Isaiah 16
16
Chapter 16
Moab's troubles
1We must send sheep as gifts to the ruler of our land. Send them from Sela across the desert. Send them to Mount Zion in Jerusalem. #16:1 The Moabite leaders are deciding what they should do.
2Moab's women are standing at the shore of Arnon river. They want to go across. They are like birds that people have chased out of their nests.
3The Moabites say, ‘Tell us what we should do! Help us in our troubles! Give us some shade in the middle of the day! Hide the people who are escaping! Our enemies are chasing us. Do not let them find us. 4Let us escape from Moab and come to live among you. Our enemy wants to destroy us. Please keep us safe!’
Yes, one day, the cruel enemy will have gone. He will no longer attack the land and destroy it. 5One of David's descendants will rule as king. He will be true and honest. He will judge people in a fair way. He will quickly bring justice among his people.
6The people of Judah say, ‘We know how proud Moab's people are. We have heard how they boast about themselves. They think that they can do anything that they want. But all their pride is empty and useless!’
7Because of their troubles, Moab's people weep. They are all very upset. They are sad because there are no more sweet raisins from Kir-Hareseth!
8Yes, nothing grows in Heshbon's fields. There are no grapes on Sibmah's vines. The rulers of other nations have destroyed the vineyards. The branches of those vines reached as far as Jazer, and the desert. They even grew to go across the sea. #16:8 The vines are a picture of Moab's strength. Other nations enjoyed the good things that they received from Moab. 9Because of that, I weep for the vines of Sibmah, as Jazer weeps. I pour out my tears all over you, Heshbon and Elealeh. Your people no longer sing because they are happy at harvest time. There is no more fruit on your trees or crops in your fields. 10Nobody is happy in the fields. Nobody sings or shouts with joy in the vineyards. Nobody squeezes the grapes to make wine. I have caused all the happy noise to stop.
11So I cry deep inside me for Moab. I cry like the sad music of a harp. I am very upset for Kir-Hareseth.
12Moab's people go to their altars and temples to pray for help from their gods. But they will only become tired. Their prayers will be useless.
13That is the message that the Lord has already spoken about Moab. 14But now the Lord says, ‘In three years' time, all Moab's glory will have gone. Count every day of those years, as if you are working to receive money. After that, there will only be a few of Moab's people who are still alive. Now they are many and they are strong. But by then they will be few and weak.’
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Isaiah 16
16
More Troubles for Moab
1Send lambs#16.1 lambs: The main product of Moab. as gifts
to the ruler of the land.
Send them across the desert
from Sela#16.1 Sela: A town in Edom. to Mount Zion.
2The women of Moab
crossing the Arnon River
are like a flock of birds
scattered from their nests.
3Moab's messengers say
to the people of Judah,
“Be kind and help us!
Shade us from the heat
of the noonday sun.
Hide our refugees!
Don't turn them away.
4Let our people live
in your country
and find safety here.”
Moab, your cruel enemies
will disappear;
they will no longer attack
and destroy your land.
5Then a kingdom of love
will be set up,
and someone from David's family
will rule with fairness.
He will do what is right
and quickly bring justice.
Moab's Pride Is Destroyed
6We have heard of Moab's pride.
Its people strut and boast,
but without reason.
7Tell everyone in Moab
to mourn for their nation.
Tell them to cry and weep
for those fancy raisins#16.7 fancy raisins: The Hebrew text has “raisin-cakes,” which could mean either the rich produce or the prosperous farmers.
of Kir-Hareseth.
8Vineyards near Heshbon
and Sibmah
have turned brown.
The rulers of nations
used to get drunk
on wine from those vineyards#16.8 The rulers … vineyards: Or “The rulers of nations have destroyed those vineyards.”
that spread to Jazer,
then across the desert
and beyond the sea.
9Now I mourn like Jazer
for the vineyards
of Sibmah.
I shed tears for Heshbon
and for Elealeh.
There will be no more
harvest celebrations
10or joyful and happy times,
while bringing in the crops.
Singing and shouting are gone
from the vineyards.
There are no joyful shouts
where grapes were pressed.
God has silenced them all.
11Deep in my heart I hurt
for Moab and Kir-Heres.
12It's useless for Moab's people
to wear themselves out
by going to their altars
to worship and pray.
13The Lord has already said all of this about Moab. 14Now he says, “The contract of a hired worker is good for three years, but Moab's glory and greatness won't last any longer than that. Only a few of its people will survive, and they will be left helpless.”
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Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.