Isaiah 16:2

Isa 16:2 For it shall be, [that], as a wandering bird cast out of the nest, [so] the daughters of Moab shall be at the fords of Arnon.

Ver. 2. For it shall be, that, as a wandering bird, &c.] Or, Otherwise it shall be that as, {a} &c., i.e., except ye do as I have advised you, {Isa 16:1} a double mischief shall befall you. (1.) Dissipation, as a wandering bird, &c.; (2.) Deportation, at the fords of Arnon, where ye shall be carried captive.

As a wandering bird.] See Pro 27:8. {See Trapp on "Pro 27:8"}

{a} Alioqui fiet. - Jun.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Isa_16:2

As a wandering bird, cast out of the nest

The unrest of the sinner

The picture represents the distress and bewilderment of the wrong-doer.

He does not know whether to go back to the old door and knock at it in the hope that it may be opened to him again by some kindly hand, or to flee away into the land of darkness and silence. There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked. (J. Parker, D. D.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

There is no remedy, but you must flee.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

cast out of . . . nest--rather, "as a brood cast out" (in apposition with "a wandering bird," or rather, wandering birds), namely, a brood just fledged and expelled from the nest in which they were hatched [HORSLEY]. Compare Isa 10:14; Deu 32:11.

daughters of Moab--that is, the inhabitants of Moab. So Kg2 19:21; Psa 48:11; Jer 46:11; Lam 4:22 [MAURER].

at the fords--trying to cross the boundary river of Moab, in order to escape out of the land. EWALD and MAURER make "fords" a poetical expression for "the dwellers on Arnon," answering to the parallel clause of the same sense, "daughters of Moab."

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

(2) As a wandering bird cast out of the nest.—Better as in the margin, a forsaken nest. The “daughters of Moab” either literally, the women driven from their homes, or figuratively (as in Isa_16:1) the whole population of its towns and villages, are represented as fluttering in terror, like birds whose nests are spoiled (comp. Isa_10:14), like the fledglings in the nest, on the fords of Arnon, uncertain whether to return to their old homes or to cross into a strange land. The imagery reminds us of Psa_11:1, Pro_27:8, so also of Æsch. Agam. 49-52.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2. The verse gives no good sense in its present position. Not only does it obscure the connexion between Isa_16:1 and Isa_16:3, but its language of prediction reveals an affinity with Isa_15:9. It has probably been misplaced (so Duhm), and the fact that the Moabites are represented as at “the fords of Arnon,” instead of in Edom, confirms the impression that we have here an addition to the original prophecy. The images of the wandering birds and the scattered nest (render as in R.V.) remind us of Isaiah (ch. Isa_10:14, Isa_31:5). The daughters of Moab are the provincial towns of Moab, or their inhabitants (cf. Psa_48:11).

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

For it shall be,.... Or, "otherwise it shall be" (z); if ye do not pay this tribute:

that as a wandering bird cast out of the nest: or, "as a wandering bird, the nest sent out": that is, as a bird that has forsaken its nest, and wanders about, and its young ones are turned out of the nest, scarcely fledged, and unable to shift for themselves, but flutter about here and there, trembling and frightened, see Pro 26:2,

so the daughters of Moab shall be at the fords of Arnon: turned out of their houses, wandering up and down, not knowing where to go; unable to help themselves, and in the utmost fright and consternation, fleeing to the very borders of their land, as the fords of Arnon were, see Num 21:13.

(z) "alioqui", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

For it shall be - It shall happen in the time of the calamity that shall come upon Moab.

As a wandering bird - (See Isa 10:14.) The same idea is presented in Pro 27:8 :

As a bird that wanders from her nest,

So is a man that wandereth from his place.

The idea here is that of a bird driven away from her nest, where the nest is destroyed, and the young fly about without any home or place of rest. So would Moab be when the inhabitants were driven from their dwellings. The reason why this is introduced seems to be, to enforce what the prophet had said in the previous verse - the duty of paying the usual tribute to the Jews, and seeking their protection. The time is coming, says the prophet, when the Moabites shall be driven from their homes, and when they will need that protection which they can obtain by paying the usual tribute to the Jews.

The daughters of Moab - The females shall be driven from their homes, and shall wander about, and endeavor to flee from the invasion which has come upon the land. By the apprehension, therefore, that their wives and daughters would be exposed to this danger, the prophet calls upon the Moabites to secure the protection of the king of Judah.

At the fords of Arnon - Arnon was the northern boundary of the land of Moab. They would endeavor to cross that river, and thus flee from the land, and escape the desolations that were coming upon it. The river Arnon, now called Mujeb, flows in a deep, frightfully wild, and rocky vale of the same name Num 21:15; Deu 2:24; Deu 3:9, in a narrow bed, and forms at this time the boundary between the provinces of Belka and Karrak (Seetzen). Bridges were not common in the times here referred to; and, indeed, permanent bridges among the ancients were things almost unknown. Hence, they selected the places where the streams were most shallow and gentle, as the usual places of crossing.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Arnon. They shall not be able to fly over, or to escape the conqueror.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

For; or, otherwise, as this particle is sometimes used; if you do not follow my advice.

