Therefore the abundance they have gotten, and that which they have laid up, shall they carry away to the brook of the willows.

ISAIAH 15:7KJV
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Isaiah 15:7 (KJV)

What does Isaiah 15:7 mean?

Isaiah 15:7 describes how the people of Moab, as they flee disaster, will carry away whatever wealth and possessions they have managed to gather and store, taking them to the "brook of the willows" as they escape. The verse paints a picture of refugees forced to abandon their homes, bringing only what they can carry to a place of uncertain safety.

The prophet Isaiah is speaking about the coming judgment on Moab, a neighboring nation to Israel. The context is a prophecy of destruction and mourning for Moab, and this verse highlights the desperation of the people as they try to save their valuables while fleeing. The "brook of the willows" likely refers to a border area or a place associated with exile, emphasizing the sorrow and displacement the Moabites will experience.

The Hebrew behind Isaiah 15:7

  • "Abundance" (יְתֵר, yeter): This word often means "what is left over" or "surplus," suggesting that the Moabites are grabbing whatever remains after disaster strikes, not just their riches but any leftover goods.
  • "Brook" (נַחַל, nachal): This term can mean a stream or a wadi (a dry riverbed that fills with water during rains). In this context, it points to a natural boundary or crossing point, possibly marking the edge of Moabite territory.
  • "Willows" (עַרְעָר, arar): The willow tree is associated with places of water but also with mourning in Hebrew tradition, which adds a sense of sorrow to the destination of the refugees.

Why Isaiah 15:7 matters

  • Isaiah 15:7 clarifies that the judgment on Moab is not just military defeat but also involves deep personal loss, as people are forced to abandon their homes and carry away only what they can.
  • The mention of the "brook of the willows" connects the verse to themes of exile and mourning found elsewhere in the Bible, helping readers see the emotional and spiritual impact of the event.
  • This verse helps set the tone for the surrounding passage, showing the total upheaval and distress that comes with divine judgment, not just on a national level but in the everyday lives of ordinary people.

Where else these words appear

“abundance” Hebrew H3502 · used in 2 verses

  • Jeremiah 48:36 Therefore mine heart shall sound for Moab like pipes, and mine heart shall sound like pipes for the men of Kirheres: because the riches that he hath gotten are perished.

“willows” Hebrew H6155 · used in 5 verses

  • Leviticus 23:40 And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days.
  • Job 40:22 The shady trees cover him with their shadow; the willows of the brook compass him about.
  • Psalms 137:2 We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof.

“up” Hebrew H6486 · used in 31 verses

  • Numbers 3:32 And Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest shall be chief over the chief of the Levites, and have the oversight of them that keep the charge of the sanctuary.
  • 2 Chronicles 23:18 Also Jehoiada appointed the offices of the house of the LORD by the hand of the priests the Levites, whom David had distributed in the house of the LORD, to offer the burnt offerings of the LORD, as it is written in the law of Moses, with rejoicing and with singing, as it was ordained by David.
  • Jeremiah 23:12 Wherefore their way shall be unto them as slippery ways in the darkness: they shall be driven on, and fall therein: for I will bring evil upon them, even the year of their visitation, saith the LORD.

“brook” Hebrew H5158 · used in 123 verses

  • Genesis 26:17 And Isaac departed thence, and pitched his tent in the valley of Gerar, and dwelt there.
  • Judges 4:13 And Sisera gathered together all his chariots, even nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the people that were with him, from Harosheth of the Gentiles unto the river of Kishon.
  • Job 22:24 Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks.