The burden of Moab. For in the night that Ar of Moab is laid waste, He is brought to ruin; for in the night that Kir of Moab is laid waste, He is brought to ruin.
verse value 2086
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 46 letters. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֠י, 2 letters) and the longest is "Kir·of·Moab" (קִיר־מוֹאָ֖ב, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 308: was·dealt·violently·with, was·dealt·violently·with. 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Isaiah. Unique to this verse in Isaiah (hapax): "Ar" (עָ֤ר), "Kir·of·Moab" (קִיר־מוֹאָ֖ב). The root מואב appears 3 times in this verse. 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "for" (root כי, 221x in Isaiah). First appearance of the root שדד ("was·dealt·violently·with") in Isaiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Moab', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 11 words. Full calculation: מַשָּׂ֖א [burden] (341) + מוֹאָ֑ב [Moab] (49) + כִּ֠י [for] (30) + בְּלֵ֞יל [in·night·of] (72) + שֻׁדַּ֨ד [was·dealt·violently·with] (308) + עָ֤ר [Ar] (270) + מוֹאָב֙ [Moab] (49) + נִדְמָ֔ה [is·brought·to·ruin] (99) + כִּ֗י [for] (30) + בְּלֵ֛יל [in·night·of] (72) + שֻׁדַּ֥ד [was·dealt·violently·with] (308) + קִיר־מוֹאָ֖ב [Kir·of·Moab] (359) + נִדְמָֽה [is·brought·to·ruin] (99) = 2086.
Rashi
"The burden concerning Moab." Isaiah prophesied that Sennacherib would come against Moab and uproot them, as it is stated below (16:14): "Within three years, as the years of a hired worker, the glory of Moab will be diminished."
"For on the night that Ar of Moab was plundered, Moab was as one who sleeps. Moab was like one who is asleep and unable to fight. And on another night, when Kir of Moab was plundered, Moab was as one who sleeps. The Targum translates: 'And they were asleep.' Ar and Kir are two cities of Moab."
Ibn Ezra
"Burden." "Be-leil" is in the construct state, and the meaning: on such-and-such a night of the week.
""Ar of Moab is despoiled."" And behold, it is lacking a bet in "Moab":
It means "was cut off," as in "I have cut off your mother" (Hosea 4:5).
"Kir of Moab". A nation, just as it says, “And Aram [came] from Kir” (Amos 9:7):
Radak
“The burden concerning Moab.” This prophecy is about the calamity of Moab, and the prophet said that the robber will come to them at night while they are sleeping, so that they will not be guarding against him. And he said “at night” in the manner of apposition, perhaps implying that the appended word is omitted, meaning “on such-and-such a night,” or perhaps “at night” comes in place of a known expression, like “to Hezekiah with a heavy army.” And the meaning of “is destroyed” is “is cut off.” And “plundered” and “is destroyed” are different words but the same idea. And he said “plundered and is destroyed and ascended,” where the past tense is used in place of the future, in the manner of prophecies.
“Ar of Moab.” This is the city of Moab whose name is Ar. It is juxtaposed with “Moab” lest one say that there was another city with this name. Its Targumic translation is “Lachish.” Alternatively, Ar is Ar-er, for it belongs to Moab. And so the Jerusalem Talmud translates: “From Ar-er, on the bank of the Arnon River,” as “from Lachish, which is on the bank of the Arnon River.” And there are those who interpret Ar as meaning “city.” Jonathan’s Targum renders it as “those who are sleeping,” the meaning being that which is quiet, for when a person sleeps, he is silent.
And Qir: It is a city of Moab whose name is Qir. Likewise, it is written, “Aram from Qir,” and “the people of Aram shall go into exile to Kir” (Amos 1:5). This belonged to Moab; therefore, it says “Qir of Moab.” And the Targum translates it as “the fortress of Moab.”
Metzudat David
"The burden of Moab." This prophecy is concerning Moab, which, in the night, at the time of sleep, the robber came and plundered the city of Ar, which stands in Moab, and it was cut off along with it.
Kir of Moab. The city of Kir, which is located in Moab, was also plundered on that night, and it was cut off with her.
Metzudat Zion
"Shadad." The meaning is oppression and destruction.
It appears that silence is a matter of being silenced, as in “and Aaron was silent” (Leviticus 10:4). And so it is said regarding destruction and cutting off, for he is now silenced and his voice is not heard. And similarly, “Woe is me, for I have been silent” (above, 6:5).
Malbim
The burden against Moab. With this burden, he bears a parable and a riddle concerning the downfall of Moab and the weakening of the hands of its warriors. It is as if, after they had plundered from it two great cities, Ar and Kir, which stand on the border of Moab, they still felt nothing. And after they had conquered from them also Nebo and Medeba, which stand in the midst of the country, then they felt and were stirred up. But not for war, only to weep, like weak women who do not restrain their strength to fight. Only after the enemy had already conquered a great portion of their country and had destroyed Heshbon and Elealeh, the pride and glory of Moab, then its warriors were aroused for war. But it was in vain, for you have caused their strength to fail. For in the night, in the night that Ar was plundered—the city of Ar, a fortified city of the land of Moab that stood near the border of Moab—they were dismayed; they were silent and were not affected by this at all. And in the night that Kir was plundered—the city of Kir, a fortified city surrounded by a wall that is on the border of Moab—they also did not pay attention to it; they were only dismayed. Afterwards...
