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This chapter, and that which follows it, are the burden of Moab—a prophecy of some great desolation that was coming upon that country, which bordered upon this land of Israel, and had often been injurious and vexatious to it, though the Moabites were descended from Lot, Abraham's kinsman and companion, and though the Israelites, by the appointment of God, had spared them when they might both easily and justly have cut them off with their neighbours. In this chapter we have, I. Great lamentation made by the Moabites, and by the prophet himself for them, Isa 15:1-5. II. The great calamities which should occasion that lamentation and justify it, Isa 15:6-9.
1-5
The Burden of Moab (725 BC)
简体中文
论摩押的默示（主前725年）
¹ 论摩押的默示。因为一夜之间，摩押的亚珥被毁坏，归于无有；因为一夜之间，摩押的基珥被毁坏，归于无有。
² 他们进到伯·底伯拉太，又往高处去哭泣；摩押人为尼波和米底巴哀号；他们各人头上都光秃，胡须也都剃去。
³ 他们在街市上腰束麻布；在房顶上、在宽阔处，各人都哀号，眼泪汪汪。
⁴ 希实本和以利亚利呼喊，他们的声音直达雅杂；所以摩押的战士呼喊；他的心战兢在他身上。
⁵ 我的心为摩押哀号；他的逃民直达到琐珥，如三岁牝牛；他们上鲁希坡随走随哭；因为在何罗念的路上，他们必兴起呼喊毁灭的声。
摩押地幅员不大，却极肥沃。它与约旦河东流便支派之地以及死海接壤。迦南地有饥荒时，拿俄米曾到那里寄居。这国就是在此处预言要被毁坏、严重蹂躏——并非全然灭亡，因为另有一段预言论及其灭亡（耶 48:1-47），那预言由尼布甲尼撒应验。本章的预言要在「三年之内」应验（赛 16:14），所以是在亚述大军多年蹂躏那一带、以掳物战利品自肥之时所造成的毁坏中应验的。这或许是撒缦以色的军队，约在撒玛利亚陷落之时、希西家第四年（最为可能）行此事；或是西拿基立的军队，十年后侵入犹大。我们不能设想先知亲自到摩押人中间向他们宣讲这篇道；他乃是向自己百姓宣讲，1. 为要向他们表明，审判虽从神的家起首，却不止于那里；表明有一护理治理世界和其中万国；表明敬拜假神的人要向以色列的神交账，并受他审判。2. 为要给他们一个证据，证明神对他们的看顾和为他们所发的热心，并向他们证明神与他们为敌者为敌，因为摩押人常是如此。3. 使这预言如今不久（「三年之内」）的应验，能成为先知职分和他一切别的预言真实性的印证，并能勉励信实的人倚赖这些预言。
论到摩押，此处预言：
一、他们的主要城池要在一夜之间被仇敌突袭攻取，也许因为居民如但的居民那样放纵安逸、安然居住（赛 15:1）：所以必有极大的哀伤，「因为一夜之间，摩押的亚珥被毁，基珥被毁」——那国的两大要城。「他们被攻取、被洗劫的那夜，摩押就被剪除。」攻取这两城便敞开了通国的大门，使通国的财宝都成为得胜军队轻易的掠物。当注意，1. 在极短的时间内可能发生极大、极其可悲的变迁。这里一夜之间失去两城，尽管夜本是平静之时。所以我们躺下当如那不知一夜能生何事的人。2. 正如乡村供养城市，城市也保护乡村；两者都不能对彼此说：「我用不着你。」
二、摩押人因此陷入可想象的极度惊惶，要向他们的偶像求救，并在偶像面前倾泪（赛 15:2）：「他」（即摩押，特别是摩押王）「上到伯·伊特」（或更当读作「基抹的殿」），「底本的居民上到高处」——他们敬拜偶像之处——在那里诉苦。当注意，国民在患难中寻求他们的神是合宜的；那么我们岂不更当「奉我们神的名为而行」，在患难之时呼求他吗？在他面前我们必不致如他们在他们的神面前那样流无用无益的眼泪。
