Focused Passage

Isaiah 16:6-14

Moab’s Plea, Zion’s Throne of Mercy, and the Judgment of Moab’s Pride

The chapter moves from a call to send lambs from Moab to Zion, to Moab’s fugitives seeking counsel and shelter, to the promise of a throne established in love, to the exposure of Moab’s pride, to lament over Moab’s destroyed vineyards and silenced harvest joy, to the failure of Moab’s high-place worship, and finally to the fixed judgment within three years.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

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 nations have trampled its choicest vines, which had reached as far as Jazer and spread toward the desert. Their shoots had spread out and passed over the sea.

9So I weep with Jazer for the vines of Sibmah; I drench Heshbon and Elealeh with my tears. Triumphant shouts have fallen silent over 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.

12When Moab appears on the high place, when he wearies himself and 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.”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 6

Original words

We have heardשָׁמַ֥עְנוּH8085Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common pluralof Moab’sמוֹאָ֖בH4124Noun - proper - feminine singularpomposityגְאוֹן־H1347Noun - masculine singular constructhis exceedingמְאֹ֑דH3966Adverbprideגֵּ֣אH1341Adjective - masculine singular[and] conceitגַּאֲוָת֧וֹH1346Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularhis overflowingוְעֶבְרָת֖וֹH5678Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singulararroganceוּגְאוֹנ֛וֹH1347Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularBut his boastingבַּדָּֽיו׃סH907Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singularis emptyלֹא־H3808Adverb - Negative particle. . .כֵ֥ןH3651Adverb
Verse 7

Original words

Thereforeלָכֵ֗ןH3651Adverblet Moabמוֹאָ֛בH4124Noun - proper - feminine singularwailיְיֵלִ֥ילH3213Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singularlet them wailיְיֵלִ֑ילH3213Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singulartogetherכֻּלֹּ֣הH3605Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularfor Moabלְמוֹאָ֖בH4124Preposition-l | Noun - proper - feminine singularMoanתֶּהְגּ֖וּH1897Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine pluralfor the raisin cakesלַאֲשִׁישֵׁ֧יH809Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural constructvvvקִיר־H7025of Kir-haresethחֲרֶ֛שֶׂתH7025Noun - proper - feminine singularyou who are utterlyאַךְ־H389Adverbstrickenנְכָאִֽים׃H5218Noun - masculine plural
Verse 8

Original words

Forכִּ֣יH3588Conjunctionthe fieldsשַׁדְמוֹת֩H7709Noun - feminine plural constructof Heshbonחֶשְׁבּ֨וֹןH2809Noun - proper - feminine singularhave witheredאֻמְלָ֜לH535Verb - Pual - Perfect - third person masculine singularalong with the grapevinesגֶּ֣פֶןH1612Noun - common singular constructof Sibmahשִׂבְמָ֗הH7643Noun - proper - feminine singularThe rulersבַּעֲלֵ֤יH1167Noun - masculine plural constructof the nationsגוֹיִם֙H1471Noun - masculine pluralhave trampledהָלְמ֣וּH1986Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralits choicest vinesשְׂרוּקֶּ֔יהָH8291Adjective - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singularwhich had reachedנָגָ֖עוּH5060Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralasעַד־H5704Prepositionfar as Jazerיַעְזֵ֥רH3270Noun - proper - feminine singularand spreadתָּ֣עוּH8582Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluraltoward the desertמִדְבָּ֑רH4057Noun - masculine singularTheir shootsשְׁלֻ֣חוֹתֶ֔יהָH7976Noun - feminine plural construct | third person feminine singularhad spread outנִטְּשׁ֖וּH5203Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common pluraland passed overעָ֥בְרוּH5674Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common pluralthe seaיָֽם׃H3220Noun - masculine singular

BSB notes

  • Or and had gone as far as the sea; that is, probably the Dead Sea
Verse 9

Original words

Soעַל־H5921Preposition. . .כֵּ֡ןH3651AdverbI weepאֶבְכֶּ֞הH1058Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular. . .בִּבְכִ֤יH1065Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular constructwith Jazerיַעְזֵר֙H3270Noun - proper - feminine singularfor the vinesגֶּ֣פֶןH1612Noun - common singular constructof Sibmahשִׂבְמָ֔הH7643Noun - proper - feminine singularI drenchאֲרַיָּ֙וֶךְ֙H7301Verb - Piel - Imperfect - first person common singular | second person feminine singularHeshbonחֶשְׁבּ֖וֹןH2809Noun - proper - feminine singularand Elealehוְאֶלְעָלֵ֑הH500Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - feminine singular. . .כִּ֧יH3588Conjunctionwith my tearsדִּמְעָתִ֔יH1832Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singularTriumphant shoutsהֵידָ֥דH1959Noun - masculine singularhave fallen silentנָפָֽל׃H5307Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularoverעַל־H5921Prepositionyour summer fruitקֵיצֵ֛ךְH7019Noun - masculine singular construct | second person feminine singular. . .וְעַל־H5921Conjunctive waw | Prepositionand your harvestקְצִירֵ֖ךְH7105Noun - masculine singular construct | second person feminine singular
Verse 10

