讀經: 以賽亞書 十五1-9
SCRIPTURE
READING:
Isaiah 15:1-9
釋義: 雖然摩押人也是外邦人, 但是本章預言與上章論巴比倫和非利士截然不同: 本段豫言的作者表現了對摩押人厄運的極大同情。 這裡沒有一種幸災樂禍的態度，本章是篇真正的哀歌，不像十四章那般嘲弄巴比倫；而且帶著「我心為摩悲哀」的痛苦呼喊（5)，使這篇「論摩押的默示」與別不同。
INSIGHT: Although the Moabites are gentiles too, the
prophecy in this chapter is strikingly different from previous chapters
regarding Babylon and Philistia: The author of this prophecy expresses his deep
sympathy for the adversity of the Moabites. There isn’t any attitude of
gloating. This chapter is a genuine lamentation, unlike the taunting of Babylon
in chapter 14. It also carries the
painful scream of “My heart cries out for Moab” (5), making this “An Oracle
Concerning Moab” stand out.
摩押位於死海東部，居民是羅得的後裔(參創19:36-38)，與以色列人有點親屬關係。巴比倫和非利士, 則從始至終都是仇敵。 相比起來, 摩押就不是那麼「外邦」了。也許這是本章較富同情心的原因。
本章的語言與形像異常生動有力，「哭泣、哀號、悲哀、眼淚汪汪」等字眼的累積達十一次，突出了摩押人哭喪哀慟的深切。
「哀號」是含意特別豐富的字，共出現了四次(十五2,3,8)。 其他哀傷的表現包括剃淨鬍鬚與穿戴麻衣等(2-3)。 哀傷的情景到處可見 -- 「在街市上…在屋頂上和寬闊處…達到雅雜」。 而「青草枯乾，嫩草滅沒，青綠之物，一無所有」(6)當然不是指字面的意思，而是進一步表明摩押被徹底打敗的定局。
The language and images of this chapter are
unusually powerful and animated. Wording
such as ‘cry’, ‘weep’, ‘wail’, and ‘melt in tears’ tallies to 11 times,
underlining the deep sorrow of the Moabites. ‘Wail’ is an especially meaningful
word, appearing a total of 4 times (15:2, 3, 8). Other acts of mourning include
shaving and wearing sackcloth (2-3). Mourning
can be seen everywhere – “In the streets… on the housetops and in the squares…
as far as Jahaz”. “The grass is
withered, the vegetation fails, the greenery is no more” (6) surely is not
meant to be taken literally but to further affirm Moab’s inevitable total
defeat.
有人認為「我心為摩押悲哀」(5)表達先知悲天憫人的心腸, 但是9節: 「我還要加增底們的災難」說明本章的「我」不是傳講信息的以賽亞先知,
而是啟示信息的耶和華。 神既公義又慈悲;
祂是執行審判的法官, 同時也是療傷的醫生。神「不願有一人沉淪, 乃願人人都悔改。」(彼後三9), 所以「主雖使人憂愁，還要照他諸般的慈愛發憐憫；因他並不甘心使人受苦，使人憂愁。」(哀三 32-33)
Some think that “My heart cries out for Moab” (5)
shows the prophet’s sympathetic nature, but verse 9 says “I will bring upon
Dibon even more”, indicating the ‘My’ in this chapter is not referring to the
prophet Isaiah who relays the message but the Lord who reveals the message. God is just, yet merciful; he is the judge who
dispenses judgement, and at the same time, a doctor who heals. God “not wishing that any should perish,
but that all should reach repentance” (2 Peter 3:9), therefore “though he causes
grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his
steadfast love; for he does not afflict from his heart or grieve the
children of men.” (Lamentations 3:32-33)
憐憫屬於悲哀一類, 與對某些人的愛或善意糾纏在一起, 這些人, 我們認為受到了他們本不應受到的某種苦難的折磨。 笛卡兒, 《靈魂的情感》
Compassion is a pain at an impression of
destructive or painful evil as befalling one who doesn’t deserve it, and which
one might expect oneself or someone close to oneself to suffer, when it seems
nearby. - Aristotle
耶和華有憐憫，有恩典，不輕易發怒，且有豐盛的慈愛。
他不長久責 備，也不永遠懷怒。 他沒有按我們的罪過待我們，也沒有照我們的罪孽報應我們。 (詩一○三8-10)
“The LORD is merciful and
gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always
chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. He does not deal with us according
to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities.” (Psalm 103:8-10)
既然如此, 就讓我們因罪悲哀的心轉向耶和華, 仰望祂的憐憫: 祂「必再憐憫我們、將我們的罪孽踏在腳下、又將我們的一切罪投於深海。」(彌七19)
Therefore, let our heart that is saddened by sin
turn to the Lord, look to God for his mercy: “He will again have compassion on us; he
will tread our iniquities underfoot. He will
cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.” (Micah 7:19)
每日讀經 by 洪同勉牧師 Rev. Tommy Hung
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