IsaiahChapter 15

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An oracle concerning Moab: In one night Ar of Moab is laid waste and left in ruins; in one night Kir of Moab is laid waste and left in ruins.

Bayith and Dibon have gone up to the high places to weep. Over Nebo and over Medeba Moab wails. Every head is shaved, every beard cut off.

In the streets they are wrapped in sackcloth; on the rooftops and in the squares everyone wails and melts into tears.

Heshbon and Elealeh cry out; their voices are heard as far as Jahaz. So the armed men of Moab cry aloud, and their souls tremble within them.

My heart cries out for Moab; her fugitives flee as far as Zoar, as far as Eglath-shelishiyah. Up the ascent of Luhith they climb, weeping as they go; on the road to Horonaim they raise a cry of ruin.

For the waters of Nimrim will become a wasteland, since the grass is withered, the new growth is gone, and nothing green is left.

So the wealth they have gathered, and all they have stored up, they carry away over the Ravine of the Poplars.

For the cry has gone all around the border of Moab; her wailing reaches Eglaim, her wailing reaches Beer-elim.

The waters of Dimon are full of blood, and still I will bring more upon Dimon: a lion against the survivors of Moab, against those who remain in the land.

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Summary2

Chapter 15

Main Theme: A prophecy of Moab's total destruction and the people's deep sorrow.

Content: Isaiah proclaims that Moab's cities, including Ar, Kir, and Dibon, will be destroyed in one night. The people will mourn with weeping, shaved heads, and sackcloth, while cries echo from city to city across the land. Even the prophet expresses compassion: "My heart cries out for Moab." Water sources will dry up, and Dimon's waters will be filled with blood, while a lion waits for the survivors.

Key Words/Images:

Nightly Destruction: The cities of Ar and Kir are destroyed in one night—symbolizing sudden and total judgment.
Mourning Rituals: Shaved heads, cut-off beards, and sackcloth show extreme grief.
Dried-Up Water Sources: Nimrim's waters are ruined—symbolizing economic and physical devastation.
Dimon's Blood: The water is filled with blood, and a lion threatens the survivors—God's judgment is complete.

Historical context

Historical and Cultural Context for Isaiah 15

Places

Isaiah 15 contains a remarkable geographical mapping of Moab, making it possible to trace the spread of destruction throughout the land. Ar-Moab and Kir-Moab (verse 1) were major cities; Kir-Moab (also known as Kir-Hareseth) is identified with modern-day Kerak in Jordan, a fortified city on the high plateau. Bajit ("the house/temple") and Dibon (verse 2) are mentioned together—Dibon was Moab's administrative center, known from the Mesha Stele; the city lay in northern Moab and had "high places" for worship. Nebo and Medeba (verse 2) were cities on the northern plateau, where Nebo also gave its name to the mountain where Moses died. Heshbon and Elealeh (verse 4) lay in the far north of Moab, near the border with Ammonite and Israelite territory. Jahaz was the place where Israel defeated the Amorite king Sihon. Horonaim (verse 5) lay on the road southward and is also mentioned on the Mesha Stele. Zoar (verse 5) marks the southern border, at the southern tip of the Dead Sea, showing that the flight route extends through the entire land. The waters of Nimrim (verse 6) likely refer to Wadi Nimrim east of Jordan, known for its springs. The Brook of Willows (נַחַל הָעֲרָבִים, verse 7) probably designates Wadi el-Hesa, the boundary river toward Edom in the south. Eglaim and Beer-elim (verse 8) mark the extremes where cries of lamentation are heard, revealing the full extent of the catastrophe. Dimon (verse 9) is possibly a variant of Dibon or a separate place; the name is used in a wordplay with "blood" (דָם).

Events and Customs

The chapter describes intense expressions of mourning that were typical for the ancient Near East. Shaved heads and cut-off beards (verse 2) were extreme acts of grief, since the beard was a sign of male honor and dignity. Voluntarily removing it signaled total despair. The law in Leviticus 19:27 forbade Israelites from such practices, but they were widespread among the Moabites. Sackcloth on the streets and rooftops (verse 3) shows collective mourning—rooftops were flat and used for social and religious activities. That the entire population dressed in sackcloth and wept in these public places indicates a national catastrophe.

Key Terms

The expression עֶגְלַת שְׁלִשִׁיָּה ("eglat shelishijja", verse 5) is disputed. It may mean "three-year-old heifer" as a description of Zoar (young, strong, unyoked), or it could be a place name. Some translations interpret it to mean that Zoar has never been subjugated—like a young heifer that has not borne the yoke. The verb נִדְמָה (verse 1) means "to be destroyed/annihilated" (from the root ד-מ-ה), but likely creates a wordplay with silence/stillness (ד-מ-מ): the cities are both physically annihilated and silenced in the stillness of death.

Chapter-Specific Findings

The Mesha Stele (also called the Moabite Stone), discovered at Dibon in 1868, is directly relevant to this chapter. The stele, from about 840 B.C., was written by King Mesha of Moab and mentions several of the same cities as Isaiah 15: Dibon, Medeba, Nebo, Jahaz, and Horonaim. The stele describes how Mesha rebuilt cities and fortifications in Moab, confirming the historical existence and significance of these places. The site of Kir-Moab (Kerak) has been archaeologically investigated and shows continuous settlement from the Bronze Age, with substantial fortifications that confirm the city's role as a refuge in times of crisis.

People

No known people in this chapter.

Key words9

Moab — An ancient nation and region east of the Dead Sea, often in conflict with God's people Israel.
Prophecy — A prediction or message from God through a prophet concerning future events or divine guidance.
Isaiah — One of the major prophets in the Old Testament who delivered God's message to the people of Israel.
Sorrow — The feeling of sadness, pain, or loss, often connected with personal or national tragedies.
Lament — An expression of grief, pain, or regret over an event or situation.
Refugees — People forced to leave their homes because of war, persecution, or natural disasters.
Kir-Hareseth — An important city in Moab, also known as Kir-Moab, which was attacked and destroyed.
Dimon — A river in Moab, also known as Dibon, where bloody scenes and suffering are described.
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