Moab's Consideration of An Appeal to the King of Judah (Isaiah 16:1-5).
Analysis of Isaiah 16:1-5.
a Send the lambs, for the ruler of the land, from Sela which is towards the wilderness, to the mount of the daughter of Zion (Isaiah 16:1).
b For it will be that, as wandering birds, as a scattered nest, so will the daughters of Moab be, at the fords of Arnon (Isaiah 16:2).
c Give counsel, exercise justice (make a just decision), make your shadow as the night, in the midst of the noonday (Isaiah 16:3 a).
d Hide the outcasts, do not betray the wanderer (Isaiah 16:3 b).
d Let my outcasts dwell with you (Isaiah 16:4 a).
c As for Moab, be a covert to him, from the face of the spoiler
b For the extortioner is brought to nothing, spoiling ceases, those who tread down, are consumed out of the land (Isaiah 16:4 b).
a And a throne will be established in covenant love, and one will sit (or ‘one sits') on it in truth, in the tent of David, judging and seeking justice, and swift to do righteousness (Isaiah 16:5).
In ‘a' gifts are to be sent to the ruler who rules over the land of Judah and over mount Zion, and in the parallel the just and righteous ruler is described in glowing terms. In ‘b' the daughters of Moab are in a hapless state, defenceless and hopeless, while in Judah righteousness rules, none are ‘spoiled' or tread down the weak. In ‘c' a plea is made to Judah for their shadow to cover the fleeing Moabites, and in the parallel the request is made for them to be a covert to him from the face of the spoiler. In ‘d' the request is that their outcasts may be hidden in Judah and not betrayed, and in the parallel that they may dwell with them (in safety).
‘Send the lambs,
For the ruler of the land
From Sela which is towards the wilderness,
To the mount of the daughter of Zion.
For it will be that, as wandering birds,
As a scattered nest,
So will the daughters of Moab be,
At the fords of Arnon.'
Having fled into Edom (Sela is in Edom) for refuge the decision is taken to appeal to Judah for help, to ‘the mount of the daughter of Zion', sending a gift of lambs, a payment for the privilege asked for (compare 2 Kings 3:4). Alternately it may indicate submission to the Davidic kingship. They had been subdued and rendered tributary by David (2 Samuel 8:2), and when the kingdom was divided, they continued in subjection to the ten tribes till the death of Ahab, paying yearly, or perhaps at the accession of every new king, a tribute of a hundred thousand lambs and as many rams with the wool (2 Kings 3:4-5). Thus the point here may be the renewal of tribute in return for protection. Alternatively the gift might have been seen as necessary so that national pride could be maintained at all costs. The appeal will go to the ruler of the land. In mind especially is the hapless state of the young women of Moab still seeking to cross the fords of Arnon in numbers, looking back in fear at the advancing Assyrian soldiery. Whereas the daughter of Zion prospers, the daughters of Moab are in a hapless state.
The young women are always the ones who suffer most in such circumstances. They are a prey to the enemy and unable to defend themselves. They are like birds that have become separated from the flock, like helpless nestlings when the nest has been destroyed.
Note the vague ‘ruler of the land' and the way Jerusalem is described. Both avoid specifics. They do not speak of the anointed Davidic king, or refer to the Mount of Yahweh. They do not want to be seen as submitting to the son of David or to the God of Judah. They prefer to put themselves at the mercy of the people without wanting any deep involvement.
‘Give counsel,
Exercise justice (make a just decision),
Make your shadow as the night,
In the midst of the noonday,
Hide the outcasts,
Do not betray the wanderer.
Let my outcasts dwell with you.
As for Moab, be a covert to him,
From the face of the spoiler.'
The appeal to Judah is put into words. Let the leaders of Judah discuss the matter and come to a conclusion, let them make a just decision. Let the daughter of Zion act as a shadow to Moab from the heat of the Assyrian sun, let them shelter the outcasts and not hand back the refugees to the advancing Assyrians. Let them give them a place where they can settle as resident aliens for a time until the crisis is past. Let them be a place of refuge from the spoiler.
‘For the extortioner is brought to nothing,
Spoiling ceases,
Those who tread down,
Are consumed out of the land,
And a throne will be established in covenant love,
And one will sit (or ‘one sits') on it in truth,
In the tent of David, judging and seeking justice,
And swift to do righteousness.'
Some see this as Zion's conditional acceptance speech, a declaration that Moab must recognise the terms on which they can come. They must recognise that Judah is a well ruled land, ruled by one who sits on a throne established in covenant love and truth, sitting in the tent of David and ruling justly. Therefore there must be no misbehaviour, for all who misbehave will be severely dealt with. They must be willing to obey the Law of righteousness as expressed in the covenant. (‘Will be' and ‘will sit' then simply refer to what they will find when they come. Hebrew verb tenses must not be pressed timewise. They refer rather to completed or incompleted action).
Others see this as the flattery that follows the appeal. The Moabite leaders know about the hopes of Israel and define the ruler of the land to whom they are appealing in those terms. They know that he is a just king, they say, whose righteous reign has rid Judah of extortioners, of spoilers, of oppressors, who sits on a throne of mercy, who deals honestly, who is of the Davidic house, honourable like David was, judging fairly, seeking justice, quick to do what is right. The implication therefore is that he will not refuse their request.
Even others, however, see Isaiah 16:5 as spoken by Isaiah or God, and therefore a glimpse into the future Messianic reign, but as a direct reference this sits ill with what follows and seems out of context, although they would argue that Isaiah is deliberately seeking to bring in a reference to Immanuel as a reminder of what will be. What,. however, would seem more acceptable is the idea that this a description of an idealistic king which was applied rather hopefully to the house of David, and thus in that sense foreshadows the Messiah.
This stability and security of Judah is seen to be in direct contrast with the sad state of the daughters of Moab, and the description of the king ruling in strength and justice thus provides hope for the refugees.