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.
• English Standard Version (ESV)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.
• 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.

Context of Isaiah 16:12

10Joy and happiness disappear from the orchards, and in the vineyards no one rejoices or shouts; no one treads out juice in the wine vats – I have brought the joyful shouts to an end. 11So my heart constantly sighs for Moab, like the strumming of a harp, my inner being sighs for Kir Hareseth. When the Moabites plead with all their might at their high places, and enter their temples to pray, their prayers will be ineffective! 13This is the message the Lord previously announced about Moab. 14Now the Lord makes this announcement: “Within exactly three years Moab’s splendor will disappear, along with all her many people; there will be just a few, insignificant survivors left.”

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 15:2They went up to the temple, the people of Dibon went up to the high places to lament. Because of what happened to Nebo and Medeba, Moab wails. Every head is shaved bare, every beard is trimmed off.
• Isaiah 26:16O Lord, in distress they looked for you; they uttered incantations because of your discipline.
• Numbers 22:39So Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth.
• Numbers 23:1Balaam said to Balak, “Build me seven altars here, and prepare for me here seven bulls and seven rams.”
• Numbers 24:17‘I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not close at hand. A star will march forth out of Jacob, and a scepter will rise out of Israel. He will crush the skulls of Moab, and the heads of all the sons of Sheth.
• Proverbs 1:28Then they will call to me, but I will not answer; they will diligently seek me, but they will not find me.
• Jeremiah 48:35I will put an end in Moab to those who make offerings at her places of worship. I will put an end to those who sacrifice to other gods. I, the Lord, affirm it!
• Isaiah 37:38One day, as he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisroch, his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer struck him down with the sword. They ran away to the land of Ararat; his son Esarhaddon replaced him as king.
• 1 Kings 11:7Furthermore, on the hill east of Jerusalem Solomon built a high place for the detestable Moabite god Chemosh and for the detestable Ammonite god Milcom.
• 2 Kings 3:27So he took his firstborn son, who was to succeed him as king, and offered him up as a burnt sacrifice on the wall. There was an outburst of divine anger against Israel, so they broke off the attack and returned to their homeland.
• Jeremiah 48:7“Moab, you trust in the things you do and in your riches. So you too will be conquered. Your god Chemosh will go into exile along with his priests and his officials.
• Isaiah 47:13You are tired out from listening to so much advice. Let them take their stand – the ones who see omens in the sky, who gaze at the stars, who make monthly predictions – let them rescue you from the disaster that is about to overtake you!
• 2 Kings 19:12Were the nations whom my ancestors destroyed – the nations of Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, and the people of Eden in Telassar – rescued by their gods?
• Psalms 115:3Our God is in heaven! He does whatever he pleases!
• Jeremiah 10:5Such idols are like scarecrows in a cucumber field. They cannot talk. They must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of them because they cannot hurt you. And they do not have any power to help you.”

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