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Nach YomiIsaiah ยท ื™ืฉืขื™ื”ื•Chapter 15

Isaiah 15

ื™ืฉืขื™ื”ื• ืคืจืง ื˜ืดื•

Section: ื ื‘ื™ืื™ื ยท ื ื‘ื™ืื™ื ืื—ืจื•ื ื™ื | Book: Isaiah | Chapter: 15 of 66 | Day: 162 of 742

Date: July 23, 2026

ืงืœืื•ื“ ืขืœ ื”ื ืดืš

Chapter 15 is the first half of the massa of Moav (completed in chapter 16), and it is unlike the oracle against Bavel in almost every register. There is no taunt-song here, no cosmic imagery, no exultant โ€˜How has the taskmaster ceased.โ€™ Instead the chapter is a lament โ€” a map of grief traced from town to town across the Moabite plateau: Ar and Kir sacked in a single night, Divon climbing to its shrines to weep, wailing over Nevo and Meidva, every head shaved bald and every beard cut, sackcloth in the streets and on the rooftops. Rashi sets the historical frame: Yeshayahu prophesies that Sancheriv will come upon Moav and exile it, on the timetable stated at the end of the oracle โ€” โ€˜in three years, like the years of a hireling, the glory of Moav will be disgraced.โ€™ The opening verseโ€™s strange double refrain, โ€˜in the night Ar of Moav was sacked, it was silenced (nidmah),โ€™ is read by Rashi with Targum Yonatan as a picture of a nation caught asleep: silent as a sleeper, unable to fight โ€” destruction arriving at the hour of deepest unreadiness.

The chapterโ€™s most quoted line does not belong to Moav at all but to the prophet: โ€˜My heart cries out for Moabโ€™ (verse 5). Rashiโ€™s comment here is one of the great statements about the nature of Israelite prophecy: the prophets of Israel are unlike the prophets of the nations โ€” Bilam sought to uproot Israel for no cause, while the prophets of Israel lament even the calamity that befalls the nations. The oracle of doom is spoken through tears. Metzudat David and Radak soften the line into the voice of the Moabite people themselves (โ€˜each one shall say: my heart cries out for Moavโ€™), but the plain drama of the verse โ€” a Judean prophet weeping over Israelโ€™s ancient enemy โ€” remains the chapterโ€™s moral signature, and the same voice will return in chapter 16 (โ€˜therefore my innards moan for Moav like a lyreโ€™).

The lament proceeds by geography, and the commentators track each name: Cheshbon and Elaleh cry out until their voice reaches Yahatz; even the armed men of Moav โ€” the chalutzim, the shock troops โ€” join the wailing rather than form a line of battle, which Radak reads as the collapse of morale itself: seeing the whole people weeping, the soldiers wept with them and gave no thought to resistance. The fugitives stream south, โ€˜her fugitives as far as Tzoarโ€™ โ€” and Rashi hears the deep irony of the destination: they flee to Tzoar as Lot their forefather fled to Tzoar when Sedom was overturned. The nation born in Lotโ€™s escape re-enacts it in reverse. Up the ascent of Luchit they climb weeping; on the road to Choronayim they raise the cry of shattering โ€” Radak pictures the fullness of the gesture, mourners striking palm against palm and palm against thigh as they cry out their breaking.

Even the landscape mourns. The waters of Nimrim become desolation, the grass withers, the herbage is gone โ€” and Rashi notes why this particular figure cuts so deep: the pride of Moav was its pastureland, as the Mishnah says, โ€˜rams from Moav,โ€™ so its punishment is painted as the death of its pastures. Rashi also reads the dried grass as the fallen warriors, kings, and rulers. Verse 7 asks, in effect, why this is happening โ€” โ€˜because of the abundance it madeโ€™ โ€” and Rashiโ€™s answer is a moral history of ingratitude: Avraham stood up for Lot again and again โ€” took him from Charan, rescued him from the kings, and Lot was released from Sedomโ€™s overturning in Avrahamโ€™s merit โ€” and Lotโ€™s descendants repaid Avrahamโ€™s children by taunting the exiles of Reuven and Gad as Sancheriv led them away (โ€˜why do you lament? are you not going to your fatherโ€™s house โ€” did not Avraham come from across the river?โ€™), the very taunt Tzefanyah records: โ€˜I have heard the insults of Moav.โ€™ On the plain sense, Radak and Metzudat David read the verse as the plunder itself: the abundance Moav amassed is carried by the enemy to the Wadi of Willows and divided there.

