Isaiah 16
ืืฉืขืืื ืคืจืง ืืดื
Section: ื ืืืืื ยท ื ืืืืื ืืืจืื ืื | Book: Isaiah | Chapter: 16 of 66 | Day: 163 of 742
Date: July 24, 2026
ืงืืืื ืขื ืื ืดื
Chapter 16 completes the massa of Moav, and it opens with advice: โSend the lamb to the ruler of the land, from Sela in the wilderness to the mountain of the daughter of Tzion.โ All three commentators unlock the verse with the same key from Melachim: Meisha king of Moav was a noked, a sheep-master, who paid the king of Israel a tribute of a hundred thousand lambs โ and rebelled when Achav died. The prophetโs counsel plays on that history. Rashi and Metzudat David read it as reproach: you should have sent that tribute on to the rightful throne, to the king in Tzion, and this calamity would not have found you. Radak adds the forward-looking reading: now, when Assyria breaks your pride, send the old tribute to Har Bat-Tzion โ to Chizkiyahu, the righteous king โ and submit to him. Either way, the oracleโs first word to Moav is that its safety was always on the far side of the Yarden, in Yerushalayim; and the image of Moavโs daughters as wandering birds flung from the nest, milling at the fords of Arnon (verse 2), shows what refusing that safety looks like.
Verses 3-4 state the ethical core of the whole two-chapter oracle. โBring counsel, make a decision; make your shadow like night in the middle of noon; hide the outcasts, do not betray the fugitive. Let My outcasts dwell with you, Moav; be a shelter to them from the destroyer.โ Radak unfolds the figure beautifully: the enemyโs oppression is the noon heat at full strength, and the rescue from it is shade โ Moav was asked to spread over Israelโs fugitives a shadow as total as night. And he grounds the obligation in family history: Avraham exerted himself again and again to save Lot, and Lotโs children owed that chesed to Avrahamโs children when the exiles of the north fled through their land. Rashi reads the plea forward to the days of Nevuchadnetzar: when My dispersed pass through you again, hide them, do not hand them over. Verse 4 ends with the reason the kindness is even possible โ โfor the extortioner is at an end, destruction has ceased, the trampler is consumed from the landโ โ which Radak reads as the fall of Sancheriv at Yerushalayim: the storm passes, and those sheltered can go home.
Then comes the astonishing center of the chapter, verse 5: โAnd a throne shall be established in chesed, and one shall sit on it in truth, in the tent of David โ judging, and seeking justice, and prompt in righteousness.โ In the middle of an oracle against Moav stands the most compact description of the Davidic ideal in the book. Rashi anchors it in history: when the destroyer falls, Chizkiyahuโs throne is established through the chesed that he himself performs โ the Divrei HaYamim records him providing a thousand bulls and seven thousand sheep for the assembly. Radak hears both the kingโs chesed and Godโs: the throne rests on the kindness promised to David โ โMy chesed I will not remove from himโ โ and he draws the fine judicial portrait: this king not only judges those who come before him but seeks out justice (doresh mishpat), investigating the cases of the poor and the wronged who never reach his court, and is quick (mahir) to act on the right. There is a quiet irony that the tradition cannot have missed: the tent of David itself descends from a daughter of Moav, and the throne โestablished in chesedโ is the house of Rut, whose own chesed brought her from the fields of Moav to Beit Lechem. Moav is being pointed toward a refuge its own daughter helped to build.