He is gone up to Baith, and to Dibon, to the high places, to weep; upon Nebo, and upon Medeba, Moab howls; on all their heads is baldness, every beard is shaven.
verse value 2942
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 65 letters. The shortest word is "went·up" (עָלָ֨ה, 3 letters) and the longest is "in·all·his·heads" (בְּכׇל־רֹאשָׁ֣יו, 8 letters). 8 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Isaiah. Unique to this verse in Isaiah (hapax): "Baith" (הַבַּ֧יִת), "and·Dibon" (וְדִיבֹ֛ן), "the·high·places" (הַבָּמ֖וֹת). 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·upon" (root על, 200x in Isaiah); "Baith" (root בית, 67x in Isaiah); "went·up" (root עלה, 49x in Isaiah). First appearance of the root במה ("the·high·places") in Isaiah. First appearance of the root בכי ("to·weeping") in Isaiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·weeping', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 9 words. Full calculation: עָלָ֨ה [went·up] (105) + הַבַּ֧יִת [Baith] (417) + וְדִיבֹ֛ן [and·Dibon] (72) + הַבָּמ֖וֹת [the·high·places] (453) + לְבֶ֑כִי [to·weeping] (62) + עַל־נְב֞וֹ [upon·Nebo] (158) + וְעַ֤ל [and·upon] (106) + מֵֽידְבָא֙ [Medeba] (57) + מוֹאָ֣ב [Moab] (49) + יְיֵלִ֔יל [howls] (90) + בְּכׇל־רֹאשָׁ֣יו [in·all·his·heads] (569) + קׇרְחָ֔ה [baldness] (313) + כׇּל־זָקָ֖ן [every·beard] (207) + גְּרוּעָֽה [is·shaven] (284) = 2942.
Rashi
He went up to the House, and Dibon. Moab ascended to the House, and the men of Dibon ascended to the high places:
"to weep." These are those who weep in their homes, and those who weep on their high places.
Ibn Ezra
"He went up (alah)." The sense: the inhabitant [of the house] went up:
The House. The name of a province:
The High Places. To idolatry:
"Upon all its heights" – these are the heights of Moab.
"Every beard is shorn." The term "גדועה" (cut off) is used here in the same sense as "וחבולתו חוב" (and his wound he binds up) in Ezekiel 18:7.
And the letter yod at the beginning of the word is drawn out after the letter mem, as in the phrase "the God of your father" (Genesis 49:25).
Radak
“Al ha-bayit ve-Divon.” [This means that] Moab ascended to the house, and it is a house of idolaters; and Divon is the name of the fortress where there was a house of idolaters.
The High Places. And there were also high places there, apart from the house of the idolaters. And when the enemies would come upon them suddenly, they would ascend to weep and to cry out there before their idolaters, and to lament and to tear their garments, so that Chemosh, their god, would have mercy on them, according to their belief.
Concerning Nebo and concerning Medeba, he shall wail. For the enemies conquered them, plucked out the hair of their heads, and cut off their beards. He uses the term “cut off” for the beard and “plucked” for the head, for such is the custom: to pluck the hair of the head in times of great distress and mourning, and to cut off the beard—that is, to shave the beard—since a grown beard is the glory of the face, and because of mourning one removes this glory. Likewise it says, “those who shave their beards and tear their garments,” and it does not say “behold, you are shaving,” but rather “cut off,” as a term of reproach.
“On all its heads is baldness.” This alone comes with a cholam on the resh, in the plural form.
Metzudat David
"Al ha-bayit" (Upon the house): Moab went up to the house of idolatry, and the men of Dibon went up to the high places to weep there, thinking that the idolatry would have mercy on them and save them.
Regarding Nebo. "Concerning the destruction of Nebo and Medeba, Moab shall lament."
Karah. When the hairs of their head are plucked out and a bald spot remains:
Gadua. He plucked out the hairs and they were diminished.
Metzudat Zion
Karahah. The matter concerns the plucking of hair:
inferior. From the language of "diminishment" and "lack":
Malbim
“Arise, go up to the house of Moab, to the houses, and Dibon, a city in Moab” — “Arise” means to ascend to the high places in elevation, but not for battle, rather to weep over Nebo and over Medeba, which were captured during this time. And this city was the center of their hearts’ mourning, until all of Moab would wail, because they perceived their distress. Instead of it being fitting for the mighty warriors to strengthen the heart of the nation, they themselves ascended to weep like those who have despaired. And not only did they weep in secret, but also on every head was baldness, like one who mourns over a wound that has no cure at all. And also “every beard is clipped” — even though the beard was most honored among them, and they would not pluck its hairs unless despair had touched the depths of their hearts.
