Commentary on Isaiah Volume 1 John Calvin (continued)
COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH
the meaning of them is obtained with greater certainty from Jeremiah 48:30. After the same words which are here employed by Isaiah, he immediately adds, for the sake of explaining them,( ,לא כןlo ken,) Not so; 262 his lies shall not so effect it. As if he had said, "What is determined in their hearts shall fail of accomplishment." Yet I do not think, that in the former clause the particle( כןken) denotes comparison, but rather confirmation, so to speak, but negatively; for he declares that there will be no firmness or stability in his counsels, that his divinations or lies will not take effect. Proud men settle everything as if everything were in their power, and were not subject to the providence of God. "Such arrogance," says Isaiah, shall be brought down, and all that they promise, as to their own strength, shall vanish away. This reminds us that pride is highly displeasing to God, and that the more men are puffed up with their riches, they are the nearer to destruction.
7. Therefore shall Moab howl to Moab. 263 He declares more plainly what has been already said, that this pride, and the cruelty which springs from it, will be the cause of their destruction. Since the Lord resisteth the proud, (James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5,) it is impossible but that he will lay low this haughtiness, by which the Church is basely and shamefully trampled under foot; and, according to this example, the end of all proud men must be mournful. When he adds, Moab to Moab, he means that there will be what may be called a melancholy concert among them, in which they shall mutually complain of their calamities and bewail their distresses among themselves. Others render it, on account of Moab, but this is a feeble interpretation; for immediately afterwards it follows that the howling will be universal, or that it will be throughout the whole of the people.
On account of the foundations of Kir-hareseth. It is sufficiently evident that this was a chief and royal city; but some consider it to be a proper name, and others to be an appellative. There can be no doubt that the etymology of the word was derived from its being constructed of earthen materials. It is also possible that it received this name on account of the nature of the walls, which were built of bricks. It was a distinguished city in that country. He names the foundations rather than the city itself, because it was to be completely thrown down; as if he had said, "You shall not mourn the plundering of the city or the destruction of the buildings, but its entire overthrow; for no part of it shall be left."
You will groan, being only smitten. 264 Some translate( נכאיםnechaim) lame; but I prefer to take it as meaning smitten. The particle( ,אךach,) which is here prefixed to it, sometimes means certainly or truly; and sometimes it is put for but or notwithstanding. Those who explain it affirmatively suppose the meaning to be this, You will groan, being truly smitten; that is, "It will not be necessary for you to hire men to pretend mourning in your name,
262Therefore shall Moab howl for Moab. — Eng. Ver. 263Shall ye mourn, (or, mutter,) surely they are stricken — Eng. Ver. Moan even ye who yourselves are smitten. — Stock
264For the fields of Heshbon languish. — Eng. Ver.