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Isaiah 15:1 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

1 The burden H4853 of Moab. H4124 Because in the night H3915 Ar H6144 of Moab H4124 is laid waste, H7703 and brought to silence; H1820 because in the night H3915 Kir H7024 of Moab H4124 is laid waste, H7703 and brought to silence; H1820

Cross Reference

Amos 2:1-3 STRONG

Thus saith H559 the LORD; H3068 For three H7969 transgressions H6588 of Moab, H4124 and for four, H702 I will not turn away H7725 the punishment thereof; because he burned H8313 the bones H6106 of the king H4428 of Edom H123 into lime: H7875 But I will send H7971 a fire H784 upon Moab, H4124 and it shall devour H398 the palaces H759 of Kerioth: H7152 and Moab H4124 shall die H4191 with tumult, H7588 with shouting, H8643 and with the sound H6963 of the trumpet: H7782 And I will cut off H3772 the judge H8199 from the midst H7130 thereof, and will slay H2026 all the princes H8269 thereof with him, saith H559 the LORD. H3068

Ezekiel 25:8-11 STRONG

Thus saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD; H3069 Because H3282 that Moab H4124 and Seir H8165 do say, H559 Behold, the house H1004 of Judah H3063 is like unto all the heathen; H1471 Therefore, behold, I will open H6605 the side H3802 of Moab H4124 from the cities, H5892 from his cities H5892 which are on his frontiers, H7097 the glory H6643 of the country, H776 Bethjeshimoth, H1020 Baalmeon, H1186 and Kiriathaim, H7156 Unto the men H1121 of the east H6924 with the Ammonites, H1121 H5983 and will give H5414 them in possession, H4181 that the Ammonites H1121 H5983 may not be remembered H2142 among the nations. H1471 And I will execute H6213 judgments H8201 upon Moab; H4124 and they shall know H3045 that I am the LORD. H3068

Zephaniah 2:8-11 STRONG

I have heard H8085 the reproach H2781 of Moab, H4124 and the revilings H1421 of the children H1121 of Ammon, H5983 whereby they have reproached H2778 my people, H5971 and magnified H1431 themselves against their border. H1366 Therefore as I live, H2416 saith H5002 the LORD H3068 of hosts, H6635 the God H430 of Israel, H3478 Surely Moab H4124 shall be as Sodom, H5467 and the children H1121 of Ammon H5983 as Gomorrah, H6017 even the breeding H4476 of nettles, H2738 and saltpits, H4379 H4417 and a perpetual H5704 H5769 desolation: H8077 the residue H7611 of my people H5971 shall spoil H962 them, and the remnant H3499 of my people H1471 shall possess H5157 them. This shall they have for their pride, H1347 because they have reproached H2778 and magnified H1431 themselves against the people H5971 of the LORD H3068 of hosts. H6635 The LORD H3068 will be terrible H3372 unto them: for he will famish H7329 all the gods H430 of the earth; H776 and men shall worship H7812 him, every one H376 from his place, H4725 even all the isles H339 of the heathen. H1471