In their streets they gird themselves with sackcloth; On their housetops, and in their broad places, Every one howls, weeping profusely.
verse value 2692
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 44 letters. The shortest word is "sackcloth" (שָׂ֑ק, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·in·her·broad·places" (וּבִרְחֹבֹתֶ֛יהָ, 8 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Isaiah. Unique to this verse in Isaiah (hapax): "in·his·streets" (בְּחוּצֹתָ֖יו), "have·girded" (חָ֣גְרוּ), "her·roofs" (גַּגּוֹתֶ֧יהָ). 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "upon" (root על, 200x in Isaiah); "his·them" (root כל, 93x in Isaiah); "coming·down" (root ירד, 24x in Isaiah). First appearance of the root חגר ("have·girded") in Isaiah. First appearance of the root גג ("her·roofs") in Isaiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'sackcloth', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 7 words. Full calculation: בְּחוּצֹתָ֖יו [in·his·streets] (522) + חָ֣גְרוּ [have·girded] (217) + שָׂ֑ק [sackcloth] (400) + עַ֣ל [upon] (100) + גַּגּוֹתֶ֧יהָ [her·roofs] (427) + וּבִרְחֹבֹתֶ֛יהָ [and·in·her·broad·places] (633) + כֻּלֹּ֥ה [his·them] (55) + יְיֵלִ֖יל [howls] (90) + יֹרֵ֥ד [coming·down] (214) + בַּבֶּֽכִי [in·the·weeping] (34) = 2692.
Rashi
“He went down weeping.” He groaned and roared in weeping, like (Judges 11:37) “and I will go down to the mountains,” and similarly (Lamentations 3:19) “I remember my affliction and my misery.”
Ibn Ezra
In its streets. In the streets of Moab:
"On its roofs." This is an allusion to the state:
"Yilil." Like "yitov" (Job 22:21), and behold, the future tense in the hif'il conjugation is [rendered as] "na," and they are foreign [forms].
Radak
“In its streets.” In the markets and in the streets, and on the rooftops; that is to say, in public they will gird themselves with sackcloth, wail, and weep. And when he speaks in the singular, he refers to the collective, and when he speaks in the plural, he refers to the individual. The meaning of “descends in weeping” is as if his entire body descends and melts away in weeping; this is a hyperbolic expression due to the intensity of the weeping. And Jonathan [ben Uzziel] rendered it in the Targum as “descends from crying out,” from the root of “I wander in my complaint” (ari’d be-shichai), even though it is not from its original root.
Metzudat David
"In her streets." In the public squares, those who mourned would wrap themselves in sackcloth, and the anguish of a bride would be wailed in every one of these places; from all these locations, the sound of wailing and lamentation in tears would be heard.
Metzudat Zion
יורד. The matter of groaning and sighing is like "I moan in my complaint" (Psalms 55:3):
Malbim
“Through its streets” – and do not say that the mourners were confined to the inner chambers of their homes; for even in its streets, where people pass to and fro, they girded themselves with sackcloth. And even on its rooftops, which are more exposed due to their height, and even in its broad open spaces, where the street serves as the marketplace and many people gather there constantly, since these areas are designated for large crowds, even there all of them wailed, and they did not guard themselves at all to conceal their mourning. The wailing was so great that everyone descended, broken down by excessive weeping. And yet, no spark of zeal was kindled among them to go forth to war.
And Heshbon cries out, and Elealeh; their voice is heard even to Jahaz; therefore the armed men of Moab cry aloud; his soul is faint within him.
verse value 3316
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 56 letters. Notable word values: "within·him" (לּֽוֹ) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "within·him" (לּֽוֹ, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·Elealeh" (וְאֶלְעָלֵ֔ה, 6 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Isaiah. Unique to this verse in Isaiah (hapax): "and·cried" (וַתִּזְעַ֤ק), "to·Jahaz" (עַד־יַ֖הַץ), "is·heard" (נִשְׁמַ֣ע). 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "therefore" (root על, 200x in Isaiah); "is·heard" (root שמע, 106x in Isaiah); "their·voice" (root קול, 35x in Isaiah). First appearance of the root חשבון ("Heshbon") in Isaiah. First appearance of the root רוע ("they·cry") in Isaiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'their·voice', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 7 words. Full calculation: וַתִּזְעַ֤ק [and·cried] (583) + חֶשְׁבּוֹן֙ [Heshbon] (366) + וְאֶלְעָלֵ֔ה [and·Elealeh] (142) + עַד־יַ֖הַץ [to·Jahaz] (179) + נִשְׁמַ֣ע [is·heard] (460) + קוֹלָ֑ם [their·voice] (176) + עַל־כֵּ֗ן [therefore] (170) + חֲלֻצֵ֤י [armed·men·of] (138) + מוֹאָב֙ [Moab] (49) + יָרִ֔יעוּ [they·cry] (296) + נַפְשׁ֖וֹ [his·soul] (436) + יָ֥רְעָה [trembled] (285) + לּֽוֹ [within·him] (36) = 3316.
