Isaiah 16:2

"Send the lambs for the ruler of the land from Selah to the wilderness, to the mountain of the daughter of Zion."

Key Reflection

For the original audience, this verse in Isaiah 16:2 is a poignant political statement directed towards Moab, likely during a time of Assyrian invasion. The instruction to send lambs, typically associated with sacrifice and peace offerings, to the ruler of Judah (referred to as "the ruler of the land" and "the mountain of the daughter of Zion") suggests an attempt at appeasement or seeking favor amidst conflict. Selah, a place name often used metaphorically in biblical contexts, here may symbolize a strategic location where Moabites could safely send these gifts without direct confrontation.

From the Scholars: Barnes' Notes

For it shall be -It shall happen in the time of the calamity that shall come upon Moab. As a wandering bird -(SeeIsaiah 10:14.) The same idea is presented inProverbs 27:8: As a bird that wanders from her nest, So is a man that wandereth from his place. The idea here is that of a bird driven away from her nest, where the nest is destroyed, and the young fly about without any home or place of rest. So would Moab be when the inhabitants were driven from their dwellings. The reason why this is introduced seems to be, to enforce what the prophet had said in the previous verse - the duty of paying the usual tribute to the Jews, and seeking their protection.

More from Isaiah 16

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