ISAIAH CHAPTER 15 1 The burden of Moab. Because in the night Ar of Moab is laid waste, [and] brought to silence; because in the night Kir of Moab is laid waste, [and] brought to silence; a) Moab: Moab = "of his father" 1) a son of Lot by his eldest daughter 2) the nation descended from the son of Lot 3) the land inhabited by the descendants of the son of Lot Eastons: The land of Moab # Jer 48:24 called also the "country of Moab" # Ru 1:2,6 2:6 on the east of Jordan and the Dead Sea, and south of the Arnon # Nu 21:13,26 In a wider sense it included the whole region that had been occupied by the Amorites. It bears the modern name of Kerak. In the Plains of Moab, opposite Jericho # Nu 22:1 26:63 Jos 13:32 the children of Israel had their last encampment before they entered the land of Canaan. It was at that time in the possession of the Amorites # Nu 21:22 "Moses went up from the plains of Moab unto the mountain of Nebo, to the top of Pisgah," and "died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord" # De 34:5,6 "Surely if we had nothing else to interest us in the land of Moab, the fact that it was from the top of Pisgah, its noblest height, this mightiest of the prophets looked out with eye undimmed upon the Promised Land; that it was here on Nebo, its loftiest mountain, that he died his solitary death; that it was here, in the valley over against Beth- peor, he found his mysterious sepulchre, we have enough to enshrine the memory in our hearts." b) burden of Moab: A heavy, grievous prophecy, concerning the destruction of Moab. Gill says, "This seems to respect the destruction of it by Nebuchadnezzar, which is prophesied of in (Jeremiah 48:1-22)." Gill seems to think what is said in Isa 16:14 that should take place in three years is a seperate prophecy from this one. Gill points out that some think this prophecy was fulfilled before the times of Nebuchadnezzar. c) Ar of Moab: This was a chief city in Moab, perhaps the metropolis of it; (see Numbers 21:28 Deuteronomy 2:9,18). Num 21:28 For there is a fire gone out of Heshbon, a flame from the city of Sihon: it hath consumed Ar of Moab, [and] the lords of the high places of Arnon. De 2:9 And the LORD said unto me, Distress not the Moabites, neither contend with them in battle: for I will not give thee of their land [for] a possession; because I have given Ar unto the children of Lot [for] a possession. ... 18 Thou art to pass over through Ar, the coast of Moab, this day: d) Kir: another city of Moab met the same end. 2 He is gone up to Bajith, and to Dibon, the high places, to weep: Moab shall howl over Nebo, and over Medeba: on all their heads [shall be] baldness, [and] every beard cut off. a) He is gone up to Bajith: That is, Moab; the king or people of Moab. According to Gill more particularly, the ones who escaped the before mentioned cities. b) Bajith = "house". The Lexicon says "a place in Palestine." Gill says this house was a house of idolatry, as Kimchi interprets it; it was an idol's temple, very likely the temple of their god Chemosh, the same which is called Bethbaalmeon, (Joshua 13:17) "the house of Baal's habitation". Notice that our verse says, "the high places, to weep.." Dibon was another city of Moab, (Numbers 21:30) where there probably were high places for idolatrous worship. Jer 48:35 Moreover I will cause to cease in Moab, saith the LORD, him that offereth in the high places, and him that burneth incense to his gods. c) Moab shall howl over Nebo, and over Medeba; two cities in the land of Moab, now taken, plundered, and destroyed. There was more than one Nebo in the Bible. It was also the name of a pagan god in Babylon which corresponds to Greek Hermes, Latin Mercury, and Egyptian Thoth. d) on all their heads [shall be] baldness, [and] every beard cut off: as a token of mourning, tore off the hair of their heads, which caused baldness, or else shaved it: [and] every beard cut off; with a razor, which makes it probable that the hair of the head was tore off; both these used to be done as signs of mourning and lamentation, even shaving of the head and beard, (Job 1:20; Jeremiah 7:29; Ezekiel 7:18; Leviticus 21:5). Job 1:19 And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. 20 Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, Jer 7:29 Cut off thine hair, [O Jerusalem], and cast [it] away, and take up a lamentation on high places; for the LORD hath rejected and forsaken the generation of his wrath. 3 In their streets they shall gird themselves with sackcloth: on the tops of their houses, and in their streets, every one shall howl, weeping abundantly. a) Continuation of their lamenting in previous verse. Compare: Ez 7:15 The sword [is] without, and the pestilence and the famine within: he that [is] in the field shall die with the sword; and he that [is] in the city, famine and pestilence shall devour him. 16 But they that escape of them shall escape, and shall be on the mountains like doves of the valleys, all of them mourning, every one for his iniquity. 17 All hands shall be feeble, and all knees shall be weak [as] water. 