Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Isaiah 15:3

Clarke's Commentary

Verse Isaiah 15:3. With sackcloth — שק sak. The word is in the plural שקים sakkim, sacks, in one of De Rossi's MSS.

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

Devastation in Moab (15:1-16:14)

The place names mentioned in these two chapters indicate that the attack on Moab comes from the north, most likely from Assyria. The attack is swift and ruthless, and towns fall in a night. Wherever a person looks, there is mourning (15:1-4). Even Isaiah weeps as he sees the people fleeing pitifully, rushing along the streets, across the streams and over the fields that have been damaged by the invading armies. They take with them whatever precious possessions they can carry (5-7). There has already been plenty of bloodshed, but Isaiah sees that more is to come (8-9).
In desperation Moab’s leaders send an urgent request to Jerusalem, asking the Judean leaders to allow Moab’s fleeing and scattered refugees to enter Judah. With their request they send a gift of lambs as an expression of appreciation for the help they hope to receive (16:1-4a). The messengers from Moab try to win the Judeans’ favour by declaring their confidence in Judah’s future. They express the hope that Judah will conquer all enemies, and that the dynasty of David will continue to prosper till it achieves fully its ideals of faithfulness, love, righteousness and justice (4b-5).
However, the Judean rulers, remembering the Moabites’ insults in the past, do not trust them. They refuse to help, no matter how much the Moabites weep and wail (6-7). Nevertheless, Isaiah feels pity for them as he sees their country ruined and their vineyards destroyed in the devastation of war (8-11). Moab’s hour of judgment has come, and all the Moabites’ prayers to their gods will not save them (12-14).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

THE BURDEN OF MOAB

“The burden of Moab. For in a night Ar of Moab is laid waste, and brought to naught; for in a night Kir of Moab is laid waste, and brought to nought. They are gone up to Bayith, and to Dibon, to the high places, to weep: Moab waileth over Nebo, and over Meleba; on all their heads is baldness, every beard is cut off. On their streets they gird themselves with sackcloth; from their housetops, and everyone waileth, weeping abundantly. And Heshbon crieth out, and Elealeh; their voice is heard even unto Jahaz; therefore the armed men of Moab cry aloud; for his soul trembleth within him. My heart crieth out for Moab; her nobles flee unto Zoar, to Eglathshe-lishi-yah: for by the ascent of Luhith with weeping they go up; for in the way of Horonaim they raise up a cry of destruction. For the waters of Nimrim shall be desolate; for the grass is withered away, the tender grass faileth, there is no green thing. Therefore the abundance they have gotten, and that which they have laid up, shall they carry away over the brook of the willows. For the cry is gone round about the borders of Moab; the wailing thereof unto Eglai, and the wailing thereof to Beerelim. For the waters of Dimon are full of blood; for I will bring yet more upon Dimon, a lion upon them of Moab that escape, and upon the remnant of the land.”

What a scene of desolation and destruction, of helpless flight before the forces of an invader, of a whole population shaving off their hair and their beards as a sign of national mourning, of citizens salvaging whatever they can carry away from their homes in their flight for refuge, of the pitiful confusion of the people when no safe refuge appears, of the weeping, wailing, sorrow and distress that rose like a dismal cloud over all of Moab!

What a sad picture of the mined people of Moab! Note their going up to the high places of Moab’s false gods, where all the cries and supplications of suffering peoples are poured out in vain. No wonder, Isaiah said, “My heart crieth out for Moab” (Isaiah 15:5). Moabites were kin to Israel; but not even one’s closest of kin can intervene against the judgment of God. Incidentally, this line in which the first person singular is used indicates that Isaiah himself is the author of this prophecy given in “time past” (Isaiah 16:13).

There are seventeen place-names in this brief little chapter referring to places literally all over Moab. Eerdmans New Bible Dictionary (1962) does not even mention six of these, but here is that source’s information on most of the others:

Some of these cities, however, have proved to be important historically. For example, Kir was the site where, “A heathen prince built a strong castle in the year 1131 A.D. (in the times of the crusades), which was very serviceable to the Franks, who in the year 1183 A.D. held it successfully against a very formidable siege of a month by Saladin.”Albert Barnes’ Commentary p. 287.

