The burden of Moab. Because in the night Ar of Moab is laid waste, and brought to silence; because in the night Kir of Moab is laid waste, and brought to silence;
He is gone up to Bajith, and to Dibon, the high places, to weep: Moab shall howl over Nebo, and over Medeba: on all their heads shall be baldness, and every beard cut off.
In their streets they shall gird themselves with sackcloth: on the tops of their houses, and in their streets, every one shall howl, weeping abundantly.
And Heshbon shall cry, and Elealeh: their voice shall be heard even unto Jahaz: therefore the armed soldiers of Moab shall cry out; his life shall be grievous unto him.
My heart shall cry out for Moab; his fugitives shall flee unto Zoar, an heifer of three years old: for by the mounting up of Luhith with weeping shall they go it up; for in the way of Horonaim they shall raise up a cry of destruction.
For the waters of Nimrim shall be desolate: for the hay is withered away, the grass faileth, there is no green thing.
Therefore the abundance they have gotten, and that which they have laid up, shall they carry away to the brook of the willows.
For the cry is gone round about the borders of Moab; the howling thereof unto Eglaim, and the howling thereof unto Beer–elim.
For the waters of Dimon shall be full of blood: for I will bring more upon Dimon, lions upon him that escapeth of Moab, and upon the remnant of the land.
Isaiah 15 focuses on a prophecy concerning Moab, a nation east of the Dead Sea with a history of conflict with Israel. This chapter, along with Isaiah 13-15, presents a series of pronouncements against various nations, and here, Isaiah unveils the impending suffering destined for the people of Moab.
Context: Moab's History and Isaiah's Burden
The Moabites, descendants of Lot, Abraham's nephew (Genesis 19:30–38), shared ancestral ties with Israel. Despite this kinship, their relationship was often marked by antagonism, particularly over disputed territories (Numbers 25:1; 31:15–17; Joshua 24:9; Judges 3:12–14; 2 Kings 1:1). They rejected the true God, choosing idol worship instead. Isaiah 15 initiates a prophetic message from the Lord, echoing similar sentiments found in Jeremiah 48. Both passages, inspired by the Holy Spirit, converge in their depiction of the future judgment awaiting Moab.
A Night of Devastation
Isaiah vividly portrays the aftermath of a sudden, devastating blow to Moab. The oracle doesn't explicitly detail the form of judgment, but rather paints a picture of profound grief and hardship following the destruction of key cities. It is suggested that Assyrian invaders from the north were the likely cause of Moab's woes, systematically destroying towns as they advanced southward.
Isaiah 15:1-2 states, "In the night Ar of Moab is laid waste and ruined; in the night Kir of Moab is laid waste and ruined. Dibon goes up to its temple, to the high places to weep; Moab wails over Nebo and Medeba. Every head is shaved, every beard cut off." The major cities of Ar and Kir are laid to waste in a single night, symbolizing the swift and utter destruction. The people of Dibon ascend to their temples and high places, directing their lamentations towards Chemosh, their god, who proved powerless to shield them from the catastrophe (Judges 11:24; Jeremiah 48:46).
Mourning and Flight
The destruction extends beyond Ar and Kir, engulfing Nebo and Medeba in the north. Survivors, plunged into deep mourning, adopt traditional expressions of grief: shaving their heads and beards, and donning sackcloth – a coarse, uncomfortable fabric symbolizing sorrow and humility. Public and private spaces resound with wailing and weeping, as individuals mourn the loss of loved ones, homes, and their way of life.
Isaiah 15:3-4 says, "In the streets they wear sackcloth; on the housetops and in the public squares everyone wails, prostrate with weeping. Heshbon and Elealeh cry out, their voices are heard all the way to Jahaz; therefore the armed men of Moab cry out, their hearts tremble." The cries of Heshbon and Elealeh in the north reverberate as far south as Jahaz, signifying the widespread devastation. Even Moab's warriors, normally symbols of strength, are overcome with fear and tremble at the scale of the destruction. Unlike Judah, Moab would receive no deliverance.
The Path of Tears
Even Isaiah, as the bearer of God's message, is moved with compassion for the fleeing Moabites. As described in Isaiah 15:5-7, fugitives stream southward towards Zoar, a city on the border of Moab and Edom, at the southern end of the Dead Sea. Their journey is marked by weeping and despair. Reaching the waters of Nimrim, they find not relief, but further desolation – the oasis dried up, the vegetation withered. Carrying their remaining possessions, they press on towards the Brook of the Willows, likely the Zered Brook, marking the border between Moab and Edom.
Echoes of Anguish and Impending Doom
Despite their desperate flight, Isaiah reveals that the cries of anguish resonate throughout Moab. The water supply of Dibon is contaminated by the carnage, a grim reminder of the widespread slaughter. Isaiah 15:8-9 concludes with a chilling prophecy: "The cry echoes along the border of Moab; its wail reaches Eglaim, its lamentation reaches Beer Elim. The waters of Dimon are full of blood; but I will bring still more upon Dimon— a lion upon the fugitives of Moab and upon those who remain in the land." The Lord declares that even greater suffering awaits the survivors, symbolized by "a lion" poised to devour the remnant of Moab.
Isaiah 15 serves as a stark reminder of God's judgment upon nations that reject Him and engage in wickedness. The prophecy highlights the swiftness and totality of divine judgment, the profound grief and suffering it brings, and the futility of seeking refuge in idols or military strength. The chapter invites reflection on the importance of humility, repentance, and seeking refuge in the only true God, who alone can offer lasting peace and security.
