Isaiah 16

1 Send ye the lambs for the ruler of the land from Selah to the wilderness, to the mount of the daughter of Zion.

Send forth, O Lord, the lamb, the ruler of the earth, from Petra of the desert, to the mount of the daughter of Sion.

2 For it shall be that, as wandering birds, as a scattered nest, so shall the daughters of Moab be at the fords of the Arnon.

And it shall come to pass, that as a bird fleeing away, and as young ones flying out of the nest, so shall the daughters of Moab be in the passage of Arnon.

3 Give counsel, execute justice, make thy shade as the night in the midst of the noonday. Hide the outcasts. Do not betray the fugitive.

Take counsel, gather a council: make thy shadow as the night in the midday: hide them that flee, and betray not them that wander about.

4 Let my outcasts dwell with thee. As for Moab, be thou a covert to him from the face of the destroyer. For the extortioner is brought to nothing. Destruction ceases. The oppressors are consumed out of the land.

My fugitives shall dwell with thee: O Moab, be thou a covert to them from the face of the destroyer: for the dust is at an end, the wretch is consumed: he hath failed, that trod the earth under foot.

5 And a throne shall be established in loving kindness, and he shall sit on it in truth, in the tent of David, judging, and seeking justice, and swift to do righteousness.

And a throne shall be prepared in mercy, and one shall sit upon it in truth in the tabernacle of David, judging and seeking judgment and quickly rendering that which is just.

6 We have heard of the pride of Moab, that he is very proud, even of his arrogance, and his pride, and his wrath. His boastings are nothing.

We have heard of the pride of Moab, he is exceeding proud: his pride and his arrogancy, and his indignation is more than his strength.

7 Therefore Moab shall wail for Moab, everyone shall wail. Ye shall mourn for the raisin-cakes of Kir-hareseth, utterly stricken.

Therefore shall Moab howl to Moab, every one shall howl: to them that rejoice upon the brick walls, tell ye their stripes.

8 For the fields of Heshbon languish, and the vine of Sibmah. The lords of the nations have broken down the choice branches of it, which reached even to Jazer, which wandered into the wilderness. Its shoots were spread abroad. They passed over the sea.

For the suburbs of Hesebon are desolate, and the lords of the nations have destroyed the vineyard of Sabama: the branches thereof have reached even to Jazer: they have wandered in the wilderness, the branches thereof are left, they are gone over the sea.

9 Therefore I will weep with the weeping of Jazer for the vine of Sibmah. I will water thee with my tears, O Heshbon, and Elealeh. for upon thy summer fruits and upon thy harvest the battle shout has fallen.

Therefore I will lament with the weeping of Jazer the vineyard of Sabama: I will water thee with my tears, O Hesebon, and Eleale: for the voice of the treaders hath rushed in upon thy vintage, and upon thy harvest.

10 And gladness is taken away, and joy out of the fruitful field. And in the vineyards there shall be no singing nor joyful noise. No treader shall tread out wine in the presses. I have made the vintage shout to cease.

And gladness and joy shall be taken away from Carmel, and there shall be no rejoicing nor shouting in the vineyards. He shall not tread out wine in the press that was wont to tread it out: the voice of the treaders I have taken away.

11 Therefore my heart sounds like a harp for Moab, and my inward parts for Kir-heres.

Wherefore my bowels shall sound like a harp for Moab, and my inward parts for the brick wall.

12 And it shall come to pass, when Moab presents himself, when he wearies himself upon the high place, and shall come to his sanctuary to pray, that he shall not prevail.

And it shall come to pass, when it is seen that Moab is wearied on his high places, that he shall go in to his sanctuaries to pray, and shall not prevail.

13 This is the word that Jehovah spoke concerning Moab in time past.

This is the word, that the Lord spoke to Moab from that time:

14 But now Jehovah has spoken, saying, Within three years, as the years of a hireling, the glory of Moab shall be brought into contempt, with all his great multitude. And the remnant shall be very small and of no account.

And now the Lord hath spoken, saying: In three years, as the years of a hireling, the glory of Moab shall be taken away for all the multitude of the people, and it shall be left small and feeble, not many.