Context also: 2 Kings 1-7
Isaiah 16:1Send ye the lamb to the ruler of the land from Sela to the wilderness, unto the mount of the daughter of Zion.
- The lambs....there is a history with Moab, Israel, lambs
- Sela (ROCK) was the main city in Moab, the capital of Edom, associated with an was located today in what is now called Petra
- It is in the great valley of salt (2 Kings 14:7)
And Mesha king of Moab was a sheepmaster, and rendered unto the king of Israel an hundred thousand lambs, and an hundred thousand rams, with the wool.
2 Kings 14:7
He (Amaziah-Judah) slew of Edom in the valley of salt ten thousand, and took Selah by war, and called the name of it Joktheel unto this day.
2 Samuel 8:2
And he (David)smote Moab, and measured them with a line, casting them down to the ground; even with two lines measured he to put to death, and with one full line to keep alive. And so the Moabites became David's servants, and brought gifts.
For it shall be, that, as a wandering bird cast out of the nest, so the daughters of Moab shall be at the fords of Arnon.
- Wandering birds (fledglings) are vulnerable, lost, roaming aimlessly, helpless
- Arnon is a gorge in western Jordan which is near and also enters the Dead Sea
Take counsel, execute judgment; make thy shadow as the night in the midst of the noonday; hide the outcasts; bewray not him that wandereth.
BEWRA'Y, v.t. beray. To disclose perfidiously; to betray; to show or make visible.
Thy speech bewrayeth thee. Mat 23.
[This word is nearly antiquated.]
- This has to be Petra, which has shadows vertically from the sun, to hide
- The only protection then will be the rocks themselves
Let mine outcasts dwell with thee, Moab; be thou a covert to them from the face of the spoiler: for the extortioner is at an end, the spoiler ceaseth, the oppressors are consumed out of the land.
- An allusion to the middle of the Great Tribulation, where Israel flees the anti-Christ
- Gos is asking Jordan to take in His people as refugees for protection
- Three and a half years is not a very long time for the enemy to rule in light of all of human history
Isaiah 16:5
And in mercy shall the throne be established: and he shall sit upon it in truth in the tabernacle of David, judging, and seeking judgment, and hasting righteousness.
Acts 15:16
After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up:
Amos 9:11
In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old:
And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
- This is after the tribulation, The LORD Jesus Christ sitting on His Throne, judging
Isaiah 16:6
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.
- Moab did not let Israel pass through their land in the wilderness wanderings (Numbers 21-22)
- Balak wanted Balaam to curse Israel
- There is a special judgment for Moab on the LORD'S return
I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.
Isaiah 16:7
Therefore shall Moab howl for Moab, every one shall howl: for the foundations of Kirhareseth shall ye mourn; surely they are stricken.
- Kirhareseth was/is the capital of Moab, south of what is now Amman, Jordan and South and East of Jerusalem
- Also called Qir of Moab, it was a prominent and important city in Moab
Isaiah 16:8
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.
- Heshbon, Sibmah and Jazer are all in the same area, just outside of what is today Amman, Jordan
- The principal plants are the food crops and the fruit of the vine-staples
- This stretching out of branches, plus including the sea, would be a type of completeness in its destruction
Isaiah 16:9
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.
- The Israelites took Heshbon from Sihon, King of the Amorites (
- Sihon refused to let Israel pass through
- Gad and Reuben asked from Moses to obtain Jazer for their much cattle
- It was given by Moses, later to Gad
Numbers 21:23
And Sihon would not suffer Israel to pass through his border: but Sihon gathered all his people together, and went out against Israel into the wilderness: and he came to Jahaz, and fought against Israel.
Numbers 21:26
For Heshbon was the city of Sihon the king of the Amorites, who had fought against the former king of Moab, and taken all his land out of his hand, even unto Arnon.
Now the children of Reuben and the children of Gad had a very great multitude of cattle: and when they saw the land of Jazer, and the land of Gilead, that, behold, the place was a place for cattle;
Joshua 13:24-25
And Moses gave inheritance unto the tribe of Gad, even unto the children of Gad according to their families. And their coast was Jazer, and all the cities of Gilead, and half the land of the children of Ammon, unto Aroer that is before Rabbah;
Isaiah 16:10
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.
- The glory, the sustenance, the partying, the debauchery, all destroyed
Isaiah 16:11
Wherefore my bowels shall sound like an harp for Moab, and mine inward parts for Kirharesh.
- The harp is an instrument of rejoicing to God, praise for us
Isaiah 16:12
And it shall come to pass, when it is seen that Moab is weary on the high place, that he shall come to his sanctuary to pray; but he shall not prevail.
- No place to worship, due to utter destruction
- Not being a true god, Chemosh is not even able to be prayed to once the objects of paganism are removed.
- God promised this would happen even to Israel (Deuteronomy 32:37-38), so why would a pagan nation which did not ever know God Himself be exempt from this judgment?
Deuteronomy 32:37-38
And he shall say, Where are their gods, their rock in whom they trusted, Which did eat the fat of their sacrifices, and drank the wine of their drink offerings? let them rise up and help you, and be your protection.
Isaiah 16:13
This is the word that the LORD hath spoken concerning Moab since that time.
Isaiah 16:14
But now the LORD hath spoken, saying, Within three years, as the years of an hireling, and the glory of Moab shall be contemned, with all that great multitude; and the remnant shall be very small and feeble.
- Within three years the Assyrians destroyed Moab (before 705 B.C., or thereabouts)
