1 The burden of Moab. Because in the night Ar of Moab is laid waste, and brought to silence; because in the night Kir of Moab is laid waste, and brought to silence;
Jerome · AD 420 (Chapter 15, Verse 1) Burden of Moab: because in the night Ar of Moab is laid waste, it is silent; because in the night the wall of Moab is laid waste, it is silent. It is enough to have said once about the burden and weight. I only briefly remind you that burdens always bring about sadness. However, visions are either immediately joyful or joyful after sadness.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 432. The burden of Moab. In this part, he threatens against the Moabites—who were descended from Moab, the firstborn of Lot (Gen 19:37)—because they rejoiced in the destruction of the sons of Israel by the Assyrians and Chaldeans, by whom nevertheless they themselves were destroyed, although afterwards.
2 He has gone up to Bajith, and to Dibon, the high places, to weep: Moab shall howl over Nebo, and over Medeba: on all their heads shall be baldness, and every beard cut off.
Jerome · AD 420 (Verse 2) Therefore, since every teaching contrary to the truth, which is born without the inspiration of God from human understanding in the darkness of error, has been laid waste by the night, and its arguments, which are understood as walls, have been destroyed by the words of Ecclesiastes; so that they fall into eternal silence, to such an extent that their entire faction t…
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 434. The house is gone up. Here he shows the magnitude of their punishment from the magnitude of their weeping, and he sets out three things.
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.
Jerome · AD 420 (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.
Verecundus of Junca · AD 552 Indeed, it is not inappropriate that the author of the abyss, the devil, should be identified with the abyss, as he is also called death, being the head of death: "Where, O death, is your sting?" And the voice of death or the abyss groans with pain, since he sees that the power to prey upon the people he possessed from the beginning is being taken away.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 436. Third, he excludes any limit to their weeping, both as to diversity of place: for every, that is, in every manner, howling, shall be, on the tops of their houses, which had level places for sitting, and in their streets shall come down weeping, from the high places to which they had ascended weeping, so that there was weeping in the mountains and in the valleys.
4 And Heshbon shall cry, and Elealeh: their voice shall be heard even to Jahaz: therefore the armed soldiers of Moab shall cry out; his life shall be grievous to him.
Jerome · AD 420 (Verse 4) Then they shall understand all their vain thoughts, which are interpreted as Esbon, and the futile ascent of pride, which sounds like Eleale, so that the voice of their deeds may be heard, and the commandment they thought was from God, condemning themselves by their own confession.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Hesebon shall cry, weeping, and Eleale, which were cities that were, indeed, in the land of the kingdom of Moab; their voice is heard even to Jasa, which is another city of Moab.
5 My heart shall cry out for Moab; his fugitives shall flee to Zoar, a heifer of three years old: for by the mounting up of Luhith with weeping shall they go it up; for in the way of Horonaim they shall raise up a cry of destruction.
Jerome · AD 420 (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.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 440. My heart. Here he shows the magnitude of their punishment from the compassion of their enemies, for the prophet himself suffers with them; to Moab, that is, for the affliction of Moab: I will watch over you (Jer 48:31). The bars. Here he describes the manner and order of their punishment, and he sets out three things.
6 For the waters of Nimrim shall be desolate: for the hay has withered away, the grass fails, there is no green thing.
Jerome · AD 420 (Verse 6) And this will happen because the waters of Nemrim, that is, the teachings of heretics, which are compared to leopards and transgressors, will be deserted and brought to nothing.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Third, the barrenness of their fields, for the waters, that is, the land of Moab will be so barren it will be like the territory around the town of Nemrim, which is by the sea, because its waters are salty and bitter; not indeed because of the waters, but by the judgment of God, the grass, already arisen, is withered away; the spring, as to what was sprouting; the greenness, of…
7 Therefore the abundance they have gotten, and that which they have laid up, shall they carry away to the brook of the willows.
Jerome · AD 420 (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 na…
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 442. According to the greatness. Here the reckoning of the magnitude of their punishment is set out: their work, of sin; their visitation, vengeance: according to the measure of the sin shall the measure also of the stripes be (Deut 25:2). 443. They shall lead them to the torrent.
8 For the cry has gone around the borders of Moab; its howling to Eglaim, and its howling to Beer-elim.
Jerome · AD 420 (Verse 8) The cry of the Moabites goes around all the borders, either calling for repentance or mourning for the error, so that they can offer through their wailing the calves of their lips and reach the spring of the Lord's rams, or the mighty ones, because Elim signifies both.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Some of them were killed, and as to this he says: for the cry is gone round about, of those who weep, or of the Chaldean warriors.
9 For the waters of Dimon shall be full of blood: for I will bring more upon Dimon, lions upon him that escapes of Moab, and upon the remnant of the land.
Jerome · AD 420 (Verse 9) But the waters of Dimon, which is interpreted as sufficient pain or sorrow, which had polluted many with its sprinkling, will be accused by deceived peoples of not being for their salvation, but for their bloodshed.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 For the waters of Dibon, the name of a city, in which they practiced their lusts because of the pleasantness of the place: the Moabites ran into the waters of Dibon (2 Kngs 3).