Original words

Joyשִׂמְחָ֤הH8057Noun - feminine singularand gladnessוָגִיל֙H1524Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singularare removedוְנֶאֱסַ֨ףH622Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularfromמִן־H4480Prepositionthe orchardהַכַּרְמֶ֔לH3759Article | Noun - masculine singularno oneלֹֽא־H3808Adverb - Negative particlesingsיְרֻנָּ֖ןH7442Verb - Pual - Imperfect - third person masculine singularor shoutsיְרֹעָ֑עH7321Verb - Pual - Imperfect - third person masculine singularin the vineyardsוּבַכְּרָמִ֥יםH3754Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine pluralNoלֹ֣אH3808Adverb - Negative particleone tramplesיִדְרֹ֥ךְH1869Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular. . .הַדֹּרֵ֖ךְH1869Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularthe grapesיַ֗יִןH3196Noun - masculine singularin the winepressesבַּיְקָבִ֛יםH3342Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plural. . .לֹֽא־H3808Adverb - Negative particleI have put an endהִשְׁבַּֽתִּי׃H7673Verb - Hifil - Perfect - first person common singularto the cheeringהֵידָ֥דH1959Noun - masculine singular
Verse 11

Original words

Thereforeעַל־H5921Preposition. . .כֵּן֙H3651Adverbmy heartמֵעַ֣יH4578Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singularlamentsיֶֽהֱמ֑וּH1993Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralfor Moabלְמוֹאָ֔בH4124Preposition-l | Noun - proper - feminine singularlike a harpכַּכִּנּ֖וֹרH3658Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singularmy inmost beingוְקִרְבִּ֖יH7130Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularvvvלְקִ֥ירH7025Prepositionfor Kir-heresחָֽרֶשׂ׃H7025Preposition | Noun - proper - feminine singular

BSB notes

  • Kir-heres is a variant of Kir-hareseth; see verse 7.
Verse 12

Original words

-וְהָיָ֧הH1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularWhenכִֽי־H3588ConjunctionMoabמוֹאָ֖בH4124Noun - proper - feminine singularappearsנִרְאָ֛הH7200Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singularonעַל־H5921Prepositionthe high placeהַבָּמָ֑הH1116Article | Noun - feminine singularwhenכִּֽי־H3588Conjunctionhe wearies himselfנִלְאָ֥הH3811Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singularand entersוּבָ֧אH935Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular. . .אֶל־H413Prepositionhis sanctuaryמִקְדָּשׁ֛וֹH4720Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularto prayלְהִתְפַּלֵּ֖לH6419Preposition-l | Verb - Hitpael - Infinitive constructit will do him noוְלֹ֥אH3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particlegoodיוּכָֽל׃H3201Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Verse 13

Original words

Thisזֶ֣הH2088Pronoun - masculine singularis the messageהַדָּבָ֗רH1697Article | Noun - masculine singularthatאֲשֶׁ֨רH834Pronoun - relativethe LORDיְהוָ֛הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularspokeדִּבֶּ֧רH1696Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singularearlierמֵאָֽז׃H227Preposition-m | Adverbconcerningאֶל־H413PrepositionMoabמוֹאָ֖בH4124Noun - proper - feminine singular
Verse 14

Original words

And nowוְעַתָּ֗הH6258Conjunctive waw | Adverbthe LORDיְהוָה֮H3068Noun - proper - masculine singular. . .לֵאמֹר֒H559Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructsaysדִּבֶּ֣רH1696Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singularIn threeבְּשָׁלֹ֤שׁH7969Preposition-b | Number - feminine singularyearsשָׁנִים֙H8141Noun - feminine pluralas a hired workerשָׂכִ֔ירH7916Adjective - masculine singularcounts the yearsכִּשְׁנֵ֣יH8141Preposition-k | Noun - feminine plural constructMoab’sמוֹאָ֔בH4124Noun - proper - feminine singularsplendorכְּב֣וֹדH3519Noun - masculine singular constructwill become an object of contemptוְנִקְלָה֙H7034Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularwith allבְּכֹ֖לH3605Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular constructher manyהָרָ֑בH7227Article | Adjective - masculine singularpeopleהֶהָמ֣וֹןH1995Article | Noun - masculine singularAnd those who are leftוּשְׁאָ֥רH7605Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singularwill be fewמְעַ֛טH4592Adjective - masculine singular. . .מִזְעָ֖רH4213Adverb[and] feebleל֥וֹאH3808Adverb - Negative particle. . .כַבִּֽיר׃סH3524Adjective - masculine singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.