Chapter 16

Send lambs to the ruler of the land: In the ancient Near East, smaller kingdoms often paid tribute (such as lambs) to larger powers for protection or in acknowledgment of vassal status.  As King Mesha sent 100,000 lambs each year to King Ahab of Israel (II Kings 3:4), so now the Moabites were advised to win the king’s favour and protection by diverting their tribute to the king in Jerusalem as an acknowledgement of subjection.

This verse highlights Moab’s desperation. Rather than relying on its own gods or armies, Moab is resorting to paying tribute to Judah to secure mercy or assistance.

Prophet Isaiah paints a powerful picture of the helpless, confused state of Moab under the hand of God’s judgment. They are like wandering birds thrown out of the nest, confused, weak, and vulnerable. 

The Arnon River was a key geographical boundary between Moab and the Amorites in ancient times. Standing at the fords suggests they are on the edge of their territory, uncertain whether they can safely cross to find refuge. Their only recourse is to submit themselves to Jerusalem and its King again

Hide the outcasts: With caring words, Prophet Isaiah begs Judah’s rulers to shelter Moab’s refugees. His deep compassion probably arises from the ancestral link between Moab and David’s royal family. This family tie may explain why Isaiah feels so strongly for their plight.

Betray not the fugitive to his pursuer: Prophet Isaiah hoped Judah would serve as a haven for Moab, then facing judgment. The church, likewise, should welcome those who face the consequences of rebelling against God. If they humbly seek safety among believers, the church must protect them, hide the outcasts, and accept everyone who escapes, never condemning them. Such grace mirrors God’s mercy and fosters hope for lasting, deeper change.

This is a sudden and curious change of focus. In Isaiah 16:3, Judah was counselled to receive the outcasts of Moab. Now, Moab is asked to receive Judah's outcasts.

This is an end-times prophecy of how Moab will be a place of refuge for Jews escaping the fury of the Antichrist after the abomination of desolation. 

Lord Jesus said, “When you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel — let the reader understand — then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains” (Matthew 24:15, 16).

This will be the time when the Jews will flee to the mountains of Moab.

Why Petra

Petra is located in Biblical Edom, and the Scriptures state that the land of Edom “will be delivered from his [Antichrist’s] hand” (Daniel 11:41).

"He will enter the glorious land of Israel, and many nations will fall, but Moab, Edom, and the best part of Ammon will escape," Daniel 11:41

Prophetic passages like Micah 2:12 and Isaiah 63:1-6 describe the area of Petra in Jordan as the place where Jews flee when the Antichrist begins persecution. It is where they remain safely protected by God during the Great Tribulation.

Numerous scholars believe that this will be the hiding place in the wilderness where God will preserve this Jewish remnant for forty-two months, and this remnant will be delivered and spared from destruction at the return of Christ.

Moab, Edom and Ammon are all in Jordan. In fact, Ammon, which is now known as Amman, is the capital and most populous city in Jordan.

We have heard of the pride of Moab: This passage is the only place where Moab’s specific sin—pride—is clearly shown. It’s striking that their sin was pride, given that Moab was quite small and not very important on the world stage. We might understand how a huge empire like Babylon or Assyria could be ruined by pride, but this shows that even a modest nation can be just as caught up in arrogance.

Like Assyria and Babylon, Moab was extremely proud. Isaiah used one strong phrase after another to emphasise that being a smaller nation did not protect Moab from the dangers of pride.

This lesson also applies to our daily lives. We often think of pride as something that only affects the rich, the powerful, or the famous, but pride can quietly creep into the “little” areas of our behaviour. It can show up in how we refuse help because we want to appear strong or in how we compare ourselves to others and secretly feel superior. These small seeds of pride can grow into larger issues if left unchecked.

The Bible warns us in Proverbs 16:18, “Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall.” This reminds us that pride, no matter how subtle, sets us on a dangerous path. It blinds us to our need for God’s grace and opens the door for us to stumble.

That he is very proud—even of his arrogance, his conceit, his wrath, his untruthful boasting: This same pride is mentioned in the warning found in Jeremiah 48:1-13. Because of their arrogance, God would judge Moab so that Moab would mourn over its own downfall. The Moabites boasted about their vineyards, but God used foreign rulers to tear down and destroy everything they took pride in.

Even though Moab was advised to seek help from the King in Zion, the prophet Isaiah also foresaw how Moab’s pride would make that advice useless. Whenever pride isn’t dealt with through humility, it eventually has to be dealt with through justice.

With these words, the prophet Isaiah reveals how grieved he is about the judgment heading toward Moab. Even though Moab was often at odds with Israel, Isaiah took no pleasure in seeing a rival nation punished. He mourns that “Gladness is taken away, and joy from the plentiful field,” and even silences their celebrations: “I have made their shouting cease.” His compassion runs so deep that he cries out, “My heart shall resound like a harp for Moab,” showing how powerfully he feels their loss.

Amid their trials, Isaiah observes that Moab—“weary on the high place”—will turn to its own sanctuary to pray. Despite their frantic appeal, Moab will not prevail. The prophet sadly recognises how people sometimes look for answers in the wrong places. Even when faced with disaster, Moab chooses self-made solutions, rejecting the very God who could deliver them.

Prophet Isaiah’s heartbreak for Moab is similar to Jesus’ sorrow for Jerusalem (Matthew 23:37-39). Just as Isaiah lamented over Moab, Lord Jesus wept for the city that turned away its Savior. He longed to protect them like a hen gathering her chicks, yet they would not listen. In both cases—Moab and Jerusalem—hearts remained closed. When calamity struck, they sought every other option except the One who held their true rescue.