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Commentary on Isaiah 16 verses 6–14
Here we have, I. The sins with which Moab is charged, Isa 16:6. The prophet seems to check himself for going about to give good counsel to the Moabites, concluding they would not take the advice he gave them. He told them their duty (whether they would hear or whether they would forbear), but despairs of working any good upon them; he would have healed them, but they would not be healed. Those that will not be counselled cannot be helped. Their sins were, 1. Pride. This is most insisted upon; for perhaps there are more precious souls ruined by pride than by any one lust whatsoever. The Moabites were notorious for this: "We have heard in both ears of the pride of Moab; it is what all their neighbours cry out shame upon them for. He is very proud; the body of the nation is so, forgetting the baseness of their origin and the brand of infamy fastened upon them by that law of God which forbade a Moabite to enter into the congregation of the Lord for ever, Deu 23:3. We have heard of his haughtiness and his pride. It is not the rash and rigid censure of one of two concerning them, but it is the character which all that know them will give of them. They are a proud people, and therefore they will not take good counsel when it is given them. They think themselves too wise to be advised; therefore they will not take example by Hezekiah to do justly and love mercy. They scorn to make him their pattern, for they think themselves able to teach him. They are proud, and therefore will not be subject to God himself nor regard the warnings he gives them. The wicked, in the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God. They are proud, and therefore will not entertain and protect God's outcasts; they scorn to have any thing to do with them." But this is not all: - 2. "We have heard of his wrath too (for those that are very proud are commonly very passionate), particularly his wrath against the people of God, whom therefore he will rather persecute than protect. 3. It is with his lies that he gains the gratifications of his pride and his passion; but his lies shall not be so; he shall not compass his proud and angry projects as he hoped he should." Some read it, His haughtiness, his pride, and his wrath, are greater than his strength. "We know that, if we lay at his mercy, we should find no mercy with him, but he has not power equal to his malice. His pride draws down ruin upon him; for it is the preface to destruction, and he has not strength to ward it off."
II. The sorrows with which Moab is threatened (Isa 16:7): Therefore shall Moab howl for Moab. All the inhabitants shall bitterly lament the ruin of their country. They shall complain one to another: Every one shall howl in despair, and not one shall either see any cause or have any heart to encourage his friend. Observe,
1.The causes of this sorrow. (1.) The destruction of their cities: For the foundations of Kir-haraseth shall you mourn. That great and strong city, which had held out against a mighty force (Kg2 3:25), should now be levelled with the ground, either burnt or broken down, and its foundations stricken, bruised and broken (so the word signifies); they shall howl when they see their splendid cities turned into ruinous heaps. (2.) The desolation of their country. Moab was famous for its fields and vineyards; but those shall all be laid waste by the invading army, Isa 16:8, Isa 16:10. See, [1.] What a fruitful pleasant country they had, as the garden of the Lord, Gen 13:10. It was planted with choice and noble vines, with principal plants, which reached even to Jazer, a city in the tribe of Gad. The luxuriant branches of their vines wandered, and wound themselves along the ranges on which they were spread, even through the wilderness of Moab. There were vineyards there. Nay, they were stretched out, and went even to the sea, the Dead Sea: the best grapes grew in their hedge-rows. [2.] How merry and pleasant they had been in it. Many a time they had shouted for their summer fruits, and for their harvest, as the country people sometimes do with us when they have cut down all their corn. They had had joy and gladness in their fields and vineyards, singing and shouting at the treading of their grapes. Nothing is said of their praising God for their abundance, and giving him the glory of it. If they had made it the matter of their thanksgiving, they might still have had it the food and fuel of their lusts; see therefore, [3.] How they should be stripped of all. "The fields shall languish, all the fruits of them being carried away or trodden down; they cannot now enrich their owners as they have done, and therefore they languish. The soldiers, called here the lords of the heathen, shall break down all the plants, though they were principal plants, the choicest that could be got. Now the shouting for the enjoyment of the summer fruits has fallen, and is turned into howling for the loss of them. The joy of harvest has ceased; there is no more singing, no more shouting, for the treading out of wine. They have not what they have had to rejoice in, nor have they a disposition to rejoice; the ruin of their country has marred their mirth." Note, First, God can easily change the note of those that are most addicted to mirth and pleasure, can soon turn their laughter into mourning and their joy into heaviness. Secondly, Joy in God is, upon this account, far better than the joy of harvest, that it is what we cannot be robbed of, Psa 4:6, Psa 4:7. Destroy the vines and the fig-trees, and you make all the mirth of a carnal heart to cease, Hos 2:11, Hos 2:12. But a gracious soul can rejoice in the Lord as the God of its salvation even when the fig-tree does not blossom and there is no fruit in the vine, Hab 3:17, Hab 3:18. In God therefore let us always rejoice with a holy triumph, and in other things let us always rejoice with a holy trembling, rejoice as though we rejoiced not.
2.The concurrence of the prophet with them in this sorrow: "I will with weeping bewail Jazer, and the vine of Sibmah, and look with a compassionate concern upon the desolations of such a pleasant country. I will water thee with my tears, O Heshbon! and mingle them with thy tears;" nay (Isa 16:11), it appears to be an inward grief: My bowels shall sound like a harp for Moab; it should make such an impression upon him that he should feel an inward trembling, like that of the strings of a harp when it is played upon. It well becomes God's prophets to acquaint themselves with grief; the great prophet did so. The afflictions of the world, as well as those of the church, should be afflictions to us. See Isa 15:5.
III. In the close of the chapter we have, 1. The insufficiency of the gods of Moab, the false gods, to help them, Isa 16:12. "Moab shall be soon weary of the high place. He shall spend his spirits and strength in vain in praying to his idols; they cannot help him, and he shall be convinced that they cannot." It is seen that it is to no purpose to expect any relief from the high places on earth; it must come from above the hills. Men are generally so stupid that they will not believe, till they are made to see, the vanity of idols and of all creature-confidences, nor will come off from them till they are made weary of them. But, when he is weary of his high places, he will not go, as he should, to God's sanctuary, but to his sanctuary, to the temple of Chemosh, the principal idol of Moab (so it is generally understood); and he shall pray there to as little purpose, and as little to his own case and satisfaction, as he did in his high places; for, whatever honours idolaters give to their idols, they do not thereby make them at all the better able to help them. Whether they are the dii majorum gentium - gods of the higher order, or minorum - of the lower order, they are alike the creatures of men's fancy and the work of men's hands. Perhaps it may be meant of their coming to God's sanctuary. When they found they could have no succours from their own high places some of them would come to the temple of God at Jerusalem, to pray there, but in vain; he will justly send them back to the gods whom they have served, Jdg 10:14. 2. The sufficiency of the God of Israel, the only true God, to make good what he had spoken against them. (1.) The thing itself was long since determined (Isa 16:13): This is the word, this is the thing, that the Lord has spoken concerning Moab, since the time that he began to be so proud, and insolent, and abusive to God's people. The country was long ago doomed to ruin; this was enough to give an assurance of it that it is the word which the Lord has spoken; and, as he will never unsay what he has spoken, so all the power of hell and earth cannot gainsay it, or obstruct the execution of it. (2.) Now it was made known when it should be done. The time was before fixed in the counsel of God, but now it was revealed: The Lord has spoken that it shall be within three years, Isa 16:14. It is not for us to know, or covet to know, the times and the seasons, any further than God has thought fit to make them known, and so far we may and must take notice of them. See how God makes known his mind by degrees; the light of divine revelation shone more and more, and so does the light of divine grace in the heart. Observe, [1.] The sentence passed upon Moab: The glory of Moab shall be contemned, that is, it shall be contemptible, when all those things they have gloried in shall come to nothing. Such is the glory of this world, so fading and uncertain, admired awhile, but soon slighted. Let that therefore which will soon be contemptible in the eyes of others be always contemptible in our eyes in comparison with the far more exceeding weight of glory. It was the glory of Moab that their country was very populous and their forces were courageous; but where is her glory when all that great multitude is in a manner swept away, some by one judgment and some by another, and the little remnant that is left shall be very small and feeble, not able to bear up under their own griefs, much less to make head against their enemies' insults? Let not therefore the strong glory in their strength nor the many in their numbers. [2.] The time fixed for the execution of this sentence: Within three years, as the years of a hireling, that is, at the three years' end exactly, for a servant that is hired for a certain term keeps account to a day. Let Moab know that her ruin is very near, and prepare accordingly. Fair warning is given, and with it space to repent, which if they had improved, as Nineveh did, we have reason to think the judgments threatened would have been prevented.
(Verse 12) And it will be, when it appears that Moab has labored in vain for his heights, he will enter his holy places to seek guidance, but he will not prevail. It is the ultimate misery, to not have support from those whom he has always revered. 'Deserted,' he says, 'are your strengths, and with all defenders slain, you will turn to idols, you will worship shrines, but you will not find help in them, as the devastation that is common with you arrives.'
(Verse 11 onward) Upon this, my belly will sound like a lyre to Moab: and my bowels will be like a wall of baked bricks. And when it becomes clear that Moab has labored in vain, he will enter his sanctuaries to pray, but he will not prevail. This is the word that the Lord spoke to Moab from that time on. The error of Moab has been destroyed; indeed, false joy has turned into mourning and tears. My belly, the prophet, who is composed like a lyre with musical skill, and who, conceived in the fear of God, has produced many children, so that there is no string that does not produce its sound, will resonate the lament of Moab, who is repenting: and all my bowels will be like a wall of baked bricks, as Theodotius interpreted it as a wall scattered. For all the defenses of opposites, in which they previously trusted, will be destroyed and will fall. These, however, are the bowels and inner parts of the prophet, about which David also said in the Psalm: Bless the Lord, O my soul, and let all my innards proclaim his holy name (Psalm 102, 1). For just as a lyre does not emit a vocal sound and harmonious, if at least one string is broken; similarly, the spiritual belly of the prophet, if one string of virtues is lacking in it, will not be able to resound sweet melody; nor proclaim with all its innards against the brick wall. It is also the opinion of the philosophers to cling to virtues; and the Apostle James says that if one is lacking one virtue, all virtues are lacking in that person. But when he realizes that he has labored in vain in the lofty doctrines which he once believed, he will enter into his own holy things, not those things which are inherently holy, but those things which he erroneously thought were holy, and he will not be able to find help. Perhaps, in the desert of error and falsehood, he will attempt to enter into the holy Church, to make it his own, and to pray and beseech, but he will not prevail. For we cannot immediately, as we wish, attain perfect virtue. And this is what it means: That word which the Lord spoke to Moab from that time, with the introductory statement in which he said, the word against Moab, or the burden, let us understand it as the conclusion, so that what he began there, he may complete here. From that time, however, we should understand from when he began to speak to him, that everything he said is one word of God, that is, one sentence. Moreover, according to the Septuagint version, we can explain the prophet's innermost thoughts being renewed by God, and him being ashamed, that is, Moab, and entering into the altars, and the things that are made by hand, so that we may say that the prophet's innermost thoughts are always renewed, and made stronger by God, so that their adversaries may be confounded, and they may understand that the things made by human hand are useless, and do not contribute to salvation.
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SUMMARY
Isaiah 16:12 delivers a profound and poignant prophecy against Moab, depicting a nation utterly exhausted and despairing from its vain attempts to secure solace and deliverance through its pagan religious practices. As the weight of divine judgment becomes undeniable and their worldly strength dissipates, Moab desperately turns to its "high places" and "sanctuaries" to pray to its false gods, only to discover that these fervent efforts are entirely ineffectual, offering no prevailing power or escape against the inevitable decree of God.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: Isaiah 16:12 serves as the concluding statement of a two-chapter oracle (Isaiah 15-16) specifically directed against Moab, often introduced as a "burden" or "pronouncement." This section is strategically placed within a larger collection of prophecies against various nations (Isaiah 13-23), underscoring God's universal sovereignty and His judgment over all peoples. Chapters 15 and the preceding verses of 16 vividly paint a picture of widespread devastation, profound lamentation, and the desperate flight of the Moabite populace as their cities are laid waste and their fertile land becomes desolate. The imagery conveys a sense of complete societal and military collapse. Verse 12 acts as the spiritual and theological climax of this despair, powerfully revealing the ultimate futility and impotence of Moab's deeply ingrained religious system when confronted with the overwhelming and unyielding power of divine judgment.
