---
title: "Clarke"
description: "Jeremiah has happily introduced much of this prophecy of Isaiah into his own larger prophecy against the same people in his forty-eighth chapter, denounci"
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url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/clarkes-commentary/isaiah/15"
---

Jeremiah has happily introduced much of this prophecy of Isaiah into his own larger prophecy against the same people in his *forty-eighth* chapter, denouncing God's judgment on Moab, subsequent to the calamity here foretold, and to be executed by Nebuchadnezzar; by which means several mistakes of transcribers in the present text of both prophets may be rectified.
NOTES ON CHAP. XV
Verse [Isaiah 15:1](../../../kjv/isaiah/15/1). ***Because in the night*** — בליל *beleil*. That both these cities should be taken in the *night* is a circumstance somewhat unusual; but not so material as to deserve to be so strongly insisted upon. *Vitringa*, by his remark on this word, shows that he was dissatisfied with it in its plain and obvious meaning, and is forced to have recourse to a very hard metaphorical interpretation of it. Noctu vel nocturno impetu; vel metaphorice, repente, subito, inexpectata destructione: placet posterius. *Calmet* conjectures, and I think it probable, that the true reading is כליל *keleil, as the night*. There are many mistakes in the *Hebrew* text arising from the very great similitude of the letters ב *beth*, and כ *caph*, which in many MSS., and some printed editions, are hardly distinguishable. Admitting this reading, the translation will be, -
"Because Ar is utterly destroyed, Moab is undone!
Because Kir is utterly destroyed, Moab is undone!"

Verse [Isaiah 15:2](../../../kjv/isaiah/15/2). ***He is gone to Bajith, and to Dibon*** — עלה הבית *alah* *habbayith*, should be rendered, *he is gone to the HOUSE*, i.e., to their chief temple, where they practiced idolatry. Dibon was the name of a tower where also was an idolatrous temple; thither they went to weep and pray before their idols, that they might interpose and save them from their calamities. So *R. D. Kimchi*. *He* *is gone to Bajith and to Dibon*: but Bishop *Lowth* reads *Beth Dibon;* this is the name of *one* place; and the two words are to be joined together, without the ו *vau* intervening. So the *Chaldee* and *Syriac*. This reading is not supported by any MS. or Version: but some MSS., instead of ער *ar*, have עיר *ir, a city*, others have עד *ad, unto*, and some editions have על *al, upon*. But all these help little, though they show that the place puzzled both the *scribes* and the *editors*.
***On all their heads*****shall be*****baldness*****, c.** - "On every head there is baldness," &c.] Herodotus, ii. 36, speaks of it as a general practice among all men, except the Egyptians, to cut off their hair as a token of mourning. "Cut off thy hair, and cast it away," says Jeremiah, [Jeremiah 7:29](../../../kjv/jeremiah/7/29), "and take up a lamentation."
***Cut off*** - "Shorn."] The printed editions, as well as the MSS., are divided on the reading of this word. Some have גדועה *geduah,* *shorn*, others גרעה *geruah, diminished*. The similitude of the letters ד *daleth* and ר *resh* has likewise occasioned many mistakes. In the present case, the sense is pretty much the same with either reading. The text of [Jeremiah 48:37](../../../kjv/jeremiah/48/37) has the latter, *diminished*. The former reading is found in *twelve* of Dr. *Kennicott's* MSS., *forty* of *De Rossi's*, and *two* of my own. A great number of *editions* have the same reading.

Verse [Isaiah 15:3](../../../kjv/isaiah/15/3). ***With sackcloth*** — שק *sak*. The word is in the plural שקים *sakkim, sacks*, in one of *De Rossi's* MSS.

Verse [Isaiah 15:4](../../../kjv/isaiah/15/4). ***The armed soldiers***- "The very loins"] So the *Septuagint*, ἡ οσφυς, and the *Syriac*. They cry out violently, with their utmost force.

