Esias 21

1 THE VISION OF THE DESERT. As though a whirlwind should pass through the desert, coming from a desert, [even] from such a land,

A message about the desert by the sea. Like storm winds passing through the Negev, something is coming from the desert, from a land of terror—

2 [so] a fearful and a grievous vision was declared to me: he that is treacherous deals treacherously, the transgressor transgresses. The Elamites are upon me, and the ambassadors of the Persians come against me: now will I groan and comfort myself.

a horrifying vision that has been explained to me. The betrayer still betrays; the destroyer still destroys. Elamites and Medes, go ahead, attack and lay siege to Babylon, for I'm putting a stop to all the pain it has caused.

3 Therefore are my loins filled with feebleness, and pangs have seized me as a travailing woman: I dealt wrongfully that I might not hear; I hasted that I might not see.

As a result my body is filled with agony. I'm overwhelmed with pain, like the pain of a woman giving birth. I am confused by what I hear; I am distressed by what I see.

4 My heart wanders, and transgression overwhelms me; my soul is occupied with fear.

My mind falters; I shake in panic. The night I looked forward to has become terrifying.

5 Prepare the table, eat, drink: arise, ye princes, and prepare [your] shields.

They set the table, they spread out the rugs, they eat and drink… “Get up, officers! Prepare your shields for battle!”

6 For thus said the Lord to me, Go and station a watchman for thyself, and declare whatever thou shalt see.

This is what the Lord told me: “Go! Have a lookout keep watch, and make sure he reports what he sees.

7 And I saw two mounted horsemen, and a rider on an ass, and a rider on a camel.

When he sees chariots coming pulled by pairs of horses, riders on donkeys and on camels, he should watch very carefully, paying close attention.”

8 Hearken with great attention, and call thou Urias to the watch-tower: the Lord has spoken. I stood continually during the day, and I stood in the camp all night:

Then the lookout shouted “Sir, I've stood here on the watchtower day after day; night after night I've remained at my post.

9 and, behold, he comes riding in a chariot and pair: and he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all her images and her idols have been crushed to the ground.

Now look! A man in a chariot with a pair of horses is coming.” Then he said, “Babylon has fallen, has fallen! All the idols of its gods lie smashed on the ground!”

10 Hear, ye that are left, and ye that are in pain, hear what things I have heard of the Lord of hosts [which] the God of Israel has declared to us. THE VISION OF IDUMEA.

My poor downtrodden people, so badly mistreated, I have told you what I have heard from the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel.

11 Call to me out of Seir; guard ye the bulwarks.

A message about Edom. A voice is calling to me from Seir, asking, “Watchman, what time of night is it? Watchman, what time of night is it?”

12 I watch in the morning and the night: if thou wouldest enquire, enquire, and dwell by me.

The watchman replies, “Morning is coming, but the night is coming again soon. If you want to ask again, then come back and ask.”

13 Thou mayest lodge in the forest in the evening, or in the way of Daedan.

A message about Arabia. Caravans from Dedan, spend the night in the bushes.

14 Ye that dwell in the country of Thaeman, bring water to meet him that is thirsty;

People of Tema, take water to the thirsty, meet the refugees with food.

15 meet the fugitives with bread, because of the multitude of the slain, and because of the multitude of them that lose their way, and because of the multitude of swords, and because of the multitude of bent bows, and because of the multitude of them that have fallen in war.

They're running away from a fierce battle, from swords, drawn swords, from bows and arrows.

16 For thus said the Lord to me, Yet a year, as the year of an hireling, [and] the glory of the sons of Kedar shall fail:

This is what the Lord told me: “Within one year, just as a contract worker precisely counts years, all the glory of Kedar will be gone.

17 and the remnant of the strong bows of the sons of Kedar shall be small: for the Lord God of Israel has spoken [it].

There will only be a few left of the archers, the warriors of Kedar.” The Lord, the God of Israel, has spoken.