Bible Commentary (1871–1879 Edition)
ISAIAPI XVII.
Prophecy as to Moah.
Prophecy concerniny Damascus.
Maurek thinks the following words require rather the rendering, "Its (the vine of Sibmaii) shoots (the wines got from them) overpowered (by its generous liavour and potency) the lords of the nations" (Genesis 49. 11, 12, 22). come . . . Jaier—They (the vine-shoots) reached even to Jazer, fifteen miles from Heshbon. wandered—They overran in wild luxuriance the wilderness of Arabia, encompassing Moab. the sea—the Dead Sea; or else some lake near Jazer now dry; in Jeremiah 48. 32 called the sea of Jazer ; but see note there (Psalm 80. 8-11). 9. I—will bewail for its desolation, though I belong to another nation (note, ch. 15. 5). with . . . weeping of Jazer—as Jazer weeps, shouting for . . . fallen—rather, " t/pori thy summer fruits and upon thy luxuriant vines the siiouting fled southwards to Idumea. to send to the king of Judah the ti Mbute of lambs, which they liad formerly paid to Israel, but wliicli tliey had given up (2 Kings 3. i, 5). David probably imposed this tribute before the severance of Judah and Israel (2 Samuel 8. 2). Therefore Moab is recommended to gain the favour and protection ot Judah, by paying it to the Jewish king. Type of the need of submitting to Messiah (Psalm 2. 1012; Romans 12. 1). from Scla to—rather, "from Petra through (lit., towards) the wilderness." [Maurek.J Sela means " a rock," PeZra in Greek; the capital of Idumea and Arabia Petrea; the dwellings are mostly hewn out of the rock. The country around was a vast common ("wilderness") or open pastui'age, to which the Moabites had fled on the invasion from the west (ch. 15. 7). ruler of the land viz., of Idumea, i. e., the king of Judah ; Amaziah had become master of Idumea and Sela (2 Kings 14.7). 3. cast out of . . . nest—rather, "as a firood cast out" (in apposition with "a wandering bird," or rather, wandering birds), viz., a brood just fledged and expelled from the nest in which they were hatched. [Hor3ley.] Cf. ch. 10. 14; Deuteronomy (the battle shout, instead of the joyous shout of the grapegatherers, usual at the vintage) is fallen" (v. 10; Jeremiah
25. 30 ; 51. 14). In the parallel passage (Jeremiah 48. 32) the words substantially express the same sense, " The spoiler is fallen upon thy summer fruits." 10. gladness—such as is felt in gathering a rich harvest. There shall be no harvest or vintage owing to the desolation ; therefore no "gladness." 11. bowels—in Scripture the seat of yearning compassion. It means the inward seat of emotion, the heart, &c. (ch. 63. 15 ; cf. ch. 15. 5; Jeremiah 48. 36.) sound
32. 11. daugliters of Moal>— e., the inhabitants of Moab. So 2 Kings 19. 21; Psalm 48. 11; Jeremiah 46. 11; Lamentations 4. 22. [Maurer.] at the fords—trying to cross the boundary river of Moab, in order to escape out of the land. EwALD and Mauker make "fords" a poetical expression for "the dwellers on Arnon," answering to the pai-allel clause of the same sense, "daughters of Moab." 3-5. Gesenius, Maurer, &c., regard these verses as an address of the fugitive Moabites to the Jews for pro-. . . harp — as its strings vibrate when beaten with the plectrum or hand. 1!J. when It Is seen that—rather, " When Moab shall have appeared (before his gods ; cf. Exodus 23. 15), when he is weary (i.e., when he shall have fatigued himself with observing burdensome rites; 1 Kings
18. 26. etc.), on the high place (cf. ch. 15. 2), and shall come to his sanctuary (of the idol Chemosh on Mount Nebo) to pray, he shall not prevail :" he shall effect nothing by his prayers. [Mauree.] 13. since that tim«— rather, "respecting that time." [Horsley.] Barnes translates It, '^formerly," in contrast to "but now" (v. 14) : heretofore former prophecies (Exodus 15. 15 ; Numbers 21. 29) have been given as to Moab, of which Isaiah has given the substance: but now a definite and steady time also is fixed. 14. three years . . . hireling—Just as a hireling has his fixed term of engagement, which neither he nor his master will allow to be added to or to be taken from, so the limit within which Moab is to fall is unalterably fixed (ch. 21. 16). Fultection ; they translate V. 4, "Let mine outcasts of Moab dwell with tliee, Judah;" the protection will be refused by the Jews, for t he pride of Moab {v. 6). Vitringa makes it an additional advice to Moab, besides paying tribute. Give shelter to tlie Jewish outcasts who take refuge in thy land {v. 3, 4); so "mercy" will be shown thee in turn by whatever king sits on the "throne" of "David" (v. 5). Isaiah foresees that Moab will be too proud to pay the tribute, or conciliate Judah by sheltering its outcasts (v.
