Isaiah · Chapter 15

V. 1. The burden-A prophecy of the destruction of the Moabites, the inveterate enemies of the Jews, begun by the Assyrian, and finished by the Babylonian emperors. In a night-Suddenly and unexpectedly. Ar-The chief city of Moab. Kir-Another eminent city of Moab.

Verse 1. Because in the night] lylb beleil. That both these cities should be taken in the night is a circumstance somewhat unusual; but not so material as to deserve to be so strongly insisted upon. Vitringa, by his remark on this word, shows that he was dissatisfied with it in its plain and obvious meaning, and is forced to have recourse to a very hard metaphorical interpretation of it. Noctu vel nocturno impetu; vel metaphorice, repente, subito, inexpectata destructione: placet posterius. Calmet conjectures, and I think it probable, that the true reading is lylk keleil, as the night. There are many mistakes in the Hebrew text arising from the very great similitude of the letters b beth, and k caph, which in many MSS., and some printed editions, are hardly distinguishable. Admitting this reading, the translation will be,—

“Because Ar is utterly destroyed, Moab is undone!

Because Kir is utterly destroyed, Moab is undone!”

Verse 1. The burden of Moab — A prophecy of the destruction of the Moabites, the inveterate and implacable enemies of the Jews, begun by the Assyrian, and finished by the Babylonian monarchs. This prophecy, which occupies this and the next chapter, very improperly separated from each other, makes the third discourse of this second part. The time of the delivery, and consequently of the completion of it, (which was to be in three years after,) is uncertain, neither of them being marked in the prophecy, nor recorded in history. “But the most probable account is, that it was delivered soon after the foregoing, in the first year of Hezekiah; and that it was accomplished in his fourth year, when Shalmaneser invaded the kingdom of Israel. He might probably march through Moab; and, to secure every thing behind him, possess himself of the whole country, by taking the principal strong places, Ar and Kir-haresh. Jeremiah has introduced much of this prophecy of Isaiah into his own larger prophecy against the same people, (chap. 48.,) denouncing God’s judgments on Moab, subsequent to the calamity here foretold, to be executed by Nebuchadnezzar.” Bishop Lowth. In the night — Or, in a night, suddenly and unexpectedly, Ar of Moab is laid waste — The chief city of Moab, Numbers 21:28. Kir of Moab is laid waste — Another eminent city of Moab, called more largely and fully, Kir-hareseth and Kir-haresh, Isaiah 16:7, 11; Jeremiah 48:31, 36.

Verse 1. The burden of Moab. Joshua had spared this nation by divine command, being, as descendants of Lot, relatives of the Hebrews. Deuteronomy 2:9. But they made no returns: Eglon king of Moab oppressed them for eighteen years. Josephus remarks, that when the affairs of the Israelites were prosperous the Moabites claimed kindred with them, but disowned them in times of adversity. Moab had now dwelt at ease from her youth; partial wars had not destroyed her cities. At length her pride, her blood, her idolatries had provoked the Lord to make her drink the bitter cup. By advice of Balaam, she had laid an insidious snare for the Hebrews, drawing them to apostasy, to feasting and dancing to her gods; for which she received a curse, Deuteronomy 23:3; and the Israelites the pestilence; for the first violators of a new law, fly in the immediate face of the legislator. She had been chastised by David for joining the conspiracy against him, as Psalm 83., and when she fell under the power of the ten tribes, and rebelled, she was again vanquished; but now she must drink the bitter cup from the Assyrian army. This was effectuated, as is not doubted, when Shalmanezer had war with the ten tribes, whose army seems to have made a circuitous route from Samaria to Moab, to Ammon, and back to Nineveh across the Euphrates.

Three years before the visitation, the burden of Moab was laid on Isaiah, to call the haughty daughter to repentance. He perfectly knew the country, and the cities, and they could not be unacquainted with his character. His addresses are clothed in the sublime of eloquence, and the boldest figures of rhetoric. Thus he boldly begins:—In the night, Ar of Moab is laid waste. This was the more terrific; the city being on the river Arnon, the Assyrians must have surprised Moab on the east. Babylon also was surprised in the night, and taken by storm.

