The Bible
Home > Books > Isaiah

Isaiah 16

The Lord will send a ruler to the mountain of the daughter of Zion, and Moab will be in distress, with its people fleeing and seeking refuge. A throne of mercy will be established in the tabernacle of David, judging and repaying what is just. Moab's pride and arrogance will be its downfall, and the land will be devastated, with its vineyards and harvests destroyed. In three years, Moab's glory will be taken away, leaving behind only a small and weak remnant.

1O Lord, send forth the Lamb, the Ruler of the earth, from the Rock of the desert to the mountain of the daughter of Zion2And this shall be: like a bird fleeing away, and like fledglings flying from the nest, so will the daughters of Moab be at the passage of Arnon3Form a plan. Call a council. Let your shadow be as if it were night, even at midday. Conceal the fugitives, and do not betray the wanderers4My fugitives will live with you. Become a hiding place, O Moab, from the face of the destroyer. For the dust is at its end; the miserable one has been consumed. He who trampled the earth has failed5And a throne will be prepared in mercy, and One shall sit upon it in truth, in the tabernacle of David, judging and seeking judgment, and quickly repaying what is just6We have heard of the pride of Moab; he is very proud. His pride and his arrogance and his indignation is more than his strength7For this reason, Moab will wail to Moab; each one will wail. Speak of their wounds to those who rejoice upon the brick walls8For the suburbs of Heshbon are deserted, and the lords of the Gentiles have cut down the vineyard of Sibmah. Its vines have arrived even at Jazer. They have wandered in the desert. Its seedlings have been abandoned. They have crossed over the sea9I will weep with the tears of Jazer over this, the vineyard of Sibmah. I will inebriate you with my tears, Heshbon and Elealeh! For the sound of those who trample has rushed over your vintage and over your harvest10And so, rejoicing and exultation will be taken away from Carmel, and there will be no jubilation or exultation in the vineyards. He who was accustomed to tread will not tread out the wine in the winepress. I have taken away the sound of those who tread11Over this, my heart will resonate like a harp for Moab, and my inner most being for the brick wall12And this shall be: when it is seen that Moab has struggled upon his high places, he will enter his holy places to pray, but he will not prevail13This is the word that the Lord has spoken to Moab concerning that time14And now the Lord has spoken, saying: In three years, like the years of a hired hand, the glory of Moab concerning the entire multitude of the people will be taken away, and what is left behind will be small and weak and not so numerous
Share this chapter