三、全国上下必有普遍悲哀的声音。此处所描述的既优雅又极感人。摩押要成为流泪之谷——这世界的一幅缩影（赛 15:2）。摩押人要为尼波和米底巴两座重要城池的丧失而悲哀——这两城大概被劫掠焚毁。他们要拔头发以致悲哀，「各人头上都光秃」，又「剃去胡须」，按那时代那地带哀悼的习俗。他们外出时，不羡慕显得俊美，「在街市上腰束麻布」（赛 15:3），也许因被迫用这等粗劣衣物——仇敌既剥去他们的衣服，掳掠他们的家，没有留下别的衣物。他们回家，不去料理事务，反要上「房顶」——那本为平顶——在那里「眼泪汪汪」地痛哭，甚至「哀号」，呼求他们的神。「那些不以心呼求神的，不过在床上哀号」（何 7:14；摩 8:3）。「他们要带着眼泪下来」（旁注如此读）；他们要从高处、从房顶上下来，哭泣正如他们上去之时一样。向真神的祷告使心得安慰（撒上 1:18），向假神的祷告则不然。此处提到多处地方必充满哀号（赛 15:4），而有许多同受苦者、同哀者不过是微薄的安慰；对心怀公众之忧的人而言，「苦难中有同伴」反而是加重。
四、他们民兵的勇气必要落空。他们虽受过军旅训练、装备精良，却要因惧怕「呼号」尖叫，他们各人的「性命在他身上成为难担的」，尽管军旅生活本以乐意为危险的特征（赛 15:4）。请看神何等容易使最刚强的人丧胆，使一国失去它所最倚靠的力量和防御之人的益处。摩押人大致如此被忧伤压倒，以致生命本身对他们成为重担。神能轻易使最爱惜生命的人厌倦生命。
五、因这些灾祸所发的呼号要将忧伤传遍四围各处（赛 15:5）。1. 先知本人因预言此事而在灵里受极深感动：「我的心为摩押哀号；虽然他们是以色列的仇敌，他们却是与我们同类的受造者，与我们同等，所以看见他们在如此患难中理当使我们忧伤，更因我们不知何时轮到我们喝这同样震怒之杯。」当注意，神的仆人理当有温柔的心，不愿望那可畏之日来到，而当像他们的主——他即便将耶路撒冷交予毁灭仍为它哀哭；像他们的神——「不愿罪人死亡」。2. 一切邻近的城邑要应和摩押的哀号。「逃民」——他们尽力逃命以自保——要把呼号带到「琐珥」，就是他们的先祖罗得逃避所多玛火焰之时曾逃往、并为他缘故而得免的那城。他们要如「三岁的牝牛」失了牛犊之时那样低鸣那样大声哀号（撒上 6:12）。他们要上「鲁希」山坡（如大卫上橄榄山之时，步步沉重、满脸泪痕——撒下 15:30），又在「何罗念」（双数词尾）的路上——那通往上、下伯·和仑的路，我们可在书 16:3,5 读到——在那里呼号要被带去，在那里要被举起，即便相距如此之远：「毁灭的呼号」；那便是呼号，如同「失火了！失火了！我们全完了！」忧伤是会传染的，恐惧也是如此，且是公义地传染；因为患难正在蔓延，它一开始，谁知道将止于何处？
英語原文
The Burden of Moab (725 BC)
¹ The burden of Moab. Because in the night Ar of Moab is laid waste, and brought to silence; because in the night Kir of Moab is laid waste, and brought to silence;
² He is gone up to Bajith, and to Dibon, the high places, to weep: Moab shall howl over Nebo, and over Medeba: on all their heads shall be baldness, and every beard cut off.
³ In their streets they shall gird themselves with sackcloth: on the tops of their houses, and in their streets, every one shall howl, weeping abundantly.
⁴ And Heshbon shall cry, and Elealeh: their voice shall be heard even unto Jahaz: therefore the armed soldiers of Moab shall cry out; his life shall be grievous unto him.
⁵ My heart shall cry out for Moab; his fugitives shall flee unto Zoar, a heifer of three years old: for by the mounting up of Luhith with weeping shall they go it up; for in the way of Horonaim they shall raise up a cry of destruction.