“The brook of willows” This was apparently a boundary between Moab and Edom, the Wadi el-Hesy.The New Bible Commentary, Revised, p. 600

“Waileth” Older versions translated this word as “shall howl”… In earlier times in the United States, such loud howling often took place at funerals. Barnes noted that, “In times of calamity in the East, it is common to raise an unnatural and forced howl, or long continued shriek. Persons were often hired for this purpose.”Albert Barnes’ Commentary p. 289.

“Unto Beer-elim” “This word literally means, `the well of the princes’; and it is perhaps the same as that mentioned in Numbers 21:14-18, as being in the land of Moab.”Ibid.

The most delightful thing in this chapter is the compassion that seems to well up in the heart of Isaiah as he contemplates the massive sorrow and distress that always result from people’s disobedience of the Lord. The reason for Isaiah’s repeating this prophecy here is for the sake of confirming the truth of it and of setting a specific frame of reference in time when the complete fulfillment of it would take place.

“A lion upon them of Moab that escape” “Perhaps this should be understood literally (2 Kings 17:25), or it may stand metaphorically for invading foes (Jeremiah 4:7 and Jeremiah 5:6).”J. R. Dummelow’s Commentary, p. 427. Some have suggested that “the lion” here was such an invader as Nebuchadnezzar, or Ashurbanipal.”The Pulpit Commentary, p. 268

Severe as this prophecy is, there are other prophecies in God’s word just as devastating. For example, Amos has this:

“Thus saith Jehovah: for three transgression of Moab, yea, for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because he burned the bones of the king of Edom into lime. But I will send a fire upon Moab, and it shall devour the palaces of Kerioth; and Moab shall die with tumult, with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet; and I will cut off the judge from the midst thereof, and will slay all the princes thereof with him, saith Jehovah” (Amos 2:1-3).

Other prophecies of similar import are to be found in Isaiah 11:14; Isaiah 25:10; Jeremiah 48; Ezekiel 25:8-11; and Zephaniah 2:8-11. The first part of the next chapter states the reason for God’s judgment of Moab.

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

In their streets - Publicly. Everywhere there shall be lamentation and grief. Some shall go into the streets, and some on the tops of the houses.

They shall gird themselves with sackcloth - The common token of mourning; and also worn usually in times of humiliation and fasting. It was one of the outward acts by which they expressed deep sorrow (Genesis 37:34; 2Sa 3:31; 1 Kings 21:27; 2 Kings 19:1; Job 16:15; the note at Isaiah 3:24).

On the tops of the houses - The roofs of the houses in the East were, and still are, made flat, and were places of resort for prayer, for promenade, etc. The prophet here says, that all the usual places of resort would be filled with weeping and mourning. In the streets, and on the roofs of the houses, they would utter the voice of lamentation.

Shall howl - It is known that, in times of calamity in the East, it is common to raise an unnatural and forced howl, or long-continued shriek. Persons are often hired for this purpose Jeremiah 9:17.

Weeping abundantly - Hebrew, ‘Descending into weeping;’ “that is,” going, as we would say, “deep into it,” or weeping much; immersed as it were in tears (compare Jeremiah 13:17; Jeremiah 14:17).

Calvin's Commentary on the Bible

3.In his streets. ⁽²³⁹⁾ He proceeds with the same subject, describing more fully the tokens of mourning, in which the eastern nations abound more than others; for, having quicker understandings and keener feelings, they express their emotions by outward signs more than others do, who, being slower in apprehension, are likewise slower in movement and gesture. It was no doubt faulty in them that they indulged in so many ceremonies and gesticulations; but the Prophet spoke of them as what was known and common, only for the purpose of describing the grief which would follow the desolation of that country.

Every one shall howl and descend to weeping. ⁽²⁴⁰⁾ It was with good reason that he added this description; for we are never moved by predictions, unless the Lord place them, as it were, before our eyes. Lest the Jews should think that these matters might be lightly passed by, when he described that destruction, he determined to mention also mourning, weeping, and howling, that they might see almost with their own eyes those events which appear to be incredible, for the Moabites were at that time in a state of profound peace, and believers had the more need of being confirmed, that they might not call this prophecy in question. By the same means he points out the despair to which unbelievers are liable in adversity, for the support on which they rely is insecure.

(239) Bogus footnote

(240) Bogus footnote

Smith's Bible Commentary

Chapter 15

Now in chapter 15, he turns his attention against Moab, that area that lies just east of the Jordan and of the Dead Sea. And he begins to speak of the destruction of Moab and of some of the major cities in Moab. The cities that are destroyed at night.

