Isaiah 15:1 · Bible study
Isaiah 15:1 Commentary: Night of Devastation for Moab
Hebrew · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Isaiah 15:1 begins the prophecy against Moab, emphasizing sudden destruction 'in a night.' Explore the meaning and significance of this divine judgment on
Research Summary
- Meaning: The prophecy declares that Moab’s two chief cities will be suddenly and completely destroyed, likely by an Assyrian invasion.
- Key words: ‘Burden’ (מַשָּׂא, massa), oracle of doom; ‘night’ (לֵיל, leil), suddenness; ‘devastated’ (שֻׁדַּד, shudad, Pual) and ‘destroyed’ (נִדְמָה, nidmah, Niphal), total ruin.
- Main debate: Whether ‘in a night’ refers to a literal nighttime assault or is a metaphor for unexpected disaster; also which historical invasion fulfilled the prophecy (Shalmaneser, Sennacherib, or Nebuchadnezzar).
- Theological theme: Divine sovereignty over nations, God judges pride and protects His covenant purposes throughout history.
- Best use: Preaching or teaching on God’s justice, the certainty of judgment, and the comfort that God’s plan for the nations is sure.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
This is the burden against Moab: Ar in Moab is ruined, destroyed in a night! Kir in Moab is devastated, destroyed in a night!
WEB World English Bible 2000
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.
KJV King James Version 1769
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;
ASV American Standard Version 1901
The burden of Moab. For in a night Ar of Moab is laid waste, and brought to nought; for in a night Kir of Moab is laid waste, and brought to nought.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
The burden of Moab. Because in a night destroyed was Ar of Moab--It hath been cut off, Because in a night destroyed was Kir of Moab--It hath been cut off.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
The burden of Moab: For in the night of being laid waste, Ar of Moab is destroyed; for in the night of being laid waste, Kir of Moab is destroyed!
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
The burden of Moab. Because in the night Ar of Moab is laid waste, it is silent: because the wall of Moab is destroyed in the night, it is silent.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
CARGA de Moab. Cierto, de noche fué destruída Ar- moab, fué puesta en silencio. Cierto, de noche fué destruída Kir-moab|strong="H7024, H4124", reducida á silencio.
Revelação sobre Moabe: Certamente em uma noite é destruída Ar-Moabe; e é devastada; certamente em uma noite é destruída Quir-Moabe, e é devastada.
Oracle sur Moab.
Dies ist die Last über Moab: Des Nachts kommt Verstörung über Ar in Moab; sie ist dahin. Des Nachts kommt Verstörung über Kir in Moab; sie ist dahin.
De last van Moab. Zekerlijk, in den nacht is Ar-Moabs verwoest, zij is uitgeroeid; zekerlijk, in den nacht is Kir-Moabs verwoest, zij is uitgeroeid!
Oracolo su Moab. Sì, nella notte in cui è devastata, Ar-Moab perisce! Sì, nella notte in cui è devastata, Kir-Moab perisce!
Brzemię Moabczyków. Ponieważ w nocy zburzone i spustoszone będzie Ar Moabskie, ponieważ w nocy zburzone i spustoszone będzie Kir Moabskie:
Пророчество о Моаве. - Так! ночью будет разорен Ар-Моав и уничтожен; так! ночью будет разорен Кир-Моав и уничтожен!
論摩押 的默示： 一夜之間，摩押 的亞珥 變為荒廢，歸於無有； 一夜之間，摩押 的基珥 變為荒廢，歸於無有。
The word about Moab. For in a night Ar of Moab has become waste, and is seen no longer; for in a night Kir of Moab has become waste, and is seen no longer.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Isaiah 15:1
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that this single verse announces a sudden, devastating judgment on Moab. Calvin sees it as a demonstration of God's providence over arrogant nations. Adam Clarke and Matthew Henry emphasize the double repetition of 'in a night' to stress the unexpectedness of the calamity. The Cambridge Bible points out that the fall of the two chief cities, Ar and Kir, placed the entire country at the mercy of invaders. Barnes and Gill note the debate whether 'night' refers to a literal nighttime assault or a figure for suddenness, but both affirm the speed of destruction. The Hebrew verbs shudad and nidmah (Niphal perfect) describe completed action, underscoring total ruin. Despite disagreement over the exact historical fulfillment, the core consensus stands: God judges nations that oppose His people, and that judgment can strike without warning.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Literal night attack: The double 'in a night' plus the military context of surrounding verses suggests an actual nighttime assault, as also seen in Exodus 12:29–30 and 2 Kings 3:25.
