b H:-ſhbon was formerly the City of S/hon, Numb. 21. 26 it b:came afrerwa:ds one of the principal Cities of the Motbites, as 2Ppeareth from 1/aiah 15. 4 which maketh the I-arned Author of eur Engliſh Annotations, think our Tranſlation not ſo good, for why ſhould they deviſe evil in Heſbbon againſt Moab, unleſs the Enemies fare there 1a Counſel, when they had taken it, againſt the other parts of the Country ? But poſſibty the ſenſe is, They ſhall no more in Heſh- bon magnifie Moab, *or Moa» ſhall no more Glory of Heſbbon, for the Enemies had contrived the Ruine of it. d Madmen was another Ci in the Country of Mzab. Some think the ſame with Prolomy's Madi- ama. To thar City alſo the Prophet threatneth Ruine, and Deftru- &1on by the Sword, | ;
. 3 A voice of crying ſhall be from Horonaim e, ſpoj- ling and great deſtruction. |
e Another City of M'a4b, mentioned only in this place, and iri _ I5. p.. _ think wg ſame with Heron, where Sanballat was born, Nehem.-2. 10, and 13. 28. The Prophet threatens allo Ruine and DeſtruQtion to this City S F : p Ks
4 Moab is deſtroyed, her little one have cauſed a cry to be heard /.
Moab was both the Name of the whole Country, . and of a prin- cipal City in it. Some by it here underſtand the City ; by her Little Ones, ſome underſtand little Children; others, inferiour Mas giftrates, or the common People. _
5 For inthe goingup of Luhith, + continual weeping ſhall go up; For in the going down of Horonaim the + ; enemies have heard a cry of deſtruction g.
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weepmg Wi g Of Luhith we read only in this place, and 7/aiah rs. 5. It was with _ ; a City of M:ab, and fituated upon an Hill, as appears both here PP*"8- | | and where it is mentitioned in {aiah; Some think that to this City . '4 the M»abires fled for SanQtuary from the Chaldeans, and flying Lt | made ſo great an out-cry, that their Enemies who purſued them heard their cry. 6 Flee, fave your lives, and be like [|che *heathin _ || the wilderneſs þ. 3. RG || Or, # || þ It is of no great moment whether we underſtand theſe as the naked rreiyi! words of the Moabrtes, calling one to another to flee, and fave their * Chap. | Lives, though they .loſt all they had, and left themſelves as bare 17+ 6. |} asa naked Tree; Or as the words of the Prophets ſpeaking to the | Moabites to the ſame ſenſe. nt 7 © For becauſe thou haſt truſted in thy works and | in thy treaſures, thou ſhalt alſo be taken 5, and Che- moſh ſhall go forth into captivity with his * prieſts and his princes together k. | ; Whether by Works in this place be meant their Riches got by: | the labour of their hands ; or their Idols which often are cajl:d by ; way of Defamation, the works of their own hands, or their Fort: | ficarions, 1s not much conſiderable ; a confidence if Creatures, op= . poſed to a confidence in God is doubtleſs the fin here intend: d; whatever the ground of it was, whether their Idols, or Riches, or fortified places. k Chemoſh was their principal Idol, as appears by Nemb. 21. 29. Judges 11. 24. 1 Kings 11. 7.33. 2 Kings 23. 13, God ; ſheweth them the vanity of this Idolatry, by telling them that . this Idot ſhould go into Captivity, and bez fo far from being able to protett them, that he ſhould not be able to prote@ hinuelf or his own Prieſts, orthe Princes that favoured him. _ PE 8 And the ſpoiier ſhall come upon every city, and no city ſhall eſcape: the valley alſo ſhal periſh, and the
plain ſhall be deſtroyed, as the LORD hath ſpoken /.
1 Thar is, all the parts of rhe Country of Moab, and ail the Ci- ties, as well thoſe that ſtool upon Hills, and mountainous places; as thoſe that ſtood in Valleys; becauſe or for the Lord had taid ir; (for ſo the Particle we hems” A as, 1s better tranſlated. )
9g Give wings unto Moab, that ft may flee, and get ' away w: For the cities thereof ſhall be deſolate, wich- out any to dwell therein ».
-m That is, the Moabites had need of Wings like a Bird th eſcape that Ruine whichis coming upon them, =» Yea, ifthey had wings. they ſhould nor eſcape, for ti:e Lord is reſolved that the Cities of Moab ſhall all be brought to deſvlation, 1o as no Inhabitants ſhall be left in them. ; 5 |
Io * Curſed be he that doth the work of the LORD »g,s ||} [ 0, and curſed be he chat keepeth back his Juag.1.24\\
word from blood p. W7, ,.,.._ YOr, negldj
» Theſe words ſeem like the words of the Prophet to the Cha! gently. deans, inciting them to go on valiantly againſt the Moabizes, cal- ling it the Work of the Lord, which he would have done, and to which he had called them. p There is a time to with-hold our hands from ſhedding Blood, and that is always when we have not a ſpecial Authority, and ca'l from God to it; and there is a time
6 O 4 When
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when God will curſe thoſe that do ſo. withhold their hands, that time is- when God doth require the ſhedding of-1t. |
11 © Moab. hath been at eaſe from his youth q, and he hath * ſettled on his lees 7, and hath not been emp:
: tied from vellel to veilel, neither harh he (gone 1nto
captivity 5: therefore his taſte | remained in him, and his ſcent-is not changed 7.
9 The Meabites ever fince they began to be a People, have been a quiet People, not exerciſed with Wars, ard Encmies making Inroads upon them, r Like to a Cask of Wine that hath nor been Rack'r, but hath continued in the ſame State. «s He follows the Metaphor of Wine which is drawn out from Veſſel to Vellc], when it is drawn off the Lees. Ir is expounded by the next words, Neither hath he gone into Captivity, #t And this is the Reaſon why they retain tlcir old fins, Pride, Preſumption, Luxury, and old
. Wickedhefles; as Wine while it remainerh in the Lees retains more
irs Nature, Strength, and Co'our, thah when it isonce Rack't.
12 Therefore behold, the days come, faith the LORD, that I will ſend unto him wanderers, that ſhall cauſe bim to wander », and (ball empry his vel-
| fels, and break his bottles 0-
:n By the Wanderers here mentioned, the Chaldeans are moſt cer- tainly underſtood, who wandred from their own Country to con- quer other People, the word is variouſly tranflated, Yagrants, Tra- wellers, -Removers, &c. who ſhall conquer the Moabites, and carry them into captivity: o He had before comparetl the Moabzter, ro Wine ſertied upon the Lees, here he faith, that God would ſend thole thar ſhould not only diſturb and and rowl them, but rune and deſtroy them.