The chapter closes with the wail encircling the whole border โ€” to Eglayim, to Beโ€™er Eilim โ€” and with a final, terrible wordplay: โ€˜the waters of Dimon are full of blood, for I will place upon Dimon nosafot โ€” additions.โ€™ The commentators all hear the pun: Dimon sounds like dam, blood, and God will add blood to the river that carries blood in its name. And the last line opens a further horizon of judgment: โ€˜a lion for the survivors of Moavโ€™ โ€” Rashi and Radak identify the lion as Nevuchadnetzar, โ€˜the lion who rises from his thicketโ€™: what Sancheriv leaves, Bavel will finish. The structure of the oracles is thus deliberate: the nation whose fall was decreed in chapters 13-14 is itself the instrument of the falls that follow. Chapter 16 will complete the massa โ€” and will pause, astonishingly, to point Moav toward its one possible refuge: the throne established in chesed, in the tent of David.

ืคืจืง ื˜ืดื• ยท Chapter 15

ืคืกื•ืง ืืณ ยท Verse 1

Hebrew:

ืžึทืฉื‚ึผึธึ–ื ืžื•ึนืึธึ‘ื‘ ื›ึผึดึ ื™ ื‘ึผึฐืœึตึžื™ืœ ืฉืึปื“ึผึทึจื“ ืขึธึคืจ ืžื•ึนืึธื‘ึ™ ื ึดื“ึฐืžึธึ”ื” ื›ึผึดึ—ื™ ื‘ึผึฐืœึตึ›ื™ืœ ืฉืึปื“ึผึทึฅื“ ืงึดื™ืจึพืžื•ึนืึธึ–ื‘ ื ึดื“ึฐืžึธึฝื”ืƒ

English:

The โ€œMoabโ€ Pronouncement.Ah, in the night Ar was sacked,Moab was ruined;Ah, in the night Kir was sacked,Moab was ruined.

The massa of Moav opens with destruction arriving by night: Ar and Kir, the two strongholds of Moav, sacked in a single night each, and Moav 'nidmah' โ€” silenced, cut off. Rashi (with Targum Yonatan) reads the silence as sleep: a nation caught unprepared, silent as a sleeper, unable to fight; he sets the frame โ€” Yeshayahu prophesies Sancheriv's coming exile of Moav on the three-year timetable stated at the oracle's end.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืžืฉื ืžื•ืื‘. ื ืชื ื‘ื ื™ืฉืขื™ื” ืฉื™ื‘ื•ื ืกื ื—ืจื‘ ืขืœ ืžื•ืื‘ ื•ื™ื’ืœื ื›ืžื• ืฉื ืืžืจ (ืœืงืžืŸ ื˜ื–) ื‘ืฉืœืฉ ืฉื ื™ื ื›ืฉื ื™ ืฉื›ื™ืจ ื•ื ืงืœื” ื›ื‘ื•ื“ ืžื•ืื‘: ื›ื™ ื‘ืœื™ืœ ืฉื“ื“ ืขืจ ืžื•ืื‘ ื ื“ืžื”. ื ื“ืžื” ืžื•ืื‘ ื›ืื™ืœื• ื™ืฉืŸ ื“ื•ืžื” ื•ืื™ืŸ ื™ื›ื•ืœ ืœื”ืœื—ื ื•ื‘ืœื™ืœ ืื—ืจ ืืฉืจ ืฉื•ื“ื“ ื‘ื• ืงื™ืจ ืžื•ืื‘ ื ื“ืžื” ืช"ื™ ื•ืื™ื ื•ืŸ ืจื“ื™ืžื™ืŸ ืขืจ ื•ืงื™ืจ ืฉืชื™ ืžื“ื™ื ื•ืช ืžื•ืื‘ ื”ื:
The harsh prophecy concerning Moab Isaiah prophesied that Sennacherib would come upon Moab and exile them, as it is said (infra 16:14): "In three years, like the years of a hireling, shall the glory of Moab be debased." for on the night that Ar of Moab was pillaged, it was as though they were sleeping silently Moab was silent as though they were sleeping silently and were unable to wage war, and on another night when Kir of Moab was pillaged, it was as though they were sleeping silently. Jonathan renders: And they were sleeping. Ar and Kir were two provinces of Moab.

ืคืกื•ืง ื‘ืณ ยท Verse 2

Hebrew:

ืขึธืœึธึจื” ื”ึทื‘ึผึทึงื™ึดืช ื•ึฐื“ึดื™ื‘ึนึ›ืŸ ื”ึทื‘ึผึธืžึ–ื•ึนืช ืœึฐื‘ึถึ‘ื›ึดื™ ืขึทืœึพื ึฐื‘ึžื•ึน ื•ึฐืขึทึคืœ ืžึตึฝื™ื“ึฐื‘ึธืึ™ ืžื•ึนืึธึฃื‘ ื™ึฐื™ึตืœึดึ”ื™ืœ ื‘ึผึฐื›ื‡ืœึพืจึนืืฉืึธึฃื™ื• ืงื‡ืจึฐื—ึธึ”ื” ื›ึผื‡ืœึพื–ึธืงึธึ–ืŸ ื’ึผึฐืจื•ึผืขึธึฝื”ืƒ

English:

He went up to the temple to weep,DibonaDibon Regarded as the principal city of Moab. [went] to the outdoor shrines.Over Nebo and MedebaMoab is wailing;On every head is baldness,Every beard is shorn.

