Isaiah 15

1 The burden of Moab. For Ar was destroyed in (the) night, Moab was still; for the wall was destroyed in the night, Moab was still. (The burden of Moab. For Ar was destroyed in the night, Moab is now silent; and for Kir was destroyed in the night, Moab is now silent.)

2 The king's house, and Dibon ascended to high places, into wailing; on Nebo, and on Medeba, Moab shall yell. In all heads thereof shall be baldness, and each beard shall be shaved. (The daughter, or the people, of Dibon go up to the hill shrines to weep; Moab shall yell, or shall wail, about Nebo, and about Medeba. On all their heads shall be baldness, and each beard shall be shaved.)

3 In the meeting of three ways thereof they be girded in a sackcloth, all yelling on the houses thereof, and in the streets thereof; it shall go down into weeping (they shall go down weeping).

4 Heshbon shall cry (out), and Elealeh, (and) the voice of them is heard till to Jahaz (and their voice is heard unto Jahaz); on this thing the ready men of Moab shall yell (with fear), the soul thereof shall yell to itself (in fear).

5 Mine heart shall cry to Moab, the bars thereof till to Zoar, a cow calf of three years (My heart shall cry out for Moab, for its barons, or its nobles, have fled unto Zoar, and unto Eglath Shelishiyah). For why a weeper shall go up by the going up of Luhith, and in the way of Horonaim they shall raise (up a) cry of sorrow.

6 For why the waters of Nimrim shall be forsaken; for the herb dried up, burgeoning failed, all greenness perished. (For the waters of Nimrim shall dry up; and the herbs shall dry up, and the burgeoning shall fail, and all greenness shall perish.)

7 By the greatness of work, and the visiting of them, to the strand of sallows they shall lead them. (And they shall carry their abundance, and all that they possess, over the Stream, or the Valley, of the Willows.)

8 For why (their) cry compassed the end of Moab; till to Eglaim the yelling thereof, and the cry thereof till to the well of Elim. (For their cry went about unto the end of Moab; their yelling unto Eglaim, and their cry unto Beerelim.)

9 For the waters of Dimon be filled with blood; for I shall set increasings on Dimon, to those men of Moab that fled from the lion, and to the remnants of the land. (And the waters of Dimon be filled with blood; and I shall put more troubles upon Dimon, yea, I shall send lions upon those people who fled from Moab, and upon the remnants 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.