Judgment on Moab (Isaiah 15:1–9)
1 WBS Against Moab thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Woe to Nebo! for it is laid waste: Kiriathaim is confounded and taken: Misgab is confounded and dismayed. BSB BSB: Concerning Moab, this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: “Woe to Nebo, for it will be devastated. Kiriathaim will be captured and disgraced; the fortress will be shattered and dismantled.
2 WBS There shall be no more praise of Moab: in Heshbon they have devised evil against it; come, and let us cut it off from being a nation. Also thou shalt be cut down, O Madmen; the sword shall pursue thee.BSB BSB: There is no longer praise for Moab; in Heshbon they devise evil against her: ‘Come, let us cut her off from nationhood.’ You too, O people of Madmen, will be silenced; the sword will pursue you.
3 WBS A voice of crying shall be from Horonaim, devastation and great destruction. BSB BSB: A voice cries out from Horonaim: ‘Devastation and great destruction!’
4 WBS Moab is destroyed; her little ones have caused a cry to be heard. BSB BSB: Moab will be shattered; her little ones will cry out.
5 WBS For in the ascent of Luhith continual weeping shall go up; for in the descent of Horonaim the enemies have heard a cry of destruction. BSB BSB: For on the ascent to Luhith they weep bitterly as they go, and on the descent to Horonaim cries of distress resound over the destruction:
6 WBS Flee, save your lives, and be like the heath in the wilderness. BSB BSB: ‘Flee! Run for your lives! Become like a juniper in the desert.’
7 WBS For because thou hast trusted in thy works and in thy treasures, thou also shalt be taken: and Chemosh shall go forth into captivity with his priests and his princes together. BSB BSB: Because you trust in your works and treasures, you too will be captured, and Chemosh will go into exile with his priests and officials.
8 WBS And the spoiler shall come upon every city, and no city shall escape: the valley also shall perish, and the plain shall be destroyed, as the LORD hath spoken. BSB BSB: The 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 has said.
9 WBS Give wings to Moab, that it may flee and get away: for its cities shall be desolate, without any to dwell in them. BSB BSB: Put salt on Moab, for she will be laid waste; her cities will become desolate, with no one to dwell in them.
10 WBS Cursed be he that doeth the work of the LORD deceitfully, and cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood. BSB BSB: Cursed is the one who is remiss in doing the work of the LORD, and cursed is he who withholds his sword from bloodshed.
11 WBS Moab hath been at ease from his youth, and he hath settled on his lees, and hath not been emptied from vessel to vessel, neither hath he gone into captivity: therefore his taste remained in him, and his scent is not changed. BSB BSB: Moab 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.
12 WBS Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will send to him wanderers that shall cause him to wander, and shall empty his vessels, and break their bottles. BSB BSB: Therefore behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will send to him wanderers, who will pour him out. They will empty his vessels and shatter his jars.
13 WBS And Moab shall be ashamed of Chemosh, as the house of Israel was ashamed of Beth-el their confidence. BSB BSB: Then Moab will be ashamed of Chemosh, just as the house of Israel was ashamed when they trusted in Bethel.
14 WBS How say ye, We are mighty and strong men for the war? BSB BSB: How can you say, ‘We are warriors, mighty men ready for battle’?
15 WBS Moab is laid waste, and gone up out of her cities, and his chosen young men are gone down to the slaughter, saith the king, whose name is the LORD of hosts. BSB BSB: Moab 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 of Hosts.
16 WBS The calamity of Moab is near to come, and his affliction hasteth fast. BSB BSB: Moab’s calamity is at hand, and his affliction is rushing swiftly.
17 WBS All ye that are about him bemoan him; and all ye that know his name, say, How is the strong staff broken, and the beautiful rod! BSB BSB: Mourn for him, all you who surround him, everyone who knows his name; tell how the mighty scepter is shattered—the glorious staff!