Rashi
Therefore, the pioneers of Moab shall cry out. Because the warriors of Moab shall cry out in anticipation of the war, and the soul of Moab shall be distressed, trembling like a mourner over himself.
Ibn Ezra
And she cried out. The soul of Moab was a burden to him; and the correct interpretation is that each one cried out and said:
Radak
And Heshbon and Elealeh cried out, cities of Moab; and likewise Jahaz, and it is Yahatzah, mentioned in the Torah, and it is on the border of Moab; therefore it says, "Ar."
"Therefore the pioneers of Moab." These were the army's vanguard stationed in Moab; when they saw all the people weeping, they too joined in the cry of mourning and lamentation with them, and did not set their minds to fighting against their enemies.
"His soul shall pasture him." The word "pasture" (yir'eh) is derived from the context of the shofar blast (teruah), even though it does not stem from its root. The meaning of "his soul" is that he shall pasture himself, i.e., he shall bring harm upon himself, namely, on account of the evil that befalls him.
Metzudat David
And Heshbon cried out. The congregation of Heshbon:
Their voice. The voice of their cry:
"על כן" - Because of the people's cry, even the vanguard of the army in Moab will also raise a shout of weeping and lamentation, and they will no longer pay attention to fighting. "נפשו ירעה לו" - His own soul will be his shepherd; the soul of Moab will shepherd itself with a cry of destruction over itself.
Metzudat Zion
"Heshbon, Elealeh, and Yahatz." These are names of places.
“Halutzim.” [This teaches that they were] armed with weapons of war.
Yari’u. “Yir’eh” is from the language of “teruah” (a blast of the shofar).
Malbim
"And she cried out" — only after both Cheshbon and Elealeh had begun to cry out, since the enemy had also destroyed them, and they were the glory and pride of Moab and its splendor. Their cry grew so great that their voice was heard as far as Jahaz, for the destruction reached as far as Jahaz. By that time, the "apple of the land" had already been captured. Only then did the "loins" of Moab shout for battle. But it was no longer a shout of war, vengeance, and heroism; rather, it was a shout of brokenness, for they cried out over their own souls, as if their hearts had foreseen their destruction and ruin.
My heart cries out for Moab; her fugitives reach to Zoar, a heifer of three years old; for by the ascent of Luhith With weeping they go up; for in the way of Horonaim they raise up a cry of destruction.
verse value 4909
Insights
Verse structure: 17 words, 76 letters. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֣י, 2 letters) and the longest is "cry·breaking" (זַעֲקַת־שֶׁ֖בֶר, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 30: for, for. 10 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Isaiah. Unique to this verse in Isaiah (hapax): "my·heart" (לִבִּי֙), "will·cry" (יִזְעָ֔ק), "her·bars" (בְּרִיחֶ֕הָ). The root זעק appears 2 times in this verse. 15 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "for" (root כי, 221x in Isaiah); "way" (root דרך, 57x in Isaiah); "they·go·up·in·it" (root עלה, 49x in Isaiah). First appearance of the root בריח ("her·bars") in Isaiah. First appearance of the root מעלה ("ascent") in Isaiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'third', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 10 words.
Rashi
"My heart shall cry out for Moab." The prophets of Israel are not like the prophets of the nations of the world: Balaam sought to uproot Israel for no reason, whereas the prophets of Israel lament the calamity that befalls the nations.
“Her fugitives have reached Zoar.” Regarding every stronghold of Moab, my heart cries out until Zoar, which is called the third heifer; it was the main source of their strength, like a third calf in the womb. Another interpretation: “third” means it was the most prominent and powerful. And Jonathan [ben Uzziel] rendered “her fugitives” as “her fleeing ones,” meaning that those who flee will escape from them to Zoar, just as Lot, their ancestor, did, when he fled to Zoar.
“Ma’aleh HaLuchit.” This is the place of the ascent of the mountain, whose name is Ma’aleh HaLuchit. And likewise, “Mordeh Chorani” (Jeremiah 48:5), [referring to] those who flee weeping along that road. And all these places are from Moab.
"Awaken." [They] shall cry out, and it is Aramaic language, as the Targum [of Jonathan] renders: "Let not the trampler tread, let not the trampler awaken them in their lightness."
Ibn Ezra
"My heart is for Moab." On account of Moab:
Bariḥyah. The bolts of the city cry out, like the wailing at the gate (Isaiah 14:31); or, her bolts were brought to Egypt, for from there came the king of Assyria; or, it is Tzoar of Sodom, and “the third of the heifer” would mean that it has two others as well, [so that] “Tzoar” would be its description. And it is possible that Bariḥyah is an adjective, in the sense of borḥiyah [“her fugitives”], but it is not possible to say it as beruḥiyah [“her spirits”], for how could there be a passive participle of an intransitive verb?
"Yaa'aru." The second ayin is doubled, and the meaning is like "orru" (arouse), and it is a foreign word.