18 They shall also gird [themselves] with sackcloth, and horror shall cover them; and shame [shall be] upon all faces, and baldness upon all their heads. b) gird themselves with sackcloth: Whereas before they were proud. Isa 16:6 We have heard of the pride of Moab; [he is] very proud: [even] of his haughtiness, and his pride, and his wrath: [but] his lies [shall] not [be] so. 4 And Heshbon shall cry, and Elealeh: their voice shall be heard [even] unto Jahaz: therefore the armed soldiers of Moab shall cry out; his life shall be grievous unto him. a) Heshbon and Elealeh:These are two other cities in Moab. Gill: The first of these was the city of Sihon king of the Amorites, who took it from the Moabites, (Numbers 21:25-30) it came into the hands of the Reubenites, (Numbers 32:3,37) and afterwards was again possessed by the Moabites, (Jeremiah 48:2,34,45). Elealeh was another city of Moab, very near to Heshbon and frequently mentioned with it, (Isaiah 16:9 Numbers 32:3,37 Jeremiah 48:34). b) unto Jahaz: sometimes called Jahazah, (Joshua 13:18 21:36 Jeremiah 48:21) it was a frontier town, at the utmost borders of the land, (Numbers 21:23 Deuteronomy 2:32) Thus if the cry of these two cites is heard to the utmost border then it tells us something of the utter destruction that happened. c) The armed soldiers cry out not as in battle but through fear, and as in great terror and distress d) The life of evey Moabite shall be grvious to him. 5 My heart shall cry out for Moab; his fugitives [shall flee] unto Zoar, an heifer of three years old: for by the mounting up of Luhith with weeping shall they go it up; for in the way of Horonaim they shall raise up a cry of destruction. a) It appears that the prophet Isaiah's heart cried out for Moab even though they were enemies, yet they were human beings. Compare: Jer 48:36 Therefore mine heart shall sound for Moab like pipes, and mine heart shall sound like pipes for the men of Kirheres: because the riches [that] he hath gotten are perished. 37 For every head [shall be] bald, and every beard clipped: upon all the hands [shall be] cuttings, and upon the loins sackcloth. 38 [There shall be] lamentation generally upon all the housetops of Moab, and in the streets thereof: for I have broken Moab like a vessel wherein [is] no pleasure, saith the LORD. b) unto Zoar: A city where Lot fled to, when he came out of Sodom, to which it is thought the allusion is, (see Genesis 19:20,22) Gen 19:20 Behold now, this city [is] near to flee unto, and it [is] a little one: Oh, let me escape thither, ([is] it not a little one?) and my soul shall live. 21 And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow this city, for the which thou hast spoken. 22 Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do any thing till thou be come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar. Lexicon: Zoar = "insignificance" 1) a city at the southeast end of the Dead Sea grouped with Sodom and Gomorrah as being one of the 5 cities slated for destruction by God; spared at Lot's plea as his place of refuge c) an heifer of three years old: Gill says the cry of the fugitives is like a full grown heifer of three years old. It appears that they are as a sacrifice. Compare: Ge 15:9 And he said unto him, Take me an heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon. Jer 48:34 From the cry of Heshbon [even] unto Elealeh, [and even] unto Jahaz, have they uttered their voice, from Zoar [even] unto Horonaim, [as] an heifer of three years old: for the waters also of Nimrim shall be desolate. d) mounting up of Luhith with weeping: Another town of Moab that was a high place according to Gill. Horonaim is also another town of Moab. 6 For the waters of Nimrim shall be desolate: for the hay is withered away, the grass faileth, there is no green thing. a) Nimrim: Nimrim = "limpid" or "pure" 1) a stream or brook in the territory of Moab So the waters are dried up due to a drought of some kind, which would explain the withering away of the hay and the grass failing and no green thing. b) desolation of the land: Compare: Jer 48:33 And joy and gladness is taken from the plentiful field, and from the land of Moab; and I have caused wine to fail from the winepresses: none shall tread with shouting; [their] shouting [shall be] no shouting. 7 Therefore the abundance they have gotten, and that which they have laid up, shall they carry away to the brook of the willows. a) Either they carried their abundance away to the brook of the willows, perhaps to hide them or else their enemies carried off their abundance to the brook of the willows. Some think this to be the land of Babylon. Jer 48:7 For because thou hast trusted in thy works and in thy treasures, thou shalt also be taken: and Chemosh shall go forth into captivity [with] his priests and his princes together. 8 For the cry is gone round about the borders of Moab; the howling thereof unto Eglaim, and the howling thereof unto Beerelim. a) Eglaim: Eglaim = "double reservoir" 1) a town in Moab Gill says this was a border town which our verse seems to suggest. b) Beerelim: Beer-elim = "well of God" 1) a well in the south of Moab 9 For the waters of Dimon shall be full of blood: for I will bring more upon Dimon, lions upon him that escapeth of Moab, and upon the remnant of the land. a) Dimon: Dimon = "river bed" or "silence" Lexicon says "a town in Moab." Gill says that this was a river in Moab and that some say it was a city. It must have been full of the blood of the slain people. Gill says that many of those who escaped from the sword were killed by lions and wild beasts. Compare: Ez 14:21 For thus saith the Lord GOD; How much more when I send my four sore judgments upon Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and the noisome beast, and the pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast?