Isaiah 16 - Good News Translation (GNT)

Moab's Hopeless Situation

16 From the city of Sela in the desert the people of Moab send a lamb as a present to the one who rules in Jerusalem. 2 They wait on the banks of the Arnon River and move aimlessly back and forth, like birds driven from their nest.

3 They say to the people of Judah, “Tell us what to do. Protect us like a tree that casts a cool shadow in the heat of noon, and let us rest in your shade. We are refugees; hide us where no one can find us. 4 Let us stay in your land. Protect us from those who want to destroy us.”

(Oppression and destruction will end, and those who are devastating the country will be gone. 5 Then one of David's descendants will be king, and he will rule the people with faithfulness and love. He will be quick to do what is right, and he will see that justice is done.)

6 The people of Judah say, “We have heard how proud the people of Moab are. We know that they are arrogant and conceited, but their boasts are empty.”

7 The people of Moab will weep because of the troubles they suffer. They will all weep when they remember the fine food they used to eat in the city of Kir Heres. They will be driven to despair. 8 The farms near Heshbon and the vineyards of Sibmah are destroyed—those vineyards whose wine used to make the rulers of the nations drunk. At one time the vines spread as far as the city of Jazer, and eastward into the desert, and westward to the other side of the Dead Sea. 9 Now I weep for Sibmah's vines as I weep for Jazer. My tears fall for Heshbon and Elealeh, because there is no harvest to make the people glad. 10 No one is happy now in the fertile fields. No one shouts or sings in the vineyards. No one tramples grapes to make wine; the shouts of joy are ended.[a] 11 I groan with sadness for Moab, with grief for Kir Heres. 12 The people of Moab wear themselves out going to their mountain shrines and to their temples to pray, but it will do them no good.

13 That is the message the Lord gave earlier about Moab. 14 And now the Lord says, “In exactly three years Moab's great wealth will disappear. Of its many people, only a few will survive, and they will be weak.”

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 16:10 One ancient translation the shouts of joy are ended; Hebrew I have ended the shouts of joy.

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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)

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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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