16 We must send sheep as gifts to the ruler of our land. Send them from Sela across the desert. Send them to Mount Zion in Jerusalem. [ a ]
2 Moab's women are standing at the shore of Arnon river. They want to go across. They are like birds that people have chased out of their nests.
3 The Moabites say, ‘Tell us what we should do! Help us in our troubles! Give us some shade in the middle of the day! Hide the people who are escaping! Our enemies are chasing us. Do not let them find us. 4 Let us escape from Moab and come to live among you. Our enemy wants to destroy us. Please keep us safe!’
Yes, one day, the cruel enemy will have gone. He will no longer attack the land and destroy it. 5 One of David's descendants will rule as king. He will be true and honest. He will judge people in a fair way. He will quickly bring justice among his people.
6 The people of Judah say, ‘We know how proud Moab's people are. We have heard how they boast about themselves. They think that they can do anything that they want. But all their pride is empty and useless!’
7 Because of their troubles, Moab's people weep. They are all very upset. They are sad because there are no more sweet raisins from Kir-Hareseth!
8 Yes, nothing grows in Heshbon's fields. There are no grapes on Sibmah's vines. The rulers of other nations have destroyed the vineyards. The branches of those vines reached as far as Jazer, and the desert. They even grew to go across the sea. [ b ] 9 Because of that, I weep for the vines of Sibmah, as Jazer weeps. I pour out my tears all over you, Heshbon and Elealeh. Your people no longer sing because they are happy at harvest time. There is no more fruit on your trees or crops in your fields. 10 Nobody is happy in the fields. Nobody sings or shouts with joy in the vineyards. Nobody squeezes the grapes to make wine. I have caused all the happy noise to stop.
11 So I cry deep inside me for Moab. I cry like the sad music of a harp. I am very upset for Kir-Hareseth.
12 Moab's people go to their altars and temples to pray for help from their gods. But they will only become tired. Their prayers will be useless.
13 That is the message that the Lord has already spoken about Moab. 14 But now the Lord says, ‘In three years' time, all Moab's glory will have gone. Count every day of those years, as if you are working to receive money. After that, there will only be a few of Moab's people who are still alive. Now they are many and they are strong. But by then they will be few and weak.’
16 You people should send a gift to the king of the land. You should send a lamb from Sela, through the desert, to the mountain in the city of Jerusalem. [ a ]
2 The women of Moab try to cross the river Arnon.
They run around looking for help,
like little birds that have fallen from their nest.
3 They say, “Help us!
Tell us what to do.
Protect us from our enemies
as shade protects us from the noon sun.
We are running from our enemies.
Hide us!
Don’t give us to our enemies.
4 People from Moab were forced to leave their homes.
So let them live in your land.
Hide them from their enemies.”
The robbing will stop.
The enemy will be defeated.
The men who hurt the people will be gone from the land.
5 Then a new king will come.
He will be from David’s family. [ b ]
He will be loyal, loving, and kind.
He will be a king who judges fairly.
He will do what is right and good.
6 We have heard that the people of Moab
are very proud and conceited.
They are hot-tempered braggers,
but their boasts are only empty words.
7 Because of their pride, everyone in Moab will mourn.
They will wish for the way things used to be.
They will wish for the raisin cakes from Kir Hareseth. [ c ]
8 The fields of Heshbon and the vines of Sibmah no longer grow grapes.
Foreign rulers have destroyed the vines.
The enemy has reached Jazer
and has spread into the desert and down to the sea. [ d ]
9 I will cry with the people of Jazer and Sibmah,
because the grapes have been destroyed.
I will cry with the people of Heshbon and Elealeh
because there will be no harvest.
There will be no summer fruit,
and there will be no shouts of joy for the harvest.
10 There will be no joy and happiness in the orchard.
I will end the happy singing and shouting in the vineyard.
The grapes are ready to make wine,
but they will all be ruined.
11 So I will hum a sad song for Moab and Kir Heres, [ e ]
like a harp playing a funeral song.
12 The people of Moab will go
to their high places to worship.
They will go to their temple to pray,
but it will not help them.
13 The Lord said these things about Moab many times. 14 And now the Lord says, “In three years (counting as exactly as a hired helper would) all those people and the things they are proud of will be gone. Only a few of their weakest people will be left.”
16 Send ye the lamb to the ruler of the land from Sela to the wilderness, unto the mount of the daughter of Zion.
2 For it shall be, that, as a wandering bird cast out of the nest, so the daughters of Moab shall be at the fords of Arnon.
3 Take counsel, execute judgment; make thy shadow as the night in the midst of the noonday; hide the outcasts; bewray not him that wandereth.
4 Let mine outcasts dwell with thee, Moab; be thou a covert to them from the face of the spoiler: for the extortioner is at an end, the spoiler ceaseth, the oppressors are consumed out of the land.
5 And in mercy shall the throne be established: and he shall sit upon it in truth in the tabernacle of David, judging, and seeking judgment, and hasting righteousness.
6 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.
7 Therefore shall Moab howl for Moab, every one shall howl: for the foundations of Kirhareseth shall ye mourn; surely they are stricken.
8 For the fields of Heshbon languish, and the vine of Sibmah: the lords of the heathen have broken down the principal plants thereof, they are come even unto Jazer, they wandered through the wilderness: her branches are stretched out, they are gone over the sea.
9 Therefore I will bewail with the weeping of Jazer the vine of Sibmah: I will water thee with my tears, O Heshbon, and Elealeh: for the shouting for thy summer fruits and for thy harvest is fallen.
