Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Isaiah 15:4
And Heshbon shall cry, and Elealeh: their voice shall be heard [even] unto Jahaz: therefore the armed soldiers of Moab shall cry out; his life shall be grievous unto him.
4. (Cf. Jer 48:34.) Heshbon and Elealeh (often mentioned together) are respectively about 4 and 6 miles N.E. of Nebo. Heshbon, once the capital of the Amorites (Num 21:26) and afterwards an Israelitish city (Num 32:37; Jos 13:17; Jos 21:39), is at the time of the prophecy in the possession of Moab. The site of Jahaz, where Sihon gave battle to the Israelites (Num 21:23), has not been discovered; probably it was some distance south from Heshbon.
the armed soldiers of Moab shall cry out ] omit “shall” with R.V. Cf. ch. Isa 33:7. The “heroes of Moab” are mentioned in a similar plight in Jer 48:41.
his life shall be grievous unto him ] Rather, as in R.V., his soul trembleth within him (ethical dative).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And Heshbon shall cry – This was a celebrated city of the Amorites, twenty miles east of the Jordan Jos 13:17. It was formerly conquered from the Moabiltes by Sihon, and became his capital, and was taken by the Israelites a little before the death of Moses Num 21:25. After the carrying away of the ten tribes it was recovered by the Moabites. Jeremiah Jer 48:2 calls it the pride of Moab. The town still subsists under the same name, and is described by Burckhardt. He says, it is situated on a hill, southwest from El Aal (Elealeh). Here are the ruins of an ancient town, together with the remains of some edifices built with small stones; a few broken shafts of columns are still standing, a number of deep wells cut in the rock, and a large reservoir of water for the summer supply the inhabitants. (Travels in Syria, p. 365.)
And Elealeh – This was a town of Reuben about a mile from Heshbon Num 32:37. Burckhardt visited this place. Its present name is El Aal. It stands on the summit of a hill, and takes its name from its situation – Aal, meaning the high. It commands the whole plain, and the view from the top of the hill is very extensive, comprehending the whole of the southern Belka. El Aal was surrounded by a well built wall, of which some parts yet remain. Among the ruins are a number of large cisterns, fragments of walls, and the foundations of houses, but nothing worthy of notice. The plain around it is alternately chalk and flint. (Travels in Syria, p. 365.)
Even unto Jahaz – This was a city east of Jordan, near to which Moses defeated Sihon. It was given to Reuben Deu 2:32, and was situated a short distance north of Ar, the capital of Moab.
The armed soldiers of Moab – The consternation shall reach the very army. They shall lose their courage, and instead of defending the nation, they shall join in the general weeping and lamentation.
His life shall be grievous – As we say of a person who is overwhelmed with calamities, that his life is wearisome, so, says the prophet, shall it be with the whole nation of Moab.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 4. The armed soldiers – “The very loins”] So the Septuagint, , and the Syriac. They cry out violently, with their utmost force.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Heshbon and Elealeh; two other Moabitish cities; of which see Num 21:25,26; 32:3,37.
Jahaz another city in the utmost borders of Moab, Num 21:23, called also Jahazah, Jos 21:36.
The armed soldiers, who should be, and use to be, the most courageous.
His life shall be grievous unto him; the Moabites shall generally long for death, to free themselves from those dreadful calamities which they perceive unavoidably coming upon them.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
4. Heshbonan Amorite city,twenty miles east of Jordan; taken by Moab after the carrying away ofIsrael (compare Jer48:1-47).
Elealehnear Heshbon,in Reuben.
Jahazeast of Jordan,in Reuben. Near it Moses defeated Sihon.
thereforebecause ofthe sudden overthrow of their cities. Even the armed men, instead offighting in defense of their land, shall join in the general cry.
life, &c.rather,”his soul is grieved” (1Sa1:8) [MAURER].
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And Heshbon shall cry, and Elealeh,…. Two other cities in the land of Moab. The first of these was the city of Sihon king of the Amorites, who took it from the Moabites, Nu 21:25 it came into the hands of the Reubenites, Nu 32:3 and afterwards was again possessed by the Moabites, Jer 48:2. Josephus t calls it Essebon, and mentions it among the cities of Moab; it goes by the name of Esbuta in Ptolemy u; and is called Esbus by Jerom w, who says it was a famous city of Arabia in his time, in the mountains over against Jericho, twenty miles distant from Jordan; hence we read of the Arabian Esbonites in Pliny x. Elealeh was another city of Moab, very near to Heshbon and frequently mentioned with it,
Isa 16:9. Jerom says y that in his time it was a large village, a mile from Esbus, or Heshbon. By these two places are meant the inhabitants of them, as the Targum paraphrases it, who cried for and lamented the desolation that was coming, or was come upon them:
their voice shall be heard [even] unto Jahaz; sometimes called Jahazah, Jos 13:18 it was a frontier town, at the utmost borders of the land, Nu 21:23 hence the cry of the inhabitants of the above cities is said to reach to it, which expresses the utter destruction that should be made; see Jer 48:34 this is thought to be the same place Ptolemy z calls Ziza. Jerom a calls it Jazza, as it is in the Septuagint here, and says that in his time it was shown between Medaba and Deblathai.
