Isaiah 21

1 This is the burden against the Desert by the Sea: Like whirlwinds sweeping through the Negev, an invader comes from the desert, from a land of terror.

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

2 A dire vision is declared to me: “The traitor still betrays, and the destroyer still destroys. Go up, O Elam! Lay siege, O Media! I will put an end to all her groaning.”

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.

3 Therefore my body is filled with anguish. Pain grips me, like the pains of a woman in labor. I am bewildered to hear, I am dismayed to see.

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.

4 My heart falters; fear makes me tremble. The twilight of my desire has turned to horror.

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

5 They prepare a table, they lay out a carpet, they eat, they drink! Rise up, O princes, oil the shields!

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

6 For this is what the Lord says to me: “Go, post a lookout and have him report what he sees.

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

7 When he sees chariots with teams of horsemen, riders on donkeys, riders on camels, he must be alert, fully alert.”

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

8 Then the lookout shouted: “Day after day, my lord, I stand on the watchtower; night after night I stay at my post.

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,

9 Look, here come the riders, horsemen in pairs.” And one answered, saying: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon! All the images of her gods lie shattered on the ground!”

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.

10 O my people, crushed on the threshing floor, I tell you what I have heard from the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel.

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.

11 This is the burden against Dumah: One calls to me from Seir, “Watchman, what is left of the night? Watchman, what is left of the night?”

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

12 The watchman replies, “Morning has come, but also the night. If you would inquire, then inquire. Come back yet again.”

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

13 This is the burden against Arabia: In the thickets of Arabia you must lodge, O caravans of Dedanites.

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

14 Bring water for the thirsty, O dwellers of Tema; meet the refugees with food.

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

15 For they flee from the sword— the sword that is drawn— from the bow that is bent, and from the stress of battle.

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

16 For this is what the Lord says to me: “Within one year, as a hired worker would count it, all the glory of Kedar will be gone.

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.

17 The remaining archers, the warriors of Kedar, will be few.” For the LORD, the God of Israel, has spoken.

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.