Jeremiah 48:1-47 STRONG

Against Moab H4124 thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts, H6635 the God H430 of Israel; H3478 Woe H1945 unto Nebo! H5015 for it is spoiled: H7703 Kiriathaim H7156 is confounded H3001 and taken: H3920 Misgab H4869 is confounded H3001 and dismayed. H2865 There shall be no more praise H8416 of Moab: H4124 in Heshbon H2809 they have devised H2803 evil H7451 against it; come, H3212 and let us cut it off H3772 from being a nation. H1471 Also thou shalt be cut down, H1826 O Madmen; H4086 the sword H2719 shall pursue H3212 thee. H310 A voice H6963 of crying H6818 shall be from Horonaim, H2773 spoiling H7701 and great H1419 destruction. H7667 Moab H4124 is destroyed; H7665 her little ones H6810 have caused a cry H2201 to be heard. H8085 For in the going up H4608 of Luhith H3872 continual H1065 weeping H1065 shall go up; H5927 for in the going down H4174 of Horonaim H2773 the enemies H6862 have heard H8085 a cry H6818 of destruction. H7667 Flee, H5127 save H4422 your lives, H5315 and be H1961 like the heath H6176 in the wilderness. H4057 For because thou hast trusted H982 in thy works H4639 and in thy treasures, H214 thou shalt also be taken: H3920 and Chemosh H3645 shall go forth H3318 into captivity H1473 with his priests H3548 and his princes H8269 together. H3162 And the spoiler H7703 shall come H935 upon every city, H5892 and no city H5892 shall escape: H4422 the valley H6010 also shall perish, H6 and the plain H4334 shall be destroyed, H8045 as the LORD H3068 hath spoken. H559 Give H5414 wings H6731 unto Moab, H4124 that it may flee H5323 and get away: H3318 for the cities H5892 thereof shall be desolate, H8047 without any to dwell H3427 therein. H2004 Cursed H779 be he that doeth H6213 the work H4399 of the LORD H3068 deceitfully, H7423 and cursed H779 be he that keepeth back H4513 his sword H2719 from blood. H1818 Moab H4124 hath been at ease H7599 from his youth, H5271 and he hath settled H8252 on his lees, H8105 and hath not been emptied H7324 from vessel H3627 to vessel, H3627 neither hath he gone H1980 into captivity: H1473 therefore his taste H2940 remained H5975 in him, and his scent H7381 is not changed. H4171 Therefore, behold, the days H3117 come, H935 saith H5002 the LORD, H3068 that I will send H7971 unto him wanderers, H6808 that shall cause him to wander, H6808 and shall empty H7324 his vessels, H3627 and break H5310 their bottles. H5035 And Moab H4124 shall be ashamed H954 of Chemosh, H3645 as the house H1004 of Israel H3478 was ashamed H954 of Bethel H1008 their confidence. H4009 How say H559 ye, We are mighty H1368 and strong H2428 men H582 for the war? H4421 Moab H4124 is spoiled, H7703 and gone up H5927 out of her cities, H5892 and his chosen H4005 young men H970 are gone down H3381 to the slaughter, H2874 saith H5002 the King, H4428 whose name H8034 is the LORD H3068 of hosts. H6635 The calamity H343 of Moab H4124 is near H7138 to come, H935 and his affliction H7451 hasteth H4116 fast. H3966 All ye that are about H5439 him, bemoan H5110 him; and all ye that know H3045 his name, H8034 say, H559 How is the strong H5797 staff H4294 broken, H7665 and the beautiful H8597 rod! H4731 Thou daughter H1323 that dost inhabit H3427 Dibon, H1769 come down H3381 from thy glory, H3519 and sit H3427 in thirst; H6772 for the spoiler H7703 of Moab H4124 shall come H5927 upon thee, and he shall destroy H7843 thy strong holds. H4013 O inhabitant H3427 of Aroer, H6177 stand H5975 by the way, H1870 and espy; H6822 ask H7592 him that fleeth, H5127 and her that escapeth, H4422 and say, H559 What is done? H1961 Moab H4124 is confounded; H3001 for it is broken down: H2865 howl H3213 and cry; H2199 tell H5046 ye it in Arnon, H769 that Moab H4124 is spoiled, H7703 And judgment H4941 is come H935 upon the plain H4334 country; H776 upon Holon, H2473 and upon Jahazah, H3096 and upon Mephaath, H4158 And upon Dibon, H1769 and upon Nebo, H5015 and upon Bethdiblathaim, H1015 And upon Kiriathaim, H7156 and upon Bethgamul, H1014 and upon Bethmeon, H1010 And upon Kerioth, H7152 and upon Bozrah, H1224 and upon all the cities H5892 of the land H776 of Moab, H4124 far H7350 or near. H7138 The horn H7161 of Moab H4124 is cut off, H1438 and his arm H2220 is broken, H7665 saith H5002 the LORD. H3068 Make ye him drunken: H7937 for he magnified H1431 himself against the LORD: H3068 Moab H4124 also shall wallow H5606 in his