6); therefore judgment shall be executed. However, as Moab just before is represented as itself an outcast in Idumea, it seems incongruous that it should be called on to filled about the time when the Assyrian led Israel into captivity. The ruins of Elealeh, Heshbon, Medeba, Dibon, shelter Jewish outcasts. So that it seems rather to foretell the ruined state of Moab when its people should beg the Jews for shelter, but be refused for their pride, make . . . ehailow as , , . niglit , . , In . , , noonday—emblem of a thick shelter from the glaring noonday heat (ch.4.
&c., still exist to confirm the inspiration of Scripture. The &cc\XT:&t(} particularity of specification of the places 3000 years ago, confirmed by modern research, is a strong testimony to the truth of prophecy.
6; 25. 4; 32. 2). bewray . . . wandereth—betray not the fugitive to his pursuer. 4. Rather, "Let the outcasts of Moab dwell with thee" (Judah). [Horsley.] 4. for tlie extortioner, <fcc.—The Assyrian oppressor probably. Is at an end—IJy the time that Moab begs Judah for shelter, Judah shall be in a condition to afford it,/or the Assyrian oppressor shall have been "consumed out of the land."
CHAPTER XVII.
Ver. 1-11. Prophecy concerning Damascus and its Ally Samaria, t. e., Syria and Israel, which had leagued together (eh. 7. and 8). Already, Tiglath-pileser had carried away the people of Damascus to Kir, in the fourth year of Ahaz (2 Kings 16.9); but now in Hezeklah's reign
5. IX Judah shelters the suppliant Moab, allowing him to remain in Idumea, a blessing will redound to Judah itself and its "throne." truth . . . Judgment . . . righteousness—language so divinely framed as to apply to "the latter days" under King Messiah, when "the Lord shall bring again the captivity of Moab" (Psalm 72. 2; 96. 13; 98. a/a?Z7iejoverthrow is foretold (Jeremiah 49.23; Zechariah
9. 1). Also, Shalmaneser carried away Israel from Samaria to Assyria (2 Kings 17. 6; 18. 10. 11) in the sixth year of Heze* kiah of Judah (the ninth year of Hoshea of Israel). This prophecy was, doubtless, given previously in the first years of Hezelciah, when the foreign nations came into nearer collision with Judah, owing to the threatening aspect of Assyria. Damascus—put before Israel (Ephraim, 9 ; Jeremiah 48. 47 ; Romans 11. 12). hasting—pj ompi in executing. 6. We—Jews. We reject Moab's supplication for liis pride, lies—false boasts, not be so—rather, not right; shall prove vain (ch. 25. 10; Jeremiah 48. 29,30; Zephaniah 2. S). "It shall not be so; his lies shall not so effect it." 7. Therefore—all hope of being allowed shelter by the Jews being cut off. foundations i.e.,i-uins; because, when houses are pulled down, the " foundations" alone are left (ch. 58. 12). Jeremiah, In the parallel place (Jeremiah 48.31), renders it "men," who are tlie moral foundations or stay of a city. KIr-hareseth lit., A cita-
V. 3), which is chiefly referred to in what follows, because it was the prevailing power in the league: with it Ephraim either stood or fell (ch. 7). 3. cities of Aroer— i.e., the cities round about Aroer, and under its jurisdiction, [Gesenius.] So "cities with their villages" (Joshua 15.
44); "Heshbon and all her cities" (Joshua 13.17). Aroer was near Rabbah-ammon, at the river of Gad, an arm of del of Ijriclc. surely they are stricken—rather, joined the Jabbok (2 Samuel 24. 5), founded by the Gadltes (Numwitli " mourn ;" " Ye shall mourn wWeWy stricken." [Maurer and Horsley.] 8. Ilelds—vine-fields (Deuteronomy bers, 32. 34). for flocks—(Ch. 5. 17.) 3. fortress . . . cease—
32. 32). vine of SIbmah—near Heshbon : mz., languishes. lords of . . . heathen—the heatlien princes, the Assyrians, etc., wlio invaded Moab, destroyed his vines. 8o Jeremiah in the parallel place (Jeremiah 48. 32 33). 448 the strongholds shall be pulled down (Samaria especially: Hosea 10. 14; Micah 1. 6; Habakkuk 1. 10). remnant of Syria—all that was left after the overthrow by Tiglathpileser (2 Kings 16.9). a« the glory of . . . Israel—they