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CHAP. XV.
THe burthen of Moab, because Ar of Moab is wasted in the night. This is the * 1.1 third Country threatned: And the title of the Prophecie being [A bur∣then] saith Jerom, alwaies intimateth sad things to follow, as the word [Vision] * 1.2 doth joyfull at last. Moab came of Lot, and was situated in Arabia, of which Country was Balac, who hired Balaam to come out of Mesopotamia to curse Israel; so was the chief City called since Areopolis, that is, the City of Mars, whereof Jeremiah speaks much, as a mighty and rich City. And it is threatned with wasting in the night, either in alluding to the incestuous begetting of Moab in the night, or intimating the overthrow thereof by mines made under the wals: And I have heard a certain Aroepolitan say, that the same night that the sea passed over the shoar of the City, these wals fell down by an Earthquake, saith Jerom, in the time of my infancy. Moab, saith P. Martyr, * 1.3 stood in Arabia Petraea, and was a most flourishing Country, which made the inhabitants most proud, Jer. 48. They were near of kin to the Israelites, by their father Lots relation to Abraham, who was his fathers brother. But they carried not themselves like kinsmen towards them, but like enemies, for which they are here threatned with destruction: and yet not so much that they might make any good use of this Prophecy, saith Calvin, for it came not unto them, * 1.4 but to the people of God only for their instruction and comfort; 1. That they might know, that the great changes in states and Kingdoms were not casual, but by Gods providence. 2. That God in all his great judgements executing upon the wicked world, had a care of his Church. The places here threatned are Ar signifying a City, according to the signification of the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and Kir, a wall, whereby therefore taking them appellatively, all the Cities and strong places of Moab may be understood: But forsomuch as properly two chief Cities of Moab were thus called, we are to understand them only. For their destruction in the night, the time precisely is not so much meant hereby, as their security, and the sudden and unexpected coming thereof, so the de∣struction of the world is threatened to come in the night, that is, when men shall look for nothing less. And yet in Babylon it was fulfilled according to the letter, Dan. 5. and likewise we may expect for the day of judgement. How∣ever, it comes as a thief in the night, when to the world sleeping and secure in sin, as men are in the night, that we may never be secure in respect of that day, but think upon it night and day, and be alwaies prepared for the coming of the Lord, by alwaies doing so, as may be well pleasing unto him, for this is the watching to which he so earnestly exhorteth us all. The destruction of Moab here threatned, was by Sennacherib, that Jer. 48. 4. by Nebuchadnezzar long after. For the word used touching either of these Cities, brought to silence, it is a Periphrasis of death, Ps. 30.
He shall go up into the house, Dibon to the high places, to weep over Nebo. That * 1.5 is, the Moabite seeing himself perishing by the hand of the enemy, shall, as despairing of any humane help, flee to the house or temple of their god Cha∣moz, to cry to him for help, and there weep and houl, but in vain: of Chamos see 2 King. 23. 13. Jerom, for He shall go up, hath, The house and Dibon shall * 1.6 go up to the high places to weep. That is, the Kings house and the City Dibon or inhabitants thereof shall go up to the high places, because there stood the idol Chamoz, otherwise called Belphegor; and Medeba and Nebo are named, be∣cause two principall Cities of Moab, and in Nebo was that idol placed. Junius * 1.7 hath the Hebr. word Bajith for house, and renders it, He shall ascend to Bajith, a town notorious for idolatry, otherwise called Beth Baal-Mehon, Numb. 32. 38. Josh. 23. 17. 1 Chron. 5. 8. it was upon the borders of the Reubenites, Dibon was in that tribe, Josh. 13. 17. and likewise Bamoth of Nebo, see Numb. 32. 38. of Medeba, c. 21. 30. But although these were Cities in Reuben, there might be others in Moab of the same name, which are here threatened. Yet I think with