Isaiah 16:9-14

9 Therefore * I will 1weep bitterly for Jazer, for the vine of Sibmah; I will drench you with my tears, O 2Heshbon and Elealeh; For the shouting over your 3summer fruits and your harvest has fallen away.
10 4Gladness and joy are taken away from the fruitful field; In the 5vineyards also there will be no cries of joy or jubilant shouting, No 6treader treads out wine in the presses, For I have made the shouting to cease.
11 Therefore * my 7heart intones like a harp for Moab And my inward feelings for Kir-hareseth.
12 So it will come about when Moab 8presents himself, When he 9wearies himself upon his 10high place And comes to his sanctuary to pray, That he will not prevail.
13 This is the word which the LORD spoke earlier concerning Moab.
14 But now the LORD speaks, saying, "Within three years, as 11a hired man would count them, the glory of 12Moab will be degraded along with all his great population, and his remnant will be very small and impotent *."

Isaiah 16:9-14 Meaning and Commentary

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.

Cross References 12

  • 1. Jeremiah 48:32
  • 2. Isaiah 15:4
  • 3. Jeremiah 40:10, 12; Jeremiah 48:32
  • 4. Isaiah 24:8; Jeremiah 48:33
  • 5. Judges 9:27; Isaiah 24:7; Amos 5:11, 17
  • 6. Job 24:11; Amos 9:13
  • 7. Isaiah 15:5; Isaiah 63:15; Jeremiah 48:36; Hosea 11:8; Philippians 2:1
  • 8. Numbers 22:39-41; Jeremiah 48:35
  • 9. 1 Kings 18:29
  • 10. Isaiah 15:2
  • 11. Job 7:1; Job 14:6; Isaiah 21:16
  • 12. Isaiah 25:10; Jeremiah 48:42

Footnotes 4

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