Verse [Isaiah 15:5](../../../kjv/isaiah/15/5). ***My heart shall cry out for Moab*** - "The heart of Moab crieth within her"] For לבי *libbi, my heart*, the *Septuagint* reads לבו *libbo, his heart*, or לב *leb*; the *Chaldee*, לבו libbo. For בריחיה *bericheyha*, the *Syriac* reads ברוחה *berocheh*; and so likewise the *Septuagint*, rendering it εν αυτη, *Edit. Vat*: or εν ἑαυτῃ, *Edit. Alex*. and MSS. I., D. II.
***A heifer of three years old*** - "A young heifer."] *Hebrew*, a heifer *three years* old, in full strength; as *Horace* uses *equa trima*, for a young mare just coming to her prime. *Bochart* observes, from *Aristotle*, Hist. Animal. lib. iv. that in this kind of animals alone the voice of the female is deeper than that of the male; therefore the lowing of the heifer, rather than of the bullock, is chosen by the prophet, as the more proper image to express the mourning of Moab. But I must add that the expression here is very short and obscure; and the opinions of interpreters are various in regard to the meaning. Compare [Jeremiah 48:34](../../../kjv/jeremiah/48/34).
***Shall they go it up*** - "They shall ascend"] For יעלה *yaaleh*, the *Septuagint* and a MS. read in the plural, יעלו *yaalu*. And from this passage the parallel place in [Jeremiah 48:5](../../../kjv/jeremiah/48/5) must be corrected; where, for יעלה בכי *yaaleh bechi*, which gives no good sense, read יעלה בו *yaaleh bo*.

Verse [Isaiah 15:7](../../../kjv/isaiah/15/7). "Shall perish"] אבדו *abadu* or אבדה *abadeh*. This word seems to have been lost out of the text: it is supplied by the parallel place, [Jeremiah 48:36](../../../kjv/jeremiah/48/36). The *Syriac* expresses it by עבר *aber, praeteriit*, "he hath passed;" and the *Chaldee* by יתבזזון *yithbazezun, diripientur*.
***To the brook of the willows***- "To the valley of willows"] That is, to Babylon. *Hieron*. and *Jarchi in loc*., both referring to [Psalms 137:2](../../../kjv/psalms/137/2). So likewise *Prideaux, Le Clerc*, &c.

Verse [Isaiah 15:9](../../../kjv/isaiah/15/9). ***The waters of Dimon*** — Some have *Dibon*, others have *Ribon* and *Rimon*. *St. Jerome* observes that the same town was called both *Dibon* and *Dimon*. The reading is therefore indifferent.
***Upon him that escapeth of Moab***, c. - "Upon the escaped of Moab, and Ariel, and the remnant of Admah."] The *Septuagint* for עריה *aryeh* read אריאל *ariel*. Ar Moab was called also Ariel or Areopolis, *Hieron*. and *Theodoret*. See *Cellarius*. They make אדמה *Admah* also a proper name. Michaelis thinks that the Moabites might be called the remnant of Admah, as sprung from Lot and his daughters, escaped from the destruction of that and the other cities or, metaphorically, as the Jews are called princes of Sodom, and people of Gomorrah, [Isaiah 1:10](../../../kjv/isaiah/1/10). Bibliotheque Orient. Part v., p. 195. The reading of this verse is very doubtful; and the sense, in every way in which it can be read, very obscure. - L. *Calmet* thinks there may be a reference to [1 Chronicles 11:22](../../../kjv/1-chronicles/11/22), where it is said, "Benaiah slew two lion-like men of Moab," or the *two* *Ariels* of Moab, and would therefore translate, "I will bring down the remnant of Moab like Ariel, (which Benaiah smote,) and them that are escaped like Adamah." They shall be exterminated, as were the inhabitants of those two cities. Ariel was a double city - the river Arnon dividing it in two. This is the two Ariels of Moab - not *two lion-like men*, much less *two lions*. See *Calmet* on this place.

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