Isaiah · Chapter 16

V. 1. Send-The prophet continues his prophecy against Moab, and gives them counsel what to do, to prevent, if possible, the desolation. Make your peace with God, by sacrifice, for all your injuries done to him, and to his people. Sela-An eminent city of Moab, seated upon a rock. Unto the mount-Unto the temple upon mount Zion.

Verse 1. Send ye the lamb, &c.— “I will send forth the son, &c.”] Both the reading and meaning of this verse are still more doubtful than those of the preceding. The Septuagint and Syriac read jlva eshlach, I will send, in the first person singular, future tense: the Vulgate and Talmud Babylon, read jlv shelach, send, singular imperative: some read wjlv shilchu, send ye forth, or shalechu, they send forth. The Syriac, for rk car, a lamb, reads rb bar, a son, which is confirmed by five MSS. of Kennicott and Deuteronomy Rossi. The two first verses describe the distress of Moab on the Assyrian invasion in which even the son of the prince of the country is represented as forced to flee for his life through the desert, that he may escape to Judea; and the young women are driven forth like young birds cast out of the nest, and endeavouring to wade through the fords of the river Arnon. Perhaps there is not so much difficulty in this verse as appears at first view. “Send the lamb to the ruler of the land,” may receive light from 2 Kings 3:4, 5: “And Mesha, king of Moab, was a sheepmaster, and rendered unto the king of Israel one hundred thousand lambs with their wool, and one hundred thousand rams: but when Ahab was dead, the king of Moab rebelled against Israel.” Now the prophet exhorts them to begin paying the tribute as formerly, that their punishment might be averted or mitigated.

Verses 1, 2. Send ye the lamb, &c. — The prophet continues his prophecy against Moab, and gives them counsel what to do to prevent, if possible, or at least to mitigate, the threatened judgment. First he advises them to be just to the house of David, and to pay the tribute they had formerly covenanted to pay to the kings of his line. David, it must be recollected, had subdued the Moabites, and made them tributaries to him, 2 Samuel 8:2. Afterward they paid their tribute to the kings of Israel, 2 Kings 3:1 2 Kings

Verse 1. Send ye the lamb—from Sela to the wilderness, to the mount of the daughter of Zion. Send the tribute of the lambs from all the towns of Moab, and seek alliance with the house of David, with whom God has now renewed his promises. This is your best wisdom, and first duty. So it is intimated in the fifth verse, for the king of Judah shall sit upon the throne in the tabernacle of David. This tribute is fully explained in 2 Kings 3:4, 5, where it is said that Mesha king of Moab refused to pay the tribute, and involved his country in great distress.

1. Send ye the lamb — Collective for lambs, the traditional yearly tribute due to Judah. It appears from 2 Kings 3:41, that when Moab was tributary to Jehoram, king of Israel, this tribute amounted to “a hundred thousand lambs, and a hundred thousand rams, with the wool.” From Sela to the wilderness — That is, from along all the foraging region for Moab’s flocks. Sela means rock, a city built into an amphitheatre of rocky hills. It was the capital of Edom, and was afterward, under Roman rule, named Petra. It lies about a journey of a day and a half southeast from the southern end of the Dead Sea. The ruins of the city are frequently visited, and its dwellings, tombs, and temples are found to be cut out of the soft red sandstone. Its ingress and egress is by a two-mile valley, very narrow, called Wady Mousa. This Petra seems to have been in the hands of Moab at the time of this prophecy by Isaiah. Underneath the outward expression in the text is doubtless a reference to true relief and salvation through offerings of the sacrificial lambs. Jehovah is the speaker through his prophet, who here appears to sympathize and mourn with Moab.

V. 2. Cast out-Which knows not whither to go. Arnon-Which was the border of the land of Moab, where they were, with design to flee out of their land, tho’ they knew not whither.

Verses 1, 2. Send ye the lamb, &c. — The prophet continues his prophecy against Moab, and gives them counsel what to do to prevent, if possible, or at least to mitigate, the threatened judgment. First he advises them to be just to the house of David, and to pay the tribute they had formerly covenanted to pay to the kings of his line. David, it must be recollected, had subdued the Moabites, and made them tributaries to him, 2 Samuel 8:2. Afterward they paid their tribute to the kings of Israel, 2 Kings 3:1 2 Kings

2, 3. For — Not for, but and, it shall be — If they comply, then this shall follow: that, as a wandering bird cast… nest — Moab must acquire favour from Israel or Judah right early, (verse 1,) for soon she would stand a restless fugitive on the borders of the latter, and implore protection. Fugitives, here, are compared to fluttering birds, routed from their nests, and left in timid indecision. Daughters of Moab — Usually, and especially as applied to Judah, Babylon. etc., the word “daughters” of a place are the inhabitants of the place. But here the women seem to be the suppliants. They stand at the ford of Arnon, the ancient border of Moab. Numbers 21:13. The exhortation to them is, Take counsel — Apply counsel given by the prophet. Execute judgment — Rather, decision. Decide at once to pass the stream. No delay is admissible. Flee for help to the mount in Jerusalem, Mount Zion. Shadow as the night — Seek protection from divine wrath, such as the shadow of night is, from enemies. Let the Lord be thy shadow and pavilion, and be secure as much in noonday as in the night. Hide the outcasts — In turn make secure the exiles from Judah in your midst. Often had Moab been such a refuge. Bewray not — Reveal not the place of the persecuted exile.