- Metaphor for suddenness: Wesley and Matthew Henry take 'night' as a figure for unexpected disaster, pointing to the word's usage in prophetic literature to denote sudden, irreversible events.
What is clear: God pronounced sudden and total destruction on Moab through this prophecy, and that judgment was fulfilled within a few years.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| The meaning of 'in a night' | All traditions agree the phrase emphasizes the speed and unexpectedness of the destruction. | Some read it as a literal nighttime military attack (Cambridge, Gill), while others see it as a metaphor for suddenness (Wesley, Matthew Henry). |
| Historical fulfillment of the oracle | The prophecy was fulfilled within a few years (Isaiah 16:14). Most link it to the Assyrian invasions of the 8th century BC. | Calvin and Lowth favor Shalmaneser; Barnes mentions also Sennacherib; Gill and others propose a later fulfillment by Nebuchadnezzar based on Jeremiah 48. |
| Purpose of the oracle | The prophecy demonstrates God’s judgment on Moab and shows His control over history. | Calvin emphasizes it was written for believers to see God’s providence, not to warn Moab. Others hold that it may have had a contemporary warning function if Moab ever heard of it (Barnes notes the possibility). |
| The condition of Moab in the prophecy | Moab is portrayed as a proud and oppressive neighbor to Israel, deserving of judgment. | Some traditions (e.g., Geneva Bible) emphasize Moab’s cruelty as cause; others (Calvin) note the relational bond (Lot’s descent) that makes Moab’s hostility worse. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Moab was a small but fertile nation east of the Dead Sea, descended from Lot through an incestuous union (Genesis 19:31, 37). Though related to Israel by blood, Moab was often hostile, hiring Balaam to curse Israel and oppressing them during the period of the judges. By Isaiah's time, Moab had long possessed territory north of the Arnon River, land originally allotted to Reuben and Gad. This disputed region was a constant source of conflict.
Ar and Kir (modern Kerak) were the two major cities south of the Arnon. Kir, a fortress on a steep chalk rock, was considered nearly impregnable (2 Kings 3:25). Their conquest would mean the collapse of Moabite resistance. The phrase 'in a night' echoes the suddenness of the Passover in Egypt (Exodus 12:29, 30) and implies that the attack caught the inhabitants asleep and secure.
The oracle is part of a larger collection of prophecies against foreign nations (Isaiah 13, 23). The Hebrew word massa ('burden') signals a weighty pronouncement of doom. This prophecy was likely fulfilled within three years of its delivery (Isaiah 16:14), probably by the Assyrian king Shalmaneser during his campaign against Israel. Some commentators, like Barnes and Keil, argue that it may have been delivered early in Hezekiah's reign, when Assyria was expanding westward. The purpose was not to warn Moab directly but to assure God's people that their enemies face divine justice, and that history is not governed by chance.
Textual Notes
Adam Clarke notes a possible variant reading: keleil (כליל, “as the night” or “completely”) instead of beleil (בליל, “in a night”). The Masoretic Text supports beleil, and most commentators accept this reading as original. No other significant textual variants are mentioned in the supplied sources.
Reception History
Isaiah’s oracle against Moab was received in Jewish tradition as part of the larger collection of prophecies against the nations, demonstrating God’s rule over all peoples. Jeremiah later incorporated much of this material into his own oracle (Jeremiah 48), applying it to the Babylonian destruction. Early Christian writers like Jerome saw these judgments as types of final judgment, warning against pride and enmity toward God’s people. During the Reformation, Calvin and Luther used the passage to teach the doctrine of divine providence: God raises and brings down kingdoms according to His purpose. In modern contexts, Isaiah 15:1 challenges the assumption that any nation is beyond accountability, and it comforts readers who suffer under oppression that God sees and will act.
Preaching This Verse
Three-Point Outline
- Sudden Judgment Calls for Vigilance. The double mention of “in a night” warns that security can vanish in hours. No human fortress can hold against divine decree.
- God Judges the Nations. Moab, despite its antiquity and strength, falls. This reminds us that all power is relative; God alone is sovereign.
- Prophecy Confirms God’s Control of History. Because the event was foretold, believers see God’s hand in world events, even when they are painful.
Five-Point Outline
- The ‘Burden’ of Prophecy. The word massa implies weight: God’s word carries authority and consequence.
- Night as a Sign of Unexpected Strike. Whether literal or figurative, night symbolizes the moment when defenses are down and chaos arrives.
