以賽亞書15:1-9

15:1 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。
15:2 他們上巴益，又往底本，到高處去哭泣。摩押人因尼波和米底巴哀號，各人頭上光禿，鬍鬚剃淨。
15:3 他們在街市上都腰束麻布，在房頂上和寬闊處俱各哀號，眼淚汪汪。
15:4 希實本和以利亞利悲哀的聲音達到雅雜，所以摩押帶兵器的高聲喊嚷，人心戰兢。
15:5 我心為摩押悲哀；他的貴冑（或譯：逃民）逃到瑣珥，到伊基拉‧施利施亞。他們上魯希坡，隨走隨哭；在何羅念的路上，因毀滅舉起哀聲。
15:6 因為寧林的水成為乾涸，青草枯乾，嫩草滅沒，青綠之物，一無所有。
15:7 因此，摩押人所得的財物和所積蓄的都要運過柳樹河。
15:8 哀聲遍聞摩押的四境；哀號的聲音達到以基蓮；哀號的聲音達到比珥‧以琳。
15:9 底們的水充滿了血；我還要加增底們的災難，叫獅子來追上摩押逃脫的民和那地上所餘剩的人。

An oracle concerning Moab.

 

Because Ar is laid waste in a night,

Moab is undone;

because Kir is laid waste in a night,

Moab is undone.

2

Dibon has gone up to the temple,

to the high places to weep;

over Nebo and over Medeba

Moab wails.

On every head is baldness,

every beard is shorn;

3

in the streets they bind on sackcloth;

on the housetops and in the squares

everyone wails and melts in tears.

4

Heshbon and Elealeh cry out,

their voices are heard as far as Jahaz;

therefore the loins of Moab quiver;

his soul trembles.

5

My heart cries out for Moab;

his fugitives flee to Zoar,

to Eglath-shelishiyah.

For at the ascent of Luhith

they go up weeping;

on the road to Horonaim

they raise a cry of destruction;

6

the waters of Nimrim

are a desolation;

the grass is withered, the new growth fails,

the verdure is no more.

7

Therefore the abundance they have gained

and what they have laid up

they carry away

over the Wadi of the Willows.

8

For a cry has gone

around the land of Moab;

the wailing reaches to Eglaim,

the wailing reaches to Beer-elim.

9

For the waters of Dibon are full of blood;

yet I will bring upon Dibon even more—

a lion for those of Moab who escape,

for the remnant of the land.

************

    先知以賽亞將上帝對摩押的默示宣告出來。「默示」有一個翻譯稱為「神諭」，是比較貼切的翻譯，也就是上帝對摩押說出的話，使人感受到上帝對摩押的審判與心意。

    摩押是羅得的後代，是亂倫產生的！在出埃及的時候，他們還請巴蘭先知來咒詛以色列。可見他們的心思意念上，是討厭以色列的。也因此，在上帝藉由亞述和巴比倫審判列國時，他們也是逃不掉的！

    在這樣的宣告中，我們體會到上帝對以色列的愛意，對以色列好的國家就蒙賜福，不好的國家就得懲罰。也同樣，對基督徒好的人，就蒙上帝的恩惠，不好得就受到責罰。也因此，我們要為逼迫我們的人禱告，免得他們受到上帝的咒詛而沉淪！

以賽亞書14:24-32

14:24 萬軍之耶和華起誓說：我怎樣思想，必照樣成就；我怎樣定意，必照樣成立，
14:25 就是在我地上打折亞述人，在我山上將他踐踏。他加的軛必離開以色列人；他加的重擔必離開他們的肩頭。
14:26 這是向全地所定的旨意；這是向萬國所伸出的手。
14:27 萬軍之耶和華既然定意，誰能廢棄呢？他的手已經伸出，誰能轉回呢？
14:28 亞哈斯王崩的那年，就有以下的默示：
14:29 非利士全地啊，不要因擊打你的杖折斷就喜樂。因為從蛇的根必生出毒蛇；牠所生的是火焰的飛龍。
14:30 貧寒人的長子必有所食；窮乏人必安然躺臥。我必以饑荒治死你的根；你所餘剩的人必被殺戮。
14:31 門哪，應當哀號！城啊，應當呼喊！非利士全地啊，你都消化了！因為有煙從北方出來，他行伍中並無亂隊的。
14:32 可怎樣回答外邦（或指非利士）的使者呢？必說：耶和華建立了錫安；他百姓中的困苦人必投奔在其中。

The Lord of hosts has sworn:

As I have designed,

so shall it be;

and as I have planned,

so shall it come to pass:

25

I will break the Assyrian in my land,

and on my mountains trample him under foot;

his yoke shall be removed from them,

and his burden from their shoulders.

