Isaiah 21

1 The burden of the wilderness of the sea. As whirlwinds in the South sweep through, it comes from the wilderness, from a terrible land.

The prophecy concerning the desert of the sea. As storms which rush along through the south, So it cometh from the desert, From the terrible land.

2 A grievous vision is declared to me. The treacherous man deals treacherously, and the destroyer destroys. Go up, O Elam. Besiege, O Media, all the sighing of it I have made to cease.

A grievous vision was revealed to me; The plunderer plundereth, and the destroyer destroyeth. “Go up, O Elam! Besiege, O Media! All sighing do I make to cease.”

3 Therefore my loins are filled with anguish. Pangs have taken hold upon me, as the pangs of a woman in travail. I am pained so that I cannot hear. I am dismayed so that I cannot see.

Therefore are my loins full of pain; Pangs have seized me, as the pangs of a woman in travail; For convulsions I cannot hear; For anguish I cannot see.

4 My heart flutters. Horror has frightened me. The twilight that I desired has been turned into trembling to me.

My heart panteth, Terror hath seized upon me; The evening of my desire is changed into horror.

5 They prepare the table, they set the watch, they eat, they drink. Rise up, ye rulers, anoint the shield.

The table is prepared; the watch is set; They eat; they drink; “Arise, ye princes! Anoint the shield!”

6 For thus has the Lord said to me, Go, set a watchman. Let him declare what he sees.

For thus said the Lord unto me: “Go, set a watchman, Who shall declare what he seeth.”

7 and when he sees a troop, horsemen in pairs, a troop of donkeys, a troop of camels, he shall hearken diligently with much heed.

And he saw a troop, horsemen in pairs, Riders on asses, and riders on camels, And he watched with the utmost heed.

8 And he cried out as a lion, O Lord, I stand continually upon the watchtower in the daytime, and am set in my ward whole nights,

Then he cried like a lion: “My Lord, I stand continually upon the watch-tower in the daytime, And keep my post all the night;

9 and, behold, here comes a troop of men, horsemen in pairs. And he answered and said, Fallen, fallen is Babylon. And all the graven images of her gods are broken to the ground.

And behold, there cometh a troop, Horsemen in pairs.” Again also he lifted up his voice, and said: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon, And all the graven images of her gods are cast broken to the ground.”

10 O my threshing, and the grain of my floor! That which I have heard from Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, I have declared to you.

O my threshing, and the corn of my floor! What I have heard from Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, That have I declared to you.

11 The burden of Dumah. He calls to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?

The prophecy concerning Dumah. A voice came to me from Seir: “Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?”

12 The watchman said, The morning comes, and also the night. If ye will inquire, inquire ye; turn ye back, come.

The watchman saith: “Morning cometh, and also night. If ye will inquire, inquire! Return, come!”

13 The burden upon Arabia. In the forest in Arabia ye shall lodge, O ye caravans of Dedanites.

The prophecy against the Arabians. In the thickets of Arabia shall ye lodge, O ye caravans of Dedan!

14 To him who was thirsty they brought water. The inhabitants of the land of Tema met the fugitives with their bread.

The inhabitants of the land of Tema Bring water to the thirsty; They come to meet the fugitive with bread.

15 For they fled away from the swords, from the drawn sword, and from the bent bow, and from the grievousness of war.

For they flee from swords, From the drawn sword, And from the bent bow, And from the fury of war.

16 For thus the Lord has said to me, Within a year, according to the years of a hireling, all the glory of Kedar shall fail.

For thus saith the Lord to me: Within one year, according to the years of a hireling, Shall all the glory of Kedar be consumed.

17 And the residue of the number of the archers, the mighty men of the sons of Kedar, shall be few. For Jehovah, the God of Israel, has spoken it.

The remainder of the mighty bowmen of the sons of Kedar shall be diminished; For Jehovah, the God of Israel, hath said it.