The Pulpit Commentary — Isaiah — Volume 1 — Section 274

EXPOSITION. · CHAPTER XV. threatened Philistis, Israel's nem-est enemy Vere.1-9.-THE'BmiDEN OF MoAB. The upon the west, he turns to Moob, her nee.rest foe tewards the -east. p~csont chap~er 11,nd the next are very closely' connected, and may be regarded as together Ver. 1.-Beoause, An elliptical begin- c~nstituting '' the burden of Moab.", It has ning. Mr .. Choyne supposes some such been argued on criticnl grounds that the words as uLa.ment for Moab," or "Alas for Moab I" to have been in the writer's mind, bulk of the prophecy is quoted by ls:.ia.h but to have bec_n omitted through '' lyrical from an ea.rlier writer, and that he ho.a eJ1:citement." Ill the night. This i.s best m9>ely modifi,cd; .the wording nnd 11,dJed 11, takeu literally. Night attacks, though not few t.ouchcs bore, 11,nd there (so Gesenius,, common in antiquity, were not unknown. Uost;mmiillcr, Hitzig; l\laurcr, Ewllld, Kno- Mesho,, King of Monb, boasts that he" went in the night" agninst Nebo, und ossaulteu bel,' and Cheyne). Jeremillh is thought to it o.t eMly dawn (Moabite Stoue, l 15). ho.rn also bo.sed his" judgment of l\loaQ '' AT ot Moab; or, Ar-Moab. An ancient city, (Jcr, x:lviii.) on th& samo enrly writing. ment_ioned among those taken from the Dut speculations of this kind are iii tho Moal;>ites by Sihon (Numb. xxi. 28). Ac- highest degree uncertain, o.ud moreover .lead cording to Jerome, it wns called in Roman times Areopolis, or R,\booth-Moab. Moderu to no results or the slightest importance. geographers iuentify it with Rubba, o. pince It is best, thcrefoi·o, to regnrd Isuiah ,lloli on the olu Rom11n roa,l between 1,ernk 11ml lho 11,uihor of thcso two chnpters. Having Arair, south of the Arnou, wheru there LUil  268 THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET ISAIAH, [ ell. XV. 1-9,