the Arnon and Kir in central Moab, would fall quickly. read more
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Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 15:1
1. Because—rather, "Surely"; literally, "(I affirm) that" [MAURER]. night—the time best suited for a hostile incursion (Isaiah 21:4; Jeremiah 39:4). Ar—meaning in Hebrew, "the city"; the metropolis of Moab, on the south of the river Arnon. Kir—literally, "a citadel"; not far from Ar, towards the south. He—Moab personified. Bajith—rather, "to the temple" [MAURER]; answering to the "sanctuary" (Jeremiah 39:4- :), in a similar context. to Dibon—Rather, as Dibon was in a plain north of the Arnon,... read more