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 fluttering, arrive at the fords,
ready to cross the Arnon River.

3 (to Jerusalem) Give us your best advice and do what is right.
When the day is at its fiercest, hide us in your cool shade.
Shield the trammeled and abused.
Keep your mouth shut when our enemy comes looking, seeking us out.
4 Let these refugees of Moab come in and stay.
Protect these tempest-tossed; be their hiding place,
a shelter safe from the destroyer.

See, when the one who has squeezed and oppressed you is gone
and the forces of crushing violence wane in the land,
5 Then God will establish a royal throne, in loyal love—
the One who rules there will be utterly reliable,
With absolute integrity under the auspices of David.
With a passion for justice, He will be quick to decide and do what is right.

God’s answer to Moab’s plea for help is none other than the Messiah. One day David’s son will take the throne and rule with absolute justice.

6 Oh yes, we’ve heard of Moab, how much they think of themselves—
so important, so valuable, so hot-tempered;
But we know it’s just idle boasts.
7 Let them bemoan their destruction and fall—every last one of them.
Go ahead, mourn, all you who were struck down;
Cry for the raisin cakes of Kir-hareseth.

8 The productive fields of Heshbon are withering in the heat;
the choice vines of Sibmah are decimated.
The rulers of the nations are wreaking havoc across the land,
crushing its grape clusters and leveling its old stout vines.
Moab’s tender shoots spread from Jazer to the desert,
then right down to the sea[a] and even across it.

9 This is why I cry salty tears over Jazer,
over the vines of Sibmah and over the fields of Heshbon.
And God’s-Ascent, Elealeh, I weep for you—over your branches,
once so green and strong, now broken and brown with death.
No one rejoices anymore over your fruits and harvest.

10 What joy these fields and orchards brought, what pleasure and delight,
with their beauty, with their bounty.
But no more cheerful shouts accompany the harvest of the vineyards.
No one is left to press the grapes into wine.
I have silenced all your joyous shouting.
11 My heart hums like a harp with grief for you, Moab.
I ache with soul-sadness for Kir-hareseth.

12 When the people of Moab present themselves to their gods, when they weary themselves with frequent journeys to their high places, when they enter their sanctuary to pray, then they will find none of their gods are able to help them. 13 This is the message the Eternal gave Isaiah earlier about Moab. 14 But now He has another message.

Eternal One: In just three years—as a hired hand might count them—the power and prestige of Moab will come to an end. Its population will be killed and scattered; only a few, the poor and powerless, will survive the onslaught.

Footnotes

  1. 16:8 The Dead Sea

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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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