All ye that are about him, bemoan him; and all ye that know his name, say, How is the strong staff broken, and the beautiful rod!

All ye that are about him, bemoan him - not that Moab deserves pity, but this mode of expression pictures more vividly the grievousness of Moab's calamities.

All ye that know his name - those at a greater distance, whom the fame of Moab's "name" had reached, as distinguished from those about "him" - i:e., near.

Say, How is the strong staff broken, and the beautiful rod! - Moab is so called as striking terror into, and oppressing other peoples (; Isaiah 14:4); also, because of dignity and power (; ).

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