Isaiah 15:3

3 In the streets they wear sackcloth; on the roofs and in the public squares they all wail, prostrate with weeping.

Isaiah 15:3 in Other Translations

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 in the streets they wear sackcloth; on the housetops and in the squares everyone wails and melts in tears.

3 They will wear burlap as they wander the streets. From every home and public square will come the sound of wailing.

3 They pour into the streets wearing black, go up on the roofs, take to the town square, Everyone in tears, everyone in grief.

3 In their streets they gird themselves with sackcloth; on their housetops, and in their broad places, every one waileth, weeping abundantly.

3 In their streets they wear sackcloth. On their roofs and in their city squares everyone wails and cries.

3 In its streets they wear sackcloth; on its rooftops and in its public squares everyone wails, falling down and weeping.

3 In the streets they wear black clothes. On their roofs and in the market places all of them are crying. They fall down flat with their faces toward the ground. And they sob.

Isaiah 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.

Isaiah 15:3 In-Context

1 A prophecy against Moab: Ar in Moab is ruined, destroyed in a night! Kir in Moab is ruined, destroyed in a night!

2 Dibon goes up to its temple, to its high places to weep; Moab wails over Nebo and Medeba. Every head is shaved and every beard cut off.

3 In the streets they wear sackcloth; on the roofs and in the public squares they all wail, prostrate with weeping.

4 Heshbon and Elealeh cry out, their voices are heard all the way to Jahaz. Therefore the armed men of Moab cry out, and their hearts are faint.

5 My heart cries out over Moab; her fugitives flee as far as Zoar, as far as Eglath Shelishiyah. They go up the hill to Luhith, weeping as they go; on the road to Horonaim they lament their destruction.

Cross References

• 1. S Isaiah 3:24
• 2. S Joshua 2:8
• 3. Jeremiah 48:38
• 4. Isaiah 14:31; Jeremiah 47:2
• 5. ver 5; Isaiah 16:9; Isaiah 22:4; Lamentations 2:11; Ezekiel 7:18; Micah 1:8