Isaiah 16

Isaiah 16:1

to the Ruler of the Land] The King of Iudah; Ezekiah; of Davids race. See 2 Sam. VIII. 2. Moab subdued by David. After the division of the Kingdomes, it fell to Israel. After the death of Ahab, it rebelled, 2 Kings I 1. and ch.

III. ver. 4, 5. and so denied the tribute, whereupon Ihoram, with the assistance of King Iehoshaphat, and the King of Edom, makes that warre against Moab, 1 Kings III. 7, 9. Here the Prophet seemes to admonish Moab what course she should take, and might have taken, for the prevention of the judgements here denounced against her; to wit, by paying their due tribute to the King of Iudah; And by performing kind offices unto Gods people, in the times specially of their distresse, verse 3, 4. Wherein failing, they are again menaced with the judgements before mentioned, verse 7,—13. And a certain time set for the execution of the same, verse 14.

from Sela in the wildernesse] Or, as some, to the wildernesse.

unto the account] Where the King had his palace.

Isaiah 16:2

at the fords of Arnon] Which bounded their Countrey on the one side, Num. XXI. 13.

Isaiah 16:4

consumed out of the land] Of Judah. As indeed Sennacherib was. And therefore the performance of the kinde offices oi the Moabites to the Jewes should not last long, or be over-burdensome.

Isaiah 16:5

The throne] Of Judah.

and he shall sit] Ezekiah, the Type, Christ, the Truth.

and hastening justice] Without needlesse delayes.

Isaiah 16:6

his lies shall not be so] All his haughty and wrathful thoughts, shall not take such effect, as in the pride of his heart he imagineth.

Isaiah 16:12

his Sanctuarie] The Temple of his chief idol Chemosh, 1 Kings XI. 7. Jer. XLVIII. 46.

Isaiah 16:13

since that time] That this judgement past upon Moab, was first revealed to the Prophet; That which followeth, ver. 14. being added afterwards thereunto.

Isaiah 16:14

within three years] Most likely thus; Conceiving this prophecie and denunciation to have beene delivered about the fourteenth or fifteenth year of Ezekiah, then it took effect about the eighteenth or nineteenth year of his reigne; and was put in execution by Ezarhaddon the Assyrian King. Though the utter and final destruction of Moab, here before denounced, and by Jeremy long after seconded, was to be executed by Nebuchadnezzar. That which was speedily effected, helping to confirme the truth of the former denunciation, though that were to take effect long after. Yet some conceive this to be done by Ezarhaddon in the tenth Of Hezekiah. Others, by Shalmanezer, in his way as he came to besiege Samaria.