ישעיהו, פרק כ״ה, פסוק י׳

The ultimate revelation of God's protection over Jerusalem stands in stark contrast to the humiliating downfall of Israel's enemies. In the future, His power and providence will be permanently established on Mount Zion [רש״י, שד״ל]. This enduring presence will result in the defeat of the nations that gather to wage war against Jerusalem at the end of days [מצודת דוד, רד״ק, אבן עזרא, אברבנאל].

Among these defeated nations, the people of Moab are singled out to be completely trampled and crushed. Commentators offer several reasons for this specific focus. Historically, Moab bordered Israel and frequently encroached upon its territory [שד״ל]. Furthermore, in the future conflict, Moab is expected to assist northern enemies in their attack on Jerusalem by preparing the roads for them [מצודת דוד, רד״ק, אבן עזרא, אברבנאל, מלבי״ם]. Moab is also specifically targeted because of its immense national pride [אברבנאל]. Although ancient populations have mixed over the centuries, this prophecy may refer either to surviving Moabite families or simply to the current inhabitants of the historical Moabite region [רד״ק].

The primary approach among commentators is that Moab will be defeated and crushed within its own borders, permanently ending its ability to raid the land of Israel [רש״י, מצודת דוד, מצודת ציון, רד״ק, שד״ל]. However, an alternative perspective suggests that Moab will be trampled directly at the foot of Mount Zion, or quite literally under the feet of the Israelites [מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

This devastating defeat is vividly illustrated through agricultural imagery, comparing Moab to straw being crushed into filth. The nation will be deeply humiliated, much like straw that is tossed into a dunghill and trampled by men and animals until it becomes mere fertilizer for the fields [מצודת דוד, אברבנאל]. Another view envisions the straw being mixed with mud and trampled into a thick paste used for making bricks [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This imagery serves to mock Moab's arrogance. Just as a stalk of straw initially stands tall and proud but quickly shrinks and breaks apart when thrown into the trash, so too will Moab's great pride be reduced and broken [שד״ל, אברבנאל].

In contrast to the agricultural metaphor, a different approach suggests that the reference to a dunghill is not about trash at all, but actually refers to Madmenah, a prominent city within Moab. According to this view, the prophecy declares that Moab will be utterly trampled in its own territory, specifically within the city of Madmenah itself [רד ק בשם אביו, אברבנאל].