Radak
"My heart cries out for Moab." The prophet speaks here of the language of the people, that each one of them will say thus. And he said, "A cry to the heart," by way of metaphor, due to the abundance of its moaning. And Jonathan [ben Uzziel] translated: "In their hearts, the Moabites will cry out as far as Zoar."
Her fugitives [bericheha]. The feminine designation is used because he likened Moab to a heifer in its third year, and the meaning of “heifer” is a large cow that is three years old, for this is the best age; likewise, Moab was full of all good things when evil came upon it. And it says that those who flee from Moab will flee as far as Zoar. And “eglat” is written with a tav, like a he, as in “and an abomination to a man is a mocker,” and “even if you rejoice and are glad,” and “do not give yourself a pause,” and similar cases that we have written in the book Miklal. And Jonathan rendered it in the Targum as “taltuta rabta” (the great three-year-old heifer).
“Haluchit.” A name for a high place. He said: “When they flee, they shall go, going and weeping, and they shall cry out with the cry of one who is broken, that which comes upon them suddenly.”
"Choronim." There are two: the upper Choron and the lower Choron. The interpretation of "ya'aru" is like "ya'iru" [they will awaken], and the letter Pe is doubled. And some say that it is an inversion, like "yaru'u" [they will blow], from the root of "teruah" [a blast]. And according to my opinion, it is from the root of "shever" [breaking]. From the words of our Rabbis, it is stated: "Once the scroll was erased, she said, 'I will not drink.'" The interpretation is that they break and strike her until she drinks. Even though in "ya'aru" only the letter Pe is doubled, both meanings are one. And the interpretation of "ya'aru" is that they will break themselves in their outcry over their breaking, and they will clap hand to hand and hand to thigh, as is the custom of those who cry and weep.
Metzudat David
"My heart cries out for Moab." The prophet speaks thus regarding the language of the people, that each one will say, "My heart cries out for Moab," meaning: I will cry out from the bitterness of my heart, and not merely for outward show (i.e., not superficially).
Barukiya, etc. This means: Indeed, Moab was always a prominent nation, like the third calf of the finest womb; but now they fled from the war, and the fugitives came as far as Zoar. And the verse is a wordplay.
"For the ascent of the Lohit mountain": For when they fled by way of the ascent of the Lohit mountain, behold, he ascended there weeping.
“On the way of Horonaim.” On the way of Horonaim, they will raise a cry of brokenness.
Metzudat Zion
“Flight.” From the language of “smuggling” and “fleeing.”
“Yea’aru.” Like “ya’aru,” and the first letter of the verb is doubled.
Malbim
My heart, in the depths of this vision, clothed the prophet’s words in parable and allegory; he would plead as if his heart, which perceives the end of the matter, were itself a living entity, standing and calling out with a voice to the army of Moab going forth to war, warning them: “Do not go to fight, for you will not succeed. This is the counsel: the fugitives of Moab, namely the chariot of the third, the circle and the company of the thirds, and the mighty men of Moab, will flee as far as Zoar and will not fight. For when they do fight, I inform them that the ascent of Luhith will be ascended by him with weeping—the mighty man who escapes from the battle and is saved. For on the path of Horonim, which was in the valley before the ascent and where the battlefield was, they will raise a cry of devastation, for they will fall before their enemies. Therefore, it is better that they flee to Zoar and not fight at all.” All this is the outcry of the prophet’s heart and his call to the mighty men of Moab.
For the Waters of Nimrim shall be desolate; For the grass is withered away, the herbage fails, There is no green thing.
verse value 2608
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 41 letters. The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֥א, 2 letters) and the longest is "Nimrim" (נִמְרִ֖ים, 5 letters). Words sharing gematria 31: they·will·be, not. 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Isaiah. Unique to this verse in Isaiah (hapax): "Nimrim" (נִמְרִ֖ים), "desolations" (מְשַׁמּ֣וֹת), "for·is·withered" (כִּֽי־יָבֵ֤שׁ). The root היה appears 2 times in this verse. 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "not" (root לא, 286x in Isaiah); "they·will·be" (root היה, 213x in Isaiah); "for·waters·of" (root יום, 124x in Isaiah). First appearance of the root יבש ("for·is·withered") in Isaiah. First appearance of the root חציר ("a dwelling") in Isaiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'they·will·be', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 7 words. Full calculation: כִּי־מֵ֥י [for·waters·of] (80) + נִמְרִ֖ים [Nimrim] (340) + מְשַׁמּ֣וֹת [desolations] (786) + יִֽהְי֑וּ [they·will·be] (31) + כִּֽי־יָבֵ֤שׁ [for·is·withered] (342) + חָצִיר֙ [a dwelling] (308) + כָּ֣לָה [all] (55) + דֶ֔שֶׁא [grass] (305) + יֶ֖רֶק [green] (310) + לֹ֥א [not] (31) + הָיָֽה [was] (20) = 2608.
Rashi
“The waters of Nimrim.” The river of that place.
"They shall become desolate." From the blood of a slain person, which mixes with them and falls into them.
