Isaiah 15
Big idea: An oracle against an enemy that spends most of its length weeping. Moab is condemned and the prophet's own heart cries out for it — the judgement and the grief are in the same poem, and neither cancels the other.
Moab was Judah's long-standing rival, so the tears are not sentiment; the poem grieves for a nation the audience disliked.
15:1–9 — My heart cries out for Moab
The suddenness is stated twice in the first verse: in a night Ar of Moab is laid waste, and in a night Kir of Moab is laid waste. Then the mourning, described by geography — they have gone up to the temple and to Dibon, to the high places, to weep; Moab wails over Nebo and over Medeba. The physical signs are total: every head shaved, every beard cut off, sackcloth in the streets, and everyone on the rooftops weeping. The cry runs from Heshbon to Elealeh and is heard as far as Jahaz, so the sound itself maps the country.
1 The burden of Moab. For in a night, Ar of Moab is laid waste, and brought to nothing. For in a night Kir of Moab is laid waste, and brought to nothing. 2 They have gone up to Bayith, and to Dibon, to the high places, to weep. Moab wails over Nebo and over Medeba. Baldness is on all of their heads. Every beard is cut off. 3 In their streets, they clothe themselves in sackcloth. In their streets and on their housetops, everyone wails, weeping abundantly. 4 Heshbon cries out with Elealeh. Their voice is heard even to Jahaz. Therefore the armed men of Moab cry aloud. Their souls tremble within them. 5 My heart cries out for Moab! Her nobles flee to Zoar, to Eglath Shelishiyah; for they go up by the ascent of Luhith with weeping; for on the way to Horonaim, they raise up a cry of destruction. 6 For the waters of Nimrim will be desolate; for the grass has withered away, the tender grass fails, there is no green thing. 7 Therefore they will carry away the abundance they have gotten, and that which they have stored up, over the brook of the willows. 8 For the cry has gone around the borders of Moab, its wailing to Eglaim, and its wailing to Beer Elim. 9 For the waters of Dimon are full of blood; for I will bring yet more on Dimon, a lion on those of Moab who escape, and on the remnant of the land.
Scripture text: World English Bible (public domain).