1. The burden of Moab — “Burden,” here, may indicate “prophecy,” at first orally uttered, afterward written up. If an old prophecy has been a basis of utterance, it is now modified and adopted as Isaiah’s. See same case in Jeremiah 47, and a similar case in Isaiah 2:1-5. Because — Hebrew, yk, (ki,) elliptically, “it is that.” Gesenius renders it, verily. In the night… in the night — Poetic repetition here possibly indicates a fact of frequent

occurrence. As in these times in that country, so then, no doubt, towns and great encampments were occasionally overthrown in a single night by earthquakes or invading hordes. Ar of Moab — The city of Moab, the only city of account Moab proper had, situated south of the Arnon, not on it, though Numbers 21:15 speaks of it as if it were at the northern border on the Arnon: this, because no other city intervened. See TRISTRAM, Land of Moab, p. 120. Kir of Moab — Now Kir-Hareseth, 16:7, some two miles south of Ar, according to present ruins.

V. 2. Bajith-Which signifies an house. It is supposed to be some eminent house or temple of their idols. Dibon-Another city of Moab. To weep-To offer their supplications with tears to their idols for help. Medeba-Two considerable cities, anciently belonging to the Moabites. Beard-The hair of their heads and beards was shaved, as was usual in great mournings.

Verse 2. He is gone to Bajith, and to Dibon] tybh hl[ alah habbayith, should be rendered, he is gone to the HOUSE, i.e., to their chief temple, where they practiced idolatry. Dibon was the name of a tower where also was an idolatrous temple; thither they went to weep and pray before their idols, that they might interpose and save them from their calamities. So R. D. Kimchi. He is gone to Bajith and to Dibon: but Bishop Lowth reads Beth Dibon; this is the name of one place; and the two words are to be joined together, without the w vau intervening. So the Chaldee and Syriac. This reading is not supported by any MS. or Version: but some MSS., instead of r[ ar, have ry[ ir, a city, others have d[ ad, unto, and some editions have l[ al, upon. But all these help little, though they show that the place puzzled both the scribes and the editors. On all their heads shall be baldness, &c.— “On every head there is baldness,” &c.] Herodotus, ii. 36, speaks of it as a general practice among all men, except the Egyptians, to cut off their hair as a token of mourning. “Cut off thy hair, and cast it away,” says Jeremiah, Jeremiah 7:29, “and take up a lamentation.”

Touto nu kai gerav oion oizuroiosi brotoisi

Keirasqai te komhn, baleein t~ apo dakru pareiwn.

HOM. Odyss. iv. 197.

“The rites of wo

Are all, alas! the living can bestow;

O’er the congenial dust enjoined to shear

The graceful curl, and drop the tender tear.”

POPE.

On every head.—For wyvar roshaiv, read var rosh. So the parallel place, Jeremiah 48:37, and so three MSS., one ancient. An ancient MS. reads var lk [l al col rosh. Five read car lkb bechol rosh, on every head, with the Septuagint and Arabic. AND every head. The w vau, and, is found in thirty MSS., in three editions, and in the Syriac, Vulgate, and Chaldee.

Cut off— “Shorn.”] The printed editions, as well as the MSS., are divided on the reading of this word. Some have גדועה geduah, shorn, others גרעה geruah, diminished. The similitude of the letters d daleth and r resh has likewise occasioned many mistakes. In the present case, the sense is pretty much the same with either reading. The text of Jeremiah 48:37 has the latter, diminished. The former reading is found in twelve of Dr. Kennicott’s MSS., forty of Deuteronomy Rossi’s, and two of my own. A great number of editions have the same reading.