26

This is the plan that is planned

concerning the whole earth;

and this is the hand that is stretched out

over all the nations.

27

For the Lord of hosts has planned,

and who will annul it?

His hand is stretched out,

and who will turn it back?

In the year that King Ahaz died this oracle came:

29

Do not rejoice, all you Philistines,

that the rod that struck you is broken,

for from the root of the snake will come forth an adder,

and its fruit will be a flying fiery serpent.

30

The firstborn of the poor will graze,

and the needy lie down in safety;

but I will make your root die of famine,

and your remnant I will kill.

31

Wail, O gate; cry, O city;

melt in fear, O Philistia, all of you!

For smoke comes out of the north,

and there is no straggler in its ranks.

32

What will one answer the messengers of the nation?

“The Lord has founded Zion,

and the needy among his people

will find refuge in her.”

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    先知以賽亞預言非利士人的下場，使人看見非利士人必定敗亡。因為，上帝要興起強大的軍事帝國，不管是亞述還是巴比倫，都是有強大的軍事力量，而且是使許多小國家滅亡。而上帝這樣做，要凸顯他特別愛以色列和猶大，讓他們有復興的機會。

    我們既然知道上帝有這樣的特質，我們就要順應上帝的呼召，讓自己常常在上帝的憐憫當中，正如猶大書20-21節所說：「親愛的弟兄啊，你們卻要在至聖的真道上造就自己，在聖靈裡禱告，保守自己常在上帝的愛中，仰望我們主耶穌基督的憐憫，直到永生。」

    因此，我們與上帝的關係是建立在上帝的保守，使自己得恩惠蒙憐恤，不是藉由我們服事努力賺來的，乃是要透過耶穌基督自己本身的拯救！

以賽亞書14章

    以賽亞書14:1-23   ,

    以賽亞書14:24-32  , 以賽亞書14:27  ,

以賽亞書14:1-23

14:1 耶和華要憐恤雅各，必再揀選以色列，將他們安置在本地。寄居的必與他們聯合，緊貼雅各家。
14:2 外邦人必將他們帶回本土；以色列家必在耶和華的地上得外邦人為僕婢，也要擄掠先前擄掠他們的，轄制先前欺壓他們的。
14:3 當耶和華使你脫離愁苦、煩惱，並人勉強你做的苦工，得享安息的日子，
14:4 你必題這詩歌論巴比倫王說：欺壓人的何竟息滅？強暴的何竟止息？
14:5 耶和華折斷了惡人的杖，轄制人的圭，
14:6 就是在忿怒中連連攻擊眾民的，在怒氣中轄制列國，行逼迫無人阻止的。
14:7 現在全地得安息，享平靜；人皆發聲歡呼。
14:8 松樹和黎巴嫩的香柏樹都因你歡樂，說：自從你仆倒，再無人上來砍伐我們。
14:9 你下到陰間，陰間就因你震動來迎接你，又因你驚動在世曾為首領的陰魂，並使那曾為列國君王的，都離位站起。
14:10 他們都要發言對你說：你也變為軟弱像我們一樣嗎？你也成了我們的樣子嗎？
14:11 你的威勢和你琴瑟的聲音都下到陰間。你下鋪的是蟲，上蓋的是蛆。
14:12 明亮之星，早晨之子啊，你何竟從天墜落？你這攻敗列國的何竟被砍倒在地上？
14:13 你心裡曾說：我要升到天上；我要高舉我的寶座在上帝眾星以上；我要坐在聚會的山上，在北方的極處。
14:14 我要升到高雲之上；我要與至上者同等。
14:15 然而，你必墜落陰間，到坑中極深之處。
14:16 凡看見你的都要定睛看你，留意看你，說：使大地戰抖，使列國震動，
14:17 使世界如同荒野，使城邑傾覆，不釋放被擄的人歸家，是這個人嗎？
14:18 列國的君王俱各在自己陰宅的榮耀中安睡。
14:19 惟獨你被拋棄，不得入你的墳墓，好像可憎的枝子，以被殺的人為衣，就是被刀刺透，墜落坑中石頭那裡的；你又像被踐踏的屍首一樣。
14:20 你不得與君王同葬；因為你敗壞你的國，殺戮你的民。惡人後裔的名，必永不提說。
14:21 先人既有罪孽，就要預備殺戮他的子孫，免得他們興起來，得了遍地，在世上修滿城邑。
14:22 萬軍之耶和華說：我必興起攻擊他們，將巴比倫的名號和所餘剩的人，連子帶孫一併剪除。這是耶和華說的。
14:23 我必使巴比倫為箭豬所得，又變為水池；我要用滅亡的掃帚掃淨它。這是萬軍之耶和華說的。

