Home

Nazarene Commentary 2000©

21^st Century Paraphrase of the Hebrew Scriptures© –
21^st Century Version of the Christian Scriptures© [NCMM]

THE PROPHET ISAIAH

CHAPTER FIFTEEN:
A MESSAGE AGAINST MOAB

Isaiah 15:1-4 – Moab to Be Destroyed

IS15:1 The message regarding Moab: 622 For in a single night Ar 623 of Moab has been desolated – completely destroyed. In a single night Kir 624 of Moab has been desolated – completely destroyed.

622

Moab: Ancient Moab was to the east of Israel and occupied roughly the area of modern Jordan. The Moabite Stone proved that such a place really existed. It reads in part [note the use of God’s name]: “I (am) Mesha, son of Chemosh-[…], king of Moab, the Dibonite… As for Omri, king of Israel, he humbled Moab many years (lit., days), for Chemosh [the god of Moab] was angry at his land. And his son followed him and he also said, ‘I will humble Moab.’ In my time he spoke (thus), but I have triumphed over him and over his house, while Israel hath perished for ever!…And Chemosh said to me, ‘Go, take Nebo from Israel!’ So I went by night and fought against it from the break of dawn until noon, taking it and slaying all… And I took from there the [vessels] of Yahweh, dragging them before Chemosh.”

623	Ar: Or, NJB: Ar-Moab. Either an ancient capitol of Moab or a word meaning “city” and thus the possibility of “city of Moab.” [Numbers 21:28; Deuteronomy 2:9]

624	Kir: Or, NJB: Kir-Moab. Possibly a shortened form of a longer name. [Jeremiah 48:31]

IS15:2 He has ascended to the temple, 625 to Dibon, 626 to the high places to weep. On Nebo 627 and on Medeba 628 Moab is moaning. Every head is bald, every beard clipped. 629

625	Temple: Or, LXX: where your altar is; NJB: daughter; RHM: Bayith; JPS: he went up to the temple to weep; KJV: Bajith. The Hebrew is BAYITH and means “house” or “temple.”

626	Dibon: A principle city of Moab. Possibly the same as modern Dhiban. [Joshua 13:17; Jeremiah 48:18]

627	Nebo: A Moabite city thought to be modern Qaryat el Mukhaiyat. [Jeremiah 48:1]

628	Medeba: North east of the Dead Sea it is known in modern times as Madaba. It is named in the Moabite Stone. [Numbers 21:30; Joshua 13:16]

629	Every head is bald, every beard clipped: That is, in mourning. Or, JPS: every head is baldness, every beard is shorn; NJB: every head shaven, every beard cut off. Note Isaiah 3:24. [Shaving the head was forbidden by the Law. [Deuteronomy 14:1] Compare Jeremiah 48:37.

IS15:3 They have wrapped themselves in sackcloth on their streets. On their rooftops and in their public squares, everyone is groaning, sinking to the ground in uncontrollable tears. 630

630	Sinking to the ground in uncontrollable tears: Or, NJB: collapsing in tears; RHM: melting in tears; JPS: streaming with tears.

IS15:4 Heshbon 631 and Elealeh 632 cry aloud. All the way to Jahaz 633 their voice has been heard. As a result the soldiers of Moab bellow, every man’s soul trembling. 634

631	Heshbon: Of Moab and now identified as Hisbar.

632	Elealeh: East of the Jordan. Note Isaiah 16:9. [Numbers 32:37]

633	Jahaz: See Judges 11:20.

634	Every man’s soul trembling: Or, JPS: his body is convulsed [footnote: loins]; NJB: his soul trembles at the sound; LXX: her soul shall know. Both the Hebrew and Greek use the word normally rendered by “soul.”

Isaiah 15:5-9 – Tears over Moab

IS15:5 My own heart keeps crying out 635 for Moab. Her fugitives 636 as far away as Zoar 637 are like three-year old heifers. 638 For they ascend Luhith 639 with lamentation. On the way to Horonaim 640 they stir up a cry of destruction. 641

635	My own heart keeps crying out: Or, NJB: his heart cries out in distress.

636	Fugitives: Or, escapes, runaways.

637	Zoar: Perhaps earlier called Bela, there is no universal agreement on its location. It is named anciently. [Genesis 13:10; 19:22; Deuteronomy 34:3]

638	Three-year old heifers: Or, Eglath-Shelishiyah. Some view the phrase as a place name. [Jeremiah 48:34] Others see it has a figure of speech regarding grown cows weeping for their mothers.

639	Luhith: The location is mention by Eusebius and Jerome. [Jeremiah 48:5]

640	Horonaim: The place name is cited in the Moabite Stone and some identify it with el`Iraq. [Jeremiah 48:1, 3, 5, 34]

641	They stir up a cry of destruction: Or, KJV: raise up a cry; RHM: an outcry of destruction they excite; NJB: they utter heart-rendering cries. That is, spreading the saddening news.

IS15:6 For the waters of Nimrim 642 are desolated. Grass has withered, and vegetation has disappeared. Nothing green sprouts.

642	Nimrim: Some think it to be Wadi Nimrin. [Jeremiah 48:34]

IS15:7 Because of this they will carry over the Wadi of Willows 643 all their savings and all their stores. 644

643	Wadi of Willows: Or, NJB: Ravine of the Willows; RHM: the torrent-bed of the willows.

644	Their savings and all their stores: Moabite refugees fleeing with what they can carry through rough and dry terrain.

IS15:8 For the outcry has made the rounds of the boundary of Moab. As far as Eglaim 645 the groaning, and all the way to Beerelim 646 the moaning.

645	Eglaim: An extreme boundary of Moab mentioned by Eusebius. Possibly Rujm el-Jilimeh.

646	Beerelim: Meaning “Big-Trees-Well” nad possibly the same as Beer at Numbers 21:16.

IS15:9 For the waters of Dimon 647 are filled with blood. Because on Dimon I will add something more – lions upon the survivors 648 of Moab! – even upon all those who escaped in the land.

647	Dimon: Or, Dead Sea Scrolls: Dibon [see verse 2]. However, see Jeremiah 48:2.

648	Lions upon the survivors: Or, LXX: bring Arabians upon Dimon; JPS: with soil for its remnant [footnote: Hebrew uncertain]. [Leviticus 26:22; 2 Kings 17:25] Lions drawn by the scent of blood in the waters attach weak stragglers among the refugees and displaced persons.