Isaiah 16:6 - Printer Friendly

ESV: We have heard of the pride of Moab — how proud he is! — of his arrogance, his pride, and his insolence; in his idle boasting he is not right.

NIV: We have heard of Moab’s pride— how great is her arrogance!— of her conceit, her pride and her insolence; but her boasts are empty.

NASB: We have heard of the pride of Moab, an excessive pride; Even of his arrogance, pride, and fury; His idle boasts are false.

CSB: We have heard of Moab’s pride — how very proud he is— his haughtiness, his pride, his arrogance, and his empty boasting.

NLT: We have heard about proud Moab — about its pride and arrogance and rage. But all that boasting has disappeared.

KJV: 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.

NKJV: We have heard of the pride of Moab— He is very proud— Of his haughtiness and his pride and his wrath; But his lies shall not be so.

The prophet Isaiah's prediction has pointed to when the leader of the Moabite refugees would ask for shelter in Judah's territory (Isaiah 16:3–4). The request has been presented as humble and sincere. This plea is even hopeful about a future king in Israel who will sit on David's throne (Isaiah 16:5). Commentators disagree on whether verses 6 and 7 are a response to that request.

If this is the response of Judah, it is both harsh and reasonable. It feels harsh to shut down a request for aid in the face of suffering. It also feels reasonable that when the God of Israel is the one who has caused that suffering in His judgment, then why would the people of Israel give shelter to those whom God Is punishing? The other option is that this verse begins a longer reflection on human pride and how far we can fall when we do not depend on the Lord. That interpretation also works as an introduction to verses 8–11.

In either case, the people of Judah are well acquainted with the pride and arrogance of Moab. They declare that empty talk is not appropriate. What did Moab have to crow about? They had become a wealthy nation. Their boasts about that abundance proved empty when it was all taken away from them. Not only were their riches stripped away by an invading army, but this mostly happened in a very few nights. Their wealth was taken from them suddenly and not over an extended period.

Proverbs 11:28 comments on such situations this way: "Whoever trusts in riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf."

Isaiah 16:1–14 begins with an official request to settle in Judah, spoken by Moabite refugees. This request is followed by a declaration that a descendant of David will establish the throne of Israel with love and righteousness when the oppressor is no more. Isaiah points to the arrogance of Moab regarding their abundance. This pride will be shown to be empty talk since it can be taken away in a night. Isaiah calls everyone to wail for Moab's losses and weep for the end of the grape harvest and its products. He reveals the judgment will fall in three years.

The refugees of Moab send a tribute to Jerusalem and make an official request to shelter in Judah due to the oppression of the enemy in their own land. After the oppressor is no more, the throne of the Messiah will be established in Israel. Moab's pride and arrogance about their abundance are revealed to be empty talk since it can all be taken away in a night. Isaiah calls everyone to wail and mourn for the suffering of Moab. He weeps for the loss of the grape harvest. The prophet announces this judgement will happen in three years.

Prior chapters included predictions about Assyria, Babylon, and Philistia. Chapter 15 introduces a prophecy about an enemy invading Moab. Chapter 16 finds the Moabite refugees in Sela. They ask Judah for shelter. Isaiah points to the pride and arrogance of Moab about their wealth that can be taken away in a single night. He calls everyone to mourn with him for the loss of the grape harvest and its products in Moab. The Moabites' prayers to their god will not prevent judgment from falling on them in three years. The next prophecy, in chapter 17, deals with Damascus.

Isaiah is among the most important prophetic books in the entire Bible. The first segment details God's impending judgment against ancient peoples for sin and idolatry (Isaiah 1—35). The second part of Isaiah briefly explains a failed assault on Jerusalem during the rule of Hezekiah (Isaiah 36—39). The final chapters predict Israel's rescue from Babylonian captivity (Isaiah 40—48), the promised Messiah (Isaiah 49—57), and the final glory of Jerusalem and God's people (Isaiah 58—66).