Judgment on Moab
(Isaiah 15:1–9)

1Concerning Moab (of his father), this is what the LORD {YHWH} of Hosts, the God {Elohe} of Israel (he wrestles with God), says:

“Woe to Nebo (prophet),

for it will be devastated.

Kiriathaim (two cities) will be captured and disgraced;

the fortress (height) will be shattered and dismantled.

2There is no longer praise for Moab (of his father);

in Heshbon (Heshbon)a they devise evil against her:

‘Come, let us cut her off from nationhood (nations).’

You too, O people of Madmen (Madmen),b will be silenced;

the sword will pursue you.

3A voice cries out from Horonaim (two caves):

‘Devastation and great destruction!’

4Moab (of his father) will be shattered;

her little ones will cry out [her cries are heard as far away as Zoar].c

5For on the ascent to Luhith (tablets)

they weep bitterly as they go,

and on the descent to Horonaim (two caves)

cries of distress resound

over the destruction:

6‘Flee! Run for your⁺ lives!

Become like a juniper in the desert (like a wild donkey).d’

7Because you trust in your works and treasures,

you too will be captured,

and Chemosh (subduer) will go into exile

with his priests and officials.

8The destroyer will move against every city,

and not one town will escape.

The valley will also be ruined,

and the high plain will be destroyed,

as the LORD {YHWH} has said.

9Put salt on Moab (of his father),

for she will be laid waste (Give wings to Moab, for she would fly away);e

her cities will become desolate,

with no one to dwell in them.

10Cursed is the one who is remiss

in doing the work of the LORD {YHWH},

and cursed is he who withholds

his sword from bloodshed.

11Moab (of his father) has been at ease from youth,

settled like wine on its dregs;

he has not been poured from vessel to vessel

or gone into exile.

So his flavor has remained the same,

and his aroma is unchanged.

12Therefore behold, the days are coming,

declares the LORD {YHWH},

when I will send to him wanderers,

who will pour him out.

They will empty his vessels

and shatter his jars.

13Then Moab (of his father) will be ashamed of Chemosh (subduer),

just as the house of Israel (he wrestles with God) (house of God) was ashamed

when they trusted in Bethel.

14How can you⁺ say, ‘We are warriors,

mighty men ready for battle’?

15Moab (of his father) has been destroyed

and its towns have been invaded;

the best of its young men

have gone down in the slaughter,

declares the King,

whose name is the LORD {YHWH} of Hosts.

16Moab’s (of his father) calamity is at hand,

and his affliction is rushing swiftly.

17Mourn for him, all you who surround him,

everyone who knows his name;

tell how the mighty scepter is shattered—

the glorious staff!

18Come down from your glory; sit on parched ground,

O daughter dwelling in Dibon (wasting),

for the destroyer of Moab (of his father) has come against you;

he has destroyed your fortresses.

19Stand by the road and watch,

O dweller of Aroer (ruins)!

Ask the man fleeing or the woman escaping,

‘What has happened?’

20Moab (of his father) is put to shame, for it has been shattered.

Wail and cry out!

Declare by the Arnon (rushing stream)

that Moab is destroyed.

21Judgment has come upon the high plain—

upon Holon (sandy), Jahzah (Jahaz),f and Mephaath (splendor / height),

22upon Dibon (wasting), Nebo (prophet), and Beth-diblathaim (house of the two fig-cakes),

23upon Kiriathaim (two cities), Beth-gamul (house of recompense), and Beth-meon (house of Baal),

24upon Kerioth (cities), Bozrah (sheepfold / fortress), and all the towns of Moab (of his father),

those far and near.

25The horn of Moab (of his father) has been cut off,

and his arm is broken,”

declares the LORD {YHWH}.

26“Make him drunk,

because he has magnified himself against the LORD {YHWH};

so Moab (of his father) will wallow in his own vomit,

and he will also become a laughingstock.

27Was not Israel (he wrestles with God) your object of ridicule?

Was he ever found among thieves?

For whenever you speak of him

you shake your head.

28Abandon the towns and settle among the rocks,

O dwellers of Moab (of his father)!

Be like a dove

that nests at the mouth of a cave.

29We have heard of Moab’s (of his father) pomposity,

his exceeding pride and conceit,

his proud arrogance and haughtiness of heart.

30I know his insolence,”

declares the LORD {YHWH},

“but it is futile.

His boasting is as empty as his deeds.

31Therefore I will wail for Moab (of his father);

I will cry out for all of Moab;

I will moan for the men of Kir-heres (wall of potsherds).g

32I will weep for you, O vine of Sibmah (fragrance),

more than I weep for Jazer (helped).

Your tendrils have extended to the sea (Dead Sea);h

they reach even to Jazer [to the Sea of Jazer].i

The destroyer has descended

on your summer fruit and grape harvest.

33Joy and gladness are removed from the orchard

and from the fields of Moab (of his father).

I have stopped the flow of wine from the presses;

no one treads them with shouts of joy;

their shouts are not for joy.

34There is a cry from Heshbon (stronghold) to Elealeh (God is ascending);

they raise their voices to Jahaz (trodden down),

from Zoar (insignificance) to Horonaim (two caves) and Eglath-shelishiyah;

for even the waters of Nimrim (pure) have dried up.

35In Moab (of his father), declares the LORD {YHWH},

I will bring an end

to those who make offerings on the high places

and burn incense to their gods.

36Therefore My heart laments like a flute for Moab (of his father);

it laments like a flute for the men of Kir-heres (wall of potsherds)

because the wealth they acquired has perished.

37For every head is shaved

and every beard is clipped;

on every hand is a gash,

and around every waist is sackcloth.

38On all the rooftops of Moab (of his father)

and in the public squares,

everyone is mourning;

for I have shattered Moab like an unwanted jar,”

declares the LORD {YHWH}.

39“How shattered it is! How they wail!

How Moab (of his father) has turned his back in shame!

Moab has become an object of ridicule and horror

to all those around him.”

40For this is what the LORD {YHWH} says:

“Behold, an eagle swoops down

and spreads his wings against Moab (of his father).

41Kirioth (cities) has been taken,

and the strongholds seized.

In that day the heart of Moab’s (of his father) warriors

will be like the heart of a woman in labor.

42Moab (of his father) will be destroyed as a nation

because he vaunted himself against the LORD {YHWH}.

43Terror and pit and snare await you, O dweller of Moab (of his father),”

declares the LORD {YHWH}.

44“Whoever flees the panic

will fall into the pit,

and whoever climbs from the pit

will be caught in the snare.

For I will bring upon Moab (of his father)

the year of their punishment,”

declares the LORD {YHWH}.

45“Those who flee will stand helpless in Heshbon’s (stronghold) shadow,

because fire has gone forth from Heshbon

and a flame from within Sihon (warrior).

It devours the foreheads of Moab (of his father)

and the skulls of the sons of tumult.

46Woe to you, O Moab (of his father)!

The people of Chemosh (subduer) have perished;

for your sons have been taken into exile

and your daughters have gone into captivity.

47Yet in the latter days I will restore Moab (of his father) from captivity (restore the fortunes of Moab),j”

declares the LORD {YHWH}.

Here ends the judgment on Moab.