Verse 2. He is gone up to Bajith — Which signifies a house. It is supposed to be the name of a place, so called from some eminent house or temple of their idols which was in it; and to Dibon — Another city of Moab; to weep — To offer their supplications with tears to their idols for help. Moab shall howl over Nebo and Medeba — Two considerable cities anciently belonging to the Moabites, from whom they were taken by the Amorites, and from them by the Israelites; but were, it seems, recovered by the Moabites, in whose hands they now were. “The prophet so orders his discourse in this prophecy, as if, being placed on a high mountain, he beheld the army of the Assyrians, suddenly, and contrary to all expectation, directing their course toward Moab; and in this unforeseen attack, ravaging and plundering, rather than besieging, the principal cities and fortifications of this country; while the Moabites, astonished at the report of this event, burst forth into weeping and lamentation, hasten to the temples and altars of their god Chemosh, to implore his aid, making bare their heads, cutting off their hair, and filling all places with howling and lamentation, like desperate men; while some of them fall by the sword of the enemy, some of them flee toward Arabia, their goods, land, vineyards, &c., being left a spoil to the enemy.” See Vitringa.

Ver. 2. Gone up to Bajith; to the house of his idol, or Baal-Meon. Isaiah would not name this idol because of its obscenity. Dibon was on a hill, but overlooked by mount Nebo. This is irony. Moab in her trouble is gone to weep and pray to gods unmoved by tears, deaf to all cries, and regardless of her blood.

2, 3. He — The collective people of Moab. Has gone up to Bajith — This was probably not a town, but a high place for a sanctuary. The word is so near to Beth — a house — as to indicate only a temple, the house of Moab’s gods. Dibon — Gesenius reads here, Dibon is weeping upon the high places. Dibon lay some fifteen miles north of the Arnon, and Nebo still farther north, to a point due east of the head of the Dead Sea. Medeba lay a few miles southeast from Nebo. Some went up to Nebo, some to Medeba, and some, through streets and on tops of… houses, all bewailing the catastrophe befalling them. Gird… with sackcloth — In Eastern countries to this day similar exhibits of grief are made in days of calamity.

V. 3. On the tops-Which were made flat, to which men used to go up, to cry to God in heaven, or to men for help.

Verse 3. With sackcloth] qc sak. The word is in the plural µyqc sakkim, sacks, in one of Deuteronomy Rossi’s MSS.

2, 3. He — The collective people of Moab. Has gone up to Bajith — This was probably not a town, but a high place for a sanctuary. The word is so near to Beth — a house — as to indicate only a temple, the house of Moab’s gods. Dibon — Gesenius reads here, Dibon is weeping upon the high places. Dibon lay some fifteen miles north of the Arnon, and Nebo still farther north, to a point due east of the head of the Dead Sea. Medeba lay a few miles southeast from Nebo. Some went up to Nebo, some to Medeba, and some, through streets and on tops of… houses, all bewailing the catastrophe befalling them. Gird… with sackcloth — In Eastern countries to this day similar exhibits of grief are made in days of calamity.

V. 4. Heshbon-Two other Moabitish cities. Jahaz-Another city in the utmost borders of Moab. Soldiers-Who use to be the most courageous.

Verse 4. The armed soldiers— “The very loins”] So the Septuagint, h osfuv, and the Syriac. They cry out violently, with their utmost force.

Verse 4. And Heshbon shall cry, and Elealeh — Two other Moabitish cities; of which see Numbers 21:25, 26, and 32:3, 37. Their voice shall be heard unto Jahaz — Another city in the utmost borders of Moab. The armed soldiers shall cry out — Even the warriors themselves, who should defend the state, shall lose all their spirit and courage, and join in the general lamentation and dismay: see Jeremiah 48:34, 41. His life shall be grievous unto him — The Moabites shall generally long for death, to free them from those dreadful calamities which they perceive unavoidably coming upon them.

Ver. 4. Heshbon shall cry. This city is often named. Numbers 21:25. 32:3, 37. Joshua 13:17, 21. It was situate on a hill, and still subsists; it was visited by Burckhardt, a German traveller. It had two fishpools, whose rural beauty is noticed by Solomon. Song 7:4.