10 And gladness is taken away, and joy out of the plentiful field; and in the vineyards there shall be no singing, neither shall there be shouting: the treaders shall tread out no wine in their presses; I have made their vintage shouting to cease.
11 Wherefore my bowels shall sound like an harp for Moab, and mine inward parts for Kirharesh.
12 And it shall come to pass, when it is seen that Moab is weary on the high place, that he shall come to his sanctuary to pray; but he shall not prevail.
13 This is the word that the Lord hath spoken concerning Moab since that time.
14 But now the Lord hath spoken, saying, Within three years, as the years of an hireling, and the glory of Moab shall be contemned, with all that great multitude; and the remnant shall be very small and feeble.
16 ( A ) Send the tribute lamb to the ruler of the land,
From [ a ] ( B ) Sela by way of the wilderness to the ( C ) mountain of the daughter of Zion.
2 Then, like ( D ) fluttering birds or scattered nestlings,
The daughters of ( E ) Moab will be at the crossing places of the ( F ) Arnon.
3 “ [ b ] Give us advice, make a decision;
[ c ] Cast your ( G ) shadow like night [ d ] at high noon;
( H ) Hide the outcasts, do not betray the fugitive.
4 Let the [ e ] outcasts of Moab stay with you;
Be a hiding place to them from the destroyer.”
For the oppressor has come to an end, destruction has ceased,
( I ) Oppressors have been removed from the land.
5 A ( J ) throne will be established in faithfulness,
And a judge will sit on it in trustworthiness in the tent of ( K ) David;
Moreover, he will seek justice,
And be prompt in righteousness.
6 ( L ) We have heard of the pride of Moab, an excessive pride;
Even of his arrogance, pride, and fury;
( M ) His idle boasts are [ f ] false.
7 Therefore Moab will wail; everyone of Moab will wail.
You will moan for the ( N ) raisin cakes of ( O ) Kir-hareseth
As those who are utterly stricken.
8 For the fields of ( P ) Heshbon have [ g ] withered, the vines of ( Q ) Sibmah as well ;
The lords of the nations have trampled down its choice clusters
Which reached as far as Jazer and wandered to the deserts;
( R ) Its [ h ] tendrils spread themselves out and passed over the sea.
9 Therefore I will ( S ) weep bitterly for Jazer, for the vine of Sibmah;
I will drench you with my tears, ( T ) Heshbon and Elealeh;
For the shouting over your ( U ) summer fruits and your harvest has fallen away.
10 ( V ) Gladness and joy are taken away from the fruitful field;
In the ( W ) vineyards also there will be no cries of joy or jubilant shouting,
No ( X ) treader treads out wine in the presses,
For I have made the shouting to cease.
11 Therefore my [ i ] ( Y ) inner being sounds like a harp for Moab.
And my [ j ] heart for Kir-hareseth.
12 So it will come about when Moab ( Z ) presents himself,
When he ( AA ) tires himself upon his ( AB ) high place
And comes to his sanctuary to pray,
That he will not prevail.
13 This is the word which the Lord spoke earlier concerning Moab. 14 But now the Lord has spoken, saying, “Within three years, as [ k ] ( AC ) a hired worker would count them, the glory of ( AD ) Moab will become contemptible along with all his great population, and his remnant will be very small and [ l ] impotent.”
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 like night—
at high noon.
Hide the fugitives, ( I )
do not betray the refugees.
4 Let the Moabite fugitives stay with you;
be their shelter ( J ) from the destroyer.”
The oppressor ( K ) will come to an end,
and destruction will cease; ( L )
the aggressor will vanish from the land.
5 In love a throne ( M ) will be established; ( N )
in faithfulness a man will sit on it—
one from the house [ a ] of David ( O ) —
one who in judging seeks justice ( P )
and speeds the cause of righteousness.
6 We have heard of Moab’s ( Q ) pride ( R ) —
how great is her arrogance!—
of her conceit, her pride and her insolence;
but her boasts are empty.
7 Therefore the Moabites wail, ( S )
they wail together for Moab.
Lament and grieve
for the raisin cakes ( T ) of Kir Hareseth. ( U )
8 The fields of Heshbon ( V ) wither, ( W )
the vines of Sibmah ( X ) also.
The rulers of the nations
have trampled down the choicest vines, ( Y )
which once reached Jazer ( Z )
and spread toward the desert.
Their shoots spread out ( AA )
and went as far as the sea. [ b ] ( AB )
9 So I weep, ( AC ) as Jazer weeps,
for the vines of Sibmah.
Heshbon and Elealeh, ( AD )
I drench you with tears! ( AE )
The shouts of joy ( AF ) over your ripened fruit
and over your harvests ( AG ) have been stilled.
10 Joy and gladness are taken away from the orchards; ( AH )
no one sings or shouts ( AI ) in the vineyards;
no one treads ( AJ ) out wine at the presses, ( AK )
for I have put an end to the shouting.
11 My heart laments for Moab ( AL ) like a harp, ( AM )
my inmost being ( AN ) for Kir Hareseth.
12 When Moab appears at her high place, ( AO )
she only wears herself out;
when she goes to her shrine ( AP ) to pray,
it is to no avail. ( AQ )
13 This is the word the Lord has already spoken concerning Moab. 14 But now the Lord says: “Within three years, ( AR ) as a servant bound by contract ( AS ) would count them, ( AT ) Moab’s splendor and all her many people will be despised, ( AU ) and her survivors will be very few and feeble.” ( AV )
