And it shall come to pass, when it is seen that Moab is wearied on his high places, that he shall go in to his sanctuaries to pray, and shall not prevail.
וְהָיָ֧ה כִֽי־נִרְאָ֛ה כִּֽי־נִלְאָ֥ה מוֹאָ֖ב עַל־הַבָּמָ֑ה וּבָ֧א אֶל־מִקְדָּשׁ֛וֹ לְהִתְפַּלֵּ֖ל וְלֹ֥א יוּכָֽל׃
5 Church Fathers comment on this verse
This will be a source of disgrace for you; for he has been brought to shame due to the idols in which he placed his trust. Thus, it is stated, although Moab may come forth and make efforts on the heights until he grows weary, and approaches his sanctuary to pray, nothing will avail him. This underscoring the truth that there is no aid to be found in mankind, but solely from the One who preserved Jerusalem and brought about its ruin.
And what else, He asks, will occur that may bring you shame and disgrace? Your efforts will be futile, as you fill your altars with blood and make constant offerings, praying to creations of your own making. You will gain nothing from these that can provide true salvation or deliverance from the dangers that confront you. For what power do lifeless idols possess, mere products of human craftsmanship, supported by those who venerate them? Therefore, let them become like those who make and worship them, as the blessed David states, I will become like them, and all who trust in me (Psalm 113:16).
It is important to recognize that the Moabites were deeply superstitious and engaged in practices of bird-witchery, false prophecy, and were boastful of supposed miracles, placing great faith in the misfortunes wrought by sorcery. They likely believed they could prevail over their enemies not through accumulated wisdom, but rather through the assistance of their deities. However, they were misled in their expectations, invoking a lifeless entity through their sacrifices and prayers.
And it has been proclaimed that it will be to your disgrace, as Moab will strive for those who are in distress. This expression signifies, what does it mean to assert so audaciously that it will bring you shame? The scripture states, “For this cause,” He proclaims, “Thou hast instilled within me profound insights, so that Thou mayest not bring reproach upon those who now seek Thee amidst the accusations levied against them through the strength of the thoughts bestowed upon me. Consequently, their utterances are inadequate to fully express the meaning of these words. And it shall be to their dishonor before Thee.
Similar to how in warfare, when two sides face each other and perceive themselves as equals, they do not flee or retreat; however, when one gains superiority, turning their back, they retreat. In like manner, the soul, emboldened by a lack of shame and initially standing unashamed, yet confronted with a reproachful word, becomes filled with shame. This alteration occurs at the deepest levels of man and is thus termed shame. Therefore, the inner being will cry out, and the depths of the soul will be akin to a wall, which God has renewed through the prophets, prompting transformation and evoking shame, leading to reverence for God, who is free from any beneficial disgrace. For Moab will feel shame because of those who distress him and will enter his self-constructed sanctuaries to pray, but they will be powerless to rescue him. Isaiah foretells the ultimate eradication of all idolatry with the arrival of the Word and prophesizes that every effort to erect temples will be futile, rendering hopes in human-made structures worthless. He states, “he shall pray, and they shall not be able to deliver him.” This prophecy has come to fruition with the advent of Christ: although infamous temples stand like cliffs, they hold no demonic power, as the resistance has been forced to retreat by the mystery of the Cross, proclaimed across the world. For this is the message the Lord spoke concerning Moab when He declared.
Once the Moabites come to understand that their offerings to idols on the high places are futile and that their lamentations before these false gods bring no aid, they will seek out the deities of foreign lands and express a desire to worship in the holy place of Jerusalem. However, their adversaries will prevent them from fulfilling this wish.
Therefore, my womb shall resonate for Moab like a stringed instrument, and my insides like a wall of charred bricks. Even if it is discovered that Moab has toiled exhaustively on his own heights and enters his sanctuaries for prayer, he will find no strength remaining. This is the message that the Lord has communicated concerning Moab from that time onward. Following the ruin of Moab's falsehood, or more precisely, the transformation of joy into grief and tears, my womb—the prophet, harmoniously composed like a stringed instrument, conceived through the reverence of God and fruitful in producing many spiritual offspring—will be silenced by Moab's lamentation that leads to repentance.
And all my inward parts will metaphorically relate to the wall of charred bricks, which Theodotion rendered as the ruined wall. For all the defenses upon which the enemies relied previously will be shattered and fall. The essence of the prophet aligns with what David expressed in the Psalms, ‘Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name’ (Psalm 102:1). Just as a stringed instrument fails to produce a full and melodious sound if even one string is broken, similarly, the spiritual womb of the prophet cannot yield delightful music if he is lacking even a single virtue. There is the philosophical belief that virtues are interconnected, and according to the Apostle James, a person who is deficient in one virtue is lacking in all. When Moab comes to recognize the futility of his previously lofty doctrines, he will attempt to enter his sanctuaries—not those that are inherently holy, but those he misguidedly deemed sacred—and will find no assistance. Or perhaps, in abandoning his false illusions, he will seek to enter the sanctuaries of the Church, longing to claim them as his own in prayer, yet he will not succeed. Perfect virtue is not instantaneously acquired as we desire. Concerning the phrase, ‘This is the word which the Lord has spoken since that time to Moab,’ it serves as an epilogue that reflects the introductory statement, wherein it mentions, ‘A word of the Lord against Moab,’ thereby concluding as it began. The understanding of 'from that time' relates to the moment He began speaking to him, confirming that all He expressed is a unified utterance of God, a single proclamation. Furthermore, according to the Septuagint, which translates the inward parts of the prophet as a wall, these are renewed by God, and as for Moab, he shall be shamed and approach the altars and what is accomplished by hand. This implies that the prophet's innermost being is consistently revitalized and fortified by God, so that adversaries may experience shame and recognize that human endeavors are devoid of true salvation.
From this, my womb shall cry out regarding Moab like a lute, and my innards like a wall of charred brick. To clarify, the prophet's grief should not be interpreted as a joy at the downfall of Israel's adversaries; rather, he expresses profound and genuine sorrow over the ruin of the once mighty city.
And it will happen that despite Moab laboring to the point of exhaustion on his high places, and entering into his sanctuaries to seek aid, he will find no assistance. It is a tragic misfortune to receive no support from those whom one has revered. He states that following the loss of strength through the deaths of his soldiers, he will turn to idols and pray in temples, yet will find no solace from those who suffer the same fate as he.
From what time do you think this applies? Certainly, from the moment Moab was established and the Lord declared: ‘The Moabites and Ammonites shall not enter the assembly of the Lord’ (Deuteronomy 23:3). Or, we must interpret this as referring to ancient times, meaning that this Divine judgment has been predetermined from old, not indicating that God's foreknowledge initiated the cause of the desolation, but that the forthcoming ruin was foreseen by God's majestic understanding.
Passages read together with this verse.
THEOSIS