vomit, H6892 and he also shall be in derision. H7814 For was not Israel H3478 a derision H7814 unto thee? was he found H4672 among thieves? H1590 for since H1767 thou spakest H1697 of him, thou skippedst H5110 for joy. O ye that dwell H3427 in Moab, H4124 leave H5800 the cities, H5892 and dwell H7931 in the rock, H5553 and be like the dove H3123 that maketh her nest H7077 in the sides H5676 of the hole's H6354 mouth. H6310 We have heard H8085 the pride H1347 of Moab, H4124 (he is exceeding H3966 proud) H1343 his loftiness, H1363 and his arrogancy, H1346 and his pride, H1347 and the haughtiness H7312 of his heart. H3820 I know H3045 his wrath, H5678 saith H5002 the LORD; H3068 but it shall not be so; his lies H907 shall not so effect H6213 it. Therefore will I howl H3213 for Moab, H4124 and I will cry out H2199 for all Moab; H4124 mine heart shall mourn H1897 for the men H582 of Kirheres. H7025 O vine H1612 of Sibmah, H7643 I will weep H1058 for thee with the weeping H1065 of Jazer: H3270 thy plants H5189 are gone over H5674 the sea, H3220 they reach H5060 even to the sea H3220 of Jazer: H3270 the spoiler H7703 is fallen H5307 upon thy summer fruits H7019 and upon thy vintage. H1210 And joy H8057 and gladness H1524 is taken H622 from the plentiful field, H3759 and from the land H776 of Moab; H4124 and I have caused wine H3196 to fail H7673 from the winepresses: H3342 none shall tread H1869 with shouting; H1959 their shouting H1959 shall be no shouting. H1959 From the cry H2201 of Heshbon H2809 even unto Elealeh, H500 and even unto Jahaz, H3096 have they uttered H5414 their voice, H6963 from Zoar H6820 even unto Horonaim, H2773 as an heifer H5697 of three years old: H7992 for the waters H4325 also of Nimrim H5249 shall be desolate. H4923 Moreover I will cause to cease H7673 in Moab, H4124 saith H5002 the LORD, H3068 him that offereth H5927 in the high places, H1116 and him that burneth incense H6999 to his gods. H430 Therefore mine heart H3820 shall sound H1993 for Moab H4124 like pipes, H2485 and mine heart H3820 shall sound H1993 like pipes H2485 for the men H582 of Kirheres: H7025 because the riches H3502 that he hath gotten H6213 are perished. H6 For every head H7218 shall be bald, H7144 and every beard H2206 clipped: H1639 upon all the hands H3027 shall be cuttings, H1417 and upon the loins H4975 sackcloth. H8242 There shall be lamentation H4553 generally upon all the housetops H1406 of Moab, H4124 and in the streets H7339 thereof: for I have broken H7665 Moab H4124 like a vessel H3627 wherein is no pleasure, H2656 saith H5002 the LORD. H3068 They shall howl, H3213 saying, How is it broken down! H2865 how hath Moab H4124 turned H6437 the back H6203 with shame! H954 so shall Moab H4124 be a derision H7814 and a dismaying H4288 to all them about H5439 him. For thus saith H559 the LORD; H3068 Behold, he shall fly H1675 as an eagle, H5404 and shall spread H6566 his wings H3671 over Moab. H4124 Kerioth H7152 is taken, H3920 and the strong holds H4679 are surprised, H8610 and the mighty men's H1368 hearts H3820 in Moab H4124 at that day H3117 shall be as the heart H3820 of a woman H802 in her pangs. H6887 And Moab H4124 shall be destroyed H8045 from being a people, H5971 because he hath magnified H1431 himself against the LORD. H3068 Fear, H6343 and the pit, H6354 and the snare, H6341 shall be upon thee, O inhabitant H3427 of Moab, H4124 saith H5002 the LORD. H3068 He that fleeth H5127 H5211 from H6440 the fear H6343 shall fall H5307 into the pit; H6354 and he that getteth up H5927 out of the pit H6354 shall be taken H3920 in the snare: H6341 for I will bring H935 upon it, even upon Moab, H4124 the year H8141 of their visitation, H6486 saith H5002 the LORD. H3068 They that fled H5127 stood H5975 under the shadow H6738 of Heshbon H2809 because of the force: H3581 but a fire H784 shall come forth H3318 out of Heshbon, H2809 and a flame H3852 from the midst H996 of Sihon, H5511 and shall devour H398 the corner H6285 of Moab, H4124 and the crown of the head H6936 of the tumultuous H7588 ones. H1121 Woe H188 be unto thee, O Moab! H4124 the people H5971 of Chemosh H3645 perisheth: H6 for thy sons H1121 are taken H3947 captives, H7628 and thy daughters H1323 captives. H7633 Yet will I bring again H7725 the captivity H7622 of Moab H4124 in the latter H319 days, H3117 saith H5002 the LORD. H3068 Thus far H2008 is the judgment H4941 of Moab. H4124

