Isaiah 16
World English Bible
16 Send the lambs for the ruler of the land from Selah to the wilderness, to the mountain of the daughter of Zion. 2 For it will be that as wandering birds, as a scattered nest, so will the daughters of Moab be at the fords of the Arnon. 3 Give counsel! Execute justice! Make your shade like the night in the middle of the noonday! Hide the outcasts! Don’t betray the fugitive! 4 Let my outcasts dwell with you! As for Moab, be a hiding place for him from the face of the destroyer. For the extortionist is brought to nothing. Destruction ceases. The oppressors are consumed out of the land. 5 A throne will be established in loving kindness. One will sit on it in truth, in the tent of David, judging, seeking justice, and swift to do righteousness.
6 We have heard of the pride of Moab, that he is very proud; even of his arrogance, his pride, and his wrath. His boastings are nothing. 7 Therefore Moab will wail for Moab. Everyone will wail. You will mourn for the raisin cakes of Kir Hareseth, utterly stricken. 8 For the fields of Heshbon languish with the vine of Sibmah. The lords of the nations have broken down its choice branches, which reached even to Jazer, which wandered into the wilderness. Its shoots were spread abroad. They passed over the sea. 9 Therefore I will weep with the weeping of Jazer for the vine of Sibmah. I will water you with my tears, Heshbon, and Elealeh: for on your summer fruits and on your harvest the battle shout has fallen. 10 Gladness is taken away, and joy out of the fruitful field; and in the vineyards there will be no singing, neither joyful noise. Nobody will tread out wine in the presses. I have made the shouting stop. 11 Therefore my heart sounds like a harp for Moab, and my inward parts for Kir Heres. 12 It will happen that when Moab presents himself, when he wearies himself on the high place, and comes to his sanctuary to pray, that he will not prevail.
13 This is the word that Yahweh spoke concerning Moab in time past. 14 But now Yahweh has spoken, saying, “Within three years, as a worker bound by contract would count them, the glory of Moab shall be brought into contempt, with all his great multitude; and the remnant will be very small and feeble.”
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Isaiah 16
International Standard Version
Moab’s Destruction
16 “Send a lamb to the ruler of the land,
from Selah,[a] by way of the desert,
to the mountain of the Daughter of Zion.[b]
2 Like fluttering birds,
like an abandoned nest,
so are the daughters of Moab
at the fords of the Arnon River.[c]
3 “Give us advice;
reach a decision!
Cast your shadow as if night had come
at high noon.
Shelter the fugitives,
And don’t betray a single refugee.
4 Let the fugitives[d] from Moab
settle among you;
be a shelter to them
from the destroyer.
When the oppressor comes to an end,
and destruction has[e] ceased,
and the marauder[f] has[g] vanished from the land,
5 then a throne will be established in gracious love,
and there will sit in faithfulness—
in the Tent of David—
one who judges, seeks justice,
and is swift to do what is right.”
6 “We’ve heard about Moab’s pride—
so very proud he became!—[h]
his arrogance, his pride, and his insolence;
therefore he is alone.[i]
7 Therefore, let Moab not[j] wail,
let everyone wail for Moab.
Lament and grieve deeply
for the ruined remains[k] of Kir-hareseth.
8 For the fields of Heshbon wither,
as well as the vines of Sibmah.[l]
The rulers of the nations
have struck down its choicest vines,
which once reached Jazer
and pushed to the desert.
Its shoots spread out
and passed over the sea.”
Isaiah Weeps for Moab
9 “Therefore I weep with the tears of Jazer
for the vines of Sibmah.
I drench you with my tears,
O Heshbon and Elealeh—
for the shouts of joy over your summer fruit
and your grain harvest have ended.
10 Joy and gladness are taken away from the orchards,
in the vineyards people will sing no songs,[m]
and[n] no cheers are raised.
No vintner[o] treads out wine in the presses,
because I’ve put an end to the shouting.
11 Therefore my insides[p] moan like a lyre for Moab,
and my innermost being[q] for Kir-hareseth.
12 When Moab appears,
when he arrives[r] upon the high place
and comes to his sanctuary to pray,
he will not prevail.”
13 This was the message that the Lord spoke concerning Moab in the past. 14 But now the Lord has spoken again: “Within three years, like the years of a contract worker,[s] Moab’s glory will be brought into contempt, in spite of all its great multitude, and its survivors will be very few and[t] of no importance.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Isaiah 16:1 So 1QIsaa; MT reads Sela; LXX reads not the rock
- Isaiah 16:1 I.e. Mt. Zion
- Isaiah 16:2 So 1QIsaa; the Heb. lacks River
- Isaiah 16:4 So 1QIsaa; MT reads my fugitives
- Isaiah 16:4 So 1QIsaa; MT reads have
- Isaiah 16:4 Lit. the one who tramples underfoot
- Isaiah 16:4 So 1QIsaa; MT reads have
- Isaiah 16:6 So 1QIsaa MTmss; cf. Jer 48:29; MT reads how very proud he was
- Isaiah 16:6 So 1QIsaa; MT LXX read but his boasts mean nothing
- Isaiah 16:7 So 1QIsaa; the Heb. lacks not
- Isaiah 16:7 Or for the raisin cakes
- Isaiah 16:8 So 1QIsaa; MT LXX include the rest of v. 8: The rulers … vine of Sibmah in v. 9
- Isaiah 16:10 So 1QIsaa LXX; MT reads no songs are sung
- Isaiah 16:10 So 1QIsaa MTmss; the Heb. lacks and
- Isaiah 16:10 Lit. treader
- Isaiah 16:11 Or heart; lit. bowels
- Isaiah 16:11 Or my very soul
- Isaiah 16:12 So 1QIsaa; MT LXX read tires himself
- Isaiah 16:14 I.e. as if carefully counted pursuant to an employment contract; cf. Isa 21:16
- Isaiah 16:14 So 1QIsaa LXX; the Heb. lacks and
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