Matthew Poole and continuators on Isaiah 16:14

14 But now the LORD hath spoken , saying, Within three years , as the years of an hireling , and the glory of Moab shall be contemned , with all that great multitude ; and the [illegible: 1+ letters]emnant shall be very small and feeble .

Hath made this further discovery of his Mind to me.

To be computed either, 1. from the time of Ierusalems Destruction by Nebuchadnezzar, who did, as is confessed by all, invade the Moabites at or about that time, and execute the Judgment first foretold by this Prophet, and afterwards by Ieremy, ch. 48. or rather, 2. from the time of the Delivery of this Prophecy. Which, being uncertain, leaves us the greater Latitude for the determination of the precise time when this was fulfilled. But this is certain, from Isa. 1. 1. that this Prophecy must be delivered, at farthest, before the end of Hezekiah's Reign. And then there ariseth this great Difficulty, How this can consist with the Prophecy of Ieremiah, who above or about an hundred years after this time speaketh of Moab as a People that had been at ease from their youth, and had not gone into captivity, Ier. 48. 11. and prophesieth against them in the very same Words which Isaiah useth in this Prophecy? The Answer is, That they do not speak of the same time, nor of the same Calamity; but Isaiah of a former Tribulation, and Ieremiah of their latter Devastation. It is true, Ieremiah useth the same Words which Isaiah doth, and so do the later Prophets sometimes use the Words of the former, to other purposes than they were first delivered, as we shall see hereafter, and as is most evident from the Revelation of St. Iohn, in which the same Words are used concerning Mystical Babylon, which were used by the foregoing Prophets concerning the first and literal Babylon. And although the foregoing Prophecy of Isaiah seems to speak of the same Destruction threatned by Ieremiah, and inflicted by Nebuchadnezzar; yet this Prophecy contained in this Verse, and ushered in with another Preface, seems to be of a differing nature, and to speak of a more speedy and less grievous Affliction that should befal them, which should be as a Pledge to assure them of the certain Accomplishment of the other Prophecy, and of their utter Destruction. And therefore it is observable, that the Prophet doth not here say, Within three years all that I have foretold and threatned shall be fulfilled; but onely, the glory of Moab shall be contemned, &c. which is quite another thing; and as the Terms here used are much milder, so the Judgment here denounced seems much less, than in the foregoing Prophecy. And therefore this Verse may very well be understood of some great Blow given to the Moabites, either by Sennacherib, or by his Son Esarbaddon, from which notwithstanding they in a little time recovered themselves, and flourished again, and continued so to do, till Nebuchadnezzar compleated their Destruction. And this may well enough consist with what is said of Moab's being at ease from his youth, Ier. 48. 11. which is not to be understood simply as if they had been wholly free from War and other Calamities; for the contrary is evident both from Scripture, as 2 Sam. 8. 2. 2 Kings 3. 24, 25. and from other Histories: but comparatively, that they had not been brought to Desolation, nor carried away into Captivity, as it is explained in the following Words, and as Israel had been at that time, and Iudah was threatned to be.

i. e. Within three years precisely accounted; for Hirelings are very punctual in observing the Time for which they are hired; and their Thoughts and Desires run much upon it, because then they are to receive their Wages: of which see Iob 7. 1. 2. & 14. 6. And this Exposition is confirmed by comparing this Place with Isa. 21. 16. where the same Phrase is used of one year. So groundless is that Opinion which the Jewish Writers gather from this Place, compared with Deut. 15. 18. That three years was the usual and appointed time for the generality of hired Servants.

Their Strength, and Wealth, and other things in which they glory.

Shall be made contemptible to those who formerly admired them.

With the great numbers of their People, of which they boasted.

Comparatively to what they were before. Which might be very true, and yet afterwards, in an hundred years space, they might be sufficiently recruited.

Marginal references: Chap. 21. 16.; Or, not many.