The response is religious panic: Moav goes up to 'the house' โ€” its idolatrous temple, as Rashi and Radak explain โ€” and Divon to the high places, to weep before their god in the hope that Kemosh will pity them; over Nevo and Meidva the wailing spreads, every head shaved bald, every beard cut. Radak details the mourning code: hair torn from the head in great grief, and the beard โ€” the glory of the face โ€” cut away because mourning strips away glory.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืขืœื” ื”ื‘ื™ืช ื•ื“ื™ื‘ื•ืŸ. ืขืœื” ืžื•ืื‘ ื”ื‘ื™ืช ื•ืื ืฉื™ ื“ื™ื‘ื•ืŸ ืขืœ ื”ื‘ืžื•ืช: ืœื‘ื›ื™. ืืœื• ื‘ื•ื›ื™ื ื‘ื‘ื™ืช ื•ืืœื• ื‘ื•ื›ื™ื ื‘ืจืืฉื™ ื‘ืžื•ืชื™ื”ื:
They went up to the temple, and Dibon Moab went up to the temple, and the people of Dibon to the high places. to weep These would weep in the temple, and these would weep atop their high places.

ืคืกื•ืง ื’ืณ ยท Verse 3

Hebrew:

ื‘ึผึฐื—ื•ึผืฆึนืชึธึ–ื™ื• ื—ึธึฃื’ึฐืจื•ึผ ืฉื‚ึธึ‘ืง ืขึทึฃืœ ื’ึผึทื’ึผื•ึนืชึถึงื™ื”ึธ ื•ึผื‘ึดืจึฐื—ึนื‘ึนืชึถึ›ื™ื”ึธ ื›ึผึปืœึผึนึฅื” ื™ึฐื™ึตืœึดึ–ื™ืœ ื™ึนืจึตึฅื“ ื‘ึผึทื‘ึผึถึฝื›ึดื™ืƒ

English:

In its streets, they are girt with sackcloth;On its roofs, in its squares,Everyone is wailing,Streaming with tears.

The grief goes public: sackcloth in the streets, wailing on the rooftops and in the squares, everyone 'descending in weeping.' Rashi hears in 'yored' a moaning, roaring weeping; Radak takes the figure further โ€” as though the whole body were dissolving and pouring itself out in tears.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื™ืจื“ ื‘ื‘ื›ื™. ื’ื•ื ื— ื•ื ื•ื”ื ื‘ื‘ื›ื™ ื›ืžื• (ืฉื•ืคื˜ื™ื ื™ืดื:ืœืดื–) ื•ื™ืจื“ืชื™ ืขืœ ื”ื”ืจื™' ื•ื›ืŸ (ืื™ื›ื” ื’ืณ:ื™ืดื˜) ื–ื›ืจ ืขื ื™ื™ ื•ืžืจื•ื“ื™:
sighing Heb. ื™ึนืจึตื“, sighing and roaring with weeping. Comp. (Judges 11:37) "And I will cry, (ื•ึฐื™ึธืจึทื“ึฐืชึผึดื™) on the mountains," and (Lam. 3:19) "Remember my affliction and my cry (ื•ึผืžึฐืจื•ึผื“ึดื™)."

ืคืกื•ืง ื“ืณ ยท Verse 4

Hebrew:

ื•ึทืชึผึดื–ึฐืขึทึคืง ื—ึถืฉืึฐื‘ึผื•ึนืŸึ™ ื•ึฐืึถืœึฐืขึธืœึตึ”ื” ืขึทื“ึพื™ึทึ–ื”ึทืฅ ื ึดืฉืึฐืžึทึฃืข ืงื•ึนืœึธึ‘ื ืขึทืœึพื›ึผึตึ—ืŸ ื—ึฒืœึปืฆึตึคื™ ืžื•ึนืึธื‘ึ™ ื™ึธืจึดึ”ื™ืขื•ึผ ื ึทืคึฐืฉืึ–ื•ึน ื™ึธึฅืจึฐืขึธื” ืœึผึฝื•ึนืƒ

English:

Heshbon and Elealeh cry out,Their voice carries to Jahaz.Therefore,The shock troops of Moab shout,bThe shock troops of Moab shout Change of vocalization yields โ€œThe loins of Moab are trembling.โ€ His body is convulsed.