- The Destruction is Total. Two verbs (‘laid waste,’ ‘brought to nothing’) reinforce the completeness of the ruin.
- Geography Matters. Ar and Kir were known strongholds; their fall meant national collapse.
- This Judgment Points Forward. Scripture often uses Moab as a type of pride that God humbles (Isaiah 11:14).
Illustration Hooks
- A thief in the night, like a security breach that happens when everyone is asleep and unsuspecting.
- A natural disaster at night, a tornado or earthquake that strikes while communities are unaware, leveling what seemed permanent.
- A business that fails overnight, a seemingly stable company that suddenly declares bankruptcy, shocking employees and investors.
Questions Your Congregation Is Asking
- Why do oppressive nations seem to prosper for so long before judgment falls?
- How should believers live in light of the fact that God judges nations suddenly?
- Does the harshness of this prophecy contradict the love of God?
Leading a Discussion
Isaiah 15:1 opens a two-chapter oracle against Moab with a stark image: a nation destroyed in a single night. As you guide your group, focus on what this reveals about God’s character and how it spoke to His people in Isaiah’s day.
Discussion Questions
- What does the phrase “the burden of Moab” tell you about the tone and purpose of this prophecy?
- Why do you think the prophet repeats the phrase “in a night” for both Ar and Kir? What does that repetition accomplish?
- In what ways does the suddenness of the destruction challenge assumptions about security and power?
- How does knowing that God judges nations like Moab affect the way you pray for world events today?
- Calvin wrote that this prophecy was given primarily for believers, not Moab. Why would God’s own people need to hear this?
- Cross-reference Exodus 12:29, 30 and 2 Kings 3:25. How do these references to night and siege enrich your understanding of Isaiah 15:1?
- How does this oracle prepare us to trust God even when we see evil flourishing for a time?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Exodus 12:29 | At midnight, Yahweh struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of livestock. |
| Exodus 12:30 | Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not a house where there was not one dead. |
| Numbers 21:28 | for a fire has gone out of Heshbon, a flame from the city of Sihon. It has devoured Ar of Moab, The lords of the high places of the Arnon. |
| Deuteronomy 2:9 | Yahweh said to me, “Don’t bother Moab, neither contend with them in battle; for I will not give you any of his land for a possession, because I have given Ar to the children of Lot for a possession.” |
| Deuteronomy 2:18 | “You are to pass over Ar, the border of Moab, today. |
| II Kings 3:25 | They beat down the cities; and on every good piece of land each man cast his stone, and filled it. They also stopped all the springs of water and cut down all the good trees, until in Kir Hareseth all they left was its stones; however the men armed with slings went around it and attacked it. |
| Isaiah 11:14 | They will fly down on the shoulders of the Philistines on the west. Together they will plunder the children of the east. They will extend their power over Edom and Moab, and the children of Ammon will obey them. |
| Isaiah 13:1 | The burden of Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
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What the Commentators Say
7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin stresses that Isaiah's prophecy against Moab was not meant for the Moabites themselves but for believers. Its purpose was to show that history is not random: by foretelling events, God trains His people to see His hand at work behind every upheaval and change.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note highlights that both Ar and Kir, the chief cities of Moab, were wiped out in a single night, emphasizing the suddenness and totality of divine judgment. No resistance or warning is mentioned; the destruction comes without delay.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill weighs different scholarly views on when this prophecy was fulfilled, naming Shalmaneser, Sennacherib, or Nebuchadnezzar as possible agents. His key point is that the destruction came at night, catching the inhabitants asleep and unaware, making both Ar and Kir of Moab suddenly desolate.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch stress how deeply Isaiah’s own heart is pained as he pronounces doom on Moab, as though he belonged to that nation. The repeated “for in a night” is not filler but justifies the heading, showing the prophet’s horror at a sudden, total collapse seen vividly before him.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange insists the Moab oracle is genuinely Isaiah's, not Jeremiah's or Jonah's as some critics propose. He argues that its unusual expressions and tender sympathy for Moab are either intentional imitations of Moabite speech or rhetorical devices that underscore the horror of judgment rather than soften it.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes that this prophecy against Moab was spoken to God's own people, not to the Moabites themselves. He also highlights that the invasion by the Assyrian army, under either Shalmaneser or Sennacherib, fulfilled the warning within three years, giving the prophecy a specific, near-term historical setting.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley identifies this prophecy as specifically targeting Moab's destruction at the hands of the Assyrians and later the Babylonians. He stresses that the attack comes suddenly and unexpectedly, and names Ar and Kir as the two chief cities that fall.