Isaiah 15:3

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. ON THE TOPS OF THEIR HOUSES - which were flat: places of resort for prayer, etc., in the East (). AND IN THEIR STREETS, EVERY ONE SHALL HOWL, WEEPING ABUNDANTLY - `melting away in tears.' Horsley prefers, 'descending to weep.' Thus, there is a 'parallelism by alternate construction' (Lowth); or chiasmus: "howl" refers to "the tops of their houses." 'Descending to weep' to "streets" or squares, where they descend from the housetops....

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 light

Verse Isaiah 15:3. _WITH SACKCLOTH_] שק _sak_. The word is in the plural שקים _sakkim, sacks_, in one of _De Rossi's_ MSS....

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)....

EXPOSITION ISAIAH 15:1 THE BURDEN OF MOAB. The present chapter and the next are very closely connected, and may be regarded as together constituting "the burden of Moab." It has been argued on critical grounds that the bulk of the prophecy is quoted by Isaiah from an earlier writer, and that he has merely modified the wording and added a few touches here and there (so Gesenius, Rosenmüller, Hitzig, Maurer, Ewald, Knobel, and Cheyne). Jeremiah is thought to have also based his "judgment of Moab" (Jeremiah 48:1.) on the same early writing. But speculations of this kind are in the highest degree uncertain, and moreover lead to no results of the slightest importance. It is best, therefore, to regard Is

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, o

CHAPTER 15 The Burden of Moab _ The Destruction Announced (Isaiah 15:1)_...

THE OVERTHROW OF MOAB. A sudden catastrophe has overwhelmed Ar (Numbers 21:15 *) and Kir in one night. The daughter (read _bath_ for Bayith; _cf_. Jeremiah 48:18) of Dibon (Numbers 21:30 *) has gone up to the high places to lament; everywhere are signs of mourning. The cry of distress is heard from Heshbon (Numbers 21:25 *) and Elealeh (Numbers 32:37 *) in Jahaz (Numbers 21:23 *). The fugitives (_mg._) flee to Zoar ...

THEIR STREETS. his (i.e. Moab's) open streets. WEEPING ABUNDANTLY. coming down with weeping....

The wailing of Moab....