{"id":65609,"date":"2019-11-12T13:57:59","date_gmt":"2019-11-12T11:57:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/?p=65609"},"modified":"2023-06-06T11:50:27","modified_gmt":"2023-06-06T08:50:27","slug":"the-bloody-waters-of-dimon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/the-bloody-waters-of-dimon\/","title":{"rendered":"The Bloody Waters Of Dimon"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[281],"tags":[366,361],"acf":{"old_id":"65609","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":34243,"related_cahpter":"349","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content":{"description":"And the future of Moab","content":"

Yet another \u201cmodern\u201d feature of Malbim\u2019s* commentary is his occasional summation of a chapter right in his opening remarks. Here, in our chapter, is an example:<\/span><\/p>\n

In this vision, [Isaiah] addresses the fall of Moab and the weakness of its defenders. [He describes it] as though it was after two of its large cities, Ar and Kir, which stood on the border, were taken and they still were unaware [of danger] and only after Nebo and Medeba\u2014which stood in the center of the country\u2014were taken that they realized and fretted over it. And yet, [their reaction] was not to do battle but to weep, like women who are unable to go to war. Only after the enemy had conquered a large portion of their territory and destroyed Heshbon and Elaleh\u2014the pride of Moab\u2014did their brave men awaken to do battle. However, it was for naught because their strength was already dissipated.<\/span><\/p>\n

The final verse of this prophecy offers another opportunity to view Malbim\u2019s specialty:<\/span><\/p>\n

For the waters of <\/span>Dimon<\/span><\/i> are full of blood (<\/span>dam<\/span><\/i>); for I will bring yet more upon Dimon, a lion upon him that escapeth of Moab, and upon the remnant of the land. (9)<\/span><\/p>\n

Whereas Rashi, Ibn Ezra, and Radak interpreted the lion as a symbol of Nebuchadnezzar,\u00a0 Malbim takes it literally and weaves it seamlessly into his commentary.<\/span><\/p>\n

The waters of Dimon, which was distant from Moab, filled with the blood of Moabite casualties and God [pledged] to add yet additional siege-camps about Dimon to fight the refugees who would flee from their enemies and hide in the forests. God will set upon them lions and [other] wild animals to slay them.<\/span><\/p>\n

When it comes to the rest of Moab, the few that will remain hidden in the territory, God will bring the land itself upon them, since the desolate Land of Moab will slay its inhabitants through famine and pestilence.<\/span><\/p>\n

A note of my own: While this is the only reference to Dimon in the Bible, there are numerous references to a Moabite city named Dibon. Given that the consonants m and b (called \u201clabial\u201d because they are formed with the lips) are often interchangeable, I suggest that the prophet, exercising poetic license, called it Dimon in order to create the word play with <\/span>dam<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\n

*For the significance of Malbim\u2019s commentary to the Book of Isaiah,<\/span> see our introduction to chapter 1.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Image: modern Dhiban (Dibon\/Dimon) with ancient Dhiban in the foreground, looking south. 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