18 WBS Thou daughter that dost inhabit Dibon, come down from thy glory, and sit in thirst; for the spoiler of Moab shall come upon thee, and he shall destroy thy strong holds. BSB BSB: Come down from your glory; sit on parched ground, O daughter dwelling in Dibon, for the destroyer of Moab has come against you; he has destroyed your fortresses.
19 WBS O inhabitant of Aroer, stand by the way, and espy; ask him that fleeth, and her that escapeth, and say, What is done? BSB BSB: Stand by the road and watch, O dweller of Aroer! Ask the man fleeing or the woman escaping, ‘What has happened?’
20 WBS Moab is confounded; for it is broken down: howl and cry; tell ye it in Arnon, that Moab is laid waste. BSB BSB: Moab is put to shame, for it has been shattered. Wail and cry out! Declare by the Arnon that Moab is destroyed.
21 WBS And judgment is come upon the plain country; upon Holon, and upon Jahazah, and upon Mephaath, BSB BSB: Judgment has come upon the high plain—upon Holon, Jahzah, and Mephaath,
22 WBS And upon Dibon, and upon Nebo, and upon Beth-diblathaim, BSB BSB: upon Dibon, Nebo, and Beth-diblathaim,
23 WBS And upon Kiriathaim, and upon Beth-gamul, and upon Beth-meon, BSB BSB: upon Kiriathaim, Beth-gamul, and Beth-meon,
24 WBS And upon Kerioth, and upon Bozrah, and upon all the cities of the land of Moab, far or near. BSB BSB: upon Kerioth, Bozrah, and all the towns of Moab, those far and near.
25 WBS The horn of Moab is cut off, and his arm is broken, saith the LORD. BSB BSB: The horn of Moab has been cut off, and his arm is broken,” declares the LORD.
26 WBS Make ye him drunken; for he magnified himself against the LORD: Moab also shall wallow in his vomit, and he also shall be in derision. BSB BSB: “Make him drunk, because he has magnified himself against the LORD; so Moab will wallow in his own vomit, and he will also become a laughingstock.
27 WBS For was not Israel a derision to thee? was he found among thieves? for since thou hast spoken of him, thou hast leaped for joy. BSB BSB: Was not Israel your object of ridicule? Was he ever found among thieves? For whenever you speak of him you shake your head.
28 WBS O ye that dwell in Moab, leave the cities, and dwell in the rock, and be like the dove that maketh her nest in the sides of the hole's mouth. BSB BSB: Abandon the towns and settle among the rocks, O dwellers of Moab! Be like a dove that nests at the mouth of a cave.
29 WBS We have heard the pride of Moab, (he is exceeding proud) his loftiness, and his arrogance, and his pride, and the haughtiness of his heart. BSB BSB: We have heard of Moab’s pomposity, his exceeding pride and conceit, his proud arrogance and haughtiness of heart.
30 WBS I know his wrath, saith the LORD; but it shall not be so; his lies shall not so effect it . BSB BSB: I know his insolence,” declares the LORD, “but it is futile. His boasting is as empty as his deeds.
31 WBS Therefore will I howl for Moab, and I will cry out for all Moab; my heart shall mourn for the men of Kirheres. BSB BSB: Therefore I will wail for Moab; I will cry out for all of Moab; I will moan for the men of Kir-heres.
32 WBS O vine of Sibmah, I will weep for thee with the weeping of Jazer: thy plants have gone over the sea, they reach even to the sea of Jazer: the spoiler hath fallen upon thy summer fruits and upon thy vintage. BSB BSB: I will weep for you, O vine of Sibmah, more than I weep for Jazer. Your tendrils have extended to the sea; they reach even to Jazer. The destroyer has descended on your summer fruit and grape harvest.
33 WBS And joy and gladness is taken from the plentiful field, and from the land of Moab; and I have caused wine to fail from the wine-presses: none shall tread with shouting; their shouting shall be no shouting. BSB BSB: Joy and gladness are removed from the orchard and from the fields of Moab. I have stopped the flow of wine from the presses; no one treads them with shouts of joy; their shouts are not for joy.
