Isaiah 16:8-14

8 For the fields of Heshbon languish, and ¹the vine of Sibmah; the lords of the nations have struck down its branches, which reached to Jazer and strayed to the desert; its shoots spread abroad and passed over the sea.

9 Therefore ²I weep with ³the weeping of Jazer for the vine of Sibmah; I drench you with my tears, O Heshbon and Elealeh; for over ⁴your summer fruit and your harvest the shout has ceased.

10 ⁵And joy and gladness are taken away from ⁶the fruitful field, and in the vineyards no ⁷songs are sung, no cheers are raised; no ⁸treader treads out wine ⁹in the presses; I have put an end to the shouting.

11 Therefore ¹⁰my inner parts moan like a lyre for Moab, and my inmost self for Kir-hareseth.

12 And when Moab presents himself, when ¹¹he wearies himself on ¹²the high place, when he comes to his sanctuary to pray, he will not prevail.

13 This is the word that the LORD spoke concerning Moab ¹³in the past.

14 But now the LORD has spoken, saying, "In three years, ¹⁴like the years of a hired worker, the glory of Moab will be brought into contempt, in spite of all his great multitude, and those who remain will be ¹⁵very few and feeble."

Isaiah 16:8-14 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

• 1. Jeremiah 48:32
• 2. [Isaiah 15:5]
• 3. [See ver. 8 above]
• 4. [ver. 7]
• 5. Jeremiah 48:33
• 6. [Isaiah 9:3]
• 7. [Judges 9:27]
• 8. Isaiah 63:3; Jeremiah 25:30
• 9. Isaiah 5:2
• 10. Isaiah 15:5; Jeremiah 48:36
• 11. [1 Kings 18:29]
• 12. Isaiah 15:2; [Numbers 22:41; Numbers 23:14, 28]
• 13. See Amos 2:1-3
• 14. Isaiah 21:16
• 15. [Isaiah 10:22]