001 This is a prophecy against Moab. As he ascribes vengeance to the Philistines, so he ascribes presumption to the Moabites. For they were a very proud people, because of the great fruitfulness of their fields and other gifts of which they abounded.
Cap. 15, i. Disturbance comes at night.
2. he speaks as of a present thing, and says: It will be devastated as easily as if someone takes a city that lies buried in sleep and drunkenness. With the word "night" he indicates at the same time the presumption and security.
Ar
3. is the city which the Greeks called Ariopolis.
Kir in Moab (murus Moab).
4. I take "Kir" as the proper name of a city.
V. 2. They go up to Baith and Dibon to the altars.
(5) Those who become proud in good fortune become so downcast and fearful even by a little misfortune that they cannot be raised up. In this way he speaks here of the Moabites.
6 Furthermore, Nebo and Medbah were cities in Gad and Reuben. Either the Moabites took them again, or gave the same names to other cities. What the Latin translator has given: Ascendit domus, is, I believe, the proper name of a temple: "They go up to Baith and Dibon."
All heads are shorn.
7 These are signs of great mourning, after the manner of this people.
V. 3. 4. hesbon.
8. a city in the tribe of Reuben.
Jahza
Also lies in the territory of the tribe of Reuben.
V. 5 My heart cries out to Moab.
(9) This passage is not well translated [in the Vulgate], and must be given thus: "My heart cries out to Moab; their fugitives, from the three-year-old heifer to Zoar," add: "they flee. But I take this to mean that it is spoken in the person of the prophet, and as if he were mocking the Moabites because they are so downcast and terrified. Furthermore, he calls Moab "a heifer of three years," proverbially, because of the abundant pasture and other advantages of which this land abounded, just as a heifer of three years is fertile and gives much milk. Thus it is said of Ephraim in the prophet Hosea [Cap. 4, 16.], "Ephraim runs like a mad cow."
Luhith [Horonaim].
These oerter we do not know.
V. 6. 7. the waters of Nimrim.
(10) I consider that the prophet speaks in images, that these oerters are deserted by regrets and inhabitants.
Across the Willow Brook.
11. I would like to understand by it the brook Gabboth, which lay beyond the willow brook.
V. 8. Cries go up in the borders of Moab.
That is, there is weeping and shouting everywhere.
V. 9. I will let more come to this through Dimon.
(13) He calls the nobles of Moab the lions of Moab, as if to say that both the nobles and the rest of the common people will be more severely afflicted.
Cap. 16, 1. Dear, send, you sovereigns lambs of Sela from the desert (Emitte agnum Domine), 1)
14 Thus it must be translated, "Ye princes of the land, send forth lambs from Selah.
1) This is how it is written in the Vulgate and in the 1532 edition. The other editions have changed Domino to Domino.
the desert." Jerome twists it even evil on the holy virgin Mary. I also do not want to follow the opinion of the Jews that I should think that the Moabites were not under the rule of Hezekiah at that time. My opinion is therefore this, that it is a mocking speech (ironia): Send now sacrifices to the temple of the Lord, whether you can perhaps avert the forthcoming evil from you. How does this devotion suddenly strike you? But this worship will not help you; the calamity that is about to befall you will not be helped by any sacrifice.
V. 2. But like a bird flitting away, driven from its nest.
This is a beautiful image: Like a bird from the nest, you will be driven out of the kingdom.
Arnon.
What it is, I do not know. But I think it is a border town of the Moabite country, conveniently located for robbers.
V. 3. Collects Rath.
That is, you have to flee badly; now use your wisdom, make shade for yourself against the heat, that is, make a fortress for yourself against this misfortune. Thus it is a constant mockery and ridicule.
Hide the chased.
(17) Dear, hide the wretched people under these shadows, that they may be hidden under them. As if to say: You will not be able to protect or help them in any way.
V. 4. Thus the driver will have an end.
These are nothing but mocking speeches. There is no doubt that you will find so much protection and help that you can avert such a great misfortune and help your wretched citizens. What I have made miserable, you save from the destroyer.
V. 5. But a chair will be prepared by grace.
19 Hereby he turns again to his own, and comforts them. As proud as Moab is
may be, it will nevertheless perish. But we will remain; and we will remain in such a kingdom, in which there will be no raging and blustering, but mercy, not hypocrisy, but truth,i ) in which the king will not only judge rightly for his own person, but will also see to it that the others judge in the same way, so that the poor will not be oppressed.
V. 6 But we hear of the arrogance of Moab.
20.k ) This is part of the confirmation of the promise. Do not be afraid or lose heart when you hear the arrogant Moab, whose pride and anger are greater than his power, but despise him, for he will surely perish.