V. 3. Take counsel-Consider seriously what course to take. Shadow-Or, as the shadow of the night, large and dark, as the shadow of the earth is in the night-season. Conceal and protect my people in the time of their distress. The out-casts-Those of my people who are driven out of their land. Wandereth-Unto their enemies.

Verse 3. Take counsel— “Impart counsel”] The Vulgate renders the verbs in the beginning of this verse in the singular number, So the Keri; and so likewise sixty-one MSS. of Kennicott’s and Deuteronomy Rossi’s have it, and nineteen editions, and the Syriac. The verbs throughout the verse are also in the feminine gender; agreeing with Zion, which I suppose to be understood.

3:4; which, it appears, was not less than 100,000 lambs annually. This it is likely had been discontinued, and neither paid to the kings of Israel nor those of Judah. Now it is thought the prophet here requires them to pay this tribute, or, at least, what they had covenanted with David to pay, to the king of Judah, who was now Hezekiah, that thereby they might at once do an act of neglected justice, and make him and the Jews their friends, which would be of great use to them in their calamity. These verses therefore are thus paraphrased by Vitringa: “Ye Moabites, who, subdued by David, and made tributary to his house and kingdom, have, with pride and arrogance, shaken off his yoke: placate in time, and render propitious to you, the Jews, and their king, by sending those lambs, which you owe to them as a tribute. Send them from Sela, or Petra, (which was most celebrated for its flocks, 2 Kings 14:7,) toward the desert, the desert near Jericho, a medium place between Sela and mount Zion, Joshua 5:10 Joshua

2, 3. For — Not for, but and, it shall be — If they comply, then this shall follow: that, as a wandering bird cast… nest — Moab must acquire favour from Israel or Judah right early, (verse 1,) for soon she would stand a restless fugitive on the borders of the latter, and implore protection. Fugitives, here, are compared to fluttering birds, routed from their nests, and left in timid indecision. Daughters of Moab — Usually, and especially as applied to Judah, Babylon. etc., the word “daughters” of a place are the inhabitants of the place. But here the women seem to be the suppliants. They stand at the ford of Arnon, the ancient border of Moab. Numbers 21:13. The exhortation to them is, Take counsel — Apply counsel given by the prophet. Execute judgment — Rather, decision. Decide at once to pass the stream. No delay is admissible. Flee for help to the mount in Jerusalem, Mount Zion. Shadow as the night — Seek protection from divine wrath, such as the shadow of night is, from enemies. Let the Lord be thy shadow and pavilion, and be secure as much in noonday as in the night. Hide the outcasts — In turn make secure the exiles from Judah in your midst. Often had Moab been such a refuge. Bewray not — Reveal not the place of the persecuted exile.

V. 4. Mine out-casts-Whom tho’ I have sorely chastened, yet I own for my people. At an end-Shall shortly be destroyed, and then thou wilt not lose the fruit of thy kindness. The present tense is put for the future.

Verse 4. Let mine outcasts dwell with thee, Moab— “Let the outcasts of Moab sojourn with thee, O Zion”] Setting the points aside, this is by much the most obvious construction of the Hebrew, as well as most agreeable to the context, and the design of the prophet. And it is confirmed by the Septuagint oi fugadev Mwab, and Syriac.

The oppressors— “The oppressor”] Perhaps the Israelites, who in the time of Ahab invaded Judah, defeated his army, slaying one hundred and twenty thousand men, and brought the kingdom to the brink of destruction. Judah, being now in a more prosperous condition, is represented as able to receive and to protect the fugitive Moabites. And with those former times of distress the security and flourishing state of the kingdom under the government of Hezekiah is contrasted.

3:4; which, it appears, was not less than 100,000 lambs annually. This it is likely had been discontinued, and neither paid to the kings of Israel nor those of Judah. Now it is thought the prophet here requires them to pay this tribute, or, at least, what they had covenanted with David to pay, to the king of Judah, who was now Hezekiah, that thereby they might at once do an act of neglected justice, and make him and the Jews their friends, which would be of great use to them in their calamity. These verses therefore are thus paraphrased by Vitringa: “Ye Moabites, who, subdued by David, and made tributary to his house and kingdom, have, with pride and arrogance, shaken off his yoke: placate in time, and render propitious to you, the Jews, and their king, by sending those lambs, which you owe to them as a tribute. Send them from Sela, or Petra, (which was most celebrated for its flocks, 2 Kings 14:7,) toward the desert, the desert near Jericho, a medium place between Sela and mount Zion, Joshua 5:10 Joshua

4, 5. Be thou a covert — Who the object of address here is, is matter of dispute. Some make it Moab, others, Judah. The sense depends on which it is. If it be Moab, as the older and later but best accredited writers hold, the “outcasts” here are those of Israel; if it be Israel, those of Moab. The exhortation may be appropriate either way. Give the fugitives, whoever they are, shelter; they will not need it long. The extortioner will soon cease. Oppression will soon be over. Trampling invaders, whether here or there, will in judgment be consumed. Not unlikely the reference is to invading Assyrians. Possibly, also, a comprehensive extension is made to oppressors, at one time of Judah, at another of Moab, covering the whole history of both. The transition from the one to the other, if it exist, is sudden and obscure: yet as an appeal it might well enough apply to both. Applying to the Jews as affording shelter to fugitives from Moab, the promise is that their own government shall be strengthened by this exercise of mercy, and their prosperity promoted by the coming of a king in the family of David — the Messianic king — who shall judge and seek justice and be prompt in equity and truth. And this means not Hezekiah merely, but all good kings to come, but chiefly the high antitype of David, the Messiah.

