Isaiah 16:12

Isaiah 16:12 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)When Moab appears at her high place, she only wears herself out; when she goes to her shrine to pray, it is to no avail.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And it shall come to pass, When it is seen that Moab is weary on the high place, That he will come to his sanctuary to pray; But he will not prevail.
• New Living Translation (NLT)The people of Moab will worship at their pagan shrines, but it will do them no good. They will cry to the gods in their temples, but no one will be able to save them.

Context of Isaiah 16:12

10And joy and gladness are taken away from the fruitful field, and in the vineyards no songs are sung, no cheers are raised; no treader treads out wine in the presses; I have put an end to the shouting. 11Therefore my inner parts moan like a lyre for Moab, and my inmost self for Kir-hareseth. And when Moab presents himself, when he wearies himself on the high place, when he comes to his sanctuary to pray, he will not prevail. 13This is the word that the Lord spoke concerning Moab in the past. 14But 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."

Isaiah 16:12 word by word

וְהָיָ֧ה כִֽי־נִרְאָ֛ה כִּֽי־נִלְאָ֥ה מוֹאָ֖ב עַל־הַבָּמָ֑ה וּבָ֧א אֶל־מִקְדָּשׁ֛וֹ לְהִתְפַּלֵּ֖ל וְלֹ֥א יוּכָֽל׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And it shall come to pass, when it is seenרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• that Moabמוֹאָבmô'âb · MoabH4124
• is wearyלָאָהlâ'âh · be wearyH3811
• on the high placeבָּמָהbâmâh · high placeH1116
• that he shall comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• to his sanctuaryמִקְדָּשׁmiqdâsh miqqedâsh · sanctuaryH4720
• to prayפָּלַלpâlal · to prayH6419
• but he shall not prevailיָכֹלyâkôl yâkôl · be ableH3201

Cross-references for Isaiah 16:12

• Isaiah 15:2He has gone up to the temple, and to Dibon, to the high places to weep; over Nebo and over Medeba Moab wails. On every head is baldness; every beard is shorn;
• Isaiah 26:16O Lord, in distress they sought you; they poured out a whispered prayer when your discipline was upon them.
• Numbers 22:39Then Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth.
• Numbers 23:1And Balaam said to Balak, "Build for me here seven altars, and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams."
• Numbers 24:17I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near: a star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel; it shall crush the forehead of Moab and break down all the sons of Sheth.
• Proverbs 1:28Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently but will not find me.
• Jeremiah 48:35And I will bring to an end in Moab, declares the Lord, him who offers sacrifice in the high place and makes offerings to his god.
• Isaiah 37:38And as he was worshiping in the house of Nisroch his god, Adrammelech and Sharezer, his sons, struck him down with the sword. And after they escaped into the land of Ararat, Esarhaddon his son reigned in his place.
• 1 Kings 11:7Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, and for Molech the abomination of the Ammonites, on the mountain east of Jerusalem.
• 2 Kings 3:27Then he took his oldest son who was to reign in his place and offered him for a burnt offering on the wall. And there came great wrath against Israel. And they withdrew from him and returned to their own land.
• Jeremiah 48:7For, because you trusted in your works and your treasures, you also shall be taken; and Chemosh shall go into exile with his priests and his officials.
• Isaiah 47:13You are wearied with your many counsels; let them stand forth and save you, those who divide the heavens, who gaze at the stars, who at the new moons make known what shall come upon you.
• 2 Kings 19:12Have the gods of the nations delivered them, the nations that my fathers destroyed, Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, and the people of Eden who were in Telassar?
• Psalms 115:3Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.
• Jeremiah 10:5Their idols are like scarecrows in a cucumber field, and they cannot speak; they have to be carried, for they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of them, for they cannot do evil, neither is it in them to do good."

Commentaries on Isaiah 16:12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12When it is seen that Moab, etc. "When Moab shall see," etc. - For נראה nirah, a MS. reads ראה raah, and so the Syriac and Chaldee. "Perhaps נראה כי ki nirah is only a various reading of נלאה כי ki nilah ." Secker. A very probable conjecture.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12When it is seen - When it occurs; that is, when Moab actually “becomes” weary. Is weary on the high place - The “high place” denotes the place of idolatrous worship, and here means the same as the temple of Chemosh or his sanctuary. Temples and altars were usually constructed on such places, and especially the temples of the pagan gods. Moab is represented here as looking to her gods for protection. Weary, exhausted, worn down with calamities, she is…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. 12The hilltops were sites for pagan shrines (see Isaiah 15:2). No one will be able to save them, including the idols the Moabites called on for protection (see Isaiah 40:18–19; 44:18–19).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. when it is seen that--rather, "When Moab shall have appeared (before his gods; compare Ex 23:15), when he is weary (that is, when he shall have fatigued himself with observing burdensome rites; 1Ki 18:26, &c.), on the high place (compare Is 15:2), and shall come to his sanctuary (of the idol Chemosh on Mount Nebo) to pray, he shall not prevail"; he shall effect nothing by his prayers [Maurer].Read the comment

Topics related to Isaiah 16:12

• Church
• Idol
• Idolatry

In the dictionaries

• Moab
• Moab; Moabites
• Moab, Moabite
• High place
• Grind
• Outcast
• Treader
• Arnon
• Canon of the Old Testament
• Esther, the Rest of

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