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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
O peso de Moabe. Porque em uma noite, Ar de Moabe é devastada, e reduzida a nada. Porque em uma noite Quir de Moabe é devastada, e reduzida a nada.
- 2
Eles subiram a Baite, e a Dibom, aos lugares altos, para chorar. Moabe lamenta sobre Nebo e sobre Medeba. Há calvície em todas as suas cabeças. Toda barba é cortada.
- 3
Em suas ruas, eles se vestem de pano de saco. Em suas ruas e em seus terraços, todos se lamentam, chorando abundantemente.
- 4
Hesbom clama com Eleale. Sua voz é ouvida até Jaza. Portanto, os homens armados de Moabe gritam em alta voz. Suas almas tremem dentro deles.
- 5
Meu coração clama por Moabe! Seus nobres fogem para Zoar, para Eglate-Selisia; pois sobem pela subida de Luíte com choro; pois no caminho para Horonaim, eles levantam um clamor de destruição.
- 6
Porque as águas de Ninrim ficarão desoladas; pois a erva secou, a relva tenra perece, não há nada verde.
- 7
Portanto, eles levarão a abundância que adquiriram, e o que armazenaram, para além do ribeiro dos salgueiros.
- 8
Porque o clamor rodeou as fronteiras de Moabe, seu lamento até Eglaim, e seu lamento até Beer-Elim.
- 9
Porque as águas de Dimom estão cheias de sangue; pois trarei ainda mais sobre Dimom, um leão sobre os que escaparem de Moabe, e sobre o remanescente da terra.
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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