V. 5. In mercy-By my mercy. I am now punishing their sins, yet I will deliver them for my own mercy’s sake. The throne-The kingdom of Judah. He-Their king. In truth-That is, firmly and constantly; for truth is often put for the stability and certainty of a thing, as 2 Chronicles 32:1 Prov 11:18. Tabernacle-In the house, or palace, which is called a tent, or tabernacle, with respect to the unsettledness of David’s house, which now indeed was more like a tabernacle than a strong palace. Seeking-Searching out the truth of things with care and diligence. Hasting-Neither denying, nor yet delaying justice.

Verse 5. In mercy shall the throne be established] May not this refer to the throne of Hezekiah? Here we have the character of such a king as cannot fail to be a blessing to the people. 1. “He sitteth on the throne in truth”—He does not merely profess to be the father and protector of his people: but he is actually such. 2. He is judging. He is not a man of war or blood, who wastes his subjects’ lives and treasures in contentions with neighbouring nations, in order to satisfy his ambition by the extension of his territory. On the contrary, his whole life is occupied in the distribution of justice. 3. He seeketh judgment. He seeks out the poor distressed ones who cannot make their way to him, and avenges them on their oppressors.

4. He hastens righteousness. He does not suffer any of the courts of justice to delay the determination of the causes brought before them: he so orders that the point in litigation be fairly, fully, and speedily heard; and then judgment pronounced. Delays in the execution of justice answer little end but the enriching of unprincipled lawyers.

5:10.” Or, as the words may be rendered, from Sela, of, or, in the wilderness. “Pay this tribute, for it shall most certainly come to pass, that the daughters of the Moabites, like a wandering bird from a deserted nest, driven from their seats, must somewhere seek a place of safety in the great calamity which shall befall their nation. It is therefore now time to solicit the friendship of the Jews, and to remember the duty owing to them, but so long omitted; that when expelled from your own habitations, you may be received kindly by them, and dwell hospitably in their land, and under the shadow of their kings.” Some, however, understand the prophet as advising them to send a lamb for a sacrifice unto God, the ruler of the land of the Moabites, as well as of that of the Jews; or the ruler of the earth, as xra is commonly rendered: to him who is the God of the whole earth, as he is called, Isaiah 54:5. Of all the kingdoms of the earth, Isaiah 37:16. As if he had said, Make your peace with God, by sacrifice, for all your injuries done to him and to his people. The fords of Arnon was the border of the land of Moab, where their daughters are supposed to be with a design to flee out of their own land, though they knew not whither. Verses 3, 4. Take counsel, &c. — We have here the second counsel given to the Moabites, which “contains a complex of various offices, equity, justice, humanity, to be exercised toward those of the Israelites whom the Assyrian affliction had driven, or should drive, to their borders and cities, and who should seek refuge among them: which counsel is so given to the Moabites, by the prophet, as evidently to upbraid them for the fault of having neglected these offices; the pernicious consequences of which they were sure to feel in the ensuing calamities, if they altered not so bad a practice.” — Dodd, Execute judgment — Hebrew, hlylp yc[, make a distinction. The expression denotes that act of the mind whereby it “discriminates truth from falsehood, right from wrong;” as if he had said, “Consider what becomes you, what is your duty in this case; what you owe to exiles and outcasts, both by the laws of equity and reason, of humanity and brotherly love.” Make thy shadow as the night — Or, as the shadow of the night, large and dark, as the shadow of the earth is in the night-season. “Afford my exiled and afflicted people, who shall flee to you for safety, a safe retreat, defence, and succour against the extreme, the noon-day heat of the sharp persecution which so heavily oppresses them.” The idea is taken from the comfort of a shady situation in those hot countries; and the metaphor is fully explained in what follows. Vitringa is of opinion that the prophet here refers to the distress of the Reubenites, Gadites, and Manassites under Tiglath-pileser. But it is more probable that he refers to the distress which should be caused in Judah by Pekah and Rezin, in the days of Ahaz, (Isaiah 9:1,) or that by the Assyrians? when Sennacherib came up against the defenced cities of Judah, and took them, Isaiah 36:1; during which distresses, undoubtedly, many of the Jews sought shelter among the Moabites and other neighbouring nations. For the extortioner is at an end — Hebrew, xmh spa, the presser, wringer, or oppressor hath left off, or, as Bishop Lowth translates it, is no more; that is, shall shortly be destroyed, and my people shall ere long be restored, and then thou wilt not lose the fruit of thy kindness. The bishop renders the next two clauses, “The destroyer ceaseth, he that trampled under foot is perished from the land.” The present tense is put for the future, as it often is in prophecies. Thus “the prophet supports his counsel by a reason, the sum of which is, that oppression should cease, the spoilers of the earth be cut off, and the throne of clemency and grace established, on which a king of righteousness and equity should sit.”

Verse 5. And in mercy — By my mercy. I am now punishing their sins, yet I will deliver them for my own mercy’s sake. The throne shall be established — The kingdom of Judah. He — Their king; shall sit upon it in truth — That is, firmly and constantly; for truth is often put for the stability and certainty of a thing, as 2 Chronicles 32:1; Proverbs 11:18. In the tabernacle of David — In the house, or palace, which is called a tent, or tabernacle, with respect to the unsettledness of David’s house, which now indeed was more like a tabernacle than a strong palace. Seeking judgment — Searching out the truth of things with care and diligence; and hasting righteousness — Neither denying nor yet delaying justice. Interpreters vary greatly concerning the application of this passage. Some refer it entirely to Hezekiah, a pious and just king, whose throne, after the chastisement of Sennacherib in Judea, was established in glory; others refer it immediately to the Messiah; and others again to both: to Hezekiah as the type, and to the Messiah, in a more sublime sense, as the antitype; and this seems to be nearly the opinion of Vitringa, who thinks that while the prophet was speaking of the advantages of the kingdom of Hezekiah, he was carried forward to a contemplation of the kingdom of Christ, and made use of such phrases as, in their full extent, can only be applied to that kingdom.