4. Heshbon, and other cities north, and back to the south again, join in the cry. Heshbon, an ancient royal residence of the Amorites, (Numbers 21:26, seq.,) on falling into the hands of the Israelites, was assigned to Reuben, (Joshua 13:17;) then to Gad as a city of the Levites. Jahaz — This place would seem to have lain eastward toward the desert, as may be inferred from Numbers 21:23, and Deuteronomy 2:32, for it was from there that Sihon marched down into the wilderness against the Israelite warriors who conquered him.

V. 5. Moab-Tho’ they are a most vile nation. Zoar-Zoar was a town bordering upon Moab. Of destruction-Such a cry as men send forth when they are just falling into the pit of destruction.

Verse 5. My heart shall cry out for Moab— “The heart of Moab crieth within her”] For ybl libbi, my heart, the Septuagint reads wbl libbo, his heart, or bl leb; the Chaldee, wbl libbo. For hyjyrb bericheyha, the Syriac reads hjwrb berocheh; and so likewise the Septuagint, rendering it en auth, Edit. Vat: or en eauth, Edit. Alex. and MSS. I., D. II. A heifer of three years old— “A young heifer.”] Hebrew, a heifer three years old, in full strength; as Horace uses equa trima, for a young mare just coming to her prime. Bochart observes, from Aristotle, Hist. Animal. lib. iv. that in this kind of animals alone the voice of the female is deeper than that of the male; therefore the lowing of the heifer, rather than of the bullock, is chosen by the prophet, as the more proper image to express the mourning of Moab. But I must add that the expression here is very short and obscure; and the opinions of interpreters are various in regard to the meaning. Compare Jeremiah 48:34.

Shall they go it up— “They shall ascend”] For יעלה yaaleh, the Septuagint and a MS. read in the plural, יעלו yaalu. And from this passage the parallel place in Jeremiah 48:5 must be corrected; where, for בכי יעלה yaaleh bechi, which gives no good sense, read wb יעלה yaaleh bo.

Verse 5. My heart shall cry out for Moab — “Hitherto the prophet had set forth the lamentations of the Moabites, but, seeing these future evils, as it were, present to his own mind, he compassionates their griefs, and declares his own participation of their sorrows.” His fugitives shall flee unto Zoar, &c. — The meaning of this clause is thought to be, His fugitives shall cry, so as they may be heard unto Zoar; or, shall wander and cry as they go along the way, even till they come to Zoar. A heifer — Or, as a heifer; as the words are translated Jeremiah 48:34; that is, they shall send forth their cries, by weeping and lamenting, like a heifer. “Three years old, is mentioned only to denote a full-grown heifer, the lowing of which, naturalists have remarked, is deeper and more affecting than that of the male.” Zoar was a town bordering upon Moab. By the mounting up of Luhith — It is not certain what place this was, but it is evident enough that it was some elevated tract, or ascent, in the extremity of Moab. Horonaim was also a city of Moab, situated probably in the descent from Luhith. They shall raise up a cry of destruction — Such a cry as men send forth when they are just falling into the pit of destruction. He signifies that the cry should be universal in all places where they should come, and reaching from one side of the country to the other.

Ver. 5. The mounting up of Luhith with weeping. This city was also on a hill, which in the warmer climates is preferred for salubrity. It lay on the road to Babylon, and the farewel-views of their country caused their cries to resemble a bereft heifer of three years old.

5. My heart shall cry out — The prophet himself enters into sympathy with the affrighted people, whose stampede is even to Zoar, with a terror like that of the bellowing heifer. Zoar was for long held to be at the south of Moab, or at the foot of the Dead Sea. So Josephus, Jerome, and Dr. Robinson. But more recently its location is thought to be identical with Zi’ara, near Mt. Nebo. But see TRISTRAM, Land of Moab; also, SMITH’S Bible Dictionary, pro and con.

V. 6. Waters-Watery grounds being very fruitful, are commonly most inhabited; but now they also, much more the dry and barren grounds, shall be desolate and without inhabitant.