But Moav cannot bend. Verse 6 gives the reason in a cascade of pride-words: โWe have heard of the pride of Moav โ exceedingly proud โ his haughtiness and his pride and his arrogance; his boasts are not right.โ Radak explains โlo chen badavโ: his vaunting words proved empty when the calamity came; Metzudat David reads the arrogance as fabrication โ out of sheer pride he invented whatever entered his heart. So the lament resumes and deepens into the great vine elegy (verses 7-10): Moav wails for Moav; the mourners moan for the foundations of Kir-Chareset, which Radak reads as the nobles of Moav; the fields of Cheshbon wither and the vine of Sivmah, whose shoots had reached Yazer, strayed into the desert, and crossed the sea โ Rashi and Radak read the vine allegorically, its spreading branches the multitudes and rulers of Moav, its scattered tendrils the exiles. Rashi pauses over a historical puzzle: these were Israelite cities, taken from Sichon โ how are they Moavโs again? When Sancheriv exiled Reuven and Gad, the neighboring Moabites moved in โ so Moav mourns for vineyards it occupied in the vacuum of Israelโs exile. The prophet weeps with them โ โI drench you with my tears, Cheshbon and Elalehโ โ for upon the summer fruit and the harvest โthe heidad has fallenโ: the joyous shout of the grape-treaders replaced by the war-shout of the plunderers, the same word emptied and refilled, until verse 10 closes the vintage forever: โwine in the presses the treader shall not tread; I have silenced the heidad.โ
The oracle ends in a temple and with a date. โWhen Moav is seen to be weary on the high place, he shall come to his sanctuary to pray โ and he shall not prevailโ (verse 12): the nation exhausts itself at the bamah and staggers to the house of Kemosh, and there is nothing there. Prayer offered to what cannot answer is the final image of Moavโs collapse โ the counter-panel to verse 5โs throne in the tent of David. And then the seal: โThis is the word Hashem spoke to Moav long agoโ โ meโaz, which Rashi reads either as years before the blow, or, in the midrash, from the very days when Balak hired Bilam โ โand now Hashem has spoken: in three years, like the years of a hireling, the glory of Moav will be disgraced.โ Rashi and Radak cite Seder Olam: the three years answer measure for measure the three years Moav aided Sancheriv in the siege of Shomron, serving the destroyer like unpaid hirelings; and the hireling image also fixes the termโs precision โ exact as a laborer counting the days of his contract, not a dayโs delay. A remnant will survive, โsmall, tiny, not mighty.โ Chapter 17 will turn the massa toward Damascus โ and with it, the northern kingdom that leaned on Aram.
ืคืจืง ืืดื ยท Chapter 16
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 1
Hebrew:
ืฉืึดืึฐืืึผึพืึทึฅืจ ืึนืฉืึตึฝืึพืึถึืจึถืฅ ืึดืกึผึถึฃืึทืข ืึดืึฐืึผึธึืจึธื ืึถืึพืึทึืจ ืึผึทืชึพืฆึดืึผึฝืึนืื
English:
aMeaning of this verse and the next uncertain. Dispatch as messengerThe ruler of the land,From Sela in the wildernessTo the mount of Fair Zion:
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 2
Hebrew:
ืึฐืึธืึธึฅื ืึฐืขืึนืฃึพื ืึนืึตึื ืงึตึฃื ืึฐืฉืึปืึผึธึื ืชึผึดึฝืึฐืึถึืื ึธืึ ืึผึฐื ึฃืึนืช ืืึนืึธึื ืึทืขึฐืึผึธืจึนึืช ืึฐืึทืจึฐื ึฝืึนืื
English:
โLike fugitive birds,Like nestlings driven away,Moabโs villagers lingerBy the fords of the Arnon.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 3
Hebrew:
(ืืืืื) [ืึธืึดึคืืึดื] ืขึตืฆึธืึ ืขึฒืฉืึฃืึผ ืคึฐืึดืืึธึื ืฉืึดึงืืชึดื ืึทืึผึทึืึดื ืฆึดืึผึตึืึฐ ืึผึฐืชึฃืึนืึฐ ืฆืืึณืจึธึืึดื ืกึทืชึผึฐืจึดืึ ื ึดืึผึธืึดึืื ื ึนืึตึื ืึทืึพืชึผึฐืึทืึผึดึฝืื
English:
Give advice,Offer counsel.bOffer counsel Meaning of Heb. uncertain. At high noon makeYour shadow like night:Conceal the outcasts,Betray not the fugitives.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 4
Hebrew:
ืึธืึคืึผืจืึผ ืึธืึฐึ ื ึดืึผึธืึทึื ืืึนืึธึื ืึฑืึดืึพืกึตึฅืชึถืจ ืึธึืืึน ืึดืคึผึฐื ึตึฃื ืฉืืึนืึตึื ืึผึดึฝืึพืึธืคึตึคืก ืึทืึผึตืฅึ ืึผึธึฃืึธื ืฉืึนึื ืชึผึทึฅืึผืึผ ืจึนืึตึืก ืึดืึพืึธืึธึฝืจึถืฅืย {ืก}ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย
English:
Let Moabโs outcastscMoabโs outcasts Heb. โmy outcasts, Moab.โ Find asylum in you;Be a shelter for themAgainst the despoiler.โFor violence has vanished,Rapine is ended,And marauders have perished from this land.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 5
Hebrew:
ืึฐืืึผืึทึคื ืึผึทืึถึืกึถืึ ืึผึดืกึผึตึื ืึฐืึธืฉืึทึฅื ืขึธืึธึืื ืึผึถืึฑืึถึืช ืึผึฐืึนึฃืึถื ืึผึธืึดึื ืฉืึนืคึตึื ืึฐืึนืจึตึฅืฉื ืึดืฉืึฐืคึผึธึื ืึผืึฐืึดึฅืจ ืฆึถึฝืึถืงื
English:
And a throne shall be established in goodnessIn the tent of David,And on it shall sit in faithfulnessA ruler devoted to justiceAnd zealous for equity.dHere 14.32 would read well.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 6
Hebrew:
ืฉืึธืึทึฅืขึฐื ืึผ ืึฐืืึนืึพืืึนืึธึื ืึผึตึฃื ืึฐืึนึื ืึผึทืึฒืึธืชึงืึน ืึผืึฐืืึนื ึืึน ืึฐืขึถืึฐืจึธืชึืึน ืึนืึพืึตึฅื ืึผึทืึผึธึฝืืื
English:
โWe have heard of Moabโs prideโMost haughty is heโOf his pride and haughtiness and arrogance,And of the iniquity in him.โein him Heb. baddaw is a suffixed form of the preposition bede: Nah. 2.13; Hab. 2.13; Job 39.25; with suffixes, Job 11.3; 41.4.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 7
Hebrew:
ืึธืึตึื ืึฐืึตืึดึฅืื ืืึนืึธึื ืึฐืืึนืึธึื ืึผึปืึผึนึฃื ืึฐืึตืึดึืื ืึทืึฒืฉืึดืืฉืึตึงื ืงึดืืจึพืึฒืจึถึืฉืึถืช ืชึผึถืึฐืึผึืึผ ืึทืึฐึพื ึฐืึธืึดึฝืืื
English:
Ah, let Moab howl;Let all in Moab howl!For the raisin-cakesfraisin-cakes Cf. Jer. 48.36 โmen.โ of Kir-haresethYou shall moan most pitifully.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 8
Hebrew:
ืึผึดึฃื ืฉืึทืึฐืืึนืชึฉ ืึถืฉืึฐืึผึจืึนื ืึปืึฐืึธึื ืึผึถึฃืคึถื ืฉืึดืึฐืึธึื ืึผึทืขึฒืึตึคื ืืึนืึดืึ ืึธืึฐืึฃืึผ ืฉืึฐืจืึผืงึผึถึืืึธ ืขึทืึพืึทืขึฐืึตึฅืจ ื ึธืึธึืขืึผ ืชึผึธึฃืขืึผ ืึดืึฐืึผึธึืจ ืฉืึฐืึปึฃืืึนืชึถึืืึธ ื ึดืึผึฐืฉืึืึผ ืขึธึฅืึฐืจืึผ ืึธึฝืื
English:
The vineyards of Heshbon are withered,And the vines of Sibmah;Their tendrils spreadTo Baale-goiim,gTheir tendrils spread / To Baale-goiim Meaning of Heb. uncertain. And reached to Jazer,And strayed to the desert;Their shoots spread outAnd crossed the sea.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 9
Hebrew:
ืขึทืึพืึผึตึกื ืึถืึฐืึผึถึื ืึผึดืึฐืึดึคื ืึทืขึฐืึตืจึ ืึผึถึฃืคึถื ืฉืึดืึฐืึธึื ืึฒืจึทืึผึธึืึถืึฐึ ืึผึดืึฐืขึธืชึดึื ืึถืฉืึฐืึผึืึนื ืึฐืึถืึฐืขึธืึตึื ืึผึดึงื ืขึทืึพืงึตืืฆึตึืึฐ ืึฐืขึทืึพืงึฐืฆึดืืจึตึืึฐ ืึตืืึธึฅื ื ึธืคึธึฝืื
English:
Therefore,As I weep for Jazer,So I weep for Sibmahโs vines;O Heshbon and Elealeh,I drench you with my tears.Ended are the shoutsOver your fig and grain harvests.hEnded are the shouts / Over your fig and grain harvests Cf. Jer. 48.32 โA ravager has come down / Upon your fig and grape harvests.โ
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืณ ยท Verse 10
Hebrew:
ืึฐื ึถืึฑืกึทึจืฃ ืฉืึดืึฐืึธึคื ืึธืึดืืึ ืึดืึพืึทืึผึทืจึฐืึถึื ืึผืึทืึผึฐืจึธืึดึฅืื ืึนึฝืึพืึฐืจึปื ึผึธึื ืึนึฃื ืึฐืจึนืขึธึืข ืึทึืึดื ืึผึทืึฐืงึธืึดึืื ืึนืึพืึดืึฐืจึนึฅืึฐ ืึทืึผึนืจึตึืึฐ ืึตืืึธึฅื ืึดืฉืึฐืึผึทึฝืชึผึดืื
English:
Rejoicing and gladnessAre gone from the farmland;In the vineyards no shoutingOr cheering is heard.No more does the treaderTread wine in the pressesโThe shouts have been silenced.ihave been silenced Lit. โI have silenced.โ
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 11
Hebrew:
ืขึทืึพืึผึตืึ ืึตืขึทึฃื ืึฐืืึนืึธึื ืึผึทืึผึดื ึผึืึนืจ ืึถืึฑืึืึผ ืึฐืงึดืจึฐืึผึดึื ืึฐืงึดึฅืืจ ืึธึฝืจึถืฉืื
English:
Therefore,Like a lyre my heart moans for Moab,And my very soul for Kir-heres.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 12
Hebrew:
ืึฐืึธืึธึงื ืึดึฝืึพื ึดืจึฐืึธึื ืึผึดึฝืึพื ึดืึฐืึธึฅื ืืึนืึธึื ืขึทืึพืึทืึผึธืึธึื ืึผืึธึงื ืึถืึพืึดืงึฐืึผึธืฉืึืึน ืึฐืึดืชึฐืคึผึทืึผึตึื ืึฐืึนึฅื ืืึผืึธึฝืืย {ืก}ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย
English:
And when it has become apparent that Moab has gained nothing in the outdoor shrine, he shall come to pray in his templeโbut to no avail.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 13
Hebrew:
ืึถึฃื ืึทืึผึธืึธึืจ ืึฒืฉืึถึจืจ ืึผึดืึผึถึงืจ ืึฐืึนืึธึื ืึถืึพืืึนืึธึื ืึตืึธึฝืื
English:
That is the word that GOD spoke concerning Moab long ago.
โถCommentaries (1)
ืคืกืืง ืืดื ยท Verse 14
Hebrew:
ืึฐืขึทืชึผึธึื ืึผึดืึผึถึฃืจ ืึฐืึนืึธืึฎ ืึตืืึนืจึ ืึผึฐืฉืึธืึนึคืฉื ืฉืึธื ึดืืึ ืึผึดืฉืึฐื ึตึฃื ืฉืึธืึดึืืจ ืึฐื ึดืงึฐืึธืึ ืึผึฐืึฃืึนื ืืึนืึธึื ืึผึฐืึนึื ืึถืึธืึฃืึนื ืึธืจึธึื ืึผืฉืึฐืึธึฅืจ ืึฐืขึทึื ืึดืึฐืขึธึืจ ืึฅืึนื ืึทืึผึดึฝืืจืย {ืค}
English:
And now GOD has spoken: In three years, fixed like the years of a hired laborer, Moabโs population, with all its huge multitude, shall shrink. Only a remnant shall be left, of no consequence.
โถCommentaries (1)