Isaiah 15:1-5

A Prophecy Against Moab

1 A prophecy against Moab: Ar in Moab is ruined, destroyed in a night! Kir in Moab is ruined, destroyed in a night!

2 Dibon goes up to its temple, to its high places to weep; Moab wails over Nebo and Medeba. Every head is shaved and every beard cut off.

3 In the streets they wear sackcloth; on the roofs and in the public squares they all wail, prostrate with weeping.

4 Heshbon and Elealeh cry out, their voices are heard all the way to Jahaz. Therefore the armed men of Moab cry out, and their hearts are faint.

5 My heart cries out over Moab; her fugitives flee as far as Zoar, as far as Eglath Shelishiyah. They go up the hill to Luhith, weeping as they go; on the road to Horonaim they lament their destruction.

Isaiah 15:1-5 Meaning and Commentary

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.

Cross References

• 1. S Isaiah 13:1
• 2. Numbers 22:3-6; S Deuteronomy 23:6; S Isaiah 11:14
• 3. S Numbers 21:15
• 4. S Numbers 17:12; Isaiah 25:12; Isaiah 26:5; Jeremiah 48:24,41; Jeremiah 51:58
• 5. S 2 Kings 3:25
• 6. S Numbers 21:30
• 7. 1 Kings 11:7; Isaiah 16:12; Jeremiah 48:35
• 8. S Isaiah 13:6; Isaiah 65:14
• 9. S Numbers 32:38
• 10. S Leviticus 13:40; S Job 1:20; Leviticus 21:5
• 11. S 2 Samuel 10:4
• 12. S Isaiah 3:24
• 13. S Joshua 2:8
• 14. Jeremiah 48:38
• 15. Isaiah 14:31; Jeremiah 47:2
• 16. ver 5; Isaiah 16:9; Isaiah 22:4; Lamentations 2:11; Ezekiel 7:18; Micah 1:8
• 17. S Numbers 21:25; S Joshua 13:26
• 18. S Numbers 32:3
• 19. S Numbers 21:23
• 20. S ver 3
• 21. Isaiah 16:11; Jeremiah 48:31
• 22. S Numbers 21:29
• 23. S Genesis 13:10
• 24. Jeremiah 48:3,34
• 25. Jeremiah 4:20; Jeremiah 48:5