Exodus 12:29-30 STRONG

And it came to pass, that at midnight H2677 H3915 the LORD H3068 smote H5221 all the firstborn H1060 in the land H776 of Egypt, H4714 from the firstborn H1060 of Pharaoh H6547 that sat H3427 on his throne H3678 unto the firstborn H1060 of the captive H7628 that was in the dungeon; H1004 H953 and all the firstborn H1060 of cattle. H929 And Pharaoh H6547 rose up H6965 in the night, H3915 he, and all his servants, H5650 and all the Egyptians; H4714 and there was a great H1419 cry H6818 in Egypt; H4714 for there was not a house H1004 where there was not one dead. H4191

1 Thessalonians 5:1-3 STRONG

But G1161 of G4012 the times G5550 and G2532 the seasons, G2540 brethren, G80 ye have G2192 no G3756 need G5532 that I write G1125 unto you. G5213 For G1063 yourselves G846 know G1492 perfectly G199 that G3754 the day G2250 of the Lord G2962 so G3779 cometh G2064 as G5613 a thief G2812 in G1722 the night. G3571 For G1063 when G3752 they shall say, G3004 Peace G1515 and G2532 safety; G803 then G5119 sudden G160 destruction G3639 cometh upon G2186 them, G846 as G5618 travail G5604 upon G1722 a woman with child; G1064 G2192 and G2532 they shall G1628 not G3364 escape. G1628

Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Isaiah 15

Commentary on Isaiah 15 Matthew Henry Commentary


Chapter 15

This chapter, and that which follows it, are the burden of Moab-a prophecy of some great desolation that was coming upon that country, which bordered upon this land of Israel, and had often been injurious and vexatious to it, though the Moabites were descended from Lot, Abraham's kinsman and companion, and though the Israelites, by the appointment of God, had spared them when they might both easily and justly have cut them off with their neighbours. In this chapter we have,

  • I. Great lamentation made by the Moabites, and by the prophet himself for them (v. 1-5).
  • II. The great calamities which should occasion that lamentation and justify it (v. 6-9).

Isa 15:1-5

The country of Moab was of small extent, but very fruitful. It bordered upon the lot of Reuben on the other side Jordan and upon the Dead Sea. Naomi went to sojourn there when there was a famine in Canaan. This is the country which (it is here foretold) should be wasted and grievously harassed, not quite ruined, for we find another prophecy of its ruin (Jer. 48), which was accomplished by Nebuchadnezzar. This prophecy here was to be fulfilled within three years (ch. 16:14), and therefore was fulfilled in the devastations made of that country by the army of the Assyrians, which for many years ravaged those parts, enriching themselves with spoil and plunder. It was done either by the army of Shalmaneser, about the time of the taking of Samaria, in the fourth year of Hezekiah (as is most probable), or by the army of Sennacherib, which, ten years after, invaded Judah. We cannot suppose that the prophet went among the Moabites to preach to them this sermon; but he delivered it to his own people,

  • 1. To show them that, though judgment begins at the house of God, it shall not end there,-that there is a providence which governs the world and all the nations of it,-and that to the God of Israel the worshippers of false gods were accountable, and liable to his judgments.
  • 2. To give them a proof of God's care of them and jealousy for them, and to convince them that God was an enemy to their enemies, for such the Moabites had often been.
  • 3. That the accomplishment of this prophecy now shortly (within three years) might be a confirmation of the prophet's mission and of the truth of all his other prophecies, and might encourage the faithful to depend upon them.

