Isaiah 15

Isaiah 15:1-5

This chapter, and that which follows it, are the burden of Moab: a prophecy of the defolation that was coming upon that country, which hardened upon the land of Israel, and had often been injurious and vexatious to it. We have, 1. Great lamentation made by the Monistes, and by the prophet himself for them, ver. 1—5. 2. The calamities which should occasion that lamentation, ver. 6—9.

4. Or. xviii. 1. Lath. xxx. 3. Am. 6. 1. Thel. 5. Num. xx. 8. 2. Or. out off. 4. Chap. xvi. 11. 4. Lev. xxi. 5. Jer. xlviii. 37. 1. Jer. xlviii. 9. Or. coming down weeping. 2. Cor. xxvi. all. 2a. in. 10. 4. Chap. xvi. 11. Jer. xlviii. 31. 10. 1. Jer. xlviii. 34. 1. THE burden of Moab, because in the night

5. Ar of Moab is laid waite, and through to silence; because in the night Kir of Moab is laid waite, and brought to silence: 2. He is gone up to Bajith, and to Dibon, the high places, to weep: Moab shall bowl over Nebo, and over Modeba, on all their heads shall be baldened, and every beard cut off. 3. In their streets they shall give themselves with fackcloth: on the tops of their houses, and in their streets every one shall bowl, weeping abundantly. 4. And Hefthbon 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. 5. My heart shall cry out for Moab, his fugitives shall flee unto Zvar, 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 Horonain they shall raise up a cry of destruction.

This prophecy is either the same with chap. xvi. 14. and was to be quickly accomplished, within three years, when Salmanecer ravaged the country; or, as some think, distinct from that, and relative to the final destruction of Moab by Nebuchadnezzar, ‘fer. xviii.

We have here a picture of the most afflicting distress.

1. Sodden and terrible would be the stroke. Some of their cities surprised in the night, facked, and demolished, v. 1. others, in terror at the expectation of the same fate, with tokens of bitterest anguish upon them, disfigured with baldened, and gist with fackcloth, and every place full of weeping and tears, v. 2. loud as the heifer bellows, and reaching to the distant cities, whither they fly for shelter from the approaching rain, v. 3—5. Note, (1.) Death often scares the sinner in the night with terrible surprise. (2.) When we lie down on our beds, by some unexpected stroke our bed may be quickly made our grave: let us therefore be always ready. (3.) It will be too late for those to cry, when God’s wrath overtakes them, who before never cried to avert it.

2. All help should fail them: their mighty warriors should faint under their fears, and their life be a burden to them. Or it may be rendered, His final shall cry out for himself, each bemoaning his wretched case; nor shall their idols afford them more relief, v. 2. Though they go up to their high places to weep, no answer shall be given them, and weeping they shall descend, v. 3. as in the margin. Note, Common-confidences, like idols good, will utterly fail us in time of trouble.

3. The prophet himself in pity drops a tear over their defolations, though enemies. Such tender and compassionate hearts should ministers possess, and, like their divine Lord, weep over those sinners that will not be warned.

4. Num. xxvii. 3. 7. Heb. De- Kidomo. Or. Valley of the Archists.

5. For the waters of Nimirim shall be a defolate: for the hay is withered away, the grass saileth, there is no green thing. 7. Therefore the abundance they have gotten, and that which they have laid up, shall they carry away to the broods of the willows. 8. For the

cry is gone round about the borders of Moab: the howling thereof unto Eglum, and the howling thereof unto Beer-elim. 8. 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.

Isaiah 15:6-9

From one corner to the other of the land, the cry of Moab should be heard, v. 8. and no marvel, when her defolations were so great.

1. The country should be devoured and wafted, either by drought, or eat up as forage by their invaders; so that not a blade of grass should remain; and their abundance, with so much care collected and laid up, be carried away to the bread of the willows; either by themselves to hide it, or rather by their enemies to Babylon, so called from its marshy situation. Note, This world’s riches are often a short-lived possession, so soon do they make themselves wings and fly away.

2. The waters of Dimon shall be full of blood; the numbers of the stain so great, that her streams should be dyed thereby: and mere, or additions, of trouble be brought upon them; the lions shall gleam those which are escaped from the sword, v. 9. Note, When God in wrath begins with fineness, he will make an end; and whilst they continue hardened, he will not be weary in smiling them.