Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Isaiah 15:3
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.
3. (Jer 48:37 f.) on the tops of their houses ] See on Isa 22:1. The word streets should not be used twice; substitute in the second case broad places (as in R.V.).
weeping abundantly ] lit. “going down in weeping,” an unusually strong figure. In other passages the eye is said to “go down in tears” (Jer 9:18; Lam 1:16; Lam 3:48); but nowhere else is the whole being spoken of as dissolved in weeping.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
In their streets – Publicly. Everywhere there shall be lamentation and grief. Some shall go into the streets, and some on the tops of the houses.
They shall gird themselves with sackcloth – The common token of mourning; and also worn usually in times of humiliation and fasting. It was one of the outward acts by which they expressed deep sorrow (Gen 37:34; 2Sa 3:31; 1Ki 21:27; 2Ki 19:1; Job 16:15; the note at Isa 3:24).
On the tops of the houses – The roofs of the houses in the East were, and still are, made flat, and were places of resort for prayer, for promenade, etc. The prophet here says, that all the usual places of resort would be filled with weeping and mourning. In the streets, and on the roofs of the houses, they would utter the voice of lamentation.
Shall howl – It is known that, in times of calamity in the East, it is common to raise an unnatural and forced howl, or long-continued shriek. Persons are often hired for this purpose Jer 9:17.
Weeping abundantly – Hebrew, Descending into weeping; that is, going, as we would say, deep into it, or weeping much; immersed as it were in tears (compare Jer 13:17; Jer 14:17).
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 3. With sackcloth] sak. The word is in the plural sakkim, sacks, in one of De Rossi’s MSS.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Shall gird themselves with sackcloth: this was another practice of mourners.
The tops of their houses, which were made flat, Deu 22:8; to which men used to go up, either to walk, or to cry to God in heaven or to men for help.
In their streets; publicly, without shame; whereas in ordinary sorrows men are wont to seek secret places for their mourning.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
3. tops of . . . housesflat;places of resort for prayer, c., in the East (Ac10:9).
weeping abundantly“meltingaway in tears.” HORSLEYprefers “descending to weep.” Thus there is a “parallelismby alternate construction” [LOWTH],or chiasmus “howl” refers to “tops of houses.””Descending to weep” to “streets” or squares,whither they descend from the housetops.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
In their streets they shall girt themselves with sackcloth,…. Instead of their fine clothes, with which they had used to deck themselves, being a very proud people; see Isa 16:6 this was usual in times of distress on any account, as well as a token of mourning for the dead; see Joe 1:8. The word for “streets” might be rendered “villages”, as distinct from cities, that were “without” the walls of the cities, though adjacent to them; and the rather, seeing mention is made of streets afterwards:
on the tops of their houses; which were made flat, as the houses of the Jews were, on which were battlements, De 22:8 hither they went for safety from their enemies, or to see if they could spy the enemy, or any that could assist them, and deliver them; or rather, hither they went for devotion, to pray to their gods for help; for here it was usual to have altars erected, to burn incense on to their deities; see
2Ki 23:12 and in such places the people of God were wont to pray, Ac 10:9:
and in their streets; publicly, as well as privately, where they ran up and down to get from the enemy, and save themselves:
everyone shall howl, weeping abundantly: or, “descending with weeping”: the tears running down his cheeks in great abundance, so that his whole body was as it were watered with them; or the meaning may be, that everyone that went up to the temples of the idols, and to the high places, Isa 15:2 or to the roofs of the houses, as here, to pray the assistance of their gods, should come down weeping and howling, having no success.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
3. In his streets. (239) He proceeds with the same subject, describing more fully the tokens of mourning, in which the eastern nations abound more than others; for, having quicker understandings and keener feelings, they express their emotions by outward signs more than others do, who, being slower in apprehension, are likewise slower in movement and gesture. It was no doubt faulty in them that they indulged in so many ceremonies and gesticulations; but the Prophet spoke of them as what was known and common, only for the purpose of describing the grief which would follow the desolation of that country.
Every one shall howl and descend to weeping. (240) It was with good reason that he added this description; for we are never moved by predictions, unless the Lord place them, as it were, before our eyes. Lest the Jews should think that these matters might be lightly passed by, when he described that destruction, he determined to mention also mourning, weeping, and howling, that they might see almost with their own eyes those events which appear to be incredible, for the Moabites were at that time in a state of profound peace, and believers had the more need of being confirmed, that they might not call this prophecy in question. By the same means he points out the despair to which unbelievers are liable in adversity, for the support on which they rely is insecure.
(239) Bogus footnote
(240) Bogus footnote
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(3) In their streets . . .The picture of lamentation is continued. The flat roofs of Eastern houses were a natural resort for such wailings (Isa. 22:1). The broad places, the bazaars or market-places, were also, like the agora of Greek cities, a natural place of concourse. The prophet represents them as filled with the sound of wailing.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
‘In their streets they gird themselves with sackcloth.
On their housetops and in their broad places,
Everyone howls,
Weeping abundantly (literally ‘going down in weeping’).
And Heshbon cries out, and Elealeh.
Their voice is heard even to Jahaz.
Therefore the armed men of Moab cry aloud,
His soul trembles within him.’
All the land fall to weeping. They wear sackcloth, a sign of mourning. They go to their housetop shrines, and gather in the open spaces to weep. This is the price for opposing Assyria, for their soldiers will show little mercy. Heshbon was the capital city, on the northern border, Elealeh another associated city. But their cries would reach even down to Jahaz in the south. And as the armed men waited for the Assyrian armies to reach them, each of them too would tremble deep within and cry aloud.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Isa 15:3 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.
Ver. 3. In their streets they shall gird themselves with sackcloth. ] Saccum et silicium non curat Deus. God careth not for these externals where there is not a heart sprinkled with the blood of his Son. “The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination; how much more when he bringeth it with a wicked mind?” Pro 21:27
On the tops of their houses.
Weeping abundantly.
a Miseros ergo Papicolas, qui et ipsi cum fietu ad divos divasque suas ascendunt, cum ululatu descendunt. – Scultet.
their streets = his (i.e. Moab’s) open streets.
weeping abundantly = coming down with weeping.
their streets: 2Sa 3:31, 2Ki 6:30, Jon 3:6-8, Mat 11:21
on the: Isa 15:2, Isa 22:1, Deu 22:8, Jer 19:13, Jer 48:38, Jer 48:39
weeping abundantly: Heb. descending into weeping; or, coming down with weeping, Isa 15:5
Reciprocal: 1Sa 5:12 – the cry Isa 3:24 – a girding Isa 32:11 – and gird Jer 4:8 – gird Jer 7:29 – Cut Jer 48:37 – every head Lam 2:10 – they have girded Eze 7:18 – shall also Amo 8:10 – sackcloth
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge