Add parallel Print Page Options

16 Send lambs to the ruler of the land.[a]
    Send lambs from Sela through the desert to my people at Mount Zion.
Moab’s daughters are like fluttering birds,
    like scattered nestlings,
        at the shallow crossings of the Arnon River.

Give us advice.
    Make a decision.
        At high noon make your shadow as dark as night.
            Hide the fugitives.
                Don’t betray the refugees.
Let the fugitives from Moab stay with you a while.
    Be their refuge from the destroyer.
    Ruthless people will come to an end.
    The destruction will end.
        The one who tramples others will be gone.
Then Yahweh will set up a trusted king.
    He will rule faithfully.
        He is from the tent of David.
        He judges and searches for justice.
        He is quick to do what is right.

We’ve heard of the arrogance of Moab’s people.
    They are very arrogant.
    We’ve heard of their boasting, arrogance, and conceit,
    but their boasts aren’t true.
That is why Moab will wail.
    Everyone will wail for Moab.
    Mourn and grieve over the raisin cakes of Kir Hareseth.[b]
The fields of Heshbon and the vineyards of Sibmah wither.
    Rulers of the nations have cut off their grapes.
    The grapevines once reached as far as Jazer
        and strayed out into the desert.
    Their shoots had spread out over the sea.
I will cry for the grapevines of Sibmah
    as Jazer cries for them.
        I will drench you with my tears, Heshbon and Elealeh.
    The shouts of joy for your ripened fruits
    and your harvest will be silenced.
10 Joy and delight have vanished from the orchards.
    No songs are sung.
    No shouts are raised.
    No one stomps on grapes in the winepresses,
        because I have put an end to the shouts of joy.
11 That is why my heart mourns for Moab like a harp.
    My soul mourns for Kir Hareseth.
12 When the people of Moab appear at the worship site,
    they will only wear themselves out.
    They will come into the holy place to pray,
    but they won’t be able to.

13 This is the message that Yahweh spoke about Moab in the past. 14 But now Yahweh says, “Moab’s honor will be despised within three years. I will count them like workers count the years left of their contracts.[c] In spite of their great number, the survivors will be very few and powerless.”

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 16:1 Masoretic Text; Targum “They have sent lambs to the ruler of the land.”
  2. Isaiah 16:7 Hebrew meaning of this line uncertain.
  3. Isaiah 16:14 Hebrew meaning of this sentence uncertain.

16 Send lambs(A) as tribute(B)
    to the ruler of the land,
from Sela,(C) across the desert,
    to the mount of Daughter Zion.(D)
Like fluttering birds
    pushed from the nest,(E)
so are the women of Moab(F)
    at the fords(G) of the Arnon.(H)

“Make up your mind,” Moab says.
    “Render a decision.
Make your shadow like night—
    at high noon.
Hide the fugitives,(I)
    do not betray the refugees.
Let the Moabite fugitives stay with you;
    be their shelter(J) from the destroyer.”

The oppressor(K) will come to an end,
    and destruction will cease;(L)
    the aggressor will vanish from the land.
In love a throne(M) will be established;(N)
    in faithfulness a man will sit on it—
    one from the house[a] of David(O)
one who in judging seeks justice(P)
    and speeds the cause of righteousness.

We have heard of Moab’s(Q) pride(R)
    how great is her arrogance!—
of her conceit, her pride and her insolence;
    but her boasts are empty.
Therefore the Moabites wail,(S)
    they wail together for Moab.
Lament and grieve
    for the raisin cakes(T) of Kir Hareseth.(U)
The fields of Heshbon(V) wither,(W)
    the vines of Sibmah(X) also.
The rulers of the nations
    have trampled down the choicest vines,(Y)
which once reached Jazer(Z)
    and spread toward the desert.
Their shoots spread out(AA)
    and went as far as the sea.[b](AB)
So I weep,(AC) as Jazer weeps,
    for the vines of Sibmah.
Heshbon and Elealeh,(AD)
    I drench you with tears!(AE)
The shouts of joy(AF) over your ripened fruit
    and over your harvests(AG) have been stilled.
10 Joy and gladness are taken away from the orchards;(AH)
    no one sings or shouts(AI) in the vineyards;
no one treads(AJ) out wine at the presses,(AK)
    for I have put an end to the shouting.
11 My heart laments for Moab(AL) like a harp,(AM)
    my inmost being(AN) for Kir Hareseth.
12 When Moab appears at her high place,(AO)
    she only wears herself out;
when she goes to her shrine(AP) to pray,
    it is to no avail.(AQ)

13 This is the word the Lord has already spoken concerning Moab. 14 But now the Lord says: “Within three years,(AR) as a servant bound by contract(AS) would count them,(AT) Moab’s splendor and all her many people will be despised,(AU) and her survivors will be very few and feeble.”(AV)

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 16:5 Hebrew tent
  2. Isaiah 16:8 Probably the Dead Sea