Isaiah 16

1Send ye the lamb to the ruler of the land from Sela to the wilderness, unto the mount of the daughter of Zion.footnote a

2For it shall be, that, as a wandering bird cast out of the nest, so the daughters of Moab shall be at the fords of Arnon.footnote b

3Take counsel, execute judgment; make thy shadow as the night in the midst of the noonday; hide the outcasts; bewray not him that wandereth.footnote c

4Let mine outcasts dwell with thee, Moab; be thou a covert to them from the face of the spoiler: for the extortioner is at an end, the spoiler ceaseth, the oppressors are consumed out of the land.footnote dfootnote e

5And in mercy shall the throne be established: and he shall sit upon it in truth in the tabernacle of David, judging, and seeking judgment, and hasting righteousness.footnote f

6We have heard of the pride of Moab; he is very proud: even of his haughtiness, and his pride, and his wrath: but his lies shall not be so.

7Therefore shall Moab howl for Moab, every one shall howl: for the foundations of Kir-hareseth shall ye mourn; surely they are stricken.footnote g

8For the fields of Heshbon languish, and the vine of Sibmah: the lords of the heathen have broken down the principal plants thereof, they are come even unto Jazer, they wandered through the wilderness: her branches are stretched out, they are gone over the sea.footnote h

9Therefore I will bewail with the weeping of Jazer the vine of Sibmah: I will water thee with my tears, O Heshbon, and Elealeh: for the shouting for thy summer fruits and for thy harvest is fallen.footnote i

10And gladness is taken away, and joy out of the plentiful field; and in the vineyards there shall be no singing, neither shall there be shouting: the treaders shall tread out no wine in their presses; I have made their vintage shouting to cease.

11Wherefore my bowels shall sound like an harp for Moab, and mine inward parts for Kir-haresh.

12And it shall come to pass, when it is seen that Moab is weary on the high place, that he shall come to his sanctuary to pray; but he shall not prevail.

13This is the word that the LORD hath spoken concerning Moab since that time.

14But now the LORD hath spoken, saying, Within three years, as the years of an hireling, and the glory of Moab shall be contemned, with all that great multitude; and the remnant shall be very small and feeble.footnote j

Moab’s Destruction

1Send the tribute lambsto the ruler of the land,from Sela in the desertto the mount of Daughter Zion. 2Like fluttering birdspushed out of the nest,so are the daughters of Moabat the fords of the Arnon: 3“Give us counsel;render a decision.Shelter us at noondaywith shade as dark as night.Hide the refugees;do not betray the one who flees. 4Let my fugitives stay with you;be a refuge for Moab from the destroyer.”When the oppressor has gone, destruction has ceased,and the oppressors have vanished from the land, 5in loving devotionfootnote aa throne will be establishedin the tent of David.A judge seeking justice and hastening righteousnesswill sit on it in faithfulness.

6We have heard of Moab’s pomposity,his exceeding pride and conceit,his overflowing arrogance.But his boasting is empty. 7Therefore let Moab wail;let them wail together for Moab.Moan for the raisin cakes of Kir-hareseth,you who are utterly stricken. 8For the fields of Heshbon have withered,along with the grapevines of Sibmah.The rulers of the nationshave trampled its choicest vines,which had reached as far as Jazerand spread toward the desert.Their shoots had spread outand passed over the sea.footnote b

9So I weep with Jazerfor the vines of Sibmah;I drench Heshbon and Elealehwith my tears.Triumphant shouts have fallen silentover your summer fruit and your harvest. 10Joy and gladness are removed from the orchard;no one sings or shouts in the vineyards.No one tramples the grapes in the winepresses;I have put an end to the cheering. 11Therefore my heart laments for Moab like a harp,my inmost being for Kir-heres.footnote c 12When Moab appears on the high place,when he wearies himselfand enters his sanctuary to pray,it will do him no good.

13This is the message that the LORD spoke earlier concerning Moab. 14And now the LORD says, “In three years, as a hired worker counts the years, Moab’s splendor will become an object of contempt, with all her many people. And those who are left will be few and feeble.”