Judgment on Moab
(Isaiah 15:1–9)

1Thus saith the Lorde of hoastes the God of Israel against Moab: Wo be to the citie of Nebo, for it is layde waste, brought to confusion, and Kiriathaim is taken: Misgab is brought to shame and afraide.

2Moab can boast no more of Hesbon, for they haue deuised a mischiefe against it: Come shall they say let vs roote them out, that they may be no more a nation, thou also shalt be destroyed O Madmena, and the sworde shall persecute thee.

3A voyce shall crye from Horonaim: Great wasting and destruction shall come vpon them,

4Moab is made desolate, her litle ones haue cryed out.

5For at the going vp vnto Luith he arose with lamentation and mourning, and downe towarde Horonaim they hearde a cruel and deadly crye:

6Get you away, saue your liues, and be lyke vnto the heath in the wyldernesse.

7For because thou hast trusted in thine owne workes and treasure, thou shalt be taken: Chamos with his priestes and princes shall go away into captiuitie.

8The destroyer shall come vpon all cities, none shall escape: The valleys shalbe destroyed, and the fieldes shalbe layde waste, lyke as the Lorde hath spoken.

9Geue winges vnto Moab, that she get her away speedyly: for her cities shalbe made so desolate, that no man shall dwell therein.

10Cursed be he that doth the worke of the Lorde fraudulently, and cursed be he that kepeth backe his sworde from sheddyng of blood.

11Moab hath euer ben riche and carelesse from her youth vp, she hath ben still setled vpon lies, she was neuer yet put out of one vessell into another that is she neuer went away into captiuitie, therefore her taste remayneth, and her sauour is not yet chaunged.

12But lo, the tyme commeth saith the Lorde, that I shall sende her trussers to trusse her vp, whiche shall remoue her from her dwelling, and emptie her vessels, and breake her wine pottes. 13And Moab shalbe ashamed of Chamos, lyke as Israel was ashamed of Bethel, wherein she put her trust.

14Wherefore do ye thinke thus: we are mightie and strong men of warre?

15Moab is destroyed, and her cities brent vp, her chosen young men be slayne, saith the kyng whose name is the Lorde of hoastes.

16The destruction of Moab commeth on a pace, and her fall is at hande.

17All ye neighbours mourne for her, and all ye that knowe her name, say, O howe happeneth it that the strong staffe and the goodly rodde is thus broken?

18And thou daughter Dibon, come downe from thy glory, and sit in thyrst: for he that destroyeth Moab, shall come vp to thee also, and breake downe thy strong holdes.

19And thou that dwellest in Aroer, get thee to the streete, and looke about thee, aske them that are fled and escaped, and say, What thing is happened?

20Oh Moab is confounded and ouercome: mourne and crye, tell it out at Arnon, that Moab is destroyed.

21For iudgement shall come vpon the playne lande namely vpon Holon, and Iahzah, and vpon Mephaath. 22And vpon Dibon, vpon Nabo, and Beth Deblathaim, 23Upon Kiriathaim, and vpon Beth Gamul, vpon Beth Maon, 24And vpon Carioth, vpon Bozra, and all the cities in the lande of Moab, whether they lye farre or neare. 25The horne of Moab is smitten downe, and her arme broken saith the Lorde. 26Make her drunken, for she magnified her selfe aboue the Lorde, that men may clap their handes at her vomite, and that she also may be laughed to scorne. 27Diddest not thou laugh Israel to scorne, as though he had ben taken with theft among thieues? for so often as thou makest mention of hym, thou skippest for ioy.

28Ye Moabites, leaue the cities, and dwel in rockes of stone, and become like doues that make their nestes in holes.

29As for Moabs pride we haue hearde of it, she is very hye minded, I knowe her stoutenesse, her boasting, her arrogancie, and the pride of her stomacke, saith the Lorde.

30I knowe (saith the Lorde) her indignation, she doth not right, her wordes are lyes, and they haue not dealt truely.

31Therefore will I mourne for Moab, for whole Moabs sake: my heart shall lament the men of Kirchares.

32O thou vineyarde of Sabamah, I wyll weepe for thee as for Iazer: thy vine braunches shall come ouer the sea vnto the sea of Iazer, the destroyer shal breake into thy haruest and grape gathering.

33Myrth and cheare shalbe taken away from the fertile fielde, and from the lande of Moab: there shalbe no sweete wine in the presse, the treader shal haue no stomacke to crye, yea there shalbe none to crye vnto him,

34Whiche aforetyme were hearde from Hesbon to Eleale, and Iahaz, whiche lyfted vp their voyce from Zoar vnto Horonaim, that bullocke of three yere olde: the waters also of Nemrim shalbe dryed vp. 35Moreouer, I will make Moab ceasse saith the Lorde, from the offeringes and censing that she hath made vnto her gods in hye places.

36Wherefore my heart mourneth for Moab like a crowde playing an heauie song, and for the mens sake of Kirchares my heart mourneth also, euen as a pipe that pipeth a dolefull song: for their riches which they haue gathered, shalbe destroyed. 37All heades shalbe shauen, and all beardes clipped of, all handes bounde, and all loynes gyrded about with sackcloth. 38Upon all the house toppes and streetes of Moab there shalbe lamentable mourning: for I wyl breake Moab lyke an vnprofitable vessell, saith the Lorde. 39O howe is she destroyed? O howe mourneth she? O howe doth Moab hang downe her head and is ashamed? Thus shal Moab be a laughing stocke, and had in derision of all them that be rounde about her.

40For thus saith the Lorde: Beholde, the enemie shall come fleeing as an Egle, and spreade his winges vpon Moab.

41They shall take the cities, and winne the strong holdes: then the mightie mens heartes in Moab, shalbe lyke the heart of a woman trauayling with chylde.

42And Moab shalbe made so desolate, that she shall no more be a people, because she hath set vp her selfe against the Lorde.

43Feare, pit, and snare, shall come vpon thee O Moab, saith the Lorde.

44Whoso escapeth the feare, shall fall into the pit, and whoso getteth out of the pit, shalbe taken in the snare: for I will bryng a yere of visitation vpon Moab, saith the Lorde.

45They that are able to flee, shall stande vnder the shadowe of Hesbon, for there shall go a fire out of Hesbon, and a flambe from Sion, and shall burne vp that proude people of Moab, and the toppe of those seditious chyldren.

46Wo be vnto thee O Moab, thou people of Chamos shalt perishe: yea thy sonnes and daughters shalbe led away captiue.

47Yet at the last wyll I bryng Moab out of captiuitie agayne saith the Lord: Thus farre is of the plague of Moab.