Isaiah 15:5-9

15:5 My heart cries out because of Moab’s plight, ¹ 

and for the fugitives ²  stretched out ³  as far as Zoar and Eglath Shelishiyah.

For they weep as they make their way up the ascent of Luhith;

they loudly lament their demise on the road to Horonaim. ⁴ 

15:6 For the waters of Nimrim are gone; ⁵ 

the grass is dried up,

the vegetation has disappeared,

and there are no plants.

15:7 For this reason what they have made and stored up,

they carry over the Stream of the Poplars.

15:8 Indeed, the cries of distress echo throughout Moabite territory;

their wailing can be heard in Eglaim and Beer Elim. ⁶ 

15:9 Indeed, the waters of Dimon ⁷  are full of blood!

Indeed, I will heap even more trouble on Dimon. ⁸ 

A lion will attack ⁹  the Moabite fugitives

and the people left in the land.

[15:5]  ¹ tn Heb “for Moab.” For rhetorical purposes the speaker (the Lord?, see v. 9) plays the role of a mourner.

[15:5]  ² tn The vocalization of the Hebrew text suggests “the bars of her gates,” but the form should be repointed to yield, “her fugitives.” See HALOT 156-57 s.v. בָּרִחַ, and BDB 138 s.v. בָּרִיהַ.

[15:5]  ³ tn The words “are stretched out” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[15:5]  ⁴ tn Heb “For the ascent of Luhith, with weeping they go up it; for [on] the road to Horonaim an outcry over shattering they raise up.”

[15:6]  ⁵ tn Heb “are waste places”; cf. NRSV “are a desolation.”

[15:8]  ⁶ tn Heb “to Eglaim [is] her wailing, and [to] Beer Elim [is] her wailing.”

[15:9]  ⁷ tc The Qumran scroll 1QIsa^a reads “Dibon” instead of “Dimon” in this verse.

[15:9]  ⁸ tn Heb “Indeed I will place on Dimon added things.” Apparently the Lord is speaking.

[15:9]  ⁹ tn The words “will attack” are supplied in the translation for clarification.