V. 7 Therefore one Moabite will howl over another.
Moab ad Moab, that is, one Moabite over another.
Over the foundations of the city of KirHareseth, the paralyzed will sigh.
That is, the mob will mourn the miserable fall of its princes. "Paralyzed" he calls the lowly rabble. "Foundation" he calls the princes.
V. 8. His noble vines.
(22) This is figurative, meaning that the Assyrians will take all the young men of Moab away to their own land.
V. 9. Therefore I weep.
23. the prophet speaks in the person of Moab: I, Moab, weep 2c.
For a song has fallen into your summer, and into your harvest.
(24) In the vintage and in the harvest, the peasant rejoices and is glad. But here it is a mocking speech, with which the conqueror mocks the conquered. The Ge-
i) From here to the end of the paragraph, the 1532 edition has: But he points to the kingdom of Hezekiah.
k) Instead of s 20, the 1532 edition has: He speaks: The arrogance of this great speaker is known, and yet he will perish.
The cry of your enemies is heard in your harvest, that is, your work is enjoyed by another. For so it happens to the wicked: when they are in the vintage, another reaps. So the work saints enjoy no fruit of their righteousness in the danger of death.
V. 10. They do not press wine in the winepresses.
(25) By these images he indicates that they will perish and be devastated.
V. ``. That is why my heart is humming.
26 This is also spoken in imitation; that is, my body will ache with groaning and pain.
V. 12. Then it will be revealed how Moab is weary.
27 Hereby he also mocks the Moabite god and religion. Where are your gods now? As also Moses says, 5th book 32, 38: Let your gods arise and help you. l) As if he wanted to say: then their vain worship will come to light.
This is an excellent description of hypocrisy. For the hypocrites, when their hearts are taken up with an ungodly opinion of God, are far more fierce in their deeds than the truly godly in the true service of God. And this is the first retribution of the godless, that they are crushed by their work, which they voluntarily take upon themselves. The other retribution is that all their work in time of need is vain and of no use at all. That is why they bear their misfortune with the greatest sorrow, and see nowhere a hope to counsel themselves. Therefore he saith, The time shall come when it shall be made manifest how Moab is weary in his altars.
29 On the other hand, true godliness, knowing that it serves Christ, suffers outwardly, but overcomes the cross through the trust it has in Christ.
(30) Therefore, let us beware of ungodly doctrines that affect both the body and the mind.
l) From here to ยง 31 inol. the edition of 1532 has only the following: Thus, those who have a false religion, at the time of danger, are abandoned both by their God and by men.
also corrupt the soul. For where the word and the light are lost, darkness remains, and what is written in Deut. 28:64 comes to pass: "You will serve other gods, wood and stones. And so it must inevitably come to pass when we depart from the true God, who alone can and will have patience with us if we only hold fast to the Word. For although temptations and the cross follow, the conscience is happy and at peace because of the trust in the mercy of God. On the other hand, when the word is gone, the text says, one serves terror and sorrow with body and soul. This is the fate of all the wicked, as we have experienced in the papacy, since neither frequent confession, nor hard penances, nor pilgrimages, nor masses, nor any other works could calm the conscience, which was in constant fear. Therefore, we have labored body and soul, and yet we have not obtained the forgiveness of sins. This is the fruit, this is the reward of forsaking the true God.
31 Therefore let us give thanks to God that we have been saved from foreign gods, that is, from false trust. For this is a strange god, in whom, apart from the Word, we put our trust. Thus my works, if I put my trust in them, are strange gods; so also the vow of a monk, so chastity 2c., and they can be
do not satisfy my conscience. The reason is that there is always a lack of our works. Even if a monk has lived chastely, he has felt heat 2c. Hence there are infinite defects in our works; therefore fatigue must necessarily follow from them. But to believe in Christ is sweet, because there we have forgiveness of sins. Now if we sin a little, it is not imputed. But it is clear from this passage that Moab must have been a hypocritical and superstitious people, as Pabstry is today.
V. 13. 14. As the years of a day laborer are.
(32) As if they were hired for a certain time, for a certain wage, and after it was over, they were to be turned out of the house.
The glory of Moab.
33. that is, the kingdom, the religion, the power, the laws, the nations, the young people 2c. Thus the Holy Scriptures contain heaps of examples from which we learn that God resists the hopeful and gives grace to the humble [1 Peter 5:5]. We only want to wait a little and endure the adversities, then we will also see in this time of ours how the sinners will be rewarded; yes, we have already seen it to a great extent.