"When the grass withers, etc." This means their warriors, their kings, and their rulers. And since the praise of the land of Moab is its good pasture, as we learned, "rams of Moab," therefore, He compared their punishment to the destruction of their pasture.
Ibn Ezra
"Ki." Nimrim, a place name:
From the names. "Shem" – and if it were a verb from the doubled root, there would be a hireq under the shin:
Radak
"For the waters of Nimrim. 'Nemirim' is the name of a river or the name of a place in the land of Moab. He said: 'they shall become desolate,' meaning that since there are no inhabitants there, it is as if there are no waters there, and there is only vegetation and grass there, for the inhabitants of the land were either slain from among them or fled."
Metzudat David
“The waters of Nimrim.” [The verse means:] “The waters of the river of Nimrim will become a desolation.”—that is to say, its waters will be laid waste.
“Dry is the grass.” Since all the praise of the land of Moab lies in its rich and fertile pastures, therefore He said regarding its destruction: “their waters would be ruined and their pastures would be consumed.”
There was no greenery. Thus it will be desolate, as if there had never been any greenery there at all.
Malbim
"Behold, the wealth of Moab and its property were through the commerce that was via the port of ships that it had on the waters of Nimrim; for on this river they brought their ships with merchandise into the country, and they exported goods from it to outside. Now, commerce is in two matters: 1. In what they sell of the surplus, which are things that the land produces beyond need, to other countries; 2. In what they bring of the lacking, things not found in the country, from outside into the country. According to this, the commentator says that the waters of Nimrim, this river, were for this reason dried up and parched due to the excessive heat and withholding of rains that was then, until the grass dried up, and also the turf that endures longer perished, and even the vegetables that endure more than all others were not there (see in Or HaMeilot)."
Therefore the abundance they have gotten, And that which they have laid up, Shall they carry away to the brook of the willows.
verse value 2662
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 33 letters. The shortest word is "to" (עַ֛ל, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·their·oversight" (וּ֨פְקֻדָּתָ֔ם, 6 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Isaiah. Unique to this verse in Isaiah (hapax): "abundance" (יִתְרָ֣ה), "and·their·oversight" (וּ֨פְקֻדָּתָ֔ם), "torrent" (נַ֥חַל). The root על appears 2 times in this verse. 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "therefore" (root על, 200x in Isaiah); "did" (root עשה, 101x in Isaiah); "they·will·lift·them" (root נשא, 57x in Isaiah). First appearance of the root ערב ("the·willows") in Isaiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'did', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 5 words. Full calculation: עַל־כֵּ֖ן [therefore] (170) + יִתְרָ֣ה [abundance] (615) + עָשָׂ֑ה [did] (375) + וּ֨פְקֻדָּתָ֔ם [and·their·oversight] (630) + עַ֛ל [to] (100) + נַ֥חַל [torrent] (88) + הָעֲרָבִ֖ים [the·willows] (327) + יִשָּׂאֽוּם [they·will·lift·them] (357) = 2662.
Rashi
Therefore, it acquired abundance. Because it acquired abundance, this calamity shall come upon them, for they were ungrateful. For in many places Abraham stood by Lot: when he departed from Haran, and when he went down to Egypt, and by his merit He sent him out from the midst of the overthrow, and he fought for him against Chedorlaomer and his companions. They ought to have repaid kindness to his seed, but they counted them as nothing when Sennacherib exiled the Reubenites and the Gadites. The Israelites were weeping and complaining, and they said to them, “Why do you complain? Are you not going to your fathers’ house? Did not Abraham your father come from beyond the river?” This is what is stated: “I have heard the reproach of Moab, and the insults of the children of Ammon” (Zephaniah 2:8). Furthermore, they assisted Sennacherib for three years while he besieged Samaria. This is what is stated: “In three years, like the years of a hired worker, all the glory of Moab shall be diminished” (Isaiah 16:14).
"And you shall count." The Targum: "And their boundaries, which are toward the western sea, shall be assigned." This is the language of appointment, like (Numbers 4): "The appointment of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest." That is to say: their land, over which they held charge, shall be taken from them.
“Upon the stream of the Aravim they shall carry them.” The enemies shall take them beyond the borders. And one may further interpret: “And you shall visit upon them”—this is the stream of the Aravim where they shall carry them; the enemies shall exile them to the land of Babylon, which is the stream of the Aravim, as it is stated (Psalms 137:4): “Upon the poplars in its midst we hung our harps.”
Ibn Ezra
Yeterah. A noun, meaning money:
"Make." "Acquire" is akin to "Make for me this army" (Deuteronomy 18:17):
“And you shall take account.” From the root of “deposit” (Leviticus 5:23). And behold, they shall carry the goods to the brook of the Arabs; and the correct interpretation is that they shall carry their goods over the brook known in their land, which is called ‘the Arabs.’ The sense is that they will transfer their money to another place, perhaps so that some will remain for them.