Historical & Cultural Context: Moab was an ancient nation situated on the eastern side of the Dead Sea, maintaining a complex and often adversarial relationship with Israel, despite their familial link through Lot, Abraham's nephew (as recounted in Genesis 19:37). Moab was notoriously characterized by its pervasive pride (a theme echoed in Jeremiah 48:29) and its entrenched idolatry, primarily the worship of Chemosh, their national god. Their religious devotion manifested in rituals performed on elevated sites known as "high places" and within dedicated "sanctuaries" or temples. The prophecy in Isaiah 15-16 likely anticipates or describes an impending invasion and conquest, possibly by the Assyrian or Babylonian empires, which would bring about the prophesied desolation. In times of severe national crisis, it was a common cultural practice for ancient peoples to intensify their appeals and sacrifices to their deities, making Moab's desperate turning to its gods a culturally predictable, yet ultimately fruitless, response.
Key Themes: This verse profoundly contributes to several overarching theological and narrative themes prevalent within the book of Isaiah and the broader prophetic literature. Firstly, it starkly highlights the futility of idolatry, unequivocally demonstrating that any reliance on man-made gods or any power apart from the one true God, Yahweh, is utterly useless and incapable of providing deliverance in times of genuine crisis. Moab's fervent prayers to Chemosh are exposed as entirely impotent against God's sovereign decree, powerfully illustrating the inherent emptiness and powerlessness of false worship (a concept powerfully articulated in Psalm 115:4-8). Secondly, the verse strongly reinforces the theme of divine sovereignty and judgment, asserting God's absolute and unchallenged authority over all nations and their false deities. Despite Moab's spiritual fervor and desperate appeals, God's will prevails, illustrating His supreme dominion over earthly kingdoms and their ultimate destinies (as powerfully declared in Daniel 4:17). Finally, the passage implicitly touches upon the consequences of pride and rebellion, as Moab's long history of arrogance, opposition to God's people, and entrenched idolatry culminates in a judgment from which their false gods are utterly incapable of saving them.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Isaiah 16:12 employs several potent literary devices to convey its stark and powerful message. Irony is central to the verse, as Moab, in its deepest despair and weariness, turns to the very "high places" and "sanctuaries" that represent its long-standing rebellion against the true God, expecting deliverance from the consequences of that rebellion. The passage presents a tragic contrast between Moab's desperate hope and the stark reality of its utter futility. Symbolism is profoundly evident in the terms "high place" and "sanctuary," which are not merely physical locations but powerful symbols of Moab's idolatrous faith, its spiritual barrenness, and its reliance on false power. The nation's "weariness on the high place" symbolizes the spiritual exhaustion and moral bankruptcy of their pagan religious system. Finally, the concluding phrase "but he shall not prevail" functions as a stark antithesis to Moab's desperate act of prayer, creating a dramatic and conclusive statement of ultimate failure that directly contradicts their fervent, yet misdirected, hope.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Isaiah 16:12 serves as a profound theological statement on the nature of true power and the inherent emptiness of false worship. It vividly illustrates that human efforts, even those couched in fervent religious devotion and desperate appeals, are utterly powerless and ineffectual when directed towards anything other than the one true, living God. Moab's absolute inability to "prevail" underscores God's absolute and unchallenged sovereignty over all nations and the ultimate futility of relying on idols, self-made solutions, or human strength in the face of His divine judgment. This passage serves as a timeless reminder that God alone is the singular source of true strength, lasting deliverance, and prevailing power, and that any trust placed elsewhere will inevitably lead to weariness, despair, and ultimate failure.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Isaiah 16:12 offers a piercing and timeless challenge for contemporary believers, compelling us to critically examine the true objects of our trust and devotion, especially during periods of profound personal or collective crisis. When life's burdens weigh us down, when circumstances overwhelm us, and we find ourselves feeling "weary" and depleted, where do we instinctively turn for solace, strength, and solutions? This verse serves as a powerful and sobering reminder that any "high place" or "sanctuary" we construct outside of genuine, humble reliance on God—whether it be our careers, financial security, personal relationships, intellectual prowess, self-sufficiency, or even religious rituals devoid of true faith—will ultimately prove to be a source of futility, exhaustion, and despair. True prevailing power, lasting peace, and genuine deliverance are found only in humble submission to God, seeking His will, and placing our complete trust in His sovereign might. The passage calls us to abandon all forms of spiritual idolatry, recognizing with absolute clarity that only the living God can truly hear our prayers, provide unfailing strength, and enable us to overcome life's most formidable challenges.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Who were the Moabites, and why was God's judgment pronounced against them?