4, 5. Be thou a covert — Who the object of address here is, is matter of dispute. Some make it Moab, others, Judah. The sense depends on which it is. If it be Moab, as the older and later but best accredited writers hold, the “outcasts” here are those of Israel; if it be Israel, those of Moab. The exhortation may be appropriate either way. Give the fugitives, whoever they are, shelter; they will not need it long. The extortioner will soon cease. Oppression will soon be over. Trampling invaders, whether here or there, will in judgment be consumed. Not unlikely the reference is to invading Assyrians. Possibly, also, a comprehensive extension is made to oppressors, at one time of Judah, at another of Moab, covering the whole history of both. The transition from the one to the other, if it exist, is sudden and obscure: yet as an appeal it might well enough apply to both. Applying to the Jews as affording shelter to fugitives from Moab, the promise is that their own government shall be strengthened by this exercise of mercy, and their prosperity promoted by the coming of a king in the family of David — the Messianic king — who shall judge and seek justice and be prompt in equity and truth. And this means not Hezekiah merely, but all good kings to come, but chiefly the high antitype of David, the Messiah.

V. 6. We-The prophet having spoken to the Moabites, now turns his speech to God’s people. The sense is, I do not expect that my counsels will have any good effect upon Moab; they will still carry themselves insolently and outrageously. His lies-His vain imaginations, and false and crafty counsels, shall not take effect.

Verse 6. We have heard of the pride of Moab— “We have heard the pride of Moab”] For ag ge, read hag geah; two MSS., one ancient, and Jeremiah 48:29. Zephaniah, Zephaniah 2:8-10, in his prophecy against Moab, the subject of which is the same with that of Jeremiah in his forty-eighth chapter, (see Clarke’s note on “Isaiah 15:1”,) enlarges much on the pride of Moab, and their insolent behaviour towards the Jews:—

“I have heard the reproach of Moab;

And the revilings of the sons of Ammon:

Who have reproached my people;

And have magnified themselves against their borders. Therefore, as I live, saith JEHOVAH God of hosts, the God of Israel: Surely Moab shall be as Sodom,

And the sons of Ammon as Gomorrah:

A possession of nettles, and pits of salt,

And a desolation for ever.

The residue of my people shall spoil them,

And the remnant of my nation shall dispossess them:

This shall they have for their pride;

Because they have raised a reproach, and have magnified themselves Against the people of JEHOVAH God of hosts.”

Verses 6, 7. We have heard of the pride of Moab, &c. — The prophet, having spoken to the Moabites, now turns his speech to God’s people. The sense is, I do not expect that my counsels will have any good effect upon Moab; they will still carry themselves insolently and outrageously. His lies shall not be so — His vain imaginations, and false and crafty counsels, shall not take effect. Therefore shall Moab howl for Moab — One Moabite shall howl or lament to or for another; for the foundations of Kir-hareseth — An ancient and eminent city of Moab, called Kir, Isaiah 15:1, and Kir-haresh, verse 11, which was preserved when their other cities were ruined, and therefore the destruction of it was more lamented. Surely they are stricken — Or broken, overthrown or destroyed.

6. Whether Moab or Israel, or both, were intended in the promise, Moab will give no heed to it. We — Probably Jews. Have heard of the pride of Moab — We all have heard of and know his “pride;” he is so very proud that he will reject both counsel and promise. See the parallel in Jeremiah 48:20, 29. His lies… not… so — Shall not be confirmed or established. Impotent and vain shall they be.

V. 7. Moab-One Moabite shall howl or lament to or for another. Kirhareseth-An ancient and eminent city of Moab, which was preserved when their other cities were ruined, and therefore the destruction of it was more lamented. Stricken-Or, broken, overthrown or destroyed.

Verse 7. For the foundations of Kir-hareseth— “For the men of Kirhares.”] A palpable mistake in this place is happily corrected by the parallel text of Jeremiah 48:31, where, instead of yvyva ashishey, foundations or flagons, nve read yvna anshey, men. In the same place of Jeremiah, and in Jeremiah 48:36, and here in Isaiah 16:11, the name of the city is Kirhares, not Kir-hareseth.

Verses 6, 7. We have heard of the pride of Moab, &c. — The prophet, having spoken to the Moabites, now turns his speech to God’s people. The sense is, I do not expect that my counsels will have any good effect upon Moab; they will still carry themselves insolently and outrageously. His lies shall not be so — His vain imaginations, and false and crafty counsels, shall not take effect. Therefore shall Moab howl for Moab — One Moabite shall howl or lament to or for another; for the foundations of Kir-hareseth — An ancient and eminent city of Moab, called Kir, Isaiah 15:1, and Kir-haresh, verse 11, which was preserved when their other cities were ruined, and therefore the destruction of it was more lamented. Surely they are stricken — Or broken, overthrown or destroyed.

