Isaiah 16:5-14

5 Then a new loyal king will come; this faithful king will be from the family of David. He will judge fairly and do what is right.

6 We have heard that the people of Moab are proud and very conceited. They are very proud and angry, but their bragging means nothing.

7 So the people of Moab will cry; they will all be sad. They will moan and groan for the raisin cakes they had in Kir Hareseth.

8 But the fields of Heshbon and the vines of Sibmah cannot grow grapes; foreign rulers have destroyed the grapevines. The grapevines once spread as far as the city of Jazer and into the desert; they had spread as far as the sea.

9 I cry with the people of Jazer for the grapevines of Sibmah. I will cry with the people of Heshbon and Elealeh. There will be no shouts of joy, because there will be no harvest or ripe fruit.

10 There will be no joy and happiness in the orchards and no songs or shouts of joy in the vineyards. No one makes wine in the winepresses, because I have put an end to shouts of joy.

11 My heart cries for Moab like a harp playing a funeral song; I am very sad for Kir Hareseth.

12 The people of Moab will go to their places of worship and will try to pray. But when they go to their temple to pray, they will not be able.

13 Earlier the Lord said these things about Moab.

14 Now the Lord says, "In three years all those people and what they take pride in will be hated. (This is three years as a hired helper would count time.) There will be a few people left, but they will be weak."

Isaiah 16:5-14 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.