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Isaiah 15
The oracles turn to a neighbor: "The burden of Moab." Twice the chapter says it happens "in a night" — Ar and Kir laid waste overnight — and the rest is a map of grief drawn town by town: Dibon, Nebo, Medeba, Heshbon, Elealeh, Zoar. What is unusual is the tone. This is not gloating; the prophet's own "heart cries out for Moab." Watch the geography of mourning move across the land, ending at the waters of Dimon "full of blood," with worse still promised.
- 1
The burden of Moab. For in a night, Ar of Moab is laid waste, and brought to nothing. For in a night Kir of Moab is laid waste, and brought to nothing.
- 2
They have gone up to Bayith, and to Dibon, to the high places, to weep. Moab wails over Nebo and over Medeba. Baldness is on all of their heads. Every beard is cut off.
- 3
In their streets, they clothe themselves in sackcloth. In their streets and on their housetops, everyone wails, weeping abundantly.
- 4
Heshbon cries out with Elealeh. Their voice is heard even to Jahaz. Therefore the armed men of Moab cry aloud. Their souls tremble within them.
- 5
My heart cries out for Moab! Her nobles flee to Zoar, to Eglath Shelishiyah; for they go up by the ascent of Luhith with weeping; for on the way to Horonaim, they raise up a cry of destruction.
- 6
For the waters of Nimrim will be desolate; for the grass has withered away, the tender grass fails, there is no green thing.
- 7
Therefore they will carry away the abundance they have gotten, and that which they have stored up, over the brook of the willows.
- 8
For the cry has gone around the borders of Moab, its wailing to Eglaim, and its wailing to Beer Elim.
- 9
For the waters of Dimon are full of blood; for I will bring yet more on Dimon, a lion on those of Moab who escape, and on the remnant of the land.
- 1
CARGA de Moab. Cierto, de noche fué destruída Ar-moab, fué puesta en silencio. Cierto, de noche fué destruída Kir-moab, reducida á silencio.
- 2
Subió á Bayith y á Dibón, lugares altos, á llorar; sobre Nebo y sobre Medeba aullará Moab: toda cabeza de ella será raída, y toda barba se mesará.
- 3
Ceñiránse de sacos en sus plazas: en sus terrados y en sus calles aullarán todos, descendiendo en llanto.
- 4
Hesbón y Eleale gritarán, hasta Jahas se oirá su voz: por lo que aullarán los armados de Moab, lamentaráse el alma de cada uno de por sí.
- 5
Mi corazón dará gritos por Moab; sus fugitivos huirán hasta Zoar, como novilla de tres años. Por la cuesta de Luhith subirán llorando, y levantarán grito de quebrantamiento por el camino de Horonaim.
- 6
Las aguas de Nimrim serán consumidas, y secaráse la hierba, marchitaránse los retoños, todo verdor perecerá.
- 7
Por tanto las riquezas que habrán adquirido, y las que habrán reservado, llevaránlas al torrente de los sauces.
- 8
Porque el llanto rodeó los términos de Moab; hasta Eglaim llegó su alarido, y hasta Beer-elim su clamor.
- 9
Y las aguas de Dimón se henchirán de sangre: porque yo pondré sobre Dimón añadiduras, leones á los que escaparen de Moab, y á las reliquias de la tierra.
An oracle that weeps
Moab was Judah's old rival east of the Dead Sea, yet the poem is soaked in sympathy. Shaved heads, cut beards, sackcloth on rooftops, voices heard from Heshbon to Jahaz — the chapter catalogues a whole nation's lament rather than celebrating its fall.
The withered grass at the waters of Nimrim and the refugees fleeing toward Zoar with the survivors' goods carried "over the brook of the willows" give the disaster a fleeing, downhill motion that the next chapter, Isaiah 16, will continue.
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