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

6 We have heard of Moab’s pomposity, his exceeding pride and conceit, his overflowing arrogance. But his boasting is empty.

7 Therefore let Moab wail; let them wail together for Moab. Moan for the raisin cakes of Kir-hareseth, you who are utterly stricken.

8 For 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.

9 So 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.

10 Joy 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.

11 Therefore my heart laments for Moab like a harp, my inmost being for Kir-heres.

12 When Moab appears on the high place, when he wearies himself and enters his sanctuary to pray, it will do him no good.

13 This is the message that the LORD spoke earlier concerning Moab.

14 And 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 heard שָׁמַ֥עְנוּ H8085 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common plural of Moab’s מוֹאָ֖ב H4124 Noun - proper - feminine singular pomposity גְאוֹן־ H1347 Noun - masculine singular construct his exceeding מְאֹ֑ד H3966 Adverb pride גֵּ֣א H1341 Adjective - masculine singular [and] conceit גַּאֲוָת֧וֹ H1346 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular his overflowing וְעֶבְרָת֖וֹ H5678 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular arrogance וּגְאוֹנ֛וֹ H1347 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular But his boasting בַּדָּֽיו׃ס H907 Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular is empty לֹא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle . . . כֵ֥ן H3651 Adverb
Verse 7

Original words

Therefore לָכֵ֗ן H3651 Adverb let Moab מוֹאָ֛ב H4124 Noun - proper - feminine singular wail יְיֵלִ֥יל H3213 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular let them wail יְיֵלִ֑יל H3213 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular together כֻּלֹּ֣ה H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular for Moab לְמוֹאָ֖ב H4124 Preposition-l | Noun - proper - feminine singular Moan תֶּהְגּ֖וּ H1897 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural for the raisin cakes לַאֲשִׁישֵׁ֧י H809 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct vvv קִיר־ H7025 of Kir-hareseth חֲרֶ֛שֶׂת H7025 Noun - proper - feminine singular you who are utterly אַךְ־ H389 Adverb stricken נְכָאִֽים׃ H5218 Noun - masculine plural
Verse 8

Original words

For כִּ֣י H3588 Conjunction the fields שַׁדְמוֹת֩ H7709 Noun - feminine plural construct of Heshbon חֶשְׁבּ֨וֹן H2809 Noun - proper - feminine singular have withered אֻמְלָ֜ל H535 Verb - Pual - Perfect - third person masculine singular along with the grapevines גֶּ֣פֶן H1612 Noun - common singular construct of Sibmah שִׂבְמָ֗ה H7643 Noun - proper - feminine singular The rulers בַּעֲלֵ֤י H1167 Noun - masculine plural construct of the nations גוֹיִם֙ H1471 Noun - masculine plural have trampled הָלְמ֣וּ H1986 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural its choicest vines שְׂרוּקֶּ֔יהָ H8291 Adjective - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular which had reached נָגָ֖עוּ H5060 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural as עַד־ H5704 Preposition far as Jazer יַעְזֵ֥ר H3270 Noun - proper - feminine singular and spread תָּ֣עוּ H8582 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural toward the desert מִדְבָּ֑ר H4057 Noun - masculine singular Their shoots שְׁלֻ֣חוֹתֶ֔יהָ H7976 Noun - feminine plural construct | third person feminine singular had spread out נִטְּשׁ֖וּ H5203 Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural and passed over עָ֥בְרוּ H5674 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural the sea יָֽם׃ H3220 Noun - masculine singular

BSB notes

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

Original words

So עַל־ H5921 Preposition . . . כֵּ֡ן H3651 Adverb I weep אֶבְכֶּ֞ה H1058 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular . . . בִּבְכִ֤י H1065 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct with Jazer יַעְזֵר֙ H3270 Noun - proper - feminine singular for the vines גֶּ֣פֶן H1612 Noun - common singular construct of Sibmah שִׂבְמָ֔ה H7643 Noun - proper - feminine singular I drench אֲרַיָּ֙וֶךְ֙ H7301 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - first person common singular | second person feminine singular Heshbon חֶשְׁבּ֖וֹן H2809 Noun - proper - feminine singular and Elealeh וְאֶלְעָלֵ֑ה H500 Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - feminine singular . . . כִּ֧י H3588 Conjunction with my tears דִּמְעָתִ֔י H1832 Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular Triumphant shouts הֵידָ֥ד H1959 Noun - masculine singular have fallen silent נָפָֽל׃ H5307 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular over עַל־ H5921 Preposition your summer fruit קֵיצֵ֛ךְ H7019 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person feminine singular . . . וְעַל־ H5921 Conjunctive waw | Preposition and your harvest קְצִירֵ֖ךְ H7105 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person feminine singular
Verse 10

