(Version 3.) In the crossroads of it, they are girded with sacks; over its roofs, and in its streets, all wailing will descend into weeping. Private tears will not exist, public mourning will echo with public laments; neither married women, nor young maidens, nor the small age of children, nor the faltering steps of the elderly will be held back in their houses, extreme captivity will not know shame and weakness.
15:4
(Verse 4.) Esbon and Eleale will cry out. These are the names of cities in the province of Moab, of which Esbon was once the city of the Amorite king. Concerning this city, Jeremiah also said, 'Fire has come out of Esbon, and a flame from the midst of Seon.' The name Esbon means 'thought' and therefore, Jeremiah, alluding to the name, says against Esbon, 'they have devised evil.' (Jeremiah XLV.)
The voice of them was heard even to Jaza. The city of Jaza (also known as Jasa) lies close to the Dead Sea, where the border of the Moabite province is. This indicates that the wailing of the province will resound to the very ends of the land. Hence, Jeremiah also says: From the outcry of Heshbon, even to Eleale and Jaza, they have raised their voice (Jeremiah 48:34).
Therefore the Moabites will wail, every one will wail for himself; for the raisin cakes of Kir-hareseth you shall mourn, utterly stricken. But if, as Aquila wanted, they are understood to be exerting their shoulders, that suggests to us the feeling that everyone has bared their chests to mourn.
15:5
(Verse 5) My heart will cry out to Moab. The prophet speaks with a lamenting affection, either because even the enemies are creatures of God, on whom so many evils come upon, or because they are to be overwhelmed with such calamities that even their enemies will become pitiable. Jeremiah also says the same: Therefore my heart will resound like a flute to Moab.
They extend their borders from Segor to a calf in labor. And Jeremiah: From Segor, he says, to Oronaim, a calf in labor. We have spoken about this in the books of Hebrew Questions, and now we briefly note that it is the fifth city after Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboim, which were preserved for the sake of Lot's prayers. It is called Bala, that is, swallowed up, according to the Hebrews, because it was overthrown by the third earthquake. It is called Zoora (also Zora) in the Syriac language and Segor in Hebrew, both meaning 'little'. We can consider her to be a perfect age calf. Just as the thirtieth year is the strongest in humans, so is the third year in cattle and horses. The boundaries are also indicated by stakes, and by strength we mean that Segor is situated in the borders of the Moabites, separating their land from the Philistines.
For Luith will ascend weeping by way of ascent. And Jeremiah: Luith will ascend weeping by way of ascent, into mourning. However, we understand the ascent to be the path that leads to the Assyrians, and by this, captivity is signified.
And on the way to Oronaim, they will relieve the cry of contrition. Again Jeremiah: The voice of the cry of Oronaim, devastation, and great contrition. It would be long if I wanted to speak about each one, since it is clear that there are either the names of cities in Moab or the names of places that the transmigrants have abandoned.
15:6
(Verse 6) For the waters of Nemrim will be deserted. This town is on the Dead Sea, with salty waters, and even this itself is barren. Whether it alludes to the name, or whether it happened after the devastation, that even the waters turned bitter.
Because the grass has withered, the bud has failed, all the greenness has perished. Not as some think, truly because the waters of Nemrim were barren, all the grass has dried up, but Scripture speaks metaphorically. And the meaning is, in all of Moab the waters of Nemrim will be salty and bitter; just as no grass sprouts there, so the whole province will suffer from drought, that is, from Segor to Oronaim, from borders to borders. The same thing is said by Jeremiah: The waters of Nemrim will be very bad (Jerem. XLVIII, 34).
15:7
(Verse 7.) According to the magnitude of the work and the visitation of them: lead them to the river of willows. Concerning the willows, we read in Hebrew Arabim (), which can be understood both as Arabs and as Orvim (), that is, a village situated on their borders, of which it is said by many inhabitants that it provided sustenance to the prophet Elijah on Mount Horeb: this name is transferred due to ambiguity to both crows and the West, and to open places. The meaning, however, is: the visitation will correspond to the magnitude of the illness. Receive this visitation not for healing, but for punishment. I will visit, He says, with a rod their iniquities, and with stripes their sins (Ps. 88:33). Receive the rivers of Babylon, like a torrent of willows, concerning which David said, In the midst thereof we have hung up our organs on the willows (Ps. 136:2); or the valley of Arabia, through which one must pass to the Assyrians.
15:8
(Verse 8) Because the cry has gone around the territory of Moab, even to Eglaim its wailing, and even to Beer Elim its outcry. The same things are described by Jeremiah. And there are cities and places of the Moabites, where the cry and lamentation of the captive people are described.
15:9
(Verse 9) Because the waters of Dibon are filled with blood. Where there was once luxury due to fertile fields and constantly flowing springs, there the streams of blood will flow due to the multitude of those killed.
For I will set upon Dibon additional things for those who have fled from Moab, a lion, and the remnants of the land. Lest anyone think it is a mistake of the scribe, and wishes to correct the error, let it be known that the name is written with both the letter M and the letter B: E of which Dimon is interpreted as silence; Dibon, flowing. With both names given because of the quietly flowing waters, to this day this small town is called both Dimon and Dibon interchangeably. As for the statement: I will set upon Dibon additional things, and seemed to ask a question about what it was, he explained in the following verse, saying: For those who have fled from Moab, a lion, and the remnants of the land: so that even those who have escaped in flight may be consumed by beasts. Although we can also understand the lion, the king of the enemies, through a metaphor, so that no one can escape his power, as if it were a roar.
16:1
(Chapter 16, Verse 1) Send forth the Lamb, the ruler of the earth, from the desert rock to the mountain of the daughter of Zion. This, we interpret, is not history, but prophecy. However, every prophecy is wrapped in riddles and, with interrupted sentences, while speaking of one thing, goes on to another: lest if it preserves the order of Scripture, it be not a prophecy, but a narrative. And the meaning is: O Moab, over whom the lion will rage, and from whom not even remnants will be able to be saved, take solace in this: The Immaculate Lamb will come forth from you, who will take away the sins of the world, who will rule over the whole earth. From the rock of the desert, that is, from Ruth, who, widowed by the death of her husband, bore Obed and from Obed, Jesse, and from Jesse, David, and from David, Christ. But by the mountain of the daughters of Zion, we shall interpret either the city itself, Jerusalem, or according to the sacred understanding, the Church, which is established on the summit of virtues.
16:2
(Verse 2) And it shall be, like a flying bird, and like young birds flying from the nest, so shall the daughters of Moab be in the crossing of the Arnon. They will return to the order they had taken: When I have set, it says, those who fled from Moab, and the remnants of the land, against the fiercest lion, who will break their limbs and bones, then the fearful shall fly away, and all the daughters, that is, the towns and cities of the province of Moab, shall migrate in the crossing of the Arnon, which is the boundary of the Amorites and the Moabites. However, transcensum et hic ponens, captivitatem significat.
16:3-4