Isaiah 16:3-6

Listen to Isaiah 16:3-6
3 “Make up your mind,” Moab says. “Render a decision. Make your shadow like night— at high noon. Hide the fugitives, do not betray the refugees.
4 Let the Moabite fugitives stay with you; be their shelter from the destroyer.” The oppressor will come to an end, and destruction will cease; the aggressor will vanish from the land.
5 In love a throne will be established; in faithfulness a man will sit on it— one from the house[a] of David— one who in judging seeks justice and speeds the cause of righteousness.
6 We have heard of Moab’s pride— how great is her arrogance!— of her conceit, her pride and her insolence; but her boasts are empty.

Isaiah 16:3-6 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.

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Cross References 10

  • 1. S 1 Kings 18:4
  • 2. Isaiah 58:7
  • 3. S Isaiah 9:4
  • 4. Isaiah 2:2-4
  • 5. S 1 Samuel 13:14; Daniel 7:14; Micah 4:7
  • 6. S Proverbs 20:28
  • 7. S Isaiah 7:2; Luke 1:32
  • 8. S Isaiah 9:7
  • 9. Jeremiah 25:21; Ezekiel 25:8; Amos 2:1; Zephaniah 2:8
  • 10. S Leviticus 26:19; S Job 20:6; Jeremiah 49:16; Obadiah 1:3; Zephaniah 2:10

Footnotes 1

  • [a] Hebrew "tent"
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.