34 WBS From the cry of Heshbon even to Elealeh, and even to Jahaz, have they uttered their voice, from Zoar even to Horonaim, as a heifer of three years old: for the waters also of Nimrim shall be desolate. BSB BSB: There is a cry from Heshbon to Elealeh; they raise their voices to Jahaz, from Zoar to Horonaim and Eglath-shelishiyah; for even the waters of Nimrim have dried up.
35 WBS Moreover I will cause to cease in Moab, saith the LORD, him that offereth in the high places, and him that burneth incense to his gods. BSB BSB: In Moab, declares the LORD, I will bring an end to those who make offerings on the high places and burn incense to their gods.
36 WBS Therefore my heart shall sound for Moab like pipes, and my heart shall sound like pipes for the men of Kirheres: because the riches that he hath gotten have perished. BSB BSB: Therefore My heart laments like a flute for Moab; it laments like a flute for the men of Kir-heres, because the wealth they acquired has perished.
37 WBS For every head shall be bald, and every beard clipped: upon all the hands shall be cuttings, and upon the loins sackcloth. BSB BSB: For every head is shaved and every beard is clipped; on every hand is a gash, and around every waist is sackcloth.
38 WBS There shall be lamentation generally upon all the house-tops of Moab, and in its streets: for I have broken Moab like a vessel in which is no pleasure, saith the LORD.BSB BSB: On all the rooftops of Moab and in the public squares, everyone is mourning; for I have shattered Moab like an unwanted jar,” declares the LORD.
39 WBS They shall howl, saying , How is it broken down! how hath Moab turned the back with shame! so shall Moab be a derision and a dismaying to all them about him. BSB BSB: “How shattered it is! How they wail! How Moab has turned his back in shame! Moab has become an object of ridicule and horror to all those around him.”
40 WBS For thus saith the LORD; Behold, he shall fly as an eagle, and shall spread his wings over Moab. BSB BSB: For this is what the LORD says: “Behold, an eagle swoops down and spreads his wings against Moab.
41 WBS Kerioth is taken, and the strong holds are surprised, and the mighty men's hearts in Moab at that day shall be as the heart of a woman in her pangs. BSB BSB: Kirioth has been taken, and the strongholds seized. In that day the heart of Moab’s warriors will be like the heart of a woman in labor.
42 WBS And Moab shall be destroyed from being a people, because he hath magnified himself against the LORD. BSB BSB: Moab will be destroyed as a nation because he vaunted himself against the LORD.
43 WBS Fear, and the pit, and the snare, shall be upon thee, O inhabitant of Moab, saith the LORD. BSB BSB: Terror and pit and snare await you, O dweller of Moab,” declares the LORD.
44 WBS He that fleeth from the fear, shall fall into the pit; and he that getteth out of the pit, shall be taken in the snare: for I will bring upon it, even upon Moab, the year of their visitation, saith the LORD. BSB BSB: “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 the year of their punishment,” declares the LORD.
45 WBS They that fled stood under the shade of Heshbon because of the force: but a fire shall come out of Heshbon, and a flame from the midst of Sihon, and shall devour the corner of Moab, and the crown of the head of the tumultuous ones. BSB BSB: “Those who flee will stand helpless in Heshbon’s shadow, because fire has gone forth from Heshbon and a flame from within Sihon. It devours the foreheads of Moab and the skulls of the sons of tumult.
46 WBS Woe be to thee, O Moab! the people of Chemosh perisheth: for thy sons are taken captives, and thy daughters captives. BSB BSB: Woe to you, O Moab! The people of Chemosh have perished; for your sons have been taken into exile and your daughters have gone into captivity.
47 WBS Yet will I bring again the captivity of Moab in the latter days, saith the LORD. Thus far is the judgment of Moab. BSB BSB: Yet in the latter days I will restore Moab from captivity,” declares the LORD. Here ends the judgment on Moab.