The country of Moab was of small extent, but very fruitful. It bordered upon the lot of Reuben on the other side Jordan and upon the Dead Sea. Naomi went to sojourn there when there was a famine in Canaan. This is the country which (it is here foretold) should be wasted and grievously harassed, not quite ruined, for we find another prophecy of its ruin (Jer 48:1-47), which was accomplished by Nebuchadnezzar. This prophecy here was to be fulfilled within three years (Isa 16:14), and therefore was fulfilled in the devastations made of that country by the army of the Assyrians, which for many years ravaged those parts, enriching themselves with spoil and plunder. It was done either by the army of Shalmaneser, about the time of the taking of Samaria, in the fourth year of Hezekiah (as is most probable), or by the army of Sennacherib, which, ten years after, invaded Judah. We cannot suppose that the prophet went among the Moabites to preach to them this sermon; but he delivered it to his own people, 1. To show them that, though judgment begins at the house of God, it shall not end there,—that there is a providence which governs the world and all the nations of it,—and that to the God of Israel the worshippers of false gods were accountable, and liable to his judgments. 2. To give them a proof of God's care of them and jealousy for them, and to convince them that God was an enemy to their enemies, for such the Moabites had often been. 3. That the accomplishment of this prophecy now shortly (within three years) might be a confirmation of the prophet's mission and of the truth of all his other prophecies, and might encourage the faithful to depend upon them.
Now concerning Moab it is here foretold,
I. That their chief cities should be surprised and taken in a night by the enemy, probably because the inhabitants, as the men of Laish, indulged themselves in ease and luxury, and dwelt securely (Isa 15:1): Therefore there shall be great grief, because in the night Air of Moab is laid waste and Kir of Moab, the two principal cities of that kingdom. In the night that they were taken, or sacked, Moab was cut off. The seizing of them laid the whole country open, and made all the wealth of it an easy prey to the victorious army. Note, 1. Great changes and very dismal ones may be made in a very little time. Here are two cities lost in a night, though that is the time of quietness. Let us therefore lie down as those that know not what a night may bring forth. 2. As the country feeds the cities, so the cities protect the country, and neither can say to the other, I have no need of thee.
II. That the Moabites, being hereby put into the utmost consternation imaginable, should have recourse to their idols for relief, and pour out their tears before them (Isa 15:2): He (that is, Moab, especially the king of Moab) has gone up to Bajith (or rather to the house or temple of Chemosh), and Dibon, the inhabitants of Dibon, have gone up to the high places, where they worshipped their idols, there to make their complaints. Note, It becomes a people in distress to seek to their God; and shall not we then thus walk in the name of the Lord our God, and call upon him in the time of trouble, before whom we shall not shed such useless profitless tears as they did before their gods?
III. That there should be the voice of universal grief all the country over. It is described here elegantly and very affectingly. Moab shall be a vale of tears—a little map of this world, Isa 15:2. The Moabites shall lament the loss of Nebo and Medeba, two considerable cities, which, it is likely, were plundered and burnt. They shall tear their hair for grief to such a degree that on all their heads shall be baldness, and they shall cut off their beards, according to the customary expressions of mourning in those times and countries. When they go abroad they shall be so far from coveting to appear handsome that in the streets they shall gird themselves with sackcloth (Isa 15:3), and perhaps being forced to use that poor clothing, the enemy having stripped them, and rifled their houses, and left them no other clothing. When they come home, instead of applying themselves to their business, they shall go up to the tops of their houses which were flat-roofed, and there they shall weep abundantly, nay, they shall howl, in crying to their gods. Those that cry not to God with their hearts do but howl upon their beds, Ho 7:14, Am 8:3. They shall come down with weeping (so the margin reads it); they shall come down from their high places and the tops of their houses weeping as much as they did when they went up. Prayer to the true God is heart's ease (1Sa 1:18), but prayers to false gods are not. Divers places are here named that should be full of lamentation (Isa 15:4), and it is but a poor relief to have so many fellow-sufferers, fellow-mourners; to a public spirit it is rather an aggravation socios habuisse doloris—to have associates in woe.
IV. That the courage of their militia should fail them. Though they were bred soldiers, and were well armed, yet they shall cry out and shriek for fear, and every one of them shall have his life become grievous to him, though it is characteristic of a military life to delight in danger, Isa 15:4. See how easily God can dispirit the stoutest of men, and deprive a nation of benefit by those whom it most depended upon for strength and defence. The Moabites shall generally be so overwhelmed with grief that life itself shall be a burden to them. God can easily make weary of life those that are fondest of it.