Verses 6-8. For the waters, &c. — The prophet, in these verses, sets forth the causes of lamentation among the inhabitants of the southern part of Moab. The first is the desolation of their fruitful fields, verse 6. The waters of Nimrim, or, the waterish, or well-watered grounds, shall be desolate — Such grounds, being very fruitful, are commonly most inhabited and cultivated; but now they also, and much more the dry and barren grounds, should be desolate, and without inhabitant. That which they have laid up, &c. — Here we have a second cause of their grief: the property which they had acquired and reserved for their future use, and that of their offspring, should be seized and carried away by the Assyrians their enemies. To the brook of the willows — Or, rather, to the valley of the willows, as Bishop Lowth translates it, that is, to Babylon: see note on Psalm 137:2. The cry is gone round about the borders, &c. — “The prophet, contemplating with the most lively imagination the consternation of all Moab, as if present to his view, scarcely satisfies himself in painting the scene. He repeats again the proposition, and supplies, by a general declaration, what he might seem not to have expressed with sufficient perfection before. He therefore declares, that this lamentation, of which he speaks, shall not be private, nor peculiar to one place, or to a few, but common to all: and that the tempest shall not break upon this or that part of the country only, but shall afflict all Moab, every corner and boundary of it, and take in the whole land from Eglaim to Beer-elim, two cities in the extremities of Moab.” — Vitringa.

6. Nimrim — For “Nimrim” see Numbers 31:35, 36, and Joshua 12:27, whose indications are that this was a well-watered valley. Tristram, with some hesitation, locates it at the southeast end of the Dead Sea. The text shows that the waters here give out, and every green thing is parched — a figure of devastating war.

V. 7. They-Their enemies. Brook-Possibly he means some such river which ran into Euphrates, and so gave them opportunity of carrying their spoils by water unto Babylon.

Verse 7. “Shall perish”] wdba abadu or hdba abadeh. This word seems to have been lost out of the text: it is supplied by the parallel place, Jeremiah 48:36. The Syriac expresses it by rb[ aber, præteriit, “he hath passed;” and the Chaldee by יתבזזונ yithbazezun, diripientur. To the brook of the willows— “To the valley of willows”] That is, to Babylon. Hieron. and Jarchi in loc., both referring to Psalm 137:2. So likewise Prideaux, Le Clerc, &c.

Verses 6-8. For the waters, &c. — The prophet, in these verses, sets forth the causes of lamentation among the inhabitants of the southern part of Moab. The first is the desolation of their fruitful fields, verse 6. The waters of Nimrim, or, the waterish, or well-watered grounds, shall be desolate — Such grounds, being very fruitful, are commonly most inhabited and cultivated; but now they also, and much more the dry and barren grounds, should be desolate, and without inhabitant. That which they have laid up, &c. — Here we have a second cause of their grief: the property which they had acquired and reserved for their future use, and that of their offspring, should be seized and carried away by the Assyrians their enemies. To the brook of the willows — Or, rather, to the valley of the willows, as Bishop Lowth translates it, that is, to Babylon: see note on Psalm 137:2. The cry is gone round about the borders, &c. — “The prophet, contemplating with the most lively imagination the consternation of all Moab, as if present to his view, scarcely satisfies himself in painting the scene. He repeats again the proposition, and supplies, by a general declaration, what he might seem not to have expressed with sufficient perfection before. He therefore declares, that this lamentation, of which he speaks, shall not be private, nor peculiar to one place, or to a few, but common to all: and that the tempest shall not break upon this or that part of the country only, but shall afflict all Moab, every corner and boundary of it, and take in the whole land from Eglaim to Beer-elim, two cities in the extremities of Moab.” — Vitringa.

Ver. 7. The brook of the willows. This was a common name for countries watered by the river Euphrates. Prideaux.

7. Brook of the willows — Probably a wady in the vicinity of Nimrim, where are remains of a former town site; not a place in Edom, as held by some. To this place they take with them in their flight all gathered stores. (Land of Moab, pp. 72, 82.)

