Isaías 15:3

3 En sus calles se han ceñido de cilicio; en sus terrados y en sus plazas todos gimen, deshechos en lágrimas.

Isaías 15:3 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 15:3

In their streets they shall girt themselves with sackcloth,
&c.] Instead of their fine clothes, with which they had used to deck themselves, being a very proud people; see ( Isaiah 16:6 ) this was usual in times of distress on any account, as well as a token of mourning for the dead; see ( Joel 1:8 Joel 1:13 ) . 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, ( Deuteronomy 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 ( 2 Kings 23:12 ) ( Jeremiah 19:13 ) ( Zephaniah 1:5 ) and in such places the people of God were wont to pray, ( Acts 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, ( Isaiah 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.

Isaías 15:3 In-Context

1 Profecía sobre Moab. Ciertamente en una noche Ar de Moab fue devastada y destruida, ciertamente en una noche Kir de Moab fue devastada y destruida.

2 Han subido al templo y a Dibón, a los lugares altos a llorar. Sobre Nebo y sobre Medeba gime Moab; en todas sus cabezas, calvicie; toda barba, rasurada.

3 En sus calles se han ceñido de cilicio; en sus terrados y en sus plazas todos gimen, deshechos en lágrimas.

4 También claman Hesbón y Eleale, se oye su voz hasta Jahaza. Por tanto, los hombres armados de Moab gritarán, su alma tiembla dentro de él.

5 Mi corazón clama por Moab; sus fugitivos se extienden hasta Zoar y Eglat-selisiya, y suben la cuesta de Luhit llorando; ciertamente en el camino a Horonaim dan gritos de angustia por su ruina.