The burden of Moab. Because in the night Ar of Moab is laid waste, and brought to silence; because in the night Kir of Moab is laid waste, and brought to silence;
He is gone up to Bajith, and to Dibon, the high places, to weep: Moab shall howl over Nebo, and over Medeba: on all their heads shall be baldness, and every beard cut off.
In their streets they shall gird themselves with sackcloth: on the tops of their houses, and in their streets, every one shall howl, weeping abundantly.
And Heshbon shall cry, and Elealeh: their voice shall be heard even unto Jahaz: therefore the armed soldiers of Moab shall cry out; his life shall be grievous unto him.
My heart shall cry out for Moab; his fugitives shall flee unto Zoar, an heifer of three years old: for by the mounting up of Luhith with weeping shall they go it up; for in the way of Horonaim they shall raise up a cry of destruction.
For the waters of Nimrim shall be desolate: for the hay is withered away, the grass faileth, there is no green thing.
Therefore the abundance they have gotten, and that which they have laid up, shall they carry away to the brook of the willows.
For the cry is gone round about the borders of Moab; the howling thereof unto Eglaim, and the howling thereof unto Beer–elim.
For the waters of Dimon shall be full of blood: for I will bring more upon Dimon, lions upon him that escapeth of Moab, and upon the remnant of the land.
Isaiah 15 focuses on a prophecy concerning Moab, a nation east of the Dead Sea with a history of conflict with Israel. This chapter, along with Isaiah 13-15, presents a series of pronouncements against various nations, and here, Isaiah unveils the impending suffering destined for the people of Moab.
Context: Moab's History and Isaiah's Burden
The Moabites, descendants of Lot, Abraham's nephew (Genesis 19:30–38), shared ancestral ties with Israel. Despite this kinship, their relationship was often marked by antagonism, particularly over disputed territories (Numbers 25:1; 31:15–17; Joshua 24:9; Judges 3:12–14; 2 Kings 1:1). They rejected the true God, choosing idol worship instead. Isaiah 15 initiates a prophetic message from the Lord, echoing similar sentiments found in Jeremiah 48. Both passages, inspired by the Holy Spirit, converge in their depiction of the future judgment awaiting Moab.
A Night of Devastation
Isaiah vividly portrays the aftermath of a sudden, devastating blow to Moab. The oracle doesn't explicitly detail the form of judgment, but rather paints a picture of profound grief and hardship following the destruction of key cities. It is suggested that Assyrian invaders from the north were the likely cause of Moab's woes, systematically destroying towns as they advanced southward.
Isaiah 15:1-2 states, "In the night Ar of Moab is laid waste and ruined; in the night Kir of Moab is laid waste and ruined. Dibon goes up to its temple, to the high places to weep; Moab wails over Nebo and Medeba. Every head is shaved, every beard cut off." The major cities of Ar and Kir are laid to waste in a single night, symbolizing the swift and utter destruction. The people of Dibon ascend to their temples and high places, directing their lamentations towards Chemosh, their god, who proved powerless to shield them from the catastrophe (Judges 11:24; Jeremiah 48:46).
Mourning and Flight
The destruction extends beyond Ar and Kir, engulfing Nebo and Medeba in the north. Survivors, plunged into deep mourning, adopt traditional expressions of grief: shaving their heads and beards, and donning sackcloth – a coarse, uncomfortable fabric symbolizing sorrow and humility. Public and private spaces resound with wailing and weeping, as individuals mourn the loss of loved ones, homes, and their way of life.
Isaiah 15:3-4 says, "In the streets they wear sackcloth; on the housetops and in the public squares everyone wails, prostrate with weeping. Heshbon and Elealeh cry out, their voices are heard all the way to Jahaz; therefore the armed men of Moab cry out, their hearts tremble." The cries of Heshbon and Elealeh in the north reverberate as far south as Jahaz, signifying the widespread devastation. Even Moab's warriors, normally symbols of strength, are overcome with fear and tremble at the scale of the destruction. Unlike Judah, Moab would receive no deliverance.
The Path of Tears
Even Isaiah, as the bearer of God's message, is moved with compassion for the fleeing Moabites. As described in Isaiah 15:5-7, fugitives stream southward towards Zoar, a city on the border of Moab and Edom, at the southern end of the Dead Sea. Their journey is marked by weeping and despair. Reaching the waters of Nimrim, they find not relief, but further desolation – the oasis dried up, the vegetation withered. Carrying their remaining possessions, they press on towards the Brook of the Willows, likely the Zered Brook, marking the border between Moab and Edom.
Echoes of Anguish and Impending Doom
Despite their desperate flight, Isaiah reveals that the cries of anguish resonate throughout Moab. The water supply of Dibon is contaminated by the carnage, a grim reminder of the widespread slaughter. Isaiah 15:8-9 concludes with a chilling prophecy: "The cry echoes along the border of Moab; its wail reaches Eglaim, its lamentation reaches Beer Elim. The waters of Dimon are full of blood; but I will bring still more upon Dimon— a lion upon the fugitives of Moab and upon those who remain in the land." The Lord declares that even greater suffering awaits the survivors, symbolized by "a lion" poised to devour the remnant of Moab.
Isaiah 15 serves as a stark reminder of God's judgment upon nations that reject Him and engage in wickedness. The prophecy highlights the swiftness and totality of divine judgment, the profound grief and suffering it brings, and the futility of seeking refuge in idols or military strength. The chapter invites reflection on the importance of humility, repentance, and seeking refuge in the only true God, who alone can offer lasting peace and security.