As a wandering bird cast out of the nest; which knows not whither to go, nor what to do.

At the fords of Arnon; which was the border of the land of Moab, where they were, either being carried that way into captivity, or rather with design to flee out of their own land, although they knew not whither, as the foregoing metaphor showeth.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

2, 3. For — Not for, but and, it shall be — If they comply, then this shall follow: that, as a wandering bird cast… nest — Moab must acquire favour from Israel or Judah right early, (Isa_16:1,) for soon she would stand a restless fugitive on the borders of the latter, and implore protection. Fugitives, here, are compared to fluttering birds, routed from their nests, and left in timid indecision.

Daughters of Moab — Usually, and especially as applied to Judah, Babylon. etc., the word “daughters” of a place are the inhabitants of the place. But here the women seem to be the suppliants. They stand at the ford of Arnon, the ancient border of Moab. Num_21:13. The exhortation to them is,

Take counsel — Apply counsel given by the prophet.

Execute judgment — Rather, decision. Decide at once to pass the stream. No delay is admissible. Flee for help to the mount in Jerusalem, Mount Zion.

Shadow as the night — Seek protection from divine wrath, such as the shadow of night is, from enemies. Let the Lord be thy shadow and pavilion, and be secure as much in noonday as in the night.

Hide the outcasts — In turn make secure the exiles from Judah in your midst. Often had Moab been such a refuge.

Bewray not — Reveal not the place of the persecuted exile.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

For it shall be; rather, and it shall be. The tribute having been paid, Moab will regain some confidence. Her fluttered population will return, and collect at the fords of the Amen, ready to recross it. As a wandering bird cast out of the nest; rather, as a wandering bird (or, wandering birds)as a scattered nest" (or, "brood of nestlings"). The daughters of Moab. The population of Moab generally, as "the daughter of Zion" (ver. 1) is the population of Jerusalem generally.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Cast out - Which knows not whither to go. Arnon - Which was the border of the land of Moab, where they were, with design to flee out of their land, tho' they knew not whither.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

The advice does not remain without effect, but they embrace it eagerly."And the daughters of Moab will be like birds fluttering about, a scared nest, at the fords of the Arnon." "The daughters of Moab," like "the daughters of Judah," for example, in Psa 48:12, are the inhabitants of the cities and villages of the land of Moab. They were already like birds soaring about (Pro 27:8), because of their flight from their own land; but here, as we may see from the expression תהיינה ... והיה, the simile is intended to depict the condition into which they would be thrown by the prophet's advice. The figure (cf., Isa 10:14) as well as the expression (cf., Isa 17:2) is thoroughly Isaiah's. It is a state of anxious and timid indecision, resembling the fluttering to and fro of birds, that have been driven away from their nest, and wheel anxiously round and round, without daring to return to their old home. In this way the daughters of Moab, coming out of their hiding-places, whether nearer or more remote, show themselves at the fords of the Arnon, that is to say, on the very soil of their old home, which was situated between the Arnon and Wady el-Ahsa, and which was now devastated by the hand of a foe. לארנון מעברות we should regard as in apposition to benoth Moab (the daughters of Moab), if ma‛bâroth signifies the coast-lands (like ‛ebrē in Isa 7:20), and not, as it invariably does, the fords. It is locative in its meaning, and is so accentuated.

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

This verse assigns the ground or reason of the exhortation in the one before it. “And it shall be (or come to pass, that) like a bird wandering, (like) a nest cast out, shall be the daughters of Moab, the fords of Arnon.” The construction ‘cast out from the nest’ is inconsistent with the form of the original. Nest may be understood as a poetical term for its contents. There are three interpretations of the phrase daughters of Moab. The first gives the words the geographical sense of villages or dependent towns. (See above Isa 3:16; Isa 4:4) The second explanation makes it mean the people generally, here called ‘daughters’, as the whole population is elsewhere called daughter. The third gives the words their strict sense as denoting the female inhabitants of Moab, whose flight and sufferings are a sufficient index to the state of things. In the absence of any conclusive reason for dissenting from this strict and proper sense of the expressions, it is entitled to the preference. The Arnon is mentioned as the principal stream of Moab.

Joseph Addison Alexander, The Prophecies of Isaiah (1846–1847; New York: Scribner, 1870–1878) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

like a wandering bird from its nest.

driven from the nest like young birds driven from their nest, who roam and wander, so shall the villages of Moab wander to the fords of the Arnon.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

והיה And he shall be. The Moabite shall be.

The daughters of Moab. The villages. Comp. Num. 21:32

Ibn Ezra on the Tanakh — English translations: “Sefaria Community Translation” (CC0 1.0 (public-domain dedication)); “Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009” (CC BY 4.0); and “Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873” (public domain). Text via Sefaria.