Logos Bible Study

Isaiah 16:6–11

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16:6We have heard about Moab’s pride,

their great arrogance,

their boasting, pride, and excess.15

But their boastful claims are empty!16

16:7So Moab wails over its demise17—

they all wail!

Completely devastated, they moan

about what has happened to the raisin cakes of Kir Hareseth.18

16:8For the fields of Heshbon are dried up,

as well as the vines of Sibmah.

The rulers of the nations trample all over its vines,

which reach Jazer and spread to the desert;

their shoots spread out and cross the sea.

16:9So I weep along with Jazer19

over the vines of Sibmah.

I will saturate you20 with my tears, Heshbon and Elealeh,

for the conquering invaders shout triumphantly

over your fruit and crops.21

16:10Joy and happiness disappear from the orchards,

and in the vineyards no one rejoices or shouts;

no one treads out juice in the wine vats22—

I have brought the joyful shouts to an end.23

16:11So my heart constantly sighs for Moab, like the strumming of a harp,24

my inner being sighs25 for Kir Hareseth.26

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Footnotes

  1. 15 עֶבְרָה (’evrah) often means “anger, fury,” but here it appears to refer to boastful outbursts or excessive claims. See עֶבְרָה.
  2. 16 Heb “not so his boasting.”
  3. 17 Heb “So Moab wails for Moab.”
  4. 18 The Hebrew text has, “for the raisin cakes of Kir Hareseth you [masculine plural] moan, surely destroyed.” The “raisin cakes” could have cultic significance (see Hos 3:1), but the next verse focuses on agricultural disaster, so here the raisin cakes are mentioned as an example of the fine foods that are no longer available (see 2 Sam 6:19; Song 2:5) because the vines have been destroyed by the invader (see v. 8). Some prefer to take אֲשִׁישֵׁי (’ashishe, “raisin cakes of”) as “men of” (see *אָשִׁישׁ; cf. ). The verb form תֶהְגּוּ (tehgu, “you moan”) is probably the result of dittography (note that the preceding word ends in tav [ת]) and should be emended to הגו (a perfect, third plural form), “they moan.”
  5. 19 Heb “So I weep with the weeping of Jazer.” Once more the speaker (the Lord?—see v. 10b) plays the role of a mourner (see 15:5).
  6. 20 The form אֲרַיָּוֶךְ (’arayyavekh) should be emended to אֲרַוָּיֶךְ (’aravvayekh; the vav [ו] and yod [י] have been accidentally transposed) from רָוָה (ravah, “be saturated”).
  7. 21 Heb “for over your fruit and over your harvest shouting has fallen.” The translation assumes that the shouting is that of the conqueror (Jer 51:14). Another possibility is that the shouting is that of the harvesters (see v. 10b, as well as Jer 25:30), in which case one might translate, “for the joyful shouting over the fruit and crops has fallen silent.”
  8. 22 Heb “wine in the vats the treader does not tread.”
  9. 23 The Lord appears to be the speaker here. See 15:9.
  10. 24 Heb “so my intestines sigh for Moab like a harp.” The word מֵעַי (me’ay, “intestines”) is used here of the seat of the emotions. English idiom requires the word “heart.” The point of the comparison to a harp is not entirely clear. Perhaps his sighs of mourning resemble a harp in sound, or his constant sighing is like the repetitive strumming of a harp.
  11. 25 The verb is supplied in the translation; “sighs” in the preceding line does double duty in the parallel structure.
  12. 26 Heb “Kir Heres” (so , , , ), a variant name for “Kir Hareseth” (see v. 7).

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

We have heard of the pride of Moab—

how proud he is!—

of his arrogance, his pride, and his insolence;

in his idle boasting he is not right.

Therefore let Moab wail for Moab,

let everyone wail.

Mourn, utterly stricken,

for the raisin cakes of Kir-hareseth.

For the fields of Heshbon languish,

and the vine of Sibmah;

the lords of the nations

have struck down its branches,

which reached to Jazer

and strayed to the desert;

its shoots spread abroad

and passed over the sea.

Therefore I weep with the weeping of Jazer

for the vine of Sibmah;

I drench you with my tears,

O Heshbon and Elealeh;

for over your summer fruit and your harvest

the shout has ceased.

And joy and gladness are taken away from the fruitful field,

and in the vineyards no songs are sung,

no cheers are raised;

no treader treads out wine in the presses;

I have put an end to the shouting.

Therefore my inner parts moan like a lyre for Moab,

and my inmost self for Kir-hareseth.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

We have heard of Moab’s pride—

how great is her arrogance!—

of her conceit, her pride and her insolence;

but her boasts are empty.