Now concerning Moab it is here foretold,

  • I. That their chief cities should be surprised and taken in a night by the enemy, probably because the inhabitants, as the men of Laish, indulged themselves in ease and luxury, and dwelt securely (v. 1): Therefore there shall be great grief, because in the night Air of Moab is laid waste and Kir of Moab, the two principal cities of that kingdom. In the night that they were taken, or sacked, Moab was cut off. The seizing of them laid the whole country open, and made all the wealth of it an easy prey to the victorious army. Note,
    • 1. Great changes and very dismal ones may be made in a very little time. Here are two cities lost in a night, though that is the time of quietness. Let us therefore lie down as those that know not what a night may bring forth.
    • 2. As the country feeds the cities, so the cities protect the country, and neither can say to the other, I have no need of thee.
  • II. That the Moabites, being hereby put into the utmost consternation imaginable, should have recourse to their idols for relief, and pour out their tears before them (v. 2): He (that is, Moab, especially the king of Moab) has gone up to Bajith (or rather to the house or temple of Chemosh), and Dibon, the inhabitants of Dibon, have gone up to the high places, where they worshipped their idols, there to make their complaints. Note, It becomes a people in distress to seek to their God; and shall not we then thus walk in the name of the Lord our God, and call upon him in the time of trouble, before whom we shall not shed such useless profitless tears as they did before their gods?
  • III. That there should be the voice of universal grief all the country over. It is described here elegantly and very affectingly. Moab shall be a vale of tears-a little map of this world, v. 2. The Moabites shall lament the loss of Nebo and Medeba, two considerable cities, which, it is likely, were plundered and burnt. They shall tear their hair for grief to such a degree that on all their heads shall be baldness, and they shall cut off their beards, according to the customary expressions of mourning in those times and countries. When they go abroad they shall be so far from coveting to appear handsome that in the streets they shall gird themselves with sackcloth (v. 3), and perhaps being forced to use that poor clothing, the enemy having stripped them, and rifled their houses, and left them no other clothing. When they come home, instead of applying themselves to their business, they shall go up to the tops of their houses which were flat-roofed, and there they shall weep abundantly, nay, they shall howl, in crying to their gods. Those that cry not to God with their hearts do but howl upon their beds, Hos. 7:14; Amos 8:3. They shall come down with weeping (so the margin reads it); they shall come down from their high places and the tops of their houses weeping as much as they did when they went up. Prayer to the true God is heart's ease (1 Sa. 1:18), but prayers to false gods are not. Divers places are here named that should be full of lamentation (v. 4), and it is but a poor relief to have so many fellow-sufferers, fellow-mourners; to a public spirit it is rather an aggravation socios habuisse doloris-to have associates in woe.
  • IV. That the courage of their militia should fail them. Though they were bred soldiers, and were well armed, yet they shall cry out and shriek for fear, and every one of them shall have his life become grievous to him, though it is characteristic of a military life to delight in danger, v. 4. See how easily God can dispirit the stoutest of men, and deprive a nation of benefit by those whom it most depended upon for strength and defence. The Moabites shall generally be so overwhelmed with grief that life itself shall be a burden to them. God can easily make weary of life those that are fondest of it.
  • V. That the outcry for these calamities should propagate grief to all the adjacent parts, v. 5.
    • 1. The prophet himself has very sensible impressions made upon his spirit by the prediction of it: "My heart shall cry out for Moab; though they are enemies to Israel, they are our fellow-creatures, of the same rank with us, and therefore it should grieve us to see them in such distress, the rather because we know not how soon it may be our own turn to drink of the same cup of trembling.' Note, It becomes God's ministers to be of a tender spirit, not to desire the woeful day, but to be like their master, who wept over Jerusalem even when he gave her up to ruin, like their God, who desires not the death of sinners.
    • 2. All the neighbouring cities shall echo to the lamentations of Moab. The fugitives, who are making the best of their way to shift for their own safety, shall carry the cry to Zoar, the city to which their ancestor Lot fled for shelter from Sodom's flames and which was spared for his sake. They shall make as great a noise with their cry as a heifer of three years old does when she goes lowing for her calf, as 1 Sa. 6:12. They shall go up the hill of Luhith (as David went up the ascent of Mount Olivet, many a weary step and all in tears, 2 Sa. 15:30), and in the way of Horonaim (a dual termination), the way that leads to the two Beth-horons, the upper and the nether, which we read of, Jos. 16:3, 5. Thither the cry shall be carried, there it shall be raised, even at that great distance: A cry of destruction; that shall be the cry, like, "Fire, fire! we are all undone.' Grief is catching, so is fear, and justly, for trouble is spreading and when it begins who knows where it will end?

