John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 15:1-9
1. Burden] see on Isaiah 13:1. Because.. night] RV ’For in a night.’ Ar of Moab] i.e. city of Moab. The capital (Numbers 22:36; Joshua 13:16) is doubtless meant. The places referred to in the chapter are in Moabite territory. Silence] RV ’nought.’ Kir] probably Kerak, a fortress on the Dead Sea. 2. He is gone, etc.] i.e. the Moabite people. Bajith] ’the house,’ i.e. the temple of the Moabite deity, Chemosh. Dibon] here the Moabite Stone, with inscription by king Mesha (2 Kings 3:4), was found... read more
Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Isaiah 15:2-4
The Moabites would express great grief over their national defeat. Dibon was the site of a temple to the Moabite god Chemosh. Many of the people would go there to bewail Chemosh’s inability to save them. They would also mourn the loss of the towns of Nebo and Medeba in typical Near Eastern fashion. The residents of Heshbon and Elealeh in the north of Moab would be heard wailing in Jahaz to the south because the noise would be so great. Even soldiers would cry aloud in fear. read more