Judgment on Moab
(Isaiah 15:1–9)

1Against Moab thus said Jehovah of armies, God of Israel, Wo to Nebo for it was laid waste: Kiriathaim was ashamed and taken: Misgab was ashamed and terrified.

2No more praise of Moab: in Heshbon they purposed evil against it; come, and we will cut it off from a nation. Thou also shalt be destroyed, O Madmen; the sword shall go after thee.

3A voice of a cry from Horonaim, laying waste, and great breaking.

4Moab was broken; her youths caused a cry to be heard.

5For the going up of Luhith weeping shall go up with weeping; for in the going down of Horonaim the enemies heard a cry of breaking.

6Flee, save your souls, and ye shall be as ruins in the desert.

7For because of thy boasting in thy works and in thy treasures, also thou shalt be taken: and Chemosh shall go forth into captivity, his priests and his chiefs together.

8And he laying waste shall come up on every city, and no city shall escape: and the valley was destroyed, and straightness was laid waste, as said Jehovah.

9Ye shall give a wing to Moab, that fleeing she shall go forth: for her cities shall be for a desolation, from none dwelling in them.

10Cursed he doing the work of Jehovah slothfully, and cursed he withholding his sword from blood.

11Moab was tranquil from his youth, and he rested upon his lees, he was not poured out from vessel to vessel, and he went not into captivity: for this his taste stood in him, and his breath was not changed.

12For this, behold, the days coming, says Jehovah, and I sent to him those turning aside, and they turned aside, and they will empty his vessels and break his bottles. 13And Moab was ashamed of Chemosh, as the house of Israel was ashamed of the house of God their confidence.

14How shall ye say, We are mighty and men of strength for war?

15Moab was laid waste, and she went up from her cities, and the choice of his young men went down to the slaughter, says the King, Jehovah of armies, his name.

16The calamity of Moab drew near, to come, and his evil hastened greatly.

17All ye about him, bewail for him; and all ye knowing his name, say, How was the strong rod broken, the beautiful shoot!

18Come down from thy glory, sit in thirst, thou daughter dwelling in Dibon; for he laying Moab waste came up upon thee, destroying thy fortress.

19Stand to the way and look about, thou inhabiting Aroer; ask him fleeing, and her escaping, say, What was it?

20Moab was ashamed; for she was broken down: wail, ye, and cry; announce in Arnon that Moab was laid waste,

21And judgment came to the land of straightness; to Holon, and to Jahazah, and upon Mephaath, 22And upon Dibon, and upon Nebo, and upon the house of cakes of figs, 23And upon the city of forests, and upon the house of the weaned, and upon the house of habitation, 24And upon Kerioth, and upon Bozrah, and upon all the cities of the land of Moab, far off and near. 25The horn of Moab was cut off, and his arm was broken, says Jehovah. 26Make him drunk; for he was magnified against Jehovah, and Moab vomited forth in his vomit, and he was for a derision. 27And if Israel was not a derision to thee? if he was found among thieves? for after thy speaking of him thou wilt move to and fro.

28Those inhabiting Moab, forsook the cities and dwelt in the rock, and they were as the dove, she will nest in the regions beyond the mouth of the pit.

29We heard the pride of Moab; he was greatly lifted up; his haughtiness and his pride, and his lifting up, and the elation of his heart.

30I knew, says Jehovah, his wrath; and not thus; his empty talks did not so.

31For this I will wait for Moab, and I will cry out for all Moab; it shall grieve for the men of Kirheres.

32With the weeping of Jazer, I will weep for thee, O vine of Sibmah: thy tendrils passed over the sea, even to the sea of Jazer they reached: he laying waste fell upon thy fruit harvest, and upon thy vintage.

33And joy and gladness was taken away from Carmel, and from the land of Moab; and I caused wine to cease from the wine-vats: they shall not tread the shout of joy; the shout of joy, not the shout of joy.

34From the cry of Heshbon even to Elealah, even to Jahaz, they gave their voice from Zoar even to Horonaim, a heifer of the third year: for also the waters of Nimrim shall be for desolations. 35And I caused to cease to shout, says Jehovah, him bringing up to the height, and him burning incense to his gods.

36For this, my heart shall sound for Moab as pipes, and my heart shall sound for the men of Kirheres as pipes: for the riches he made perished. 37For every head bald, and every beard shaved: upon all hands cuttings, and upon the loins sackcloth. 38Upon all the roof of Moab, and in the streets altogether lamentation: for I brake Moab as a vessel, no delight in it, says Jehovah. 39How was it broken they wailed; how did Moab turn back the neck with shame and Moab was for derision and for terror to all round about him.

40For thus said Jehovah: Behold, as an eagle he shall fly, and he spread his wings to Moab.

41Kerioth was taken, and the fastnesses were seized, and the heart of the strong ones of Moab in that day was as the heart of a woman being distressed.

42And Moab was destroyed from a people, for he was magnified against Jehovah.

43Fear, and the pit and the snare upon thee, thou inhabiting Moab, says Jehovah.

44He fleeing from the face of fear shall fall into the pit; and he coming up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for I will bring upon it, upon Moab, the years of their reviewing, says Jehovah.

45They fleeing from the power stood in the shadow of Heshbon: for a fire will come forth from Heshbon, and a flame from the midst of Sihon, and shall consume, the corners of Moab and the crown of the sons of noise.

46Wo to thee, O Moab! The people of Chemosh perished: for thy sons were taken into captivity, and thy daughters into captivity.

47And I turned back the captivity of Moab in the latter days, says Jehovah. Even to this the judgment of Moab.