7. Therefore — As a certain result foreseen in the fate of Moab. Shall Moab howl for Moab — One part for the other parts shall mutually mourn. It shall be a universal “howl.” Foundations of Kir-hareseth — The strongest fortress of the nation shall be overthrown. Kir was on the southernmost limits. The word means a wall, a strong wall. Hareseth — Used of bricks, potsherds, glazed tiles. Some (as Vitringa, Delitzsch, Alexander, and others) hint at another meaning to the word here rendered “foundations.” They render it grapes, cakes, raisins, or pressed grapes, an article of refreshment to wearied ones, thus changing the thought entirely, yet making it congruous with the thought of the verse following.

V. 8. The lords-The Assyrians or Chaldeans, the great rulers of the eastern nations. Plants-The choicest vines. Under which one particular he seems to understand, not only all other fruits and goods, but even their choicest people. They-The lords of the heathen are come as far as Jazer, which is the utmost border of Moab. Wandered-The Moabites fled for their lives, and wandered hither and thither in the wilderness of Moab. Branches-Her people, called plants before. Stretched-Driven from their own homes, and dispersed into several countries. The sea-Over the Dead-sea, which was the border of Moab. They were forced to flee out of their own country to save their lives.

Verse 8. Languish— “Are put to shame”] Here the text of Jeremiah leaves us much at a loss, in a place that seems to be greatly corrupted. The Septuagint join the two last words of this verse with the beginning of the following. Their rendering is: kai ouk entraphsh, ta pedia Esebwn. For Ëa ach they must have read la al; otherwise, how came they by the negative, which seems not to belong to this place? Neither is it easy to make sense of the rest without a small alteration, by reading, instead of entraphsh ta, entraphsetai. In a word, the Arabic version taken from the Septuagint, plainly authorizes this reading of the Septuagint, and without the negative; and it is fully confirmed by MSS. Pachom. and I. D. II., which have both of them entraphsetai pedia Esebwn, without the negative; which makes an excellent sense, and, I think, gives us the true reading of the Hebrew text; חשבונ שדמות wmlkn Ëa ak nichlemu shadmoth cheshbon. They frequently render the verb נכלם nichlam by entrepomai. And wmlkn nichlemu answers perfectly well to llma umlal, the parallel word in the next line. The MSS. vary in expressing the word נכאים nechaim, which gives no tolerable sense in this place; one reads נוכאים nochaim; two others בכאים bechaim; in another the k caph is upon a rasure of two letters; and the Vulgate instead of it reads מכותם mecotham, plagas suas.—L.

For the men of Kirhares ye shall make a moan. For the fields of Heshbon are put to shame. This is Bp. Lowth’s sense of the passage. Her branches are stretched out— “Her branches extended themselves.”] For wvcn nitteshu, a MS. has wvgn niggeshu; which may perhaps be right. Compare Jeremiah 48:32, which has in this part of the sentence the synonymous word נגעו nagau.

The meaning of this verse is, that the wines of Sibmah and Heshbon were greatly celebrated, and in high repute with all the great men and princes of that and the neighbouring countries; who indulged themselves even to intemperance in the use of them. So that their vines were so much in request as not only to be propagated all over the country of Moab to the sea of Sodom, but to have scions of them sent even beyond the sea into foreign countries. wmlh halemu, knocked down, demolished; that is overpowered, intoxicated. The drunkards of Ephraim are called by the prophet, Isaiah 28:1, יינ ymwlh halumey yayin, drinkers of wine. See Schultens on Proverbs 23:25. Grotius, speaking of the Mareotic wine, says of it,

Pharios quæ fregit noxia reges. CYNEG. 312.

Verses 8-10. The fields of Heshbon languish — Either for want of rain, or, rather, because no men should be left to till and manure them. And the vine of Sibmah — These vines and those of Heshbon were greatly celebrated, and held in high repute with all the great men and princes of that and the neighbouring countries, and were propagated from thence, not only over all the country of Moab, but to the sea of Sodom; yea, scions of them, as is signified in the last clause of this verse, were sent even beyond the sea into foreign countries: but the prophet here foretels, that the lords of the heathen — That is, the Assyrians or Chaldeans, the great rulers of the eastern nations, would soon destroy them, and all other productions of the land; and then their shouting and singing for the vintage or harvest would utterly cease, as is expressed verses 9, 10.

8. Fields of Heshbon — The region around Heshbon on the north, noted for choice vineyards. Languish — Or, wither. The locality lies near to the former sites of Sodom and Gomorrah, on the plain north of the Dead Sea, not south as heretofore believed. The vine of Sibmah — This place has not been identified. Jerome speaks of it as only about half a Roman mile from Hesh-bon. The why the vineyards stand withered is, the lords of the nations have broken off, or down, the principal plants thereof. Either Moab’s own masters, princes, or Assyrian warriors, were wantonly making havoc in the land: the action is the perpetual present of prophecy — proleptic. They — The vine plants. Come even unto Jazer — So luxuriant are they. The same wandered — or trailed — through the desert eastward. They are gone over the sea — Westward, to the sea or pools of Jazer, or even to the Dead Sea. The fruitful, extending vine is a favourite symbol with Old Testament poets for a populous and luxuriant nation.

V. 9. Sibmah-I will bewail Sibmah, as I did bewail Jazer, which was destroyed before Sibmah. Fallen-Those joyful shouts which were customary in the time of harvest and vintage, shall cease.

