The Meaning of Isaiah 16:14 Explained

Isaiah 16:14

KJV: But now the LORD hath spoken, saying, Within three years, as the years of an hireling, and the glory of Moab shall be contemned, with all that great multitude; and the remnant shall be very small and feeble.

YLT: And now hath Jehovah spoken, saying, 'In three years, as years of an hireling, Lightly esteemed is the honour of Moab, With all the great multitude, And the remnant is little, small, not mighty!'

Darby: And now Jehovah speaketh saying, Within three years, as the years of a hired servant, and the glory of Moab shall be brought to nothing, with all that great multitude; and the remnant shall be small, few, of no account.

ASV: But now Jehovah hath spoken, saying, Within three years, as the years of a hireling, the glory of Moab shall be brought into contempt, with all his great multitude; and the remnant shall be very small and of no account.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But now the LORD  hath spoken,  saying,  Within three  years,  as the years  of an hireling,  and the glory  of Moab  shall be contemned,  with all that great  multitude;  and the remnant  [shall be] very  small  [and] feeble. 

What does Isaiah 16:14 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Isaiah 16

1  Moab is exhorted to yield obedience to the throne of David
6  Moab is threatened for her pride
9  The prophet bewails her
12  The judgment of Moab

What do the individual words in Isaiah 16:14 mean?

But now has spoken Yahweh saying Within three years as the years of a hired man and will be despised the glory of Moab with all that multitude great and the remnant [will be] very small not [and] feeble -
וְעַתָּ֗ה דִּבֶּ֣ר יְהוָה֮ לֵאמֹר֒ בְּשָׁלֹ֤שׁ שָׁנִים֙ כִּשְׁנֵ֣י שָׂכִ֔יר וְנִקְלָה֙ כְּב֣וֹד מוֹאָ֔ב בְּכֹ֖ל הֶהָמ֣וֹן הָרָ֑ב וּשְׁאָ֥ר מְעַ֛ט מִזְעָ֖ר ל֥וֹא כַבִּֽיר ס

וְעַתָּ֗ה  But  now 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: עַתָּה  
Sense: now.
דִּבֶּ֣ר  has  spoken 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: דָּבַר 
Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.
יְהוָה֮  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
לֵאמֹר֒  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
בְּשָׁלֹ֤שׁ  Within  three 
Parse: Preposition-b, Number, feminine singular
Root: מִשְׁלֹשׁ 
Sense: three, triad.
שָׁנִים֙  years 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: שָׁנָה  
Sense: year.
כִּשְׁנֵ֣י  as  the  years 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: שָׁנָה  
Sense: year.
שָׂכִ֔יר  of  a  hired  man 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: שָׂכִיר  
Sense: hired.
וְנִקְלָה֙  and  will  be  despised 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: קָלָה  
Sense: to disgrace, dishonour, be lightly esteemed, be dishonoured, be despised.
כְּב֣וֹד  the  glory 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כָּבֹוד  
Sense: glory, honour, glorious, abundance.
מוֹאָ֔ב  of  Moab 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מֹואָב 
Sense: a son of Lot by his eldest daughter.
בְּכֹ֖ל  with  all 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
הֶהָמ֣וֹן  that  multitude 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: הָמֹון 
Sense: (Qal) murmur, roar, crowd, abundance, tumult, sound.
הָרָ֑ב  great 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: רַב 
Sense: much, many, great.
וּשְׁאָ֥ר  and  the  remnant  [will  be] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שְׁאָר  
Sense: rest, residue, remnant, remainder.
מְעַ֛ט  very 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: מְעַט  
Sense: littleness, few, a little, fewness.
מִזְעָ֖ר  small 
Parse: Adverb
Root: מִזְעָר  
Sense: a little, a trifle, a few.
כַבִּֽיר  [and]  feeble 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: כַּבִּיר  
Sense: mighty, great, powerful, many, much.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation