Isaiah 15

An Oracle against Moab

1 An oracle against Moab: Ar in Moab is devastated, destroyed in a night. Kir in Moab is devastated, destroyed in a night.

2 Dibon went up to its temple to weep at its high places. Moab wails on Nebo and at^[a] Medeba. Every head is shaved; every beard is cut off.

3 In its streets they wear sackcloth; on its rooftops and in its public squares everyone wails, falling down and weeping.

4 Heshbon and Elealeh cry out; their voices are heard as far away as Jahaz. Therefore the soldiers of Moab cry out, and they tremble.^[b]

5 My heart cries out over Moab, whose fugitives [flee] as far as Zoar, to Eglath-shelishiyah; they go up the slope of Luhith weeping; they raise a cry of destruction on the road to Horonaim.

6 The waters of Nimrim are desolate; the grass is withered, the foliage is gone, and the vegetation has vanished.

7 So they carry their wealth and belongings over the Wadi of the Willows.

8 For their cry echoes throughout the territory of Moab. Their wailing reaches Eglaim; their wailing reaches Beer-elim.

9 The waters of Dibon^[c] are full of blood, but I will bring on Dibon^[d] even more [than this]- a lion for those who escape from Moab, and for the survivors 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]. Or wails over Nebo and over
• [b]. Lit out, he trembles within himself
• [c]. DSS, some LXX mss, Vg; MT reads Dimon
• [d]. DSS, some LXX mss, Vg; MT reads Dimon

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.