Verse 9. With the weeping— “As with the weeping”] For ykbb bibechi, a MS. reads ykb bechi. In Jeremiah 48:32, it is ykbm mibbechi. The Septuagint read ykbk kibeki, as with weeping, which I follow. For thy summer fruits and for thy harvest is fallen— “And upon thy vintage the destroyer hath fallen.”] lpn ddyh Ëryxq ועל veal ketsirech heidad naphal. In these few words there are two great mistakes, which the text of Jeremiah 48:32 rectifies. For Ëryxq ketsirech, it has Ëryxb betsirech; and for ddyh heidad, ddv shoded; both which corrections the Chaldee in this place confirms. As to the first,

“Hesebon and Eleale, and

The flowery dale of Sibmah, clad with vines,”

were never celebrated for their harvests; it was the vintage that suffered by the irruption of the enemy; and so read the Septuagint and Syriac. ddyh heidad is the noisy acclamation of the treaders of the grapes. And see what sense this makes in the literal rendering of the Vulgate: super messem tuam vox calcantium irruit, “upon thy harvest the voice of the treaders rushes.” The reading in Jeremiah 48:32 is certainly right, lpn ddv shoded naphal, “the destroyer hath fallen.” The shout of the treaders does not come in till the next verse; in which the text of Isaiah in its turn mends that of Jeremiah, Jeremiah 48:33, where instead of the first ddyh heidad, “the shout,” we ought undoubtedly to read, as here, Ërdh haddorech, “the treader.”

Verses 8-10. The fields of Heshbon languish — Either for want of rain, or, rather, because no men should be left to till and manure them. And the vine of Sibmah — These vines and those of Heshbon were greatly celebrated, and held in high repute with all the great men and princes of that and the neighbouring countries, and were propagated from thence, not only over all the country of Moab, but to the sea of Sodom; yea, scions of them, as is signified in the last clause of this verse, were sent even beyond the sea into foreign countries: but the prophet here foretels, that the lords of the heathen — That is, the Assyrians or Chaldeans, the great rulers of the eastern nations, would soon destroy them, and all other productions of the land; and then their shouting and singing for the vintage or harvest would utterly cease, as is expressed verses 9, 10.

9, 10. I will water thee with my tears — The prophet turns to mourning again for the woes of Moab, with a sorrow, however, not patriotic. It is because the wrath of Jehovah falls thus on that guilty people. He joins the people of Jazer in their weeping for their loss of rich vintages by means of the enemy. The loss upon Heshbon and upon Elealeh (near to “Heshbon”) is shown by the fact that the shout of the harvesters has ceased. In times of harvest and grape gathering joyous shouts are heard in all Oriental lands. Now all is silent in fields and at wine-presses in the land of Moab, and tears of sympathy gush from even the eyes of a denouncing prophet.

V. 10. Treaders-In those times they used to squeeze out the juice of their grapes by treading them with their feet.

Verse 10. Neither shall there be shouting— “An end is put to the shouting”] The Septuagint read tbvh hishbeth, passive, and in the third person; rightly, for God is not the speaker in this place. The rendering of the Septuagint is pepautai gar keleusma, “the cry ceaseth;” which last word, necessary to the rendering of the Hebrew and to the sense, is supplied by MSS. Pachom. and I. D. II., having been lost out of the other copies.

Verses 8-10. The fields of Heshbon languish — Either for want of rain, or, rather, because no men should be left to till and manure them. And the vine of Sibmah — These vines and those of Heshbon were greatly celebrated, and held in high repute with all the great men and princes of that and the neighbouring countries, and were propagated from thence, not only over all the country of Moab, but to the sea of Sodom; yea, scions of them, as is signified in the last clause of this verse, were sent even beyond the sea into foreign countries: but the prophet here foretels, that the lords of the heathen — That is, the Assyrians or Chaldeans, the great rulers of the eastern nations, would soon destroy them, and all other productions of the land; and then their shouting and singing for the vintage or harvest would utterly cease, as is expressed verses 9, 10.

9, 10. I will water thee with my tears — The prophet turns to mourning again for the woes of Moab, with a sorrow, however, not patriotic. It is because the wrath of Jehovah falls thus on that guilty people. He joins the people of Jazer in their weeping for their loss of rich vintages by means of the enemy. The loss upon Heshbon and upon Elealeh (near to “Heshbon”) is shown by the fact that the shout of the harvesters has ceased. In times of harvest and grape gathering joyous shouts are heard in all Oriental lands. Now all is silent in fields and at wine-presses in the land of Moab, and tears of sympathy gush from even the eyes of a denouncing prophet.

V. 11. My bowels-Thro’ compassion. In excessive grief, the bowels are sometimes rolled together, so as to make an audible noise.

Verses 11, 12. Wherefore my bowels shall sound as a harp — Through compassion. In excessive grief, the bowels are sometimes rolled together, so as to make an audible noise. Hereby he signifies the greatness of their approaching calamity, which, being so grievous to him, must needs be intolerable to them. And when it is seen that Moab is weary, &c. — When it shall appear to them and others, that all their other devotions are vain and ineffectual; he shall come to his sanctuary to pray — To the temple of his great god Chemosh; but he shall not prevail — His god can neither hear nor help him. In other words, the Moabites, “as their last efforts, shall go to their altars, there to perform their sacred rites to appease the anger of their deity: but, wearied herewith, they shall enter into some more sacred and celebrated sanctuary of their god, to pour forth their earnest supplications and prayers, but shall obtain nothing; thus proving the vanity of their superstition, and the imbecility of those false deities on whom they trusted.”

11. Wherefore my bowels — An expression of deepest grief. The viscera above the diaphragm, including heart, lungs, liver, are here called “bowels.” Shall sound like a harp — Grief was capable, it was thought, of causing the heart to beat and the nerves to tremble; and such sensations were fancied to resemble low harp sounds.

V. 12. When-When it shall appear that all their other devotions are vain. His sanctuary-To the temple of his great god Chemosh. But-His god can neither hear nor help him.