Radak
Therefore, He made it superfluous. It is lacking the word “asher,” and its proper form should be “asher asah” (that which He did); similarly, “le’am aliyah” (for a people ascending) should be “asher aliyah” (that which ascends); “et ha-derekh yelkhu bah” (the way they shall walk in it) should be “asher yelkhu bah” (in which they shall walk); “be-avor zeh asah Hashem li” (for this the Lord has done for me) should be “be-avor zeh asher Hashem asah li” (for this that the Lord has done for me). And the meaning of “al ken yilil Moav” (therefore Moab shall wail) is: because the rest of the multitude that he conquered, and their reckoning—all of them the enemies shall carry away across the Brook of the Willows.
“The Brook of the Willows.” A stream adjacent to the city of Moab, in which willows were present, like the phrase “willows of the brook.” And whatever they would bring out from the city, they would carry to the bank of that stream, and there they would gather everything together, and afterward they would divide the spoils among themselves. And the meaning of “their muster” is their wealth. Wealth is called a “muster” because a person is a steward and an overseer over it. The matter is repeated in different words.
Metzudat David
Therefore. Because of the heaviness of the war:
He made an addition. The surplus of the maker, and the greater part of the wealth that he gathered, and the funds entrusted and hidden with them—all of these they shall carry upon the great river, where the willows grow, to hide them from the eyes of the robber, within the branches of the willows.
Metzudat Zion
Yeterah. From the term "yeteron" (surplus), it denotes the matter of abundance:
"Asheh." Its meaning is gathering and assembling. And similarly, "And Israel shall do valiantly" (Numbers 24:18).
"And you shall count." From the language of a deposit and a hidden treasure:
Malbim
Therefore, because the river dried up and the harbor of the ships, and they could not trade upon it, therefore “He made an abundance” — these are things that grew in the land in excess of what was needed, which it was their custom to transport abroad on ships; and “their store” — things that were lacking in the land, which they used to bring on ships upon the waters of Nimrim into the land. Hence, “upon the stream of the Arabs He shall carry them” — this trade shall go by the stream of Egypt, for the King of Assyria, who conquered them, led them by way of the river of Egypt, for that is the route taken from the land of Moab to Assyria (or, “upon the streams of Babylon,” if the King of Babylon was the one who destroyed them). And this is a rhetorical expression of mockery, on account of the cessation of their trade, and all their wealth went into captivity by way of the stream of the Arabs to the land of their enemies, as if by the drying up of their river, the trade was diverted to another river.
For the cry is gone round about The borders of Moab; The howling thereof to Eglaim, And the howling thereof to Beer-elim.
verse value 2316
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 48 letters. The shortest word is "Moab" (מוֹאָ֑ב, 4 letters) and the longest is "for·surrounded" (כִּי־הִקִּ֥יפָה, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 475: a·howling, a·howling. 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Isaiah. Unique to this verse in Isaiah (hapax): "for·surrounded" (כִּי־הִקִּ֥יפָה), "cry" (הַזְּעָקָ֖ה), "the·border" (אֶת־גְּב֣וּל). The root יללה appears 2 times in this verse. 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·Eglaim" (root עד, 22x in Isaiah). First appearance of the root גבול ("the·border") in Isaiah. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Moab', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 5 words. Full calculation: כִּי־הִקִּ֥יפָה [for·surrounded] (230) + הַזְּעָקָ֖ה [cry] (187) + אֶת־גְּב֣וּל [the·border] (442) + מוֹאָ֑ב [Moab] (49) + עַד־אֶגְלַ֙יִם֙ [to·Eglaim] (158) + יִלְלָתָ֔הּ [a·howling] (475) + וּבְאֵ֥ר [and·Beer] (209) + אֵילִ֖ים [Elim] (91) + יִלְלָתָֽהּ [a·howling] (475) = 2316.
Rashi
Eglaim. And Be'er Elim are places in the border of Moab:
"Lamented." Of Moab:
Be'er Elim. Like [the verse] "and to the well of Elim."
Ibn Ezra
"Ki." The word "ad" (until) is drawn out after it, and similarly it is written: "ve-ad Be'er Elim" (and until the well of the Mighty Ones).
Radak
“Ki haqifah” – Throughout every border of Moab: they will cry out and wail all around, and so [it is] until Eglaim and Beer-elim, and so [regarding] the cities of Moab that are on the border or adjacent to the border.
Metzudat David
"For it has surrounded" – Throughout the entire border on all sides, the sound of their cry will be heard.
“As far as Eglaim is her wailing.” The lamentation of Moab will be heard as far as Eglaim and as far as Beer Elim, which stood at the end of the border of their land.
Metzudat Zion
The word "surrounded" (הקיפה). The meaning is encircling:
Malbim
“Ki hakifah”: After describing the desolation that was within the land, he says that the cry also encircled the border of Moab, for even when they went forth from their land, the sword of the enemy overtook them; and even as far as Eglaim, which is outside the border of Moab; and even as far as the Well of Eilim, which is farther away from Moab, its wailing encircled them, for they found no rest from their enemies even after they fled beyond their border. (And he depicts the cry as an abstract entity crying around and around the land of Moab, for in all the surroundings of their border plunder and devastation were woven.)