Isa 15:6-9

Here the prophet further describes the woeful and piteous lamentations that should be heard throughout all the country of Moab when it should become a prey to the Assyrian army. "By this time the cry has gone round about all the borders of Moab,' v. 8. Every corner of the country has received the alarm, and is in the utmost confusion upon it. It has reached to Eglaim, a city at one end of the country, and to Beer-elim, a city as far the other way. Where sin has been general, and all flesh have corrupted their way, what can be expected but a general desolation? Two things are here spoken of as causes of this lamentation:-

  • I. The waters of Nimrim are desolate (v. 6), that is, the country is plundered and impoverished, and all the wealth and substance of it swept away by the victorious army. Famine is usually the sad effect of war. Look into the fields that were well watered, the fruitful meadows that yielded delightful prospects and more delightful products, and there all is eaten up, or carried off by the enemy's foragers, and the remainder trodden to dirt by their horses. If an army encamp upon green fields, their greenness is soon gone. Look into the houses, and they are stripped too (v. 7): The abundance of wealth that they had gotten with a great deal of art and industry, and that which they had laid up with a great deal of care and confidence, shall they carry away to the brook of the willows. Either the owners shall carry it thither to hide it or the enemies shall carry it thither to pack it up and send it home, by water perhaps, to their own country. Note,
    • 1. Those that are eager to get abundance of this world, and solicitous to lay up what they have gotten, little consider what may become of it and in how short a time it may be all taken from them. Great abundance, by tempting the robbers, exposes the owners; and those who depend upon it to protect them often find it does but betray them.
    • 2. In times of distress great riches are often great burdens, and do but increase the owner's care or the enemies' strength. Cantabit vacuus coram latrone viator-The penniless traveller will exult, when accosted by a robber, in having nothing about him.
  • II. The waters of Dimon are turned into blood (v. 9), that is, the inhabitants of the country are slain in great numbers, so that the waters adjoining to the cities, whether rivers or pools, are discoloured with human gore, inhumanly shed like water. Dimon signifies bloody; the place shall answer to its name. Perhaps it was that place in the country of Moab where the waters seemed to the Moabites as blood (2 Ki. 3:22, 23), which occasioned their overthrow. But now, says God, I will bring more upon Dimon, more blood than was shed, or thought to be seen, at that time. I will bring additions upon Dimon (so the word is), additional plagues; I have yet more judgments in reserve for them. For all this, God's anger is not turned away. When he judges he will overcome; and to the roll of curses shall be added many like words, Jer. 36:32. See here what is the yet more evil to be brought upon Dimon, upon Moab, which is now to be made a land of blood. Some flee, and make their escape, others sit still, and are overlooked, and are as a remnant of the land; but upon both God will bring lions, beasts of prey (which are reckoned one of God's four judgments, Eze. 14:21), and these shall glean up those that have escaped the sword of the enemy. Those that continue impenitent in sin, when they are preserved from one judgment, are but reserved for another.