Nazarene Commentary 2000©

21^st Century Paraphrase of the Hebrew Scriptures© –
21^st Century Version of the Christian Scriptures© [NCMM]

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THE PROPHET ISAIAH

CHAPTER SIXTEEN:
MORE BAD NEWS FOR MOAB

Isaiah 16:1-5 – Dark Message to Moab

IS16:1 Send a young ram to the ruler of the land 649 – from Sela 650 to the desert – to the mount of the daughter of Zion. 651
649 Send a young ram to the ruler of the land: Or, LXX: I will send as it were reptiles on the land; RHM: send ye the lamb due tot he ruler; JPS: dispatch as messenger the ruler; NJB: send the lamb to the ruler. “Lamb” [or, ram] is likely a figure of speech for a messenger riding on a camels’ saddle.
650 Sela: The name means “crag” and may allude to a fortress. Some think it to be Um el-Biyara.
651 Daughter of Zion: That is, Jerusalem.
IS16:2 It will yet occur that – like wandering birds thrown from the nest 652 – just so will be the daughters of Moab at the fording of Arnon. 653
652 Like wandering birds thrown from the nest: Or, KJV: a wandering bird cast out of the nest; NJB: like a fluttered bird, like nestling cast out; JPS: fugitive birds; LXX: a young bird. [Proverbs 27:8; Jeremiah 48:19]
653 Fording of Arnon: Wadi Mujib. A sheer ravine east of the Dead Sea, difficult to traverse. [Numbers 21:13]
IS16:3 All of you men, bring forward your counsel. Carry out your decision. Make your night-time shadow just like high noon. 654 Hide the banished, and do not expose the fugitives.
654 Make your night-time shadow just like high noon: That is, vanish. Or, KJV: make thy shadow as the night in the midst of the noon-day; NJB: at noon spread your shadow as if it were night; JPS: at high noon make your shadow like night; RHM: make as the night thy shadow in the midst of high-noon.
IS16:4 Permit my own outcasts stopover with you. O, Moab, become a ravine to them, hiding from the face of the violent devastator. 655 For the oppressor has vanished, and rape has stopped. 656 The boots of those who trample have ceased throughout the and.
655 Violent devastator: Or, LXX: oppressing rulers; JPS: despoiler; NJB: face of the devastator.
656 Rape has stopped: Or, KJV: extortioner; NJB: devastation has stopped; JPS: rapine is ended.
IS16:5 And so a throne of covenant-loyalty 657 will be established. 658 One will sit upon it in truth 659 in the tent of David 660 – judging and pursuing justice 661 and bringing in righteousness in a hurry. 662
657 Throne of faithful compassion: Or, LXX: a throne shall be established with mercy; RHM: lovingkindness; JPS: goodness; NJB: faithful love. The Hebrew is CHE’CED [Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance #2617, goodness, kindness, faithfulness; 149 times as “mercy” in KJV] and rendered by a variety of words. [Psalm 89:14; Proverbs 20:28]
658 Established: Or, NJB: made secure. Return to Isaiah 9:6, 7.
659 One will sit upon it in truth: Or, JPS: in goodness; NJB: sit in constancy. [Isaiah 9:6, 7] Likely referring to the Messiah.
660 In the tent of David: Or, house, tabernacle, home. Compare 2 Samuel 7:16; Isaiah 9:7; Jeremiah 23:5; Daniel 7:13, 14; Ephesians 1:19-22.
661 Judging and pursuing justice: Or, LXX: earnestly seeking judgment; RHM: judging – and seeking justice; JPS: a ruler devoted to justice; NJB: a judge seeking fair judgment. Note Isaiah 11:1-5.
662 Bringing in righteousness in a hurry: Or, NJB: pursuing of uprightness; JPS: zealous for equity; RHM: speeding righteousness; LXX: hasting righteousness. The LXX Greek is SPEUDON [from which comes the English “speed.” Compare Psalm 72:2, 8; Isaiah 32:1. Messiah’s reign is always associated with what is just and right.

