Isaiah15
New American Standard
1The pronouncement concerning Moab: Certainly in a night Ar of Moab is devastated and ruined; Certainly in a night Kir of Moab is devastated and ruined.
2The people have gone up to the temple and to Dibon, to the high places to weep. Moab wails over Nebo and Medeba; Everyone’s head is bald and every beard is cut off.
3In their streets they have put on sackcloth; On their housetops and in their public squares Everyone is wailing, overcome with weeping.
4Heshbon and Elealeh also cry out, Their voice is heard all the way to Jahaz; Therefore the armed men of Moab cry aloud; His soul trembles within him.
5My heart cries out for Moab; His fugitives are as far as Zoar and Eglath-shelishiyah, For they go up the ascent of Luhith weeping; Indeed, on the road to Horonaim they raise a cry of distress over their collapse.
6For the waters of Nimrim are desolate. Indeed, the grass is withered, the new growth has died, There is no greenery.
7Therefore the abundance which they have acquired and stored up, They carry it off over the brook of Arabim.
8For the cry of distress has gone around the territory of Moab, Its wailing goes as far as Eglaim and its howling to Beer-elim.
9For the waters of Dimon are full of blood; I will certainly bring added woes upon Dimon, A lion upon the fugitives of Moab and the remnant of the land.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Isaiah 15.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The Divine judgments about to come upon the Moabites. (1-9).
vv1-9
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 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.
Key Words
מַשָּׂא: a burden; specifically, tribute, or (abstractly) porterage; figuratively, an utterance, chiefly adoom, especially singing; mental, desire
מוֹאָב: Moab, an incestuous son of Lot; also his territory and descendants
כִּי: (by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
עָר: Ar, a place in Moab
שָׁדַד: properly, to be burly, i.e. (figuratively) powerful (passively, impregnable); by implication, to ravage
לַיִל: properly, a twist (away of the light), i.e. night; figuratively, adversity
דָּמָה: to be dumb or silent; hence, to fail or perish; trans. to destroy
קִיר: Kir, a place in Assyrian; also one in Moab
עָלָה: to ascend, intransitively (be high) or actively (mount); used in a great variety of senses, primary and secondary, literal and figurative
בַּיִת: a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)
Cross References
Isaiah 15Jeremiah heavily incorporates this entire prophecy in his own extended burden concerning Moab.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Parallel description of extreme mourning customs in Moab: baldness and cut-off beards.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Direct parallel describing Moab's loud wailing like a three-year-old heifer.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Identifies the specific geographical locations of Luhith and Horonaim in Moab's flight.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The prophet's deep internal, empathetic grief for Moab's devastating judgment.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Illustrates literal lions sent by God as a judgment upon the remnant of the land.
Supported by JFB
Ar of Moab identified historically as the chief territory belonging to Lot's descendants.
Supported by Matthew Poole
An ancient poetic reference to a fire going out of Ar of Moab.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Contextual law regarding shaving head and beard, practiced by Moab in heathen mourning.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Nebo adjacent to the mountain where Moses looked out and Chemosh was worshipped.
Supported by JFB
Explains flat roof architecture where easterners resorted to weep and howl.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Verbal parallel in Hebrew for being cut off and shaving in grief.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Identifies Dibon and the high places of Baal (Bajith) in Reuben's territory.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Illustrates 'three years old' as implying full physical strength and vigor.
Supported by JFB