Isaiah 16:3-30:19

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Isaiah 16:1-5

God has made it to appear that he delights not in the ruin of sinners by telling them what they may do to prevent the ruin; so he does here to Moab. I. He advises them to be just to the house of David, and to pay the tribute they had formerly covenanted to pay to the kings of his line (Isa. 16:1): Send you the lamb to the ruler of the land. David made the Moabites tributaries to him, 2 Sam. 8:2. They became his servants, and brought gifts. Afterwards they paid their tribute to the kings of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Isaiah 16:3

Take counsel, execute judgment ,.... This refers either to what goes before, that they would take the counsel given, and do that which was just and right, by paying tribute to the king of Judah; or to what follows, that they would enter into a consultation, the king of Moab with his nobles, and resolve upon what was right, and do it, by protecting and harbouring the distressed Jews, who would flee unto them from the enemy: make thy shadow as the night in the midst of the noonday ; a time... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Isaiah 16:3

Take counsel "Impart counsel" - The Vulgate renders the verbs in the beginning of this verse in the singular number, So the Keri; and so likewise sixty-one MSS. of Kennicott's and De Rossi's have it, and nineteen editions, and the Syriac. The verbs throughout the verse are also in the feminine gender; agreeing with Zion, which I suppose to be understood. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 16:1-4

The wisdom of the weaker. The prophet counsels Moab to "make submission meet" to Judah ( Isaiah 16:1 ), and to show her such kindness in the day of her distress ( Isaiah 16:3 , Isaiah 16:4 ) as will be remembered in the day when prosperity and power will be again her portion. I. THE WISDOM OF THE WEAKER COMMUNITY . 1. Submission to the greater power under its lawful claim . "Send ye the lamb to the ruler of the land"—pay the tribute which is due, and which... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 16:1-5

God's offer of mercy to the sinner. Scarcely ever does God punish sin by a sudden unannounced visitation, or without previous warning to the sinner of what is coming upon him. And this warning is almost always accompanied by an offer of mercy. God has " no pleasure in the death of him that dieth" ( Ezekiel 18:32 ); he " would not that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance" ( 2 Peter 3:9 ). And therefore he warns men. He warned even the ungodly world before the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 16:1-6

The King in Zion. "I have set my King upon my holy hill of Zion" ( Psalms 2:1-12 .). The destined Ruler of the world, he shall spread the wing of his mild government and protection over the nations in their harassment and despair, as now over Moab. 1. THE CALL TO THE FUGITIVES . They have fled into Edom, as far as to Petra, near Mount Hor. It was a region surrounded by rocky cliffs. Sela itself means rock or cliff. Between Petra—whose ruins the Arab guide of Seetzen said he... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 16:1-14

THE BURDEN OF MOAB ( CONTINUED ). This portion of the "burden" is divided into three sections. In section 1 (from Isaiah 16:1 to the end of Isaiah 16:5 ) an offer of mercy is made to Moab on certain conditions, viz. that she return to her allegiance to the house of David, and show kindness to fugitive Israelites. In section 2 ( Isaiah 16:6-12 ) she is supposed to have rejected this offer, and is threatened (as in Isaiah 15:1-9 .) with severe punishment. In section 3... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 16:3

Take counsel, execute judgment , etc. According to most critics, these are the words of the Moabites, or of a Moabite ambassador at Jerusalem, and are a call on Judaea to give shelter to the fugitives from Moab. Some, however, as Dr. Kay, maintain that the words are the prophet's, addressed to Moab, calling on her to treat kindly fugitives from Judaea. Make thy shadow as the night (comp. Isaiah 4:6 ). In the hot land of Moab the sun is an enemy, and "the shadow of a great rock" a welcome... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Isaiah 16:3

Practical righteousness. It does not seem certain whether this counsel is addressed to Moab in relation to the people fleeing for shelter from the invasion of Sennacherib, or to Israel in relation to the outcasts from Moab. Whichever it be, the point of the counsel is that they should act kindly, considerately, charitably. Righteousness is like "pure religion and undefiled;" it is doing something— "visiting the fatherless and widows in their affliction." "He that doeth righteousness is... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Isaiah 16:3

Take counsel - Hebrew, ‘Bring counsel;’ or cause it to come (הבאו hâbı̂'ı̂û, or as it is in the keri הביאי). The Vulgate, renders this in the singular number, and so is the keri, and so many manuscripts J. D. Michaelis, Lowth, Etchhorn, Gesenius, and Noyes, regard Isaiah 16:3-5 as a supplicatory address of the fugitive Moabites to the Jews to take them under their protection, and as imploring a blessing on the Jewish people if they would do it; and Isaiah 16:6 as the negative answer of the... read more

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