Verse 12. When it is seen that Moab, &c.— “When Moab shall see,” &c.] For harn nirah, a MS. reads har raah, and so the Syriac and Chaldee. “Perhaps harn yk ki nirah is only a various reading of haln yk ki nilah.” SECKER. A very probable conjecture.

Verses 11, 12. Wherefore my bowels shall sound as a harp — Through compassion. In excessive grief, the bowels are sometimes rolled together, so as to make an audible noise. Hereby he signifies the greatness of their approaching calamity, which, being so grievous to him, must needs be intolerable to them. And when it is seen that Moab is weary, &c. — When it shall appear to them and others, that all their other devotions are vain and ineffectual; he shall come to his sanctuary to pray — To the temple of his great god Chemosh; but he shall not prevail — His god can neither hear nor help him. In other words, the Moabites, “as their last efforts, shall go to their altars, there to perform their sacred rites to appease the anger of their deity: but, wearied herewith, they shall enter into some more sacred and celebrated sanctuary of their god, to pour forth their earnest supplications and prayers, but shall obtain nothing; thus proving the vanity of their superstition, and the imbecility of those false deities on whom they trusted.”

12-14. From times long, long past, Jehovah denounced calamity to Moab. Poole refers to Numbers 21:27-30, as intended. To the nation as a whole there was no relief. Moab is weary on the high place — “Weary” with offering unanswered prayer to Chemosh, his god, in his sanctuary, always on hills. “Weary,” also, with calamities. Word… since that time — Or, hitherto. “Word,” here, signifies former predictions respecting Moab; other prophets uttered them. They embodied the same principles contained in this entire prophecy. Isaiah now reiterates them as still applicable; and while his prophecy is in part generic, there is a reference in the fourteenth verse to a specific time when the ruin of Moab by some northern power shall be completed, and but the smallest remnant left of the people; they being chiefly those who abandon Chemosh for the worship of Jehovah. “The clause, as the years of a hireling, here, and Isaiah 21:16, must render the designation of time somewhat more definite, inasmuch as the hired labourer serves out his time but no more. Hence the sense is, ‘No longer and no shorter.’ See Isaiah 18:25.” — Gesenius. The prophecy, as a whole, is very obscure. The theory of it as a generic prophecy, covering conditions of Moab at different periods, helps to some solution of it, but its comparative historic relations are so slight as to keep it still obscure.

V. 13. Since-Since the beginning of God’s revelation to me concerning Moab, hitherto.

Verses 13, 14. This is the word that the Lord hath spoken — This prophecy, hitherto related; since that time — Since the beginning of God’s revelation to me concerning Moab hitherto; or, rather, a good while ago, for so the Hebrew, zam, meaz, signifies, Isaiah 44:8, and elsewhere. This judgment, says the prophet, was denounced against Moab in former times, particularly by Amos, (Amos 2:1,) and is now confirmed, and the particular time specified when it shall be accomplished. For now the Lord hath spoken — Hath made this further discovery of his mind to me; saying, Within three years — To be computed, it seems, from the time of the delivery of this prophecy; as the years of a hireling — That is, within three years precisely counted; for hirelings are very punctual in observing the time for which they are hired; and the glory of Moab shall be contemned — Their strength, and wealth, and other things in which they glory, shall be made contemptible to those who formerly admired them; with all that great multitude — With the great numbers of their people, of which they boasted. And the remnant shall be very small and feeble — Comparatively to what they were before. Vitringa is of opinion, that this prophecy was delivered at the same time with that preceding, that is, in the year when Ahaz died, at which time the Israelites, as well as the Jews, stood much in need of the kindness of the Moabites; so that it had its completion in the third year of King Hezekiah, namely, from the death of his father, which was really the fourth year of his reign, when Shalmaneser, coming against the Ephraimites, on a sudden attacked the Moabites, and plundered and destroyed their cities: see 2 Kings 18:9. This is also Bishop Lowth’s opinion, as has been stated in the note on Isaiah 15:1. It may, however, be understood of some other great blow given to the Moabites; perhaps by Sennacherib, or by his son Esar-haddon; (in which case Isaiah must have delivered this prophecy some years later;) from which blow, notwithstanding, they in a little time recovered themselves, and flourished again, and continued so to do, till Nebuchadnezzar completed their destruction according to the prophecy of Jeremiah 48:1, &c.

12-14. From times long, long past, Jehovah denounced calamity to Moab. Poole refers to Numbers 21:27-30, as intended. To the nation as a whole there was no relief. Moab is weary on the high place — “Weary” with offering unanswered prayer to Chemosh, his god, in his sanctuary, always on hills. “Weary,” also, with calamities. Word… since that time — Or, hitherto. “Word,” here, signifies former predictions respecting Moab; other prophets uttered them. They embodied the same principles contained in this entire prophecy. Isaiah now reiterates them as still applicable; and while his prophecy is in part generic, there is a reference in the fourteenth verse to a specific time when the ruin of Moab by some northern power shall be completed, and but the smallest remnant left of the people; they being chiefly those who abandon Chemosh for the worship of Jehovah. “The clause, as the years of a hireling, here, and Isaiah 21:16, must render the designation of time somewhat more definite, inasmuch as the hired labourer serves out his time but no more. Hence the sense is, ‘No longer and no shorter.’ See Isaiah 18:25.” — Gesenius. The prophecy, as a whole, is very obscure. The theory of it as a generic prophecy, covering conditions of Moab at different periods, helps to some solution of it, but its comparative historic relations are so slight as to keep it still obscure.