The cry of Cheshbon and Elaleh carries as far as Yahatz โ€” and then the detail that marks total collapse: even the chalutzim, Moav's armed shock troops, raise the shriek of weeping rather than a battle cry. Radak explains: seeing the entire people in tears, the soldiers wept with them and gave no thought to fighting; Moav's soul 'screams for itself,' like one mourning his own death.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืขืœ ื›ืŸ ื—ืœื•ืฆื™ ืžื•ืื‘ ื™ืจื™ืขื•. ืขืœ ืืฉืจ ืžื–ื•ื™ื™ื ื™ ืžื•ืื‘ ื™ืจื™ืขื• ืœืงืจืืช ื”ืžืœื—ืžื” ื•ื ืคืฉื• ืฉืœ ืžื•ืื‘ ื™ืจืขื” ืœื• ืžืชืจื•ืขืขืช ื›ืื‘ืœ ืขืœ ืขืฆืžื•:
because the armed men of Moab shall cry in alarm Since the armed men of Moab shall cry out towards the battle, and the soul of Moab shall cry out for itself, like one mourning for himself.

ืคืกื•ืง ื”ืณ ยท Verse 5

Hebrew:

ืœึดื‘ึผึดื™ึ™ ืœึฐืžื•ึนืึธึฃื‘ ื™ึดื–ึฐืขึธึ”ืง ื‘ึผึฐืจึดื™ื—ึถึ•ื”ึธ ืขึทื“ึพืฆึนึ–ืขึทืจ ืขึถื’ึฐืœึทึฃืช ืฉืึฐืœึดืฉืึดื™ึผึธึ‘ื” ื›ึผึดึฃื™โ€‰ื€ ืžึทืขึฒืœึตึฃื” ื”ึทืœึผื•ึผื—ึดึ—ื™ืช ื‘ึผึดื‘ึฐื›ึดื™ึ™ ื™ึทึฝืขึฒืœึถื”ึพื‘ึผึ”ื•ึน ื›ึผึดึšื™ ื“ึผึถึฃืจึถืšึฐ ื—ื•ึนืจึนื ึทึ”ื™ึดื ื–ึทืขึฒืงึทืชึพืฉืึถึ–ื‘ึถืจ ื™ึฐืขึนืขึตึฝืจื•ึผืƒ

English:

My heart cries out for Moabโ€”His fugitives flee down to Zoar,To Eglath-shelishiyah.For the ascent of LuhithThey ascend with weeping;On the road to HoronaimThey raise a cry of anguish.

