Isaiah 16 - GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

16 Send lambs to the ruler of the land.[a]
Send lambs from Sela through the desert to my people at Mount Zion.
2 Moab’s daughters are like fluttering birds,
like scattered nestlings,
at the shallow crossings of the Arnon River.

3 Give us advice.
Make a decision.
At high noon make your shadow as dark as night.
Hide the fugitives.
Don’t betray the refugees.
4 Let the fugitives from Moab stay with you a while. Be their refuge from the destroyer.
Ruthless people will come to an end.
The destruction will end.
The one who tramples others will be gone.
5 Then the Lord will set up a trusted king.
He will rule faithfully.
He is from the tent of David.
He judges and searches for justice.
He is quick to do what is right.

6 We’ve heard of the arrogance of Moab’s people.
They are very arrogant.
We’ve heard of their boasting, arrogance, and conceit,
but their boasts aren’t true.
7 That is why Moab will wail.
Everyone will wail for Moab.
Mourn and grieve over the raisin cakes of Kir Hareseth.
8 The fields of Heshbon and the vineyards of Sibmah wither.
Rulers of the nations have cut off their grapes.
The grapevines ⌞once⌟ reached as far as Jazer
and strayed out into the desert.
Their shoots had spread out over the sea.
9 I will cry for the grapevines of Sibmah
as Jazer cries for them.
I will drench you with my tears, Heshbon and Elealeh.
The shouts of joy for your ripened fruits
and your harvest will be silenced.
10 Joy and delight have vanished from the orchards.
No songs are sung.
No shouts are raised.
No one stomps on grapes in the winepresses,
because I have put an end to the shouts of joy.
11 That is why my heart mourns for Moab like a harp.
My soul mourns for Kir Hareseth.
12 When the people of Moab appear at the worship site,
they will only wear themselves out.
They will come into the holy place to pray,
but they won’t be able to.

13 This is the message that the Lord spoke about Moab in the past. 14 But now the Lord says, “Moab’s honor will be despised within three years. I will count them like workers count the years left of their contracts. In spite of their great number, the survivors will be very few and powerless.”

Footnotes

  1. 16:1 Masoretic Text; Targum “They have sent lambs to the ruler of the land.”

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Isaiah 16 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

16 Send ye a lamb [to] the ruler of the land, From Selah in the wilderness, Unto the mount of the daughter of Zion. 2 And it hath come to pass, As a wandering bird, a nest cast out, Are daughters of Moab, [at] fords of Arnon. 3 Bring ye in counsel, do judgment, Make as night thy shadow in the midst ...
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Isaiah 16 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

16 Lord, send thou out a lamb, (to) the lordly governor of [the] earth, from the stone of desert, to the hill of the daughter of Zion. (Lord, let them send out a lamb, from Sela in the wilderness, to the governor of the land, yea, to the hill of the daughter of Zion.) 2 And it shall be, as a fowl fl...
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Isaiah 16 - World English Bible (WEB)

16 Send the lambs for the ruler of the land from Selah to the wilderness, to the mountain of the daughter of Zion. 2 For it will be that as wandering birds, as a scattered nest, so will the daughters of Moab be at the fords of the Arnon. 3 Give counsel! Execute justice! Make your shade like the ni...
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Isaiah 16 - The Voice (VOICE)

16 A Refugee (to the Moabites): Bring tender lambs to the ruler of the land. From Sela through the desert to the beautiful mountain called Zion, maybe they’ll let us in.2 And indeed like birds whose homes were demolished, like baby birds torn from their nests, Moab’s daughters, scattered and flutte...
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Isaiah 16 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

16 Send lambs to the ruler of the landfrom Sela in the desertto the mountain of the Daughter of Zion.2 For like fluttering birds, scattered from a nest,so will the daughters of Moab be at the fords of Arnon.3 ‘Give counsel, execute justice.Cast your shadow like night at noonday.Hide the refugees, do...
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Isaiah 16 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

16 They have sent lambs to the ruler of the land,from Sela, by way of the desert, to the mount of the daughter of Zion.2 Like fluttering birds, like scattered nestlings,so are the daughters of Moab at the fords of the Arnon.3 “Give counsel, grant justice;make your shade like night at the height of n...
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Isaiah 16 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

16 They have sent lambs to the ruler of the land,from Sela, by way of the desert, to the mount of the daughter of Zion.2 Like fluttering birds, like scattered nestlings,so are the daughters of Moab at the fords of the Arnon.3 “Give counsel, grant justice;make your shade like night at the height of n...
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Isaiah 16 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

16 Send lambs to the ruler of the land,from Sela, by way of the desert, to the mount of daughter Zion.2 Like fluttering birds, like scattered nestlings,so are the daughters of Moab at the fords of the Arnon.3 ‘Give counsel, grant justice;make your shade like night at the height of noon;hide the outc...
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Isaiah 16 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

16 Send lambs to the ruler of the land,from Sela, by way of the desert, to the mount of daughter Zion.(A)2 Like fluttering birds, like scattered nestlings,so are the daughters of Moab at the fords of the Arnon.(B)3 “Give counsel; grant justice;make your shade like night at the height of noon;hide th...
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Isaiah 16 - New Living Translation (NLT)

16 Send lambs from Sela as tribute to the ruler of the land.Send them through the desert to the mountain of beautiful Zion.2 The women of Moab are left like homeless birds at the shallow crossings of the Arnon River.3 “Help us,” they cry. “Defend us against our enemies.Protect us from their relentle...
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Isaiah 16 - New Life Version (NLV)

Moab Is without Hope16 Send lambs as taxes to the ruler of the land, from Sela by the way of the desert to the mountain of the people of Zion. 2 Then, like birds driven from their nest, the people of Moab will be where the Arnon River can be crossed. 3 “Give us words of wisdom. Do what is right fo...
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Isaiah 16 - New King James Version (NKJV)

Moab Destroyed16 Send (A)the lamb to the ruler of the land,(B)From [a]Sela to the wilderness,To the mount of the daughter of Zion.2 For it shall be as a (C)wandering bird thrown out of the nest;So shall be the daughters of Moab at the fords of the (D)Arnon. 3 “Take counsel, execute judgment;Make you...
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Isaiah 16 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

16 Send lambs as tribute to the ruler of the land,from Sela, across the desert, to the mount of Daughter Zion.2 Like fluttering birds pushed from the nest,so are the women of Moab at the fords of the Arnon. 3 ‘Make up your mind,’ Moab says. ‘Render a decision.Make your shadow like night – at high no...
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Isaiah 16 - New International Version (NIV)

16 Send lambs(A) as tribute(B) to the ruler of the land,from Sela,(C) across the desert, to the mount of Daughter Zion.(D)2 Like fluttering birds pushed from the nest,(E)so are the women of Moab(F) at the fords(G) of the Arnon.(H) 3 “Make up your mind,” Moab says. “Render a decision.Make your shadow...
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Isaiah 16 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

16 People of Moab, send lambs as a gift to the ruler of Judah.Send them from Sela. Send them across the desert. Send them to Mount Zion in the city of Jerusalem.2 The women of Moab are at the places where people go across the Arnon River.They are like birds that flap their wings when they are pushed...
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Isaiah 16 - New English Translation (NET)

16 Send rams as tribute to the ruler of the land,[a]from Sela in the wilderness[b]to the hill of Daughter Zion.2 At the fords of the Arnon[c]the Moabite women are like a birdthat flies about when forced from its nest.[d]3 “Bring a plan, make a decision.[e]Provide some shade in the middle of the day....
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