Therefore the armed soldiers of Moab shall cry out; not as when they go to battle, with courage and cheerfulness, as some have thought; but through fear, and as in great terror and distress; and so it signifies, that not only the weak and unarmed inhabitants, men and women, should be in the utmost confusion and consternation, but the soldiers that should fight for them, and defend them; who were accoutred, or “harnessed”, as the word signifies, and were “girt” and prepared for war, as the Targum renders it; even these would be dispirited, and have no heart to fight, but lament their sad case:
his life shall be grievous to everyone; the life of every Moabite would be a burden to him; he would choose death rather than life; so great the calamity: or the life of every soldier; or “his soul shall cry out”, grieve or mourn for “himself” b; for his own unhappy case; he shall only be concerned for himself, how to save himself, or make his escape; having none for others, for whose defence he was set, and for whom he was to fight; but would have no concern for his king or country, only for himself.
t Antiqu. l. 13. c. 15. sect. 4. u Geograph. l. 5. c. 17. P. 137. w De locis Hebraicis, fol. 90. M. x Nat. Hist. l. 5. c. 11. y De locis Hebraicis, fol. 90. M. z Geograph. l. 5. c. 17. p. 137. a De locis Hebraicis, fol. 92. F. b “anima ejus vociferabit sibi”, Pagninus & Montanus.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
4. And Heshbon shall cry, and Elealeh. Here he names other cities; for his design is to bind up, as it were, in a bundle all the cities of that country, that they may be involved in the general destruction; as if he had said, that none at all shall be exempted.
Therefore the light-armed soldiers of Moab shall howl. Though על כן ( gnal ken) literally signifies therefore, yet some think that a reason is not here assigned; but that is of little importance. The Prophet shows that there will be none that does not howl; for he declares that the bold and courageous shall mourn. Next he adds, the soul of every one shall howl to him. (241) Every one shall be so engrossed with his own grief, that he will not think of his neighbors.
(241) Bogus footnote
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(4) And Heshbon shall cry, and Elealeh . . .Of the places thus named (1) Heshbon (now Heshan) was twenty miles east of the Jordan, on a line from the northern extremity of the Dead Sea. It is first mentioned as in the power of Sihon king of the Amorites (Num. 21:26). On his overthrow it was assigned to the tribe of Reuben (Num. 32:37), and became a city of the Levites (Jos. 21:39). It had probably fallen into the hands of the Moabites, to whom it had originally belonged (Num. 21:26). Its ruins exhibit architecture of various periods, Jewish, Roman, and Saracenic; (2) Elealeh, obviously near Heshbon, had shared its fate (Num. 32:3; Num. 32:37). The ancient name still attaches to its ruins in the form El-Aal; (3) Jahaz was the scene of the battle between Sihon and the Israelites (Num. 21:23; Deu. 2:32; Jdg. 11:20), and was also within the region assigned to Reuben (Jos. 13:10) north of the Arnon. The language of Isaiah implies that it was at some distance from the other two cities. Their cry was to be heard even there. In the Moabite inscription it appears as annexed to Dibon (Records of the Past, xi. 167). Eusebius (Onomast.) names it as between Medeba and Debus, the latter name being probably identical with Dibon. The panic is intensified by the fact that even the armed soldiers of Moab are powerless to help, and can only join in the ineffectual wailing.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
4. Heshbon, and other cities north, and back to the south again, join in the cry. Heshbon, an ancient royal residence of the Amorites, (Num 21:26, seq.,) on falling into the hands of the Israelites, was assigned to Reuben, (Jos 13:17😉 then to Gad as a city of the Levites.
Jahaz This place would seem to have lain eastward toward the desert, as may be inferred from Num 21:23, and Deu 2:32, for it was from there that Sihon marched down into the wilderness against the Israelite warriors who conquered him.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Isa 15:4 And Heshbon shall cry, and Elealeh: their voice shall be heard [even] unto Jahaz: therefore the armed soldiers of Moab shall cry out; his life shall be grievous unto him.
Ver. 4. And Heshbon shall cry, and Elealeh. ] See on Isa 15:2 .
The armed soldiers of Moab shall cry out.
His life shall be grievous to him.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Heshbon. Now Heshoan. The capital of the Amorites. Rebuilt by Reuben (Num 32:37).
cry = cry in pain.
Elealeh. Nowel’ Al, near Heshbon. Compare Isa 16:9. Num 32:3, Num 32:37. Jer 48:34.
Jahaz. Not identified. Num 21:23. Deu 2:32. Jdg 11:20.
armed soldiers = light-armed troopers.
cry out = shout for joy.
ife = soul. Hebrew. nephesh. App-13.
grievous unto him = vexed within him.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Heshbon: Isa 16:8, Isa 16:9, Num 32:3, Num 32:4, Jer 48:34
Jahaz: Num 21:23, Deu 2:32, Jos 13:18, Jdg 11:20
his: Gen 27:46, Num 11:15, 1Ki 19:4, Job 3:20-22, Job 7:15, Job 7:16, Jer 8:3, Jer 20:18, Jon 4:3, Jon 4:8, Rev 9:6
Reciprocal: Exo 11:6 – General Num 21:25 – in Heshbon Num 32:37 – Heshbon Jos 13:16 – General Est 4:1 – and cried Jer 48:21 – Jahazah Zep 1:14 – the mighty
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Isa 15:4. And Heshbon shall cry, and Elealeh Two other Moabitish cities; of which see Num 21:25-26; Num 32:3; Num 32:37. Their voice shall be heard unto Jahaz Another city in the utmost borders of Moab. The armed soldiers shall cry out Even the warriors themselves, who should defend the state, shall lose all their spirit and courage, and join in the general lamentation and dismay: see Jer 48:34; Jer 48:41. His life shall be grievous unto him The Moabites shall generally long for death, to free them from those dreadful calamities which they perceive unavoidably coming upon them.