The prophet himself breaks in: 'My heart cries out for Moav.' Rashi's famous comment: the prophets of Israel are unlike the prophets of the nations โ€” Bilam sought to uproot Israel without cause, while Israel's prophets lament even the calamity of the nations. The fugitives flee to Tzoar โ€” as Lot their forefather fled to Tzoar, Rashi notes โ€” climbing the ascent of Luchit in tears and raising the cry of shattering on the Choronayim road, where Radak pictures the mourners striking palm against palm as they cry out.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืœื‘ื™ ืœืžื•ืื‘ ื™ื–ืขืง. ื ื‘ื™ืื™ ื™ืฉืจืืœ ืื™ื ื ื›ื ื‘ื™ืื™ ืื•ืžื•ืช ื”ืขื•ืœื ื‘ืœืขื ื”ื™ื” ืžื‘ืงืฉ ืœืขืงื•ืจ ืืช ื™ืฉืจืืœ ืขืœ ืœื ื“ื‘ืจ ื•ื ื‘ื™ืื™ ื™ืฉืจืืœ ืžืชืื•ื ื ื™ื ืขืœ ืคื•ืจืขื ื•ืช ื”ื‘ืื” ืขืœ ื”ืื•ืžื•ืช: ื‘ืจื™ื—ื™ื” ืขื“ ืฆื•ืขืจ. ืขืœ ื›ืœ ื—ื–ืงื” ืฉืœ ืžื•ืื‘ ื™ื–ืขืง ืœื‘ื™ ืขื“ ืฆื•ืขืจ ืฉื”ื™ื ืขื’ืœื” ืฉืœื™ืฉื™ื” ืขื™ืงืจ ื—ื•ื–ืง ืฉืœื”ื ื›ืขื’ืœื” ืฉื”ื™ื ืฉืœื™ืฉื™ืช ืœื‘ื˜ืŸ, ืœ"ื ืฉืœื™ืฉื™ื” ื’ื‘ืจืชื ื™ืช ื•ื™ื•ื ืชืŸ ืชื™ืจื’ื ื‘ืจื™ื—ื™ื” ื›ืžื• ื‘ื•ืจื—ื™ื” ื”ื‘ื•ืจื—ื™ื ื™ื‘ืจื—ื• ืžื”ื ืœื”ืžืœื˜ ืขื“ ืฆื•ืขืจ ื›ืžื• ืฉืขืฉื” ืœื•ื˜ ืื‘ื™ื”ื ืฉื‘ืจื— ืœืฆื•ืขืจ: ืžืขืœื” ื”ืœื•ื—ื™ืช. ืžืงื•ื ืžืขืœื•ืช ื”ืจ ืฉืฉืžื• ืžืขืœื” ื”ืœื•ื—ื™ืช ื•ื›ืŸ ืžื•ืจื“ ื—ื•ืจื ื™' (ื™ืจืžื™ื”ื• ืžืดื—:ื”ืณ) ื™ื‘ื›ื• ื”ื‘ื•ืจื—ื™' ื“ืจืš ืฉื ื•ื›ืœ ื”ืžืงื•ืžื•ืช ื”ืืœื” ืžืžื•ืื‘ ื”ื: ื™ืขืขืจื•. ื™ืฆืขืงื• ื•ืœืฉื•ืŸ ืืจืžื™ ื”ื•ื ืฉืช"ื™ ืœื ื™ื“ืจื•ืš ื”ื“ื•ืจืš ื”ื™ื“ื“ ืœื ื™ืขื•ืขืจื•ืŸ ื‘ืงืœื”ื•ืŸ:
My heart shall cry out for Moab The Jewish prophets are not like the gentile prophets. Balaam sought to uproot Israel for no reason, whereas the prophets of Israel bewail the calamity that befalls the nations. its bars as far as Zoar Heb. ื‘ึผึฐืจึดื™ื—ึถื™ื”ึธ, bars. For the entire strength of Moab shall my heart cry, as far as Zoar, which is a third born heifer; it is their main strength, like a heifer born third to its mother. Alternatively, ืฉืึฐืœึดืฉืึดื™ึผึธื” means a strong heifer. Jonathan, however, renders ื‘ึผึฐืจึดื™ื—ึถื™ื”ึธ like ื‘ึผื•ึนืจึฐื—ึถื™ื”ึธ, those of her who flee. Those who flee shall flee from them to escape to Zoar, as Lot, their forebear, fled to Zoar. the ascent of Haluhith A place on the ascents of the mountain, named "the ascent of Haluhith," and similarly (Jer. 48:5), "The descent of Horonaim." Those who flee through them shall weep. All these locations are from Moab. they shall raise Heb. ื™ึฐืขึนืขึตืจื•ึผ, they shall cry, and this is an Aramaic expression, for Jonathan renders (infra 16:10): "The treader shall not tread; I have abolished the cry," as: "They shall not cry (ื™ึฐืขื•ึนืขึฒืจื•ึผืŸ) with their voice."

ืคืกื•ืง ื•ืณ ยท Verse 6

Hebrew:

ื›ึผึดื™ึพืžึตึฅื™ ื ึดืžึฐืจึดึ–ื™ื ืžึฐืฉืึทืžึผึฃื•ึนืช ื™ึดึฝื”ึฐื™ึ‘ื•ึผ ื›ึผึดึฝื™ึพื™ึธื‘ึตึคืฉื ื—ึธืฆึดื™ืจึ™ ื›ึผึธึฃืœึธื” ื“ึถึ”ืฉืึถื ื™ึถึ–ืจึถืง ืœึนึฅื ื”ึธื™ึธึฝื”ืƒ

English:

Ah, the Waters of NimrimAre become a desolation;The grass is sear,The herbage is gone,Vegetation is vanished.

Even the landscape mourns: the waters of Nimrim become desolation, the grass withers, the herbage is gone. Rashi explains why the figure cuts deep โ€” Moav's pride was its pastureland ('rams from Moav,' as the Mishnah says), so its ruin is painted as the death of its pastures โ€” and reads the dried grass as the fallen warriors, kings, and rulers; Radak adds that with the inhabitants slain or fled, even the waters are as though gone.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืžื™ ื ืžืจื™ื. ื ื”ืจ ืฉืœ ืื•ืชื• ืžืงื•ื: ืžืฉืžื•ืช ื™ื”ื™ื•. ืžื“ื ื—ืœืœ ื”ืžืชืขืจื‘ ื•ื ื•ืคืœ ื‘ื”ื: ื›ื™ ื™ื‘ืฉ ื—ืฆื™ืจ ื•ื’ื•'. ื›ืœื•ืžืจ ื’ื‘ื•ืจื™ื”ื ื•ืžืœื›ื™ื”' ื•ืฉืœื™ื˜ื™ื”ื ื•ืœืคื™ ืฉืฉื‘ื—ื” ืฉืœ ืืจืฅ ืžื•ืื‘ ื”ื•ื ืžืจืขื” ื”ื˜ื•ื‘ ืฉื‘ื” ื›ืžื• ืฉืฉื ื™ื ื• ืืœื™ื ืžืžื•ืื‘ ืœืคื™ื›ืš ืžืฉืœ ืืช ืคื•ืจืขื ื•ืช ื‘ื—ื•ืจื‘ืŸ ืžืจืขื” ืฉืœื”:
the waters of Nimrim The river of that place. shall be a waste from the blood of the fallen that was mixed and fell into it. for the grass has dried up meaning their heroes and their kings and their rulers, and since the land of Moab is noted for its good pastureland, as we learned (Menachoth 87a): "Rams from Moab," he therefore compared its retribution to the destruction of its pastureland.

