Isaiah 16:7

7 Therefore let Moab wail for Moab, 1let everyone wail. Mourn, utterly stricken, for the 2raisin cakes of 3Kir-hareseth.

Isaiah 16:7 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 16:7

Therefore shall Moab howl for Moab
One Moabite shall mourn for another; the living for the dead; or one part of the country for another; or to Moab, they shall howl in turns, answering to one another: everyone shall howl:
every Moabite, or the whole country of Moab shall howl, being everywhere desolate: for the foundations of Kirhareseth shall ye mourn: surely [they
are] stricken;
this was a very principal city in the land of Moab, and a very strong one, see ( 2 Kings 3:25 ) . It signifies, according to some, "the city of the sun", so called, it may be, because the sun was worshipped here; or, according to others, "the earthen city", or "city of brick", because its houses and walls were made of brick; and so the Vulgate Latin version renders it, "the walls of burnt brick". Now this strong city was to be razed even to the foundations, so that these would be discovered, which would occasion mourning to its inhabitants, and those of other places. Kimchi interprets "the foundations", of the great men and princes of Moab, see ( Jeremiah 48:31 ) so the Targum,

``and they shall howl over the men of the city of their strength;''
R. Jonah, of the men of the army, the foundation of the kingdom; so Ben Melech. The word translated "foundations" signifies also flagons or bottles, and so Aben Ezra and Abendana understand it here; and accordingly the words may be thus rendered, "for the bottles of Kirhareseth shall ye mourn, verily they are broken" F4; this agrees with the signification of the word in ( Hosea 3:1 ) ( Song of Solomon 2:5 ) and with what follows, concerning the vine of Sibmah; the reason of the mourning seems to be, that there would be no wine, and the bottles would lie useless, and be broken.
FOOTNOTES:

F4 (yvyval) "de lagenis Kir-hareseth gemetis, ubique confractae sunt", De Dieu; "propter dolia Cir-hareseth gemetis"; so some in Vatablus.

Isaiah 16:7 In-Context

5 then a throne will be established in steadfast love, and on it will sit in faithfulness in the tent of David one who judges and seeks justice and is swift to do righteousness."
6 We have heard of the pride of Moab-- how proud he is!-- of his arrogance, his pride, and his insolence; in his idle boasting he is not right.
7 Therefore let Moab wail for Moab, let everyone wail. Mourn, utterly stricken, for the raisin cakes of Kir-hareseth.
8 For the fields of Heshbon languish, and the vine of Sibmah; the lords of the nations have struck down its branches, which reached to Jazer and strayed to the desert; its shoots spread abroad and passed over the sea.
9 Therefore I weep with the weeping of Jazer for the vine of Sibmah; I drench you with my tears, O Heshbon and Elealeh; for over your summer fruit and your harvest the shout has ceased.

Cross References 3

  • 1. Isaiah 15:3
  • 2. 2 Samuel 6:19; [ver. 9]
  • 3. 2 Kings 3:25; [Isaiah 15:1]
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.