Therefore the Moabites wail,

they wail together for Moab.

Lament and grieve

for the raisin cakes of Kir Hareseth.

The fields of Heshbon wither,

the vines of Sibmah also.

The rulers of the nations

have trampled down the choicest vines,

which once reached Jazer

and spread toward the desert.

Their shoots spread out

and went as far as the sea.

So I weep, as Jazer weeps,

for the vines of Sibmah.

Heshbon and Elealeh,

I drench you with tears!

The shouts of joy over your ripened fruit

and over your harvests have been stilled.

Joy and gladness are taken away from the orchards;

no one sings or shouts in the vineyards;

no one treads out wine at the presses,

for I have put an end to the shouting.

My heart laments for Moab like a harp,

my inmost being for Kir Hareseth.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

We have heard of Moab’s pride—

how very proud he is—

his haughtiness, his pride, his arrogance,

and his empty boasting.

Therefore let Moab wail;

let every one of them wail for Moab.

You who are completely devastated, mourn

for the raisin cakes of Kir-hareseth.

For Heshbon’s terraced vineyards

and the grapevines of Sibmah have withered.

The rulers of the nations

have trampled its choice vines

that reached as far as Jazer

and spread to the desert.

Their shoots spread out

and reached the sea.

So I join with Jazer

to weep 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.

Joy and rejoicing have been removed from the orchard;

no one is singing or shouting for joy in the vineyards.

No one tramples grapes in the winepresses.

I have put an end to the shouting.

Therefore I moan like the sound of a lyre for Moab,

as does my innermost being for Kir-heres.

NLTNew Living Translation

We have heard about proud Moab—

about its pride and arrogance and rage.

But all that boasting has disappeared.

The entire land of Moab weeps.

Yes, everyone in Moab mourns

for the cakes of raisins from Kir-hareseth.

They are all gone now.

The farms of Heshbon are abandoned;

the vineyards at Sibmah are deserted.

The rulers of the nations have broken down Moab—

that beautiful grapevine.

Its tendrils spread north as far as the town of Jazer

and trailed eastward into the wilderness.

Its shoots reached so far west

that they crossed over the Dead Sea.

So now I weep for Jazer and the vineyards of Sibmah;

my tears will flow for Heshbon and Elealeh.

There are no more shouts of joy

over your summer fruits and harvest.

Gone now is the gladness,

gone the joy of harvest.

There will be no singing in the vineyards,

no more happy shouts,

no treading of grapes in the winepresses.

I have ended all their harvest joys.

My heart’s cry for Moab is like a lament on a harp.

I am filled with anguish for Kir-hareseth.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

We have heard of the pride of Moab—exceedingly proud—

of his arrogance, pride, and insolence; his boasting is not true.

Therefore Moab wails;

all of it wails for Moab,

for the raisin cakes of Kir-hareseth you moan, utterly devastated.

For Heshbon withers the fields, the vine of Sibmah;

rulers of nations have broken down her tendrils,

they reached up to Jazer,

they wandered to the desert;

her shoots spread abroad,

they crossed over the sea.

Therefore I weep with the weeping of Jazer for the vine of Sibmah.

I drench you with my tears, Heshbon and Elealeh,

for a jubilant shout has fallen over your summer fruit and harvest.

And joy and gladness are taken away from the fruitful land,

and in the vineyards no one exults,

no one shouts for joy;

no treader treads wine in the presses;

I have put to an end to the jubilant shout.

Therefore my heart moans like a harp for Moab

and my inner parts for Kir-heres.

KJV 1900King James Version

We have heard of the pride of Moab; he is very proud:

Even of his haughtiness, and his pride, and his wrath:

But his lies shall not be so.

Therefore shall Moab howl for Moab, every one shall howl:

For the foundations of Kir-hareseth shall ye mourn; surely they are stricken.

For the fields of Heshbon languish, and the vine of Sibmah:

The lords of the heathen have broken down the principal plants thereof,

They are come even unto Jazer, they wandered through the wilderness:

Her branches are stretched out, they are gone over the sea.

Therefore I will bewail with the weeping of Jazer the vine of Sibmah:

I will water thee with my tears, O Heshbon, and Elealeh:

For the shouting for thy summer fruits and for thy harvest is fallen.

And gladness is taken away, and joy out of the plentiful field;

And in the vineyards there shall be no singing, neither shall there be shouting:

The treaders shall tread out no wine in their presses;

I have made their vintage shouting to cease.

Wherefore my bowels shall sound like an harp for Moab,

And mine inward parts for Kir-haresh.