For the waters of Dimon are full of blood; For I will bring yet more upon Dimon, A lion upon him that escapes of Moab, And upon the remnant of the land.
verse value 3685
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 59 letters. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֣י, 2 letters) and the longest is "upon·Dimon" (עַל־דִּימ֖וֹן, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 50: water·of, ground. 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Isaiah. Unique to this verse in Isaiah (hapax): "Dimon" (דִימוֹן֙), "for·I·will·bring" (כִּֽי־אָשִׁ֥ית), "upon·Dimon" (עַל־דִּימ֖וֹן). 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "for" (root כי, 221x in Isaiah); "upon·Dimon" (root על, 200x in Isaiah); "water·of" (root מים, 41x in Isaiah). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'added', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 5 words. Full calculation: כִּ֣י [for] (30) + מֵ֤י [water·of] (50) + דִימוֹן֙ [Dimon] (110) + מָ֣לְאוּ [they·filled] (77) + דָ֔ם [blood] (44) + כִּֽי־אָשִׁ֥ית [for·I·will·bring] (741) + עַל־דִּימ֖וֹן [upon·Dimon] (210) + נוֹסָפ֑וֹת [added] (602) + לִפְלֵיטַ֤ת [to·escape·of] (559) + מוֹאָב֙ [Moab] (49) + אַרְיֵ֔ה [lion] (216) + וְלִשְׁאֵרִ֖ית [and·to·remnant·of] (947) + אֲדָמָֽה [ground] (50) = 3685.
Rashi
Mi Dimon. The name of the river:
"Be filled with blood." Like the name of the river:
"For I will bring upon Dimon additions." "Blood is his name, and I will add to him the blood of the slain, to fill him." And this is the language of "year after year" (below 29:1), "additions" (Deuteronomy 29:18). And the Targum [renders] "additions" as "gathered from remnants," [meaning] camps that assemble together.
Regarding the phrase “the escapee of Moab,” it refers to the remnant that Sennacherib will leave behind; Nebuchadnezzar will come in his time and destroy it, and he is called a lion, as it is stated (Jeremiah 4:7), “A lion has gone up from his thicket.”
And to the remnant of Israel:
Adama. Your land:
Ibn Ezra
"Ki. Fill with blood, the slain of Moab:"
"Additional." The meaning is: additional evils; similarly, "A rich man answers with harshness" (Proverbs 18:23), and the meaning is: words.
"Ki aśit" – The word is drawn also to the following verse, and so it is: "I will set [ašit] for the remnant of Moab, a lion; and he is the king of Assyria."
Radak
For the waters of Dimon. Dimon is the name of a river in the cities of Moab, and it says that from the blood of the slain, the waters of the river were filled with blood.
"For I will set." The statement of God, "I will set" is said concerning Dimon.
"Additional." That the blood will be added to the waters of the river. And the meaning of "additional" in feminine language is channels or streams of blood, additional to the river, that will flow from here and there into the river, streams overflowing with blood.
“Upon the escapees of Moab, a lion.” The refugees from the enemies—a lion will come upon them to slay them.
And unto the remnant of the land. A repetition of the matter in different words:
"Adamah." The land of Moab. And there are those who interpret it as referring to the lion, Nebuchadnezzar, who was likened to a lion, as it is stated, "A lion has come up from his thicket." The meaning is that this first destruction is that Sennacherib, king of Assyria, will destroy them, and Nebuchadnezzar will destroy what remains of them. And so did Jonathan translate: "The king, with his army, will go up."
Metzudat David
Mi Dimon. The name of a river:
"Be filled with blood." From the blood of the slain:
For I will place upon Dimon additional [judgments]. His name Dimon is from the word "blood," and I will add to it the blood of slain men. This is a matter of wordplay, where one term falls upon another, referring to the phrase "upon the escapees of Moab, a lion." Upon the refugees from Moab the lion and the beasts of prey shall come, and they shall leave no remnant.
"And to the remnant of the land." [This refers] to those who remain in the land of Moab: the lion will come upon them, and the beasts of the forest. And the matter is doubled in what is stated, for the sake of emphasis.
Metzudat Zion
I will place. I will place:
"Li-fleitat." A term of remnant:
Malbim
"For, even Dimon, which was farther away from Moab, will be filled with blood from the slain of Moab, for I will bring upon Dimon additions—camps of enemies who will gather there again to fight against the fugitives of the remnant; that is to say, also against the rest of the remnant who will escape from the hands of the enemies and hide in the forests, (I will bring upon them) lions and wild beasts that will devour them; and for the remainder (of Moab I will bring) the earth itself, and for the small remainder that will remain hidden in the land, I will bring upon them the earth itself, for the desolate earth of Moab will kill its inhabitants with famine and pestilence; (and this verse is the words of the Lord):"
Rashi
Ibn Ezra
Radak
Metzudat David
Metzudat Zion
Malbim