V. That the outcry for these calamities should propagate grief to all the adjacent parts, Isa 15:5. 1. The prophet himself has very sensible impressions made upon his spirit by the prediction of it: "My heart shall cry out for Moab; though they are enemies to Israel, they are our fellow-creatures, of the same rank with us, and therefore it should grieve us to see them in such distress, the rather because we know not how soon it may be our own turn to drink of the same cup of trembling." Note, It becomes God's ministers to be of a tender spirit, not to desire the woeful day, but to be like their master, who wept over Jerusalem even when he gave her up to ruin, like their God, who desires not the death of sinners. 2. All the neighbouring cities shall echo to the lamentations of Moab. The fugitives, who are making the best of their way to shift for their own safety, shall carry the cry to Zoar, the city to which their ancestor Lot fled for shelter from Sodom's flames and which was spared for his sake. They shall make as great a noise with their cry as a heifer of three years old does when she goes lowing for her calf, as 1Sa 6:12. They shall go up the hill of Luhith (as David went up the ascent of Mount Olivet, many a weary step and all in tears, 2Sa 15:30), and in the way of Horonaim (a dual termination), the way that leads to the two Beth-horons, the upper and the nether, which we read of, Jos 16:3,5. Thither the cry shall be carried, there it shall be raised, even at that great distance: A cry of destruction; that shall be the cry, like, "Fire, fire! we are all undone." Grief is catching, so is fear, and justly, for trouble is spreading and when it begins who knows where it will end?
6-9
The Burden of Moab (725 BC)
简体中文
摩押的负担（主前725年）
⁶ 因为宁林的水成为荒凉，青草枯干，嫩草灭没，青绿之物，一无所有。 ⁷ 因此，他们所得的财物，所积蓄的，都要运过柳树河。 ⁸ 哀声遍摩押的四境；哀号之声达到以基莲，哀号之声达到比珥以琳。 ⁹ 底们的水充满血；因为我必将增补的灾祸加给底们，就是狮子临到摩押逃脱的余民，并那全地所剩下的人。
先知在此进一步描述，当摩押全地成为亚述军队的掠物时，全地将要听见的凄惨可怜的哀号。「此时哀声已经绕遍摩押的四境」（赛 15:8）。全国的每个角落都得了警报，并因此陷入极大的混乱。这警报达到了「以基莲」——位于国境一端的一座城，又达到了「比珥以琳」——位于另一端的远处的一座城。罪恶既普遍，凡有血气的都败坏了自己的道路，除了普遍的荒凉之外，还能指望什么呢？此处提到引发这哀号的两件事：
一、「宁林的水成为荒凉」（赛 15:6），就是说，全国被劫掠、变为穷困，其中一切的财富和物资都被得胜的军队洗劫一空。饥荒通常是战争的悲惨结果。看看那些水源充足的田地、结出悦人景色和更悦人出产的肥美草场，那里的一切要么被吃尽，要么被敌人的征发队运走，剩下的被他们的马匹践踏成泥。军队若在青草地上扎营，青草很快就没了。看看房屋，也都被洗劫（赛 15:7）：他们用许多技巧和劳碌所「得」的丰富财富，以及他们用许多心思和自信所「积蓄」的，都要「运过柳树河」。或是物主自己把它运到那里藏起来，或是仇敌把它运到那里打包，也许借水路运回本国。注意：1. 那些急切要得这世界丰盛之物、又殚精竭虑要积蓄所得的人，很少想到这些财物可能落到何等结局，又可能在多短的时间内全部被夺去。丰盛的财富因引诱盗贼而使物主暴露在危险之中；那些倚靠财富来保护自己的人，常常发现财富只是出卖了他们。2. 在患难之时，巨大的财富常常成为重担，只是增加了物主的忧虑或仇敌的力量。「身无分文的旅人在路上遇见强盗，倒能因囊空如洗而自夸。」
二、「底们的水变成血」（赛 15:9），就是说，当地的居民被大量屠杀，以致城旁的水——无论是河流还是水池——都被人的鲜血染红了，这血如水般无情地流。「底们」意思是「血腥的」；这地必名副其实。也许这就是摩押地中那个让「摩押人看水如血」的地方（王下 3:22,23），那次的错觉导致了他们的败亡。但如今神说：「我必将增补的灾祸加给底们」，就是比那时所流的、所以为看见的更多的血。「我必加增底们的灾祸」（原文如此），就是附加的灾殃；我还有更多的审判为他们存留。「虽然如此，神的怒气仍未转消。」他审判时必得胜；在咒诅的书卷上还要「添上许多类似的话」（耶 36:32）。请看这里要加给底们、加给如今要成为血腥之地的摩押的「更大的灾」是什么。有人逃命、得以脱身，有人坐着不动、被忽略，成为那地的余民；但神必向两者「带来狮子」——就是野兽（这被算为神四种判罚之一，结 14:21）——这些野兽要把那逃脱仇敌刀剑的人拾取净尽。那些在罪中不悔改的人，从一个审判中被保全，不过是留下来承受另一个审判。
英語原文
The Burden of Moab (725 BC)
⁶ For the waters of Nimrim shall be desolate: for the hay is withered away, the grass faileth, there is no green thing.