Ar is laid waste, and brought to silence; Kir is laid waste, and brought to silence ( Isaiah 15:1 );

And these other cities, Bajith and Dibon, and so forth. Howling then over the mountains. Mount Nebo and Medeba, which is just east and south from Nebo.

on all their heads shall be baldness, and every beard cut off ( Isaiah 15:2 ).

This when they went into great weeping or mourning over the dead, they would shave their heads and their beards. It was a sign of great mourning. They would usually put on sackcloth, shave their head and beard. So everyone's head is shaved. Their beards are all cut off because of the slaughter that has come upon the inhabitants of Moab, the howling over the destruction.

In their streets they shall gird themselves with sackcloth ( Isaiah 15:3 ):

The garment of mourning worn over the bare skin.

on the tops of their houses, and in their streets, every one shall howl, weeping abundantly. And Heshbon shall cry, and Elealeh ( Isaiah 15:3-4 ):

These are the cities.

their voice shall be heard even unto Jahaz ( Isaiah 15:4 ):

From one end of the nation to the other.

therefore the armed soldiers of Moab shall cry out; his life shall be grievous unto him. My heart shall cry out for Moab; his fugitives shall flee unto Zoar, an heifer of three years old: for by the mounting up of Luhith with weeping shall they go it up; for in the way of Horonaim they shall raise up a cry of destruction ( Isaiah 15:4-5 ).

And then speaking of the rivers and so forth that will be desolate. Nimrim was a river towards the south, but it's going to be dry.

the hay is withered ( Isaiah 15:6 ).

They'll flee down that way, but

the grass fails, there is no green thing ( Isaiah 15:6 ).

So there will be a drought in that area. And thus, God predicts and describes His judgment against Moab and the inhabitants of that land.

Now even as God describes the judgment against Moab, yet Moab is to figure yet in the future, and as we get into chapter 16, we find the place of Moab, which, of course, today is Jordan. We find its place during the Great Tribulation. And you'll find some very interesting things in chapter 16 where, this is where we locate the rock city of Petra as the place where the children of Israel will flee in the middle of the Great Tribulation when the antichrist comes to Jerusalem and sets himself up in the temple. And chapter 16, the word Sela is rock or petra, the rock. So the rock city of Petra is named here, the city of Sela. And as you read it, see if you can put it together in your mind, and then we'll seek to put it together for you next Sunday night as we see God's preservation of a remnant of His people from the Great Tribulation who flee to the rock city of Petra for refuge when the antichrist moves to Jerusalem in his great sacrilege against God.

So next week, sixteen. And your chapters next week are rather short. And so sixteen through twenty, but some interesting things. Chapter 19, the prediction of the Aswan Dam, and just a lot of people, not a lot of people, some people see the United States in chapter 18. If you can see the United States in chapter 18, you've got better eyes than I have. But some people make quite a bit out of chapter 18 being a prophecy concerning the United States.

As far as I'm concerned, the United States doesn't appear in prophecy except for one area where there's a possibility. And that is when Russia invades Israel, the merchants of Tarsus. Tarsus is thought to be England. And the young lions thereof shall say, "What are you doing invading this defenseless little land?" Now if the United States appears anywhere in prophecy, that's where it appears, and it is when we file a complaint to the Security Council of the United Nations asking them to soundly condemn Russia for invading the Middle East, Jerusalem. So outside of that, I really do not see the United States in prophecy, because as John tells us in the book of Revelation, the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

God isn't interested in prophesying about the whole world and the nations of the world as such. He's interested in one person. And all prophecy centers around Jesus Christ. The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. So as nations relate to Israel, as Israel relates to the Messiah, so these nations will come into the light of prophecy. But the purpose of prophecy is not to give us an unfolding of the whole world scheme, but to center on one person, the person of Jesus Christ in His first and in His second coming.

The nations that try to destroy Israel before the Messiah came, God deals with them in prophecy. How He is going to destroy those who are trying to destroy the nation before the Messiah could come. And then, of course, all of these prophecies that deal now with the return of Jesus Christ, the establishing of His kingdom and all. But they all really center around Jesus. So you may be disappointed that the United States doesn't show up, but when you read some of the things that are said about some of these nations that do show up, that's sort of nice that He doesn't detail what might happen here.

