Moab’s Destruction

1“Send a lamb to the ruler of the land,

from Selah,a by way of the desert,

to the mountain of the Daughter of Zion.b

2Like fluttering birds,

like an abandoned nest,

so are the daughters of Moab

at the fords of the Arnon River.c

3“Give us advice;

reach a decision!

Cast your shadow as if night had come

at high noon.

Shelter the fugitives,

And don’t betray a single refugee.

4Let the fugitivesd from Moab

settle among you;

be a shelter to them

from the destroyer.

When the oppressor comes to an end,

and destruction hase ceased,

and the marauderf hasg vanished from the land,

5then a throne will be established in gracious love,

and there will sit in faithfulness—

in the Tent of David—

one who judges, seeks justice,

and is swift to do what is right.”

6“We’ve heard about Moab’s pride—

so very proud he became!—h

his arrogance, his pride, and his insolence;

therefore he is alone.i

7Therefore, let Moab notj wail,

let everyone wail for Moab.

Lament and grieve deeply

for the ruined remainsk of Kir-hareseth.

8For the fields of Heshbon wither,

as well as the vines of Sibmah.l

The rulers of the nations

have struck down its choicest vines,

which once reached Jazer

and pushed to the desert.

Its shoots spread out

and passed over the sea.”

Isaiah Weeps for Moab

9“Therefore I weep with the tears of Jazer

for the vines of Sibmah.

I drench you with my tears,

O Heshbon and Elealeh—

for the shouts of joy over your summer fruit

and your grain harvest have ended.

10Joy and gladness are taken away from the orchards,

in the vineyards people will sing no songs,m

andn no cheers are raised.

No vintnero treads out wine in the presses,

because I’ve put an end to the shouting.

11Therefore my insidesp moan like a lyre for Moab,

and my innermost beingq for Kir-hareseth.

12When Moab appears,

when he arrivesr upon the high place

and comes to his sanctuary to pray,

he will not prevail.”

13This was the message that the LORD spoke concerning Moab in the past. 14But now the LORD has spoken again: “Within three years, like the years of a contract worker,s Moab’s glory will be brought into contempt, in spite of all its great multitude, and its survivors will be very few andt of no importance.”