Isaiah 15

Concerning Moab

1 An oracle about Moab. Ar was devastated in a night; Moab is ruined! Kir was devastated in a night; Moab is ruined!

2 Dibon has gone up to the temple, to the shrines to weep. Moab wails over Nebo and over Medeba. Every head is shaved, every beard cut off.

3 In its streets they wear mourning clothes; on its rooftops and in its plazas, everyone wails and falls down weeping.

4 Heshbon and Elealeh cry out; as far as Jahaz their voice is heard. The armed men of Moab shout, spirits trembling.

5 My heart cries out for Moab. Its fugitives flee to Zoar, to Eglath-shelishiyah. At the ascent of Luhith, each will go up with weeping. On the road to Horonaim, they will raise a piercing cry.

6 The waters of Nimrim are used up. Grass has withered; vegetation is dead; greenery is gone.

7 Therefore, they carry what they had stored up, all their provisions to the Valley of the Willows.

8 An outcry sounds within the borders of Moab, as far as Eglaim, a cry of distress, as far as Beer-elim, a cry of distress.

9 The waters of Dibon are full of blood. But I will bring still more upon Dibon: a lion for Moab's survivors, for the remaining few in the land.

Isaiah 15 Commentary

Chapter 15

The Divine judgments about to come upon the Moabites.

- This prophecy coming to pass within three years, would confirm the prophet's mission, and the belief in all his other prophecies. Concerning Moab it is foretold, 1. That their chief cities should be surprised by the enemy. Great changes, and very dismal ones, may be made in a very little time. 2. The Moabites would have recourse to their idols for relief. Ungodly men, when in trouble, have no comforter. But they are seldom brought by their terrors to approach our forgiving God with true sorrow and believing prayer. 3. There should be the cries of grief through the land. It is poor relief to have many fellow-sufferers, fellow-mourners. 4. The courage of their soldiers should fail. God can easily deprive a nation of that on which it most depended for strength and defence. 5. These calamities should cause grief in the neighbouring parts. Though enemies to Israel, yet as our fellow-creatures, it should be grievous to see them in such distress. In ver. ( 6-9 ) , the prophet describes the woful lamentations heard through the country of Moab, when it became a prey to the Assyrian army. The country should be plundered. And famine is usually the sad effect of war. Those who are eager to get abundance of this world, and to lay up what they have gotten, little consider how soon it may be all taken from them. While we warn our enemies to escape from ruin, let us pray for them, that they may seek and find forgiveness of their sins.

Footnotes

• [a]. Heb uncertain
• [b]. Heb uncertain

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 15

This chapter is a prophecy of the destruction of the Moabites; two of their principal cities are mentioned as made desolate, Isa 15:1 the inhabitants in divers places are represented as weeping and mourning, and showing various signs of it, Isa 15:2,3 yea, not only the common people, but the armed soldiers also, Isa 15:4 nay, even the prophet himself, Isa 15:5 the reasons of which were the great drought, so that there were no grass, nor green thing, Isa 15:6 the carrying away of their good things, either by themselves or others, Isa 15:7 the flight and cry of the people to the very borders of the land, Isa 15:8 and the great effusion of blood, Isa 15:9.