Isaiah 21

1 The word about the waste land. As storm-winds in the South go rushing through, it comes from the waste land, from the land greatly to be feared.

[I received] this message [from Yahweh about Babylonia], [a land that is] near the [Persian] Gulf [but which will soon be] a desert. [An army] will soon come from the desert to invade that land; it is an army that causes its enemies to be terrified, an army that will come like a whirlwind from the south.

2 A vision of fear comes before my eyes; the worker of deceit goes on in his false way, and the waster goes on making waste. Up! Elam; to the attack! Media; I have put an end to her sorrow.

Yahweh showed me a terrifying vision. [In the vision I saw an army] that will betray/deceive people and steal their possessions [after they conquer them]. [Yahweh said], “You armies from Elam and Media, surround [Babylon] and prepare to attack it! I will cause the groaning [and suffering] that Babylon caused to cease!”

3 For this cause I am full of bitter grief; pains like the pains of a woman in childbirth have come on me: I am bent down with sorrow at what comes to my ears; I am shocked by what I see.

Because of that, my body is full of pain; my pain is like the pain that women who are giving birth experience. When I hear about and see [what God is planning to do], I am shocked.

4 My mind is wandering, fear has overcome me: the evening of my desire has been turned into shaking for me.

I cannot think straight/correctly, and I tremble. I was eager for it to be nighttime, but now it is night, and I am horrified.

5 They make ready the table, they put down the covers, they take food and drink. Up! you captains; put oil on your breastplates.

[In the vision I saw that the leaders of Babylonia] were preparing a great feast. They had spread rugs [for people to sit on]; everyone was eating and drinking. [But] they should get up and prepare their shields, [because they are about to be attacked]!

6 For so has the Lord said to me, Go, let a watchman be placed; let him give word of what he sees:

Then Yahweh said to me, “Put a watchman [on the wall of Jerusalem], and tell him to shout/proclaim what he sees.

7 And when he sees war-carriages, horsemen by twos, war-carriages with asses, war-carriages with camels, let him give special attention.

Tell him to watch for chariots pulled by pairs of horses, and [men riding] camels and donkeys, [coming from Babylon]. Tell the watchman to watch and listen carefully!”

8 And the watchman gave a loud cry, O my lord, I am on the watchtower all day, and am placed in my watch every night:

[So I did that], and one day the watchman called out, “Day after day I have stood on this watchtower, and I have continued to watch during the day and during the night.

9 See, here come war-carriages with men, horsemen by twos: and in answer he said, Babylon is made low, is made low, and all her images are broken on the earth.

Now, I saw a man riding in a chariot pulled by two horses. [I called out to him], and he answered/shouted, ‘Babylon has been destroyed! All the idols in Babylon lie in pieces on the ground!’”

10 O my crushed ones, the grain of my floor! I have given you the word which came to me from the Lord of armies, the God of Israel.

My people [in Judah], [the army of Babylon has caused] you to suffer greatly [as though] [MET] you were grain that was threshed and (winnowed/thrown up into the air for the wind to blow away the chaff). [But now] I have told you what the Commander of the armies of angels the God whom we Israelis [worship], told me [about Babylon].

11 The word about Edom. A voice comes to me from Seir, Watchman, how far gone is the night? how far gone is the night?

[I received] this message [from Yahweh] about Edom: Someone from Edom has been calling/shouting to me saying, “Watchman, how long will it be before the night is ended? [DOU]”

12 The watchman says, The morning has come, but night is still to come: if you have questions to put, put them, and come back again.

[I], the watchman, replied, “It will [soon] be morning, but after that, it will [soon] be night again. If you want to inquire [again about what will happen in our country], come back and inquire again.”

13 The word about Arabia. In the thick woods of Arabia will be your night's resting-place, O travelling bands of Dedanites!

[I received] this message about Arabia: Give this message to people traveling in caravans from Dedan [town in northwest Arabia], who camp in the scrub there. Tell them to bring water for those who are thirsty.

14 Give water to him who is in need of water; give bread, O men of the land of Tema, to those in flight.

And you people who live in Tema [city in northwest Arabia], must bring food for the (refugees/people who are fleeing from their enemies).

15 For they are in flight from the sharp sword, and the bent bow, and from the trouble of war.

They are fleeing in order not to be killed by [their enemies’] swords and not to be shot in battles by arrows.

16 For so has the Lord said to me, In a year, by the years of a servant working for payment, all the glory of Kedar will come to an end:

Yahweh said to me, “Exactly one year from now, all the greatness of the Kedar [area in Arabia] will end.

17 And the rest of the bowmen, the men of war of the children of Kedar, will be small in number: for the Lord, the God of Israel, has said it.

Only a few of their soldiers who know well how to shoot arrows will remain alive. [That will surely happen] because [I], Yahweh, have said it.”