V. 8. The cry-Their cry fills all the parts of the country.

Verses 6-8. For the waters, &c. — The prophet, in these verses, sets forth the causes of lamentation among the inhabitants of the southern part of Moab. The first is the desolation of their fruitful fields, verse 6. The waters of Nimrim, or, the waterish, or well-watered grounds, shall be desolate — Such grounds, being very fruitful, are commonly most inhabited and cultivated; but now they also, and much more the dry and barren grounds, should be desolate, and without inhabitant. That which they have laid up, &c. — Here we have a second cause of their grief: the property which they had acquired and reserved for their future use, and that of their offspring, should be seized and carried away by the Assyrians their enemies. To the brook of the willows — Or, rather, to the valley of the willows, as Bishop Lowth translates it, that is, to Babylon: see note on Psalm 137:2. The cry is gone round about the borders, &c. — “The prophet, contemplating with the most lively imagination the consternation of all Moab, as if present to his view, scarcely satisfies himself in painting the scene. He repeats again the proposition, and supplies, by a general declaration, what he might seem not to have expressed with sufficient perfection before. He therefore declares, that this lamentation, of which he speaks, shall not be private, nor peculiar to one place, or to a few, but common to all: and that the tempest shall not break upon this or that part of the country only, but shall afflict all Moab, every corner and boundary of it, and take in the whole land from Eglaim to Beer-elim, two cities in the extremities of Moab.” — Vitringa.

8, 9. The cry is gone round about — Moab becomes in this picture the prey of the enemy throughout. The wail extends from one extreme of the land to the other. Eglaim — A double fountain. Eusebius says it was eight Roman miles south of Ar. The place was probably a town site. Beer-elim — Was to the northeast, if Numbers 21:16, 17, be an indication to judge from. Waters of Dimon — By easy change of labials, b for m, this was Dibon, already noticed. So Gesenius. But this is scarcely better than the theory which makes Dimon come from md, blood, the same word, less the final letter, appended, perhaps, to mean place of blood, and so named, it may be, from the facts in the scene described in third chapter of 2 Kings. There it is shown what part blood played in the defeat of Moab by the allied kings of Judah, Israel, and Edom, who swept around the south end of the Dead Sea to attack Moab, and how appropriately the place of attack was called Dimon. The waters of Dimon shall be full of blood — The morning sun-glare upon newly-opened waters on the plain below, led the Moabites to suppose the confederate enemy had broken with and fallen upon each other, with pools of blood as the consequence. This gave courage to Moab to dash after booty into a supposed abandoned camp rather than an ambush, which it was. Thus Moab met the lions (allied kings, or at least Judah and its government; see 2 Kings 3:21-26) and was driven back to his stronghold, on the walls of which he desperately sacrificed to his god Chemosh his son and heir. Such a horror was too much for the invaders, and they retired from the contest. Does not the celebrated Moabite inscription found in Dibon, in 1870, refer to this scene? Tristram believes the Moab stone, or the monolith of Mesha, to have been brought from the south and walled into the latter structure at Dibon, and thus the ancient Phoenician record was so long preserved from being effaced. (See Land of Moab, page 149.)

It is worthy of note, that the description in these latter verses is apparently of scenes about to occur, if not of some, also, already past, and quoted from the ancient prophecy before assumed as the basis for this prophecy, and of that in Jeremiah, chap. 48.

V. 9. More-More than hath been already mentioned. Lions-God shall send lions to find out those that escape the fury of men.

Verse 9. The waters of Dimon] Some have Dibon, others have Ribon and Rimon. St. Jerome observes that the same town was called both Dibon and Dimon. The reading is therefore indifferent.

