Isaiah 15
1 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;
2 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.
3 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.
4 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.
5 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.
6 For the waters of Nimrim shall be desolate: for the hay is withered away, the grass faileth, there is no green thing.
7 Therefore the abundance they have gotten, and that which they have laid up, shall they carry away to the brook of the willows.
8 For the cry is gone round about the borders of Moab; the howling thereof unto Eglaim, and the howling thereof unto Beer-elim.
9 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.
Common Questions About Isaiah 15
What judgment does chapter 15 pronounce?
Isaiah pronounces a mournful judgment against Moab, describing cities destroyed and people fleeing in grief and desperation, delivered with a tone of genuine sorrow rather than triumphant celebration over their downfall.
What tone does Isaiah use in this oracle?
Unlike some other judgment oracles, this one is marked by weeping and lament, with Isaiah himself expressing grief over Moab's suffering, showing that pronouncing deserved judgment doesn't require callousness toward the pain involved.
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Questions to Think About
- How can you hold both honesty about consequences and genuine compassion for those experiencing them, as Isaiah models here?
- What does this tone of lament teach about avoiding satisfaction in others' suffering, even when judgment is deserved?
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