Isaiah16

Isaiah 16 opens with a call for Moab to send tribute to Zion, depicting Moab's people as vulnerable, wandering exiles. A plea is made for refuge for these outcasts, anticipating a future righteous Davidic reign that will end oppression. However, Moab's excessive pride is condemned, leading to a prophecy of widespread desolation across their fertile lands. The chapter concludes with a specific three-year timeline for Moab's glory to diminish, leaving only a small, feeble remnant.

Listen to this chapter

A Call for Refuge and Asylum

Send ye the lambs for the ruler of the land from Selah to the wilderness, unto the mount of the daughter of Zion.

For it shall be that, as wandering birds, as a scattered nest, so shall the daughters of Moab be at the fords of the Arnon.

Give counsel, execute justice; make thy shade as the night in the midst of the noonday; hide the outcasts; betray not the fugitive.

Let mine outcasts dwell with thee; as for Moab, be thou a covert to him from the face of the destroyer. For the extortioner is brought to nought, destruction ceaseth, the oppressors are consumed out of the land.

And a throne shall be established in lovingkindness; and one shall sit thereon in truth, in the tent of David, judging, and seeking justice, and swift to do righteousness.

Moab's Pride and Deserved Destruction

We have heard of the pride of Moab, thathe is very proud; even of his arrogancy, and his pride, and his wrath; his boastings are nought.

Therefore shall Moab wail for Moab, every one shall wail: for the raisin-cakes of Kir-hareseth shall ye mourn, utterly stricken.

For the fields of Heshbon languish, and the vine of Sibmah; the lords of the nations have broken down the choice branches thereof, which reached even unto Jazer, which wandered into the wilderness; its shoots were spread abroad, they passed over the sea.

Therefore I will weep with the weeping of Jazer for the vine of Sibmah; I will water thee with my tears, O Heshbon, and Elealeh: for upon thy summer fruits and upon thy harvest the battle shout is fallen.

And gladness is taken away, and joy out of the fruitful field; and in the vineyards there shall be no singing, neither joyful noise: no treader shall tread out wine in the presses; I have made the vintage shout to cease.

Wherefore my heart soundeth like a harp for Moab, and mine inward parts for Kir-heres.

And it shall come to pass, when Moab presenteth himself, when he wearieth himself upon the high place, and shall come to his sanctuary to pray, that he shall not prevail.

The Imminent Fulfillment of Prophecy

This is the word that Jehovah spake concerning Moab in time past.

But now Jehovah hath spoken, saying, Within three years, as the years of a hireling, the glory of Moab shall be brought into contempt, with all his great multitude; and the remnant shall be very small and of no account.

Study Notes for Isaiah 16

Verse 1

This verse is widely interpreted as a plea for Moab to send tribute (the lamb) to Jerusalem (the mount of the daughter of Zion) from its southern fortress (Sela), thereby seeking protection and alliance against a common foe, likely Assyria.

Verse 2

The image of the wandering bird cast out of the nest vividly portrays the utter confusion, vulnerability, and disorientation of the Moabite refugees fleeing the invading army near their southern border (the fords of Arnon).

Verse 3

This is a direct appeal to Judah, urging them to act righteously by providing asylum. To 'make thy shadow as the night in the midst of the noonday' means to offer cool, dark, and complete shelter during a time of intense heat and danger.

Verse 4

The prophet encourages Judah to offer permanent shelter (a 'covert') to the Moabite outcasts, assuring them that the threat ('the extortioner,' likely Assyria) will eventually cease, and justice will prevail.

Verse 5

The theological basis for Judah's ability to offer refuge is established here: the messianic hope centered on the Davidic throne. The righteous King will rule in truth and mercy, making Zion the ultimate place of secure justice.

Verse 6

The tone shifts dramatically. The opportunity for refuge is contrasted with Moab’s defining sin: excessive pride and arrogance (Gk. *hybris*). This haughtiness is the underlying cause of their judgment.

Verse 7

Kirhareseth (modern Kerak) was a major fortress city. The mourning for its 'foundations' emphasizes the totality of the destruction, indicating that the nation's core strength and structure are ruined.

Verse 8

Heshbon and Sibmah were renowned for their high-quality vines. The destruction of these famous vineyards symbolizes the complete collapse of Moab’s agricultural prosperity, economy, and national joy.

Verse 9

The prophet expresses profound empathy, weeping over the destruction of the vines and the loss of celebration. This demonstrates God’s sorrow and compassion, even in the execution of necessary judgment.

Verse 11

The prophet uses powerful anthropomorphic language ('my bowels shall sound like an harp') to describe his internal, physical anguish and deep emotional distress over the suffering of Moab.

Verse 12

This verse highlights the futility of Moab’s pagan worship. When faced with genuine crisis, their rituals on the 'high place' and prayers in their sanctuary will be ineffective against the sovereign judgment of the LORD.

Verse 13

This serves as a concluding validation, affirming that the entire oracle (chapters 15–16) is a fixed decree spoken by the LORD, not merely a human prediction.

Verse 14

The phrase 'as the years of an hireling' signifies a precise, fixed, and non-extendable term. This prophecy specifies an imminent judgment—within three years—when Moab’s great glory and population will be drastically reduced.

Use ← → arrow keys to navigate

Isaiah16

A Call for Refuge and Asylum

Moab's Pride and Deserved Destruction

The Imminent Fulfillment of Prophecy

Reading Style

Typeface

Font Size 19px

Reading Width 45 chars

Options