Upon him that escapeth of Moab, &c.— “Upon the escaped of Moab, and Ariel, and the remnant of Admah.”] The Septuagint for hyr[ aryeh read layra ariel. Ar Moab was called also Ariel or Areopolis, Hieron. and Theodoret. See Cellarius. They make hmda Admah also a proper name. Michaelis thinks that the Moabites might be called the remnant of Admah, as sprung from Lot and his daughters, escaped from the destruction of that and the other cities; or, metaphorically, as the Jews are called princes of Sodom, and people of Gomorrah, Isaiah 1:10. Bibliotheque Orient. Part v., p. 195. The reading of this verse is very doubtful; and the sense, in every way in which it can be read, very obscure.—L. Calmet thinks there may be a reference to 1 Chronicles 11:22, where it is said, “Benaiah slew two lion-like men of Moab,” or the two Ariels of Moab, and would therefore translate, “I will bring down the remnant of Moab like Ariel, (which Benaiah smote,) and them that are escaped like Adamah.” They shall be exterminated, as were the inhabitants of those two cities. Ariel was a double city-the river Arnon dividing it in two. This is the two Ariels of Moab—not two lion-like men, much less two lions. See Calmet on this place.

ISAIAH

Verse 9. For the waters of Dimon — This seems to be the same place with Dibon, mentioned verse 2; shall be full of blood — This is a third evil, and cause of lamentation; the great slaughter which the enemy should make of the people. For I will bring more upon Dimon — Hebrew, I will place, or lay upon Dimon, twpkwn, accessions, or additions, that is, I will increase those waters by the torrents that shall flow into them from the blood of the slain. The expression is strong and elegant. Bishop Lowth, however, interprets the clause, “Yet will I bring more evils upon Dimon,” that is, though the waters are full of blood, yet will I bring upon them further and greater evils. Lions upon him that escapeth of Moab, &c. — This is the fourth evil, the completion of all the rest, and the severest cause of their lamentation, that God would not even spare a remnant hereafter to restore and renew their fallen state; but would pursue them with his judgments to the last extremity, and send upon them, and on their desolate country, lions and other wild beasts, entirely to destroy all that remained. Vitringa, however, thinks that Nebuchadnezzar is pointed out in this clause; who, after the Moabites, reduced extremely low by the Assyrians, began to recruit themselves, should give the remnant of the nation to destruction, and complete the judgment which the Assyrian had begun: see Jeremiah 4:7, and 5:6, and 48:40. The Chaldee paraphrast must have so understood it, translating the word, which we render lion, by king: A king with his army to destroy the Moabites.

8, 9. The cry is gone round about — Moab becomes in this picture the prey of the enemy throughout. The wail extends from one extreme of the land to the other. Eglaim — A double fountain. Eusebius says it was eight Roman miles south of Ar. The place was probably a town site. Beer-elim — Was to the northeast, if Numbers 21:16, 17, be an indication to judge from. Waters of Dimon — By easy change of labials, b for m, this was Dibon, already noticed. So Gesenius. But this is scarcely better than the theory which makes Dimon come from md, blood, the same word, less the final letter, appended, perhaps, to mean place of blood, and so named, it may be, from the facts in the scene described in third chapter of 2 Kings. There it is shown what part blood played in the defeat of Moab by the allied kings of Judah, Israel, and Edom, who swept around the south end of the Dead Sea to attack Moab, and how appropriately the place of attack was called Dimon. The waters of Dimon shall be full of blood — The morning sun-glare upon newly-opened waters on the plain below, led the Moabites to suppose the confederate enemy had broken with and fallen upon each other, with pools of blood as the consequence. This gave courage to Moab to dash after booty into a supposed abandoned camp rather than an ambush, which it was. Thus Moab met the lions (allied kings, or at least Judah and its government; see 2 Kings 3:21-26) and was driven back to his stronghold, on the walls of which he desperately sacrificed to his god Chemosh his son and heir. Such a horror was too much for the invaders, and they retired from the contest. Does not the celebrated Moabite inscription found in Dibon, in 1870, refer to this scene? Tristram believes the Moab stone, or the monolith of Mesha, to have been brought from the south and walled into the latter structure at Dibon, and thus the ancient Phoenician record was so long preserved from being effaced. (See Land of Moab, page 149.)

It is worthy of note, that the description in these latter verses is apparently of scenes about to occur, if not of some, also, already past, and quoted from the ancient prophecy before assumed as the basis for this prophecy, and of that in Jeremiah, chap. 48.