Isaiah 15

1 The burden of Mo'av. For in a night `Ar of Mo'av is laid waste, [and] brought to nothing; for in a night Kir of Mo'av is laid waste, [and] brought to nothing.

2 They are gone up to Bayit, and to Divon, to the high places, to weep: Mo'av wails over Nevo, and over Medeva; on all their heads is baldness, every beard is cut off.

3 In their streets they gird themselves with sackcloth; on their housetops, and in their broad places, everyone wails, weeping abundantly.

4 Heshbon cries out, and El`aleh; their voice is heard even to Yahatz: therefore the armed men of Mo'av cry aloud; his soul trembles within him.

5 My heart cries out for Mo'av; her nobles [flee] to Tzo`ar, to Eglat-Shelishi-Yah: for by the ascent of Luchit with weeping they go up; for in the way of Horonayim they raise up a cry of destruction.

6 For the waters of Nimrim shall be desolate; for the grass is withered away, the tender grass fails, there is no green thing.

7 Therefore the abundance they have gotten, and that which they have laid up, shall they carry away over the brook of the willows.

8 For the cry is gone round about the borders of Mo'av; the wailing of it to Eglayim, and the wailing of it to Beer-elim.

9 For the waters of Dimon are full of blood; for I will bring yet more on Dimon, a lion on them of Mo'av that escape, and on the remnant of 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.

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.