ืคืกื•ืง ื–ืณ ยท Verse 7

Hebrew:

ืขึทืœึพื›ึผึตึ–ืŸ ื™ึดืชึฐืจึธึฃื” ืขึธืฉื‚ึธึ‘ื” ื•ึผึจืคึฐืงึปื“ึผึธืชึธึ”ื ืขึทึ›ืœ ื ึทึฅื—ึทืœ ื”ึธืขึฒืจึธื‘ึดึ–ื™ื ื™ึดืฉื‚ึผึธืึฝื•ึผืืƒ

English:

Therefore,The gains they have made, and their stores,They carry to the Wadi of Willows.

Why has this come? 'Because of the abundance it made.' Rashi's answer is a moral history of ingratitude: Avraham saved Lot again and again, and Lot's descendants repaid Avraham's children by taunting the exiles of Reuven and Gad as Sancheriv led them away, and by aiding the besieger โ€” the insults Tzefanyah records. On the plain sense, Radak and Metzudat David read the verse forward: the wealth Moav amassed is carried off by the enemy to the Wadi of Willows and divided on its banks.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืขืœ ื›ืŸ ื™ืชืจื” ืขืฉื”. ืขืœ ืืฉืจ ื™ืชืจื” ืขืฉื” ืชื‘ื ืขืœื™ื• ื”ืคื•ืจืขื ื•ืช ื”ื–ื” ืฉื”ื™ื• ื›ืคื•ื™ื™ ื˜ื•ื‘ื” ืฉื”ืจื™ ื‘ื›ืžื” ืžืงื•ืžื•ืช ืขืžื“ ืื‘ืจื”ื ืœืœื•ื˜ ื‘ืฆืืชื• ืžื—ืจืŸ ื•ื‘ืœื›ืชื• ืœืžืฆืจื™ื ื•ื‘ื–ื›ื•ืชื• ืฉื•ืœื— ืžืชื•ืš ื”ื”ืคื›ื” ื•ื ืœื—ื ืขืœื™ื• ืขื ืืžืจืคืœ ื•ื—ื‘ื™ืจื™ื• ื•ื”ื™ื” ืœื”ื ืœื’ืžื•ืœ ื˜ื•ื‘ื” ืœื–ืจืขื• ื•ื”ื ื”ื™ื• ืžื•ื ื™ื ืื•ืชื ื›ืฉื”ื’ืœื” ืกื ื—ืจื‘ ืœืจืื•ื‘ื ื™ ื•ืœื’ื“ื™ ื•ื”ื™ื• ื™ืฉืจืืœ ื‘ื•ื›ื™ื ื•ืžืชืื•ื ื ื™ื ื•ื”ื™ื• ืื•ืžืจื™ื ืœื”ื ืขืœ ืžื” ืืชื ืžืชืื•ื ื ื™ื ื•ื”ืœื ืœื‘ื™ืช ืื‘ื™ื›ื ืืชื ื”ื•ืœื›ื™ื ืื‘ืจื”ื ืื‘ื™ื›ื ืœื ืžืขื‘ืจ ื”ื ื”ืจ ื‘ื ื•ื–ื”ื• ืฉื ืืžืจ (ืฆืคื ื™ื” ื‘') ืฉืžืขืชื™ ื—ืจืคืช ืžื•ืื‘ ื•ื’ื“ื•ืคื™ ื‘ื ื™ ืขืžื•ืŸ ื•ืขื•ื“ ืฉืกื™ื™ืขื• ืืช ืกื ื—ืจื‘ ืฉืœืฉ ืฉื ื™ื ืฉืฆืจ ืขืœ ืฉื•ืžืจื•ืŸ ื”ื•ื ืฉื ื' (ืœืงืžืŸ ื˜ื–) ื‘ืฉืœืฉ ืฉื ื™ื ื›ืฉื ื™ ืฉื›ื™ืจ ื•ื ืงืœื” ื›ืœ ื›ื‘ื•ื“ ืžื•ืื‘: ื•ืคืงื“ืชื. ืช"ื™ ื•ืชื—ื•ืžื™ื”ื•ืŸ ื“ืขืœ ื™ืžื ืžืขืจื‘ื ื™ืชื ืกื™ื‘ ื•ื”ื•ื ืœ' ืžื™ื ื•ื™ ื›ืžื• (ืžื“ื‘ืจ ื“) ื•ืคืงื•ื“ืช ืืœืขื–ืจ ื‘ืŸ ืื”ืจืŸ ื”ื›ื”ืŸ ื›ืœื•ืžืจ ืืจืฆื ืฉืคืงื“ืชื ืขืœื™ื” ืชืœืงื— ืžื”ื: ืขืœ ื ื—ืœ ื”ืขืจื‘ื™ื ื™ืฉืื•ื. ื™ืงื—ื• ื”ืื•ื™ื‘ื™ื ืื•ืชื ืืช ื”ื’ื‘ื•ืœื™ืŸ ื•ืขื•ื“ ื™ืฉ ืœืคืจืฉ ื•ืคืงื“ืชื ืขืœื™ื”ื ื–ื• ืชื”ื™ื” ื ื—ืœ ื”ืขืจื‘ื™ื ื™ืฉืื•ื, ื”ืื•ื™ื‘ื™ื ื™ื’ืœื• ืื•ืชื ืืœ ืืจืฅ ื‘ื‘ืœ ืฉื”ื•ื ื ื—ืœ ืขืจื‘ื™ื ืฉื ื' (ืชื”ืœื™ื ืงืœื–) ืขืœ ืขืจื‘ื™ื ื‘ืชื•ื›ื” ืชืœื™ื ื• ื›ื ื•ืจื•ืชื™ื ื•:
