Isa. 15 The destruction of Moab.

The burden of Moab; a prophecy of the destruction of the Moabites, the inveterate and implacable enemies of the Jews, begun by the Assyrian, and finished by the Babylonian emperors.

Bajith signifies a house. It is supposed to be the name of a place, so called from some eminent house or temple of their idols which was in it. It is called more fully Bethbaal-meon, that is, The house of Baal’s habitation, Josh. 13:17. Dibon; another city of Moab, as is manifest from Jer.

Shall gird themselves with sackcloth: this was another practice of mourners. The tops of their houses, which were made flat, Deut. 22:8; to which men used to go up, either to walk, or to cry to God in heaven or to men for help.

Heshbon and Elealeh; two other Moabitish cities; of which see Num. 21:25–26, Num. 32:3, Num. 32:37. Jahaz another city in the utmost borders of Moab, Num. 21:23, called also Jahazah, Josh. 21:36. The armed soldiers, who should be, and use to be, the most courageous.

My heart shall cry out for Moab; their destruction approaching is so dreadful, that although they are a most vile nation, and by their implacable enmity against God and his people do abundantly deserve it, yet the respect which I have to human nature fills me with horror at the very thoughts of it.

The waters; either, 1. Properly, they shall be dried up; or, 2. Figuratively, the waterish grounds, as waters seem to be taken, Eccles. 11:1, Isa. 32:20.

Shall they, to wit, their enemies, which is plainly implied, carry away to the brook of the willows; unto some brook or river having great numbers of willows growing by it, by which they might convey them to some eminent and strong city built upon the same river.

Their cry fills all the parts of the country.

Dimon: this seems to be the same place with Dibon, mentioned Isa. 15:2, here called Dimon for the great bloodshed in it, as it here follows; such changes of a letter being not unusual in proper names, as in Merodach for Berodach, Isa. 39:1. More; either, 1.