Isaiah 16:12 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

On the high place— The meaning of the verse is, that the Moabites, as their last efforts, should go to their altars, there to perform their sacred rites, to appease the anger of their deity; but, wearied herewith, they should enter into the sanctuary, into some more sacred and celebrated sanctuary of their god Chemosh, to pour forth their earnest supplications and prayers; but should obtain nothing. This therefore is the last calamity of the Moabites, that struggling with so great evils they should fly to the help of their gods, whom they worshipped with the greatest superstition, and in their extremity should seek help from them; should weary themselves at their altars, should supplicate in their temples, should prostrate themselves before their shrines, but obtain nothing; thus proving the vanity of their superstition, and the imbecility of those false deities on whom they trusted. See Vitringa.