Isaiah 16

1 Send lambs to the ruler of the land, from Sela through the desert to the mountain of Daughter Zion.

2 The daughters of Moab at the fords of the Arnon are like orphaned birds pushed from the nest.

3 Consider carefully, act justly; at high noon provide your shade like night. Hide the outcasts; keep the fugitives hidden.

4 Let the outcasts of Moab live among you. Be a hiding place for them from the destroyer. When the oppressor is no more, when destruction has ceased, when the trampler has vanished from the land,

5 a throne will be established based on goodness, and someone will sit faithfully on it in David's dwelling— a judge who seeks justice and timely righteousness.

6 We have heard of Moab's pride, his great pride, his outrageous pride and arrogance, his empty boasting.

7 Therefore, let Moab wail; let everyone wail for Moab. Let them moan, utterly stricken, for the raisin cakes of Kir-hareseth.

8 The fields of Heshbon languish. The vines of Sibmah, whose honored grapes overpowered masters of nations, had reached as far as Jazer and strayed to the desert. Their tendrils spread out and crossed the sea.

9 Therefore, I will weep with Jazer's weeping for the vines of Sibmah. I will drench you with my tears, Heshbon and Elealeh. Cheers have fallen silent concerning your summer fruit and your grain harvest.

10 Joy and happiness have been harvested from the farmland, and in the vineyards no one sings, no one shouts. No treader crushes grapes in the wine vats; I have brought the cheers to an end.

11 Therefore, my heart plays sadly like a harp for Moab, my inner being for Kir-heres.

12 Even if Moab presents himself, and Moab wears himself out going to the shrine, and comes to his sanctuary to pray, he won't prevail.

13 This is the word that the LORD had spoken concerning Moab long ago.

14 But now the LORD has said: In three years, like the years of a hired worker, the glory of Moab, with all its great multitude, will dwindle. The small remnant will be few and feeble.

Isaiah 16 Commentary

Chapter 16

Moab is exhorted to yield obedience. (1-5) The pride and the judgments of Moab. (6-14)

Verses 1-5 God tells sinners what they may do to prevent ruin; so he does to Moab. Let them send the tribute they formerly engaged to pay to Judah. Take it as good advice. Break off thy sins by righteousness, it may lengthen thy quiet. And this may be applied to the great gospel duty of submission to Christ. Send him the lamb, the best you have, yourselves a living sacrifice. When you come to God, the great Ruler, come in the name of the Lamb, the Lamb of God. Those who will not submit to Christ, shall be as a bird that wanders from her nest, which shall be snatched up by the next bird of prey. Those who will not yield to the fear of God, shall be made to yield to the fear of every thing else. He advises them to be kind to the seed of Israel. Those that expect to find favour when in trouble themselves, must show favour to those in trouble. What is here said concerning the throne of Hezekiah, also belongs, in a much higher sense, to the kingdom of Jesus Christ. Though by subjection to Him we may not enjoy worldly riches or honours, but may be exposed to poverty and contempt, we shall have peace of conscience and eternal life.

Verses 6-14 Those who will not be counselled, cannot be helped. More souls are ruined by pride than by any other sin whatever. Also, the very proud are commonly very passionate. With lies many seek to gain the gratification of pride and passion, but they shall not compass proud and angry projects. Moab was famous for fields and vineyards; but they shall be laid waste by the invading army. God can soon turn laughter into mourning, and joy into heaviness. In God let us always rejoice with holy triumph; in earthly things let us always rejoice with holy trembling. The prophet looks with concern on the desolations of such a pleasant country; it causes inward grief. The false gods of Moab are unable to help; and the God of Israel, the only true God, can and will make good what he has spoken. Let Moab know her ruin is very near, and prepare. The most awful declarations of Divine wrath, discover the way of escape to those who take warning. There is no escape, but by submission to the Son of David, and devoting ourselves to him. And, at length, when the appointed time comes, all the glory, prosperity, and multitude of the wicked shall perish.

Footnotes

• [a]. Heb uncertain
• [b]. Or tent

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 16

This chapter is a continuation of the prophecy against Moab; in which the prophet gives good advice, but in case of a haughty neglect of it, which he foresaw, threatens with ruin, and fixes a time for it. He advises the Moabites to pay their tribute to the king of Judah, or otherwise they should be turned out of their land, as a bird out of its nest, Isa 16:1,2 to protect, and not betray the people of the Jews that should flee to them, because of the Assyrian army, Isa 16:3,4 and for this end gives a great character of the king of Judah, and assures them of the stability of his kingdom, Isa 16:5 but for their pride, wrath, and lying, they are threatened with destruction, and are represented as howling under it, Isa 16:6,7 because of the spoil of their cities, vineyards, and fields, so that they have no harvest, nor vintage, nor gathering of summer fruits, or joy on these accounts, Isa 16:8-10 for which even the prophet expresses a concern, Isa 16:11 and after having observed the application of the Moabites to their gods without success, Isa 16:12 the chapter is closed with an assurance of the certain ruin of Moab, and of the time when it should be, Isa 16:13,14.