Original words

Joy שִׂמְחָ֤ה H8057 Noun - feminine singular and gladness וָגִיל֙ H1524 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular are removed וְנֶאֱסַ֨ף H622 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular from מִן־ H4480 Preposition the orchard הַכַּרְמֶ֔ל H3759 Article | Noun - masculine singular no one לֹֽא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle sings יְרֻנָּ֖ן H7442 Verb - Pual - Imperfect - third person masculine singular or shouts יְרֹעָ֑ע H7321 Verb - Pual - Imperfect - third person masculine singular in the vineyards וּבַכְּרָמִ֥ים H3754 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plural No לֹ֣א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle one tramples יִדְרֹ֥ךְ H1869 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular . . . הַדֹּרֵ֖ךְ H1869 Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular the grapes יַ֗יִן H3196 Noun - masculine singular in the winepresses בַּיְקָבִ֛ים H3342 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plural . . . לֹֽא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle I have put an end הִשְׁבַּֽתִּי׃ H7673 Verb - Hifil - Perfect - first person common singular to the cheering הֵידָ֥ד H1959 Noun - masculine singular
Verse 11

Original words

Therefore עַל־ H5921 Preposition . . . כֵּן֙ H3651 Adverb my heart מֵעַ֣י H4578 Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular laments יֶֽהֱמ֑וּ H1993 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural for Moab לְמוֹאָ֔ב H4124 Preposition-l | Noun - proper - feminine singular like a harp כַּכִּנּ֖וֹר H3658 Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singular my inmost being וְקִרְבִּ֖י H7130 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular vvv לְקִ֥יר H7025 Preposition for Kir-heres חָֽרֶשׂ׃ H7025 Preposition | Noun - proper - feminine singular

BSB notes

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

Original words

- וְהָיָ֧ה H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular When כִֽי־ H3588 Conjunction Moab מוֹאָ֖ב H4124 Noun - proper - feminine singular appears נִרְאָ֛ה H7200 Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular on עַל־ H5921 Preposition the high place הַבָּמָ֑ה H1116 Article | Noun - feminine singular when כִּֽי־ H3588 Conjunction he wearies himself נִלְאָ֥ה H3811 Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular and enters וּבָ֧א H935 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular . . . אֶל־ H413 Preposition his sanctuary מִקְדָּשׁ֛וֹ H4720 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular to pray לְהִתְפַּלֵּ֖ל H6419 Preposition-l | Verb - Hitpael - Infinitive construct it will do him no וְלֹ֥א H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle good יוּכָֽל׃ H3201 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Verse 13

Original words

This זֶ֣ה H2088 Pronoun - masculine singular is the message הַדָּבָ֗ר H1697 Article | Noun - masculine singular that אֲשֶׁ֨ר H834 Pronoun - relative the LORD יְהוָ֛ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular spoke דִּבֶּ֧ר H1696 Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular earlier מֵאָֽז׃ H227 Preposition-m | Adverb concerning אֶל־ H413 Preposition Moab מוֹאָ֖ב H4124 Noun - proper - feminine singular
Verse 14

Original words

And now וְעַתָּ֗ה H6258 Conjunctive waw | Adverb the LORD יְהוָה֮ H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular . . . לֵאמֹר֒ H559 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct says דִּבֶּ֣ר H1696 Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular In three בְּשָׁלֹ֤שׁ H7969 Preposition-b | Number - feminine singular years שָׁנִים֙ H8141 Noun - feminine plural as a hired worker שָׂכִ֔יר H7916 Adjective - masculine singular counts the years כִּשְׁנֵ֣י H8141 Preposition-k | Noun - feminine plural construct Moab’s מוֹאָ֔ב H4124 Noun - proper - feminine singular splendor כְּב֣וֹד H3519 Noun - masculine singular construct will become an object of contempt וְנִקְלָה֙ H7034 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular with all בְּכֹ֖ל H3605 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct her many הָרָ֑ב H7227 Article | Adjective - masculine singular people הֶהָמ֣וֹן H1995 Article | Noun - masculine singular And those who are left וּשְׁאָ֥ר H7605 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular will be few מְעַ֛ט H4592 Adjective - masculine singular . . . מִזְעָ֖ר H4213 Adverb [and] feeble ל֥וֹא H3808 Adverb - Negative particle . . . כַבִּֽיר׃ס H3524 Adjective - 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.