V. 14. The Lord-Hath made this farther discovery of his mind to me. Three years-This may well be understood of some great blow given to the Moabites, either by Sennacherib, or his son Esarhaddon, from which notwithstanding they recovered and flourished again ‘till Nebuchadnezzar compleated their destruction. Hireling-Within three years precisely counted; for hirelings are very punctual in observing the time for which they are hired. The glory-Their strength, and wealth, and other things in which they glory, shall be made contemptible to those who formerly admired them. With-With the great numbers of their people, of which they boasted.

Verse 14. Within three years] vlvb beshalish vlvk keshalish, according, or in or about three years, is the reading of nine of Kennicott’s and Deuteronomy Rossi’s MSS., and two ancient editions. But the present reading may well stand: “Now, the Lord hath spoken, saying, Within three years, as the years of a hireling.” It seems as if this prophecy had been delivered before, without any time specified for its fulfilment; but now the time is determined— “in three years, as the years of a hireling”—for, as a hireling counts even to a single day, and will not abide with his employer an hour beyond the time agreed on; so, in three years, even to a day, from the delivery of this prophecy, shall destruction come upon Moab. This is the import of the present text; but if we take vlvk keshalish, AS in three years, or in about three years’ time, the prophecy is not so definite.

These three years, says Calmet, are mentioned from the death of Ahaz, see Isaiah 14:28, and end the third year of Hezekiah, three years before the taking of Samaria by Shalmaneser. This conquerer did not ruin Moab so completely as not to leave a man in the land; the final desolation of Moab was reserved for Nebuchadnezzar, five years after the taking of Jerusalem.

Feeble— “And without strength.”] An ancient MS., with the Septuagint, reads alw velo, “and not.”

ISAIAH

Verses 13, 14. This is the word that the Lord hath spoken — This prophecy, hitherto related; since that time — Since the beginning of God’s revelation to me concerning Moab hitherto; or, rather, a good while ago, for so the Hebrew, zam, meaz, signifies, Isaiah 44:8, and elsewhere. This judgment, says the prophet, was denounced against Moab in former times, particularly by Amos, (Amos 2:1,) and is now confirmed, and the particular time specified when it shall be accomplished. For now the Lord hath spoken — Hath made this further discovery of his mind to me; saying, Within three years — To be computed, it seems, from the time of the delivery of this prophecy; as the years of a hireling — That is, within three years precisely counted; for hirelings are very punctual in observing the time for which they are hired; and the glory of Moab shall be contemned — Their strength, and wealth, and other things in which they glory, shall be made contemptible to those who formerly admired them; with all that great multitude — With the great numbers of their people, of which they boasted. And the remnant shall be very small and feeble — Comparatively to what they were before. Vitringa is of opinion, that this prophecy was delivered at the same time with that preceding, that is, in the year when Ahaz died, at which time the Israelites, as well as the Jews, stood much in need of the kindness of the Moabites; so that it had its completion in the third year of King Hezekiah, namely, from the death of his father, which was really the fourth year of his reign, when Shalmaneser, coming against the Ephraimites, on a sudden attacked the Moabites, and plundered and destroyed their cities: see 2 Kings 18:9. This is also Bishop Lowth’s opinion, as has been stated in the note on Isaiah 15:1. It may, however, be understood of some other great blow given to the Moabites; perhaps by Sennacherib, or by his son Esar-haddon; (in which case Isaiah must have delivered this prophecy some years later;) from which blow, notwithstanding, they in a little time recovered themselves, and flourished again, and continued so to do, till Nebuchadnezzar completed their destruction according to the prophecy of Jeremiah 48:1, &c.

Ver. 14. But now the Lord hath spoken, saying, Within three years the glory of Moab, so great in population, in fortresses, in flocks and herds, shall be contemned and debased in all its multitude of people and cattle. It appears that the prophets had warned Moab prior to this final denunciation by Isaiah. And it might be that the prophet visited Moab, and gave them the warning; but if otherwise, they had it in writing.

The remnant shall be very small and feeble. Moab recovered from this visitation, but not to her former glory. She continued to encrease for a hundred and twenty years, when, five years after the fall of Jerusalem, and the burning of the temple, (at which she could not conceal her joy, Psalm 137:7) Nebuchadnezzar gave her a final overthrow, as the prophets had foretold. Amos 2:1-3. Jeremiah 48.

12-14. From times long, long past, Jehovah denounced calamity to Moab. Poole refers to Numbers 21:27-30, as intended. To the nation as a whole there was no relief. Moab is weary on the high place — “Weary” with offering unanswered prayer to Chemosh, his god, in his sanctuary, always on hills. “Weary,” also, with calamities. Word… since that time — Or, hitherto. “Word,” here, signifies former predictions respecting Moab; other prophets uttered them. They embodied the same principles contained in this entire prophecy. Isaiah now reiterates them as still applicable; and while his prophecy is in part generic, there is a reference in the fourteenth verse to a specific time when the ruin of Moab by some northern power shall be completed, and but the smallest remnant left of the people; they being chiefly those who abandon Chemosh for the worship of Jehovah. “The clause, as the years of a hireling, here, and Isaiah 21:16, must render the designation of time somewhat more definite, inasmuch as the hired labourer serves out his time but no more. Hence the sense is, ‘No longer and no shorter.’ See Isaiah 18:25.” — Gesenius. The prophecy, as a whole, is very obscure. The theory of it as a generic prophecy, covering conditions of Moab at different periods, helps to some solution of it, but its comparative historic relations are so slight as to keep it still obscure.