Because of the many things they did Because they did many things, this retribution shall come upon them, for they were unappreciative, for in many places Abraham stood up for Lot: when he left Haran, and when he went to Egypt, and in his merit he was sent out of the overturning of Sodom, and he fought for him with Amraphel and his allies. For this, they should have repaid his descendants with favors. Yet they taunted them when Sennacherib exiled the Reubenites and the Gadites, and the Israelites were weeping and lamenting, and they would say to them, 'Why are you lamenting? Aren't you going to your father's house? Didn't your father Abraham come from the other side of the river?' And this is what is stated (Zephaniah 2:8): "I heard the insults of Moab and the jeers of the children of Ammon." Moreover, they aided Sennacherib for three years when he besieged Samaria. This is what is stated (infra 16:14): "In three years, like the years of a hireling, the glory of Moab shall be debased." and their appointed territory Heb. ื•ึผืคึฐืงึปื“ึผึธืชึธื. Jonathan renders: and their boundaries that are on the western sea, shall be taken. This is an expression of appointment. Comp. (Num. 4:16) "And the appointment of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest." The land over which they were appointed, shall be taken from them. by the western sea, they shall take them The enemies shall take them, namely the boundaries. Alternatively, it may be interpreted as: and their visitation; i.e., their visitation that I will bring upon them will be, that to the valley of the willows they shall carry them off. The enemies shall exile them to the land of Babylon, which is the valley of the willows, as it is said (Ps. 137:2): "On willows in its midst we hung our harps."

ืคืกื•ืง ื—ืณ ยท Verse 8

Hebrew:

ื›ึผึดื™ึพื”ึดืงึผึดึฅื™ืคึธื” ื”ึทื–ึผึฐืขึธืงึธึ–ื” ืึถืชึพื’ึผึฐื‘ึฃื•ึผืœ ืžื•ึนืึธึ‘ื‘ ืขึทื“ึพืึถื’ึฐืœึทึ™ื™ึดืึ™ ื™ึดืœึฐืœึธืชึธึ”ื”ึผ ื•ึผื‘ึฐืึตึฅืจ ืึตื™ืœึดึ–ื™ื ื™ึดืœึฐืœึธืชึธึฝื”ึผืƒ

English:

Ah, the cry has compassedThe country of Moab:All the way to Eglaim her wailing,Even at Beer-elim her wailing!

The wail rings the whole country: it encircles the border of Moav, reaching Eglayim and Be'er Eilim, the towns at the edges of the land. Radak notes the geography โ€” the cry that began in the interior cities has now reached the frontier on every side; nowhere in Moav is out of earshot of the mourning.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืื’ืœื™ื. ื•ื‘ืืจ ืืœื™ื ืžืงื•ืžื•ืช ื”ื ื‘ื’ื‘ื•ืœ ืžื•ืื‘: ื™ืœืœืชื”. ืฉืœ ืžื•ืื‘: ื‘ืืจ ืืœื™ื. ื›ืžื• ื•ืœื‘ืืจ ืืœื™ื:
Eglaim...Beer-elim They are places on the border of Moab. her wail the wail of Moab. and Beer- elim And to Beer elim.