But come what may, my life is secure in Jesus Christ. And that's the main thing, that you be found in Him, not clothed in your own righteousness, but the righteousness which God has given you through your faith in Jesus Christ. That's the only way I want to be found. Praying that I'll be accounted worthy to escape these things that Walter Martin wants to go through.

Now he'll take issue with that statement. I'm wrong. He says he doesn't want to. He hopes that he's wrong in this point. Well, I know he's wrong so what difference does that make? Shall we stand. But I respect his right to be wrong.

May the Lord be with you, give you a beautiful week. And may His Word sustain you as you walk with Him in fellowship. May God really begin a powerful work in your life. May the Spirit of the Lord just really rest heavy upon you. And may you really have a chance to share the love of Jesus Christ with someone else this week. May God make you effective in your witness for Him. May your life be like a light shining in a dark place. That others might be drawn to that light and find the source of the light, even Jesus. So God bless you and give you a rich week in fellowship with Him. "

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

The Moabites would express great grief over their national defeat. Dibon was the site of a temple to the Moabite god Chemosh. Many of the people would go there to bewail Chemosh’s inability to save them. They would also mourn the loss of the towns of Nebo and Medeba in typical Near Eastern fashion. The residents of Heshbon and Elealeh in the north of Moab would be heard wailing in Jahaz to the south because the noise would be so great. Even soldiers would cry aloud in fear.

Gann's Commentary on the Bible

They gird themselves with sackcloth A symbol of despair, humiliation, and mourning (Jer 48:37).

wails, going down in weeping See Jer 48:38.

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

In their streets they shall girt themselves with sackcloth,.... Instead of their fine clothes, with which they had used to deck themselves, being a very proud people; see Isaiah 16:6 this was usual in times of distress on any account, as well as a token of mourning for the dead; see Joel 1:8. The word for "streets" might be rendered "villages", as distinct from cities, that were "without" the walls of the cities, though adjacent to them; and the rather, seeing mention is made of streets afterwards:

on the tops of their houses; which were made flat, as the houses of the Jews were, on which were battlements, Deuteronomy 22:8 hither they went for safety from their enemies, or to see if they could spy the enemy, or any that could assist them, and deliver them; or rather, hither they went for devotion, to pray to their gods for help; for here it was usual to have altars erected, to burn incense on to their deities; see

2 Kings 23:12 and in such places the people of God were wont to pray, Acts 10:9:

and in their streets; publicly, as well as privately, where they ran up and down to get from the enemy, and save themselves:

everyone shall howl, weeping abundantly: or, "descending with weeping": the tears running down his cheeks in great abundance, so that his whole body was as it were watered with them; or the meaning may be, that everyone that went up to the temples of the idols, and to the high places, Isaiah 15:2 or to the roofs of the houses, as here, to pray the assistance of their gods, should come down weeping and howling, having no success.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      1 The burden of Moab. Because in the night Ar of Moab is laid waste, and brought to silence; because in the night Kir of Moab is laid waste, and brought to silence;   2 He is gone up to Bajith, and to Dibon, the high places, to weep: Moab shall howl over Nebo, and over Medeba: on all their heads shall be baldness, and every beard cut off.   3 In their streets they shall gird themselves with sackcloth: on the tops of their houses, and in their streets, every one shall howl, weeping abundantly.   4 And Heshbon shall cry, and Elealeh: their voice shall be heard even unto Jahaz: therefore the armed soldiers of Moab shall cry out; his life shall be grievous unto him.   5 My heart shall cry out for Moab; his fugitives shall flee unto Zoar, a heifer of three years old: for by the mounting up of Luhith with weeping shall they go it up; for in the way of Horonaim they shall raise up a cry of destruction.

      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 (Jeremiah 48:1-47), which was accomplished by Nebuchadnezzar. This prophecy here was to be fulfilled within three years (Isaiah 16:14; Isaiah 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 (Isaiah 15:1; Isaiah 15:1): 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 (Isaiah 15:2; Isaiah 15:2): 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, Isaiah 15:2; Isaiah 15:2. 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 (Isaiah 15:3; Isaiah 15:3), 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,Hosea 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 Samuel 1:18), but prayers to false gods are not. Divers places are here named that should be full of lamentation (Isaiah 15:4; Isaiah 15:4), 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, Isaiah 15:4; Isaiah 15:4. 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, Isaiah 15:5; Isaiah 15:5. 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 Samuel 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 Samuel 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, Joshua 16:3; Joshua 16:5. 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?