Isaiah 16:6-8 – Pride of Moab Withers

IS16:6 We have heard about the arrogance of Moab, 663 enormously egotistical! 664 False are his boastings about his insolence and his hubris and his ferocity. 665
663 Arrogance of Moab: Or, pride. Note this divine accusation against others.
664 Enormously egotistical: Or, KJV: very proud; JPS: most haughty is he; RHM: proud exceedingly. [Jeremiah 48:29; Zephaniah 2:10] God Almighty is not impressed by the arrogance of nations.
665 Insolence and his hubris and his ferocity: Or, RHM: haughtiness… arrogance… and his passion; NJB: arrogance… pride… its rage… bravado. [Amos 2:1]
IS16:7 As a result Moab will shriek 666 for Moab, and everyone belong to her will weep loudly. They will all groan out loud because of the ruins 667 of Kir-harseth – thoroughly doomed! 668
666 Shriek: Or, wailing, howl. Remember Isaiah 15:2.
667 Ruins: Or, NJB: raisin cakes. The Hebrew means “pressing down” and may allude to raisins or figs.
668 Thoroughly doomed: Or, RHM: utterly stricken; JPS: moan most pitifully; NJB: stricken with grief.
IS16:8 For the fields of Heshbon are shriveled up, as well the vineyards Sibmah. 669 The grandest of the nations 670 have broken off [Moab’s] choice branches. They have reached as far as Jazer. 671 They have reached as far as the desert. Their own roots have stretched out, reaching as far as the sea.
669 Sibmah: See verse 9. A town of Moab. [Numbers 21:25, 26] Jerome states that it was about 500 paces from Heshbon. [Numbers 32:38; Joshua 13:19]
670 Grandest of the nations: Or, RHM: owners; NJB: overlords.
671 Jazer: Compare Jeremiah 48:32, 33.

Isaiah 16:9-11 – Weeping for Moab

IS16:9 This is the reason I will groan with the groaning of Jazer – for the vines of Sibmah. O Heshbon and Elealeh, I soak you in my tears. 672 For the cry of battle 673 has been heard in summer harvest, 674 as well as the autumn harvest. 675
672 I soak you in my tears: Or, NJB: water you with my tears; JPS: drench you with my tears; RHM: drench.
673 Cry of battle: Or, RHM: battle-shout; JPS: ended are the shouts.
674 Summer harvest: Or, JPS: fig; RHM: fruit-harvest. That is, in late spring, early summer.
675 Autumn harvest: Or, RHM: grain-harvest; NJB: harvest and vintage.
IS16:10 Now the rejoicing and shouts of joy will be gone from the orchard, nor will there be any singing or joyfulness in the vineyards. The one treading grapes in the winepress will stop. I have caused the vineyard joy cease. IS16:11 It is for this reason my deepest feelings 676 for Moab will play a mournful tune as from a stringed instrument. 677 Yes, that is how I feel 678 about Kir-hereseth.
676 My deepest feelings: Or, NJB: my whole being; JPS: heart moans; RHM: inward parts; LXX: my belly KJV: bowels. That is, a gut-feeling rising from the deepest emotions.
677 Play a mournful tune as from a stringed instrument: Or, RHM: like a lyre shall make a plaintive sound; JPS: like a lyre my heart moans; NJB: quivers like harp strings. That is, as in the low mournful tones of a funeral dirge.
678 How I feel: Or, NJB: my very heart; JPS: my very soul; RHM: what is within me.

Isaiah 16:12-14 – In Three Years Moab Disgrace

IS16:12 When it is known that Moab has grown tired 679 in the high places of worship, 680 it will surely happen that when he goes into his temple to pray 681 it will result in nothing. 682
679 Grown tired: Or, RHM: laboured in vain; NJB: wearing itself out. Evidently with regard to religious practices to save Moab.
680 High places of worship: Or, NJB: high places; JPS: outdoor shrine; LXX: altars. [Numbers 23:1; Jeremiah 48:35] Religion has not saved Moab.
681 He goes into his temple to pray: Or, LXX: go in to the idols thereof to pray; RHM: his holy place to pray; JPS: temple; KJV: sanctuary.
682 Result in nothing: Or, NJB: accomplish nothing; JPS: to no avail; RHM: shall not prevail; LXX: not be at all able to deliver him.
IS16:13 Here is the message 683 that Y^eH^oW^aH sent concerning Moab in former times –
683 Message: Or, word.
IS16:14 but which Y^eH^oW^aH now speaks: “In three years – the years of a hired laborer – Moab’s glorious population 684 with all of its multitude, will shrink. 685 Only a tiny remnant of no consequence 686 will survive.”
684 Glorious population: Or, NJB: glory.
685 Multitude, will shrink: Or, LXX: great wealth; RHM: diminished with all the great multitude; JPS: huge multitude; NJB: despite its teeming population… reduced to nothing.
686 Tiny remnant of no consequence: Or, KJV: very small and feeble; NJB: insignificant remnant; RHM: very small remnant of no account; LXX: left few in number, and not honored. [Jeremiah 48:47]

Mark Heber Miller