Berean Standard Bible
Isaiah 16:14
14And now the LORD says, “In three years, as a hired worker counts the years, Moab’s splendor will become an object of contempt, with all her many people. And those who are left will be few and feeble.”
Isaiah 16:14 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)But now the Lord says: “Within three years, as a servant bound by contract would count them, Moab’s splendor and all her many people will be despised, and her survivors will be very few and feeble.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)But now the Lord has spoken, saying, "In three years, like the years of a hired worker, the glory of Moab will be brought into contempt, in spite of all his great multitude, and those who remain will be very few and feeble."
- New King James Version (NKJV)But now the Lord has spoken, saying, “Within three years, as the years of a hired man, the glory of Moab will be despised with all that great multitude, and the remnant will be very small and feeble.”
Context of Isaiah 16:14
12When Moab appears on the high place, when he wearies himself and enters his sanctuary to pray, it will do him no good. 13This is the message that the LORD spoke earlier concerning Moab. And now the LORD says, “In three years, as a hired worker counts the years, Moab’s splendor will become an object of contempt, with all her many people. And those who are left will be few and feeble.”
Read all of Isaiah 16Isaiah 16:14 word by word
וְעַתָּ֗ה דִּבֶּ֣ר יְהוָה֮ לֵאמֹר֒ בְּשָׁלֹ֤שׁ שָׁנִים֙ כִּשְׁנֵ֣י שָׂכִ֔יר וְנִקְלָה֙ כְּב֣וֹד מוֹאָ֔ב בְּכֹ֖ל הֶהָמ֣וֹן הָרָ֑ב וּשְׁאָ֥ר מְעַ֛ט מִזְעָ֖ר ל֥וֹא כַבִּֽיר׃ סRead the interlinear
- And nowעַתָּ֫ה‛attâh · nowH6258
- the LORDיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- the LORDאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- saysדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
- In threeשָׁלֹשׁshâlôsh shâlôsh shelôshâh shelôshâh · threeH7969
- yearsשָׁנָהshâneh shânâh · yearH8141
- as a hired workerשָׂכִירώâkîyr · hiredH7916
- Moab’sמוֹאָבmô'âb · MoabH4124
- splendorכָּבוֹדkâbôd kâbôd · gloryH3519
- will become an object of contemptקָלָהqâlâh · to dishonorH7034
- with allכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
- her manyרַבrab · manyH7227
- peopleהָמוֹןhâmôn hâmôn · crowdH1995
- And those who are leftשְׁאָרshe'âr · remnantH7605
- will be fewמְעַטme‛aţ me‛âţ · littleH4592
- will be fewמִזְעָרmiz‛âr · littleH4213
- feebleלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
- feebleכַּבִּירkabbîyr · mightyH3524
Cross-references for Isaiah 16:14
- Isaiah 7:16For before the boy knows enough to reject evil and choose good, the land of the two kings you dread will be laid waste.
- Isaiah 15:5My heart cries out over Moab; her fugitives flee as far as Zoar, as far as Eglath-shelishiyah. With weeping they ascend the slope of Luhith; they lament their destruction on the road to Horonaim.
- Isaiah 21:16For this is what the Lord says to me: “Within one year, as a hired worker would count it, all the glory of Kedar will be gone.
- Deuteronomy 15:8Instead, you are to open your hand to him and freely loan him whatever he needs.
- Isaiah 17:4“In that day the splendor of Jacob will fade, and the fat of his body will waste away,
- Isaiah 23:9The LORD of Hosts planned it, to defile all its glorious beauty, to disgrace all the renowned of the earth.
- Genesis 31:1Now Jacob heard that Laban’s sons were saying, “Jacob has taken away all that belonged to our father and built all this wealth at our father’s expense.”
- Esther 5:11Haman recounted to them his glorious wealth, his many sons, and all the ways the king had honored and promoted him over the other officials and servants.
- Jeremiah 9:23This is what the LORD says: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, nor the strong man in his strength, nor the wealthy man in his riches.
- Nahum 2:9“Plunder the silver! Plunder the gold!” There is no end to the treasure, an abundance of every precious thing.
- Jeremiah 48:46Woe to you, O Moab! The people of Chemosh have perished; for your sons have been taken into exile and your daughters have gone into captivity.
Commentaries on Isaiah 16:14
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 14Within three years - בשלש beshalish כשלש keshalish, according, or in or about three years, is the reading of nine of Kennicott's and De Rossi's MSS., and two ancient editions. But the present reading may well stand: "Now, the Lord hath spoken, saying, Within three years, as the years of a hireling." It seems as if this prophecy had been delivered before, without any time specified for its fulfillment; but now the time is determined" in three years, as the…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 14But now the Lord hath spoken - This refers to the particular and specific prophecy of Isaiah that destruction should come upon them in three years. Instead of a “general but indefinite” prediction of calamity to the Moabites, such as had been uttered by the former prophets, or by Isaiah himself before, it was now specific and definite in regard to the “time” when it should be fulfilled. Within three years - We have no means of ascertaining the exact…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 6-14Verses 6-14 Those who will not be counselled, cannot be helped. More souls are ruined by pride than by any other sin whatever. Also, the very proud are commonly very passionate. With lies many seek to gain the gratification of pride and passion, but they shall not compass proud and angry projects. Moab was famous for fields and vineyards; but they shall be laid waste by the invading army. God can soon turn laughter into mourning, and joy into heaviness…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 14In three years, as a hired worker counts the years (see also Isaiah 21:16): A man who sold himself into servitude would calculate the remaining time down to the last day. This verse refers to unknown events. The glory of Moab will be ended, probably because of the Assyrian conquest of Moab (late 700s BC). those who are left will be few and feeble: Though reduced by war, the Moabites still existed during Nehemiah’s time (Nehemiah 13:23).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1414. three years ... hireling--Just as a hireling has his fixed term of engagement, which neither he nor his master will allow to be added to or to be taken from, so the limit within which Moab is to fall is unalterably fixed (Is 21:16). Fulfilled about the time when the Assyrians led Israel into captivity. The ruins of Elealeh, Heshbon, Medeba, Dibon, &c., still exist to confirm the inspiration of Scripture. The accurate particularity of specification of…Read the comment
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Isaiah 16
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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