Answer: The Moabites were an ancient nation descended from Lot, Abraham's nephew, through an incestuous union (see Genesis 19:37). They inhabited the land east of the Dead Sea. God's judgment was pronounced against them primarily due to their consistent pride, their long-standing hostility towards Israel (e.g., hiring Balaam to curse Israel in Numbers 22-24), and their deep-seated idolatry, particularly the worship of their national god Chemosh, which often involved detestable practices like child sacrifice (as mentioned in 1 Kings 11:7). Their refusal to offer aid to Israel during the Exodus and their persistent opposition to God's people also contributed significantly to their condemnation.
Does this verse imply that all prayer is futile if it's not directed to the "right" God?
Answer: Fundamentally, yes, this verse powerfully highlights the inherent futility of prayer directed to false gods or any entity other than the one true, living God. Moab's fervent prayers to their deities in their sanctuary were utterly in vain because those gods were either non-existent or utterly powerless. The Bible consistently teaches that true, effective prayer is a relational communication with the living God, who alone possesses the power to hear, respond, and "prevail" on behalf of His people. The issue is not the act of praying itself, but the object of that prayer. As Psalm 50:15 declares, "Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me."
What is the significance of "high places" in biblical texts?
Answer: "High places" (Hebrew: bâmâh) were elevated sites, often natural hilltops or man-made mounds, used for religious worship throughout the ancient Near East. While some early Israelite worship occurred on high places before the construction of the Temple in Jerusalem, they became primarily associated with pagan idolatry and syncretistic worship practices. Prophets and righteous kings throughout the Old Testament vehemently condemned and sought to destroy these high places because they served as centers for the worship of false gods like Baal and Chemosh, involving rituals anathema to Yahweh's commands (e.g., 2 Kings 23:8). In Isaiah 16:12, the "high place" powerfully symbolizes Moab's deeply ingrained idolatry, its spiritual barrenness, and the ultimate impotence of its false religion.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Isaiah 16:12, with its stark portrayal of Moab's futile reliance on false gods and its ultimate inability to prevail, powerfully foreshadows the absolute necessity and glorious sufficiency of Jesus Christ. Moab's "weariness on the high place" and their desperate, yet fruitless, prayers to their "sanctuary" vividly illustrate humanity's inherent spiritual bankruptcy and our desperate, often misdirected, search for salvation and deliverance outside of the one true God. This profound futility finds its ultimate and complete answer in Jesus Christ. While Moab's gods could not save them, Jesus is the true and living God, the one who truly "prevails" over sin, death, and all the powers of darkness, having disarmed and triumphed over them on the cross (as seen in Colossians 2:15). He is the ultimate "sanctuary," the true Temple of God, in whom all the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily, and through whom we, who were once alienated, now have direct access to the Father by one Spirit (as described in John 2:19-21 and Ephesians 2:18). Unlike Moab's prayers to impotent idols, our prayers offered through Christ, our great High Priest, are heard and answered by the Father, enabling us to draw near to the throne of grace with confidence (see Hebrews 4:14-16). The despair of Moab, unable to find help in their own strength or false worship, points to the glorious truth that in Christ alone, we find true rest for our weary souls (as promised in Matthew 11:28) and the power to prevail over life's challenges, not by our might or power, but by His Spirit (echoing Zechariah 4:6).