⁷ Therefore the abundance they have gotten, and that which they have laid up, shall they carry away to the brook of the willows.
⁸ For the cry is gone round about the borders of Moab; the howling thereof unto Eglaim, and the howling thereof unto Beer-elim.
⁹ For the waters of Dimon shall be full of blood: for I will bring more upon Dimon, lions upon him that escapeth of Moab, and upon the remnant of the land.
Here the prophet further describes the woeful and piteous lamentations that should be heard throughout all the country of Moab when it should become a prey to the Assyrian army. "By this time the cry has gone round about all the borders of Moab," Isa 15:8. Every corner of the country has received the alarm, and is in the utmost confusion upon it. It has reached to Eglaim, a city at one end of the country, and to Beer-elim, a city as far the other way. Where sin has been general, and all flesh have corrupted their way, what can be expected but a general desolation? Two things are here spoken of as causes of this lamentation:—
I. The waters of Nimrim are desolate (Isa 15:6), that is, the country is plundered and impoverished, and all the wealth and substance of it swept away by the victorious army. Famine is usually the sad effect of war. Look into the fields that were well watered, the fruitful meadows that yielded delightful prospects and more delightful products, and there all is eaten up, or carried off by the enemy's foragers, and the remainder trodden to dirt by their horses. If an army encamp upon green fields, their greenness is soon gone. Look into the houses, and they are stripped too (Isa 15:7): The abundance of wealth that they had gotten with a great deal of art and industry, and that which they had laid up with a great deal of care and confidence, shall they carry away to the brook of the willows. Either the owners shall carry it thither to hide it or the enemies shall carry it thither to pack it up and send it home, by water perhaps, to their own country. Note, 1. Those that are eager to get abundance of this world, and solicitous to lay up what they have gotten, little consider what may become of it and in how short a time it may be all taken from them. Great abundance, by tempting the robbers, exposes the owners; and those who depend upon it to protect them often find it does but betray them. 2. In times of distress great riches are often great burdens, and do but increase the owner's care or the enemies' strength. Cantabit vacuus coram latrone viator—The penniless traveller will exult, when accosted by a robber, in having nothing about him.
II. The waters of Dimon are turned into blood (Isa 15:9), that is, the inhabitants of the country are slain in great numbers, so that the waters adjoining to the cities, whether rivers or pools, are discoloured with human gore, inhumanly shed like water. Dimon signifies bloody; the place shall answer to its name. Perhaps it was that place in the country of Moab where the waters seemed to the Moabites as blood (2Ki 3:22,23), which occasioned their overthrow. But now, says God, I will bring more upon Dimon, more blood than was shed, or thought to be seen, at that time. I will bring additions upon Dimon (so the word is), additional plagues; I have yet more judgments in reserve for them. For all this, God's anger is not turned away. When he judges he will overcome; and to the roll of curses shall be added many like words, Jer 36:32. See here what is the yet more evil to be brought upon Dimon, upon Moab, which is now to be made a land of blood. Some flee, and make their escape, others sit still, and are overlooked, and are as a remnant of the land; but upon both God will bring lions, beasts of prey (which are reckoned one of God's four judgments, Eze 14:21), and these shall glean up those that have escaped the sword of the enemy. Those that continue impenitent in sin, when they are preserved from one judgment, are but reserved for another.
本章及随后一章，乃是论摩押的默示——一段关乎那个邻近以色列之地、且屡次侵害搅扰以色列的国家即将临到的巨大荒凉的预言——虽然摩押人乃是亚伯拉罕的亲属与同伴罗得的后裔，虽然以色列人照神的吩咐、在他们本可轻易而公义地与四围邻国一同将之剪除之时，却饶恕了他们。在本章中，我们有： I. 摩押人，以及先知自己为他们所发的极大哀号，赛15:1-5。 II. 那些足以引发这哀号、且证明这哀号合乎情理的重大灾祸，赛15:6-9。