ืคืกื•ืง ื˜ืณ ยท Verse 9

Hebrew:

ื›ึผึดึฃื™ ืžึตึคื™ ื“ึดื™ืžื•ึนืŸึ™ ืžึธึฃืœึฐืื•ึผ ื“ึธึ”ื ื›ึผึดึฝื™ึพืึธืฉืึดึฅื™ืช ืขึทืœึพื“ึผึดื™ืžึ–ื•ึนืŸ ื ื•ึนืกึธืคึ‘ื•ึนืช ืœึดืคึฐืœึตื™ื˜ึทึคืช ืžื•ึนืึธื‘ึ™ ืึทืจึฐื™ึตึ”ื” ื•ึฐืœึดืฉืึฐืึตืจึดึ–ื™ืช ืึฒื“ึธืžึธึฝื”ืƒ

English:

Ah, the waters of Dimon are full of bloodcblood Emendation yields โ€œtears.โ€ For I pour added [water] on Dimon;I drenchddrench Cf. 16.9. itโ€”for Moabโ€™s refugeesโ€”With soilesoil Emendation yields โ€œtearsโ€; cf. Ugaritic สผdmสปt. for its remnant.

The oracle closes on a terrible wordplay: 'the waters of Dimon are full of blood, for I will place upon Dimon nosafot โ€” additions.' All the commentators hear the pun โ€” Dimon sounds like dam, blood, and God adds blood to the river that carries blood in its name. And the final line opens the next horizon: 'a lion for the survivors of Moav' โ€” Rashi and Radak identify the lion as Nevuchadnetzar, who rises from his thicket to finish what Sancheriv leaves.
โ–ถCommentaries (1)
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืžื™ ื“ื™ืžื•ืŸ. ืฉื ื”ื ื”ืจ: ืžืœืื• ื“ื. ื›ืฉื ื”ื ื”ืจ: ื›ื™ ืืฉื™ืช ืขืœ ื“ื™ืžื•ืŸ ื ื•ืกืคื•ืช. ื“ื ืฉืžื• ื•ื“ื ื—ืœืœื™ื ืื•ืกื™ืฃ ืขืœื™ื• ืœืžืœืื•ืชื• ื•ื”ื•ื ืœ' ืกืคื• ืฉื ื” ืขืœ ืฉื ื” (ืœืงืžืŸ ื›ื˜) ืกืคื•ืช ื”ืจื•ื” (ื“ื‘ืจื™ื ื›ืดื˜:ื™ืดื—) ื•ื™"ืช ื ื•ืกืคื•ืช ื›ื ื™ืฉืช ืžืฉื™ืจื™ื™ืŸ ืžื—ื ื•ืช ื”ื ืืกืคื•ืช ื™ื—ื“: ืœืคืœื™ื˜ืช ืžื•ืื‘ ืืจื™ื”. ืคืœื™ื˜ื” ืฉื™ืฉืื™ืจ ืกื ื—ืจื‘ ื™ื‘ื ื ื‘ื•ื›ื“ื ืฆืจ ื‘ืขืชื• ื•ื™ืฉื—ื™ืชื” ื•ื”ื•ื ื ืงืจื ืืจื™ื” ื›ืขื ื™ืŸ ืฉื ืืžืจ (ื™ืจืžื™ื”ื• ื“ืณ:ื–ืณ) ืขืœื” ืืจื™ื” ืžืกื•ื‘ื›ื•: ื•ืœืฉืืจื™ืช. ื™ืฉืจืืœ: ืื“ืžื”. ืื“ืžืชื›ื:
The waters of Dimon The name of the river. have been filled with blood Like the name of the river. [The name ื“ึผึดื™ืžื•ึนืŸ resembles ื“ึผึทื, blood.] for I will place upon Dimon additions Its name is blood, and I will add the blood of the fallen, to fill it. Jonathan renders, however: ื›ึผึฐื ึดื™ืฉืึทืช ืžึทืฉืึทื™ืจึฐื™ึธืŸ, the gathering of the camps, the camps joined together. This is an expression of (infra 21:1) "Join (ืกึฐืคื•ึผ) year to year"; (Deut. 29:18) "to add (ืกึฐืคื•ึนืช) the inadvertent sins." for the survivors of Moab is the lion The survivors which Sennacherib will leave over, Nebuchadnezzar will carry away in his time, and he will destroy them. And he is called "the lion," as the matter is stated (Jer. 4:7): "The lion has come up out of his thicket." and for the remnant of Israel. is the land [i.e,] your land.

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