But the Lord will have compassion on Jacob and will again choose Israel, and will set them in their own land; and aliens will join them and attach themselves to the house of Jacob. ²And the nations will take them and bring them to their place, and the house of Israel will possess the nations as male and female slaves in the Lord’s land; they will take captive those who were their captors, and rule over those who oppressed them.

³ When the Lord has given you rest from your pain and turmoil and the hard service with which you were made to serve, ⁴you will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon:

How the oppressor has ceased!

How his insolence has ceased!

5

The Lord has broken the staff of the wicked,

the scepter of rulers,

6

that struck down the peoples in wrath

with unceasing blows,

that ruled the nations in anger

with unrelenting persecution.

7

The whole earth is at rest and quiet;

they break forth into singing.

8

The cypresses exult over you,

the cedars of Lebanon, saying,

“Since you were laid low,

no one comes to cut us down.”

9

Sheol beneath is stirred up

to meet you when you come;

it rouses the shades to greet you,

all who were leaders of the earth;

it raises from their thrones

all who were kings of the nations.

10

All of them will speak

and say to you:

“You too have become as weak as we!

You have become like us!”

11

Your pomp is brought down to Sheol,

and the sound of your harps;

maggots are the bed beneath you,

and worms are your covering.

12

How you are fallen from heaven,

O Day Star, son of Dawn!

How you are cut down to the ground,

you who laid the nations low!

13

You said in your heart,

“I will ascend to heaven;

I will raise my throne

above the stars of God;

I will sit on the mount of assembly

on the heights of Zaphon;

14

I will ascend to the tops of the clouds,

I will make myself like the Most High.”

15

But you are brought down to Sheol,

to the depths of the Pit.

16

Those who see you will stare at you,

and ponder over you:

“Is this the man who made the earth tremble,

who shook kingdoms,

17

who made the world like a desert

and overthrew its cities,

who would not let his prisoners go home?”

18

All the kings of the nations lie in glory,

each in his own tomb;

19

but you are cast out, away from your grave,

like loathsome carrion,

clothed with the dead, those pierced by the sword,

who go down to the stones of the Pit,

like a corpse trampled underfoot.

20

You will not be joined with them in burial,

because you have destroyed your land,

you have killed your people.

May the descendants of evildoers

nevermore be named!

21

Prepare slaughter for his sons

because of the guilt of their father.

Let them never rise to possess the earth

or cover the face of the world with cities.

²² I will rise up against them, says the Lord of hosts, and will cut off from Babylon name and remnant, offspring and posterity, says the Lord. ²³And I will make it a possession of the hedgehog, and pools of water, and I will sweep it with the broom of destruction, says the Lord of hosts.

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    先知以賽亞不僅對亞述的敗亡下預言，也對巴比倫的敗亡下預言。而這些預言的目的是要以色列人和猶大人，對將來的復興存著盼望，使他們感受到上帝的慈愛永不改變，雖然眼前敵人非常強大，看不到任何希望。

    在我們的人生中，常常被眼前的事物遮蔽，以致於讓我們沒有看見上帝豐盛的預備，和祂將來要賜給我們的各樣福分，使得我們失去了向前行的力量，整個人灰心喪志，不知如何是好！

    也因為如此，我們不可以不提醒自己：上帝的慈愛永遠長存，祂飽受我們到底，祂為我們預備了永生之福呢！不要害怕眼前，要相信永遠的勝利，是屬於上帝和祂的子民！