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,

The burden of the desert of the sea. As whirlwinds in the south pass through; so it cometh from the desert, from a terrible land.

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 grievous vision is declared to me; the treacherous dealer dealeth treacherously, and the spoiler plundereth. Go up, O Elam: besiege, O Media; all its sighing have I made to cease.

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.

Therefore are my loins filled with pain: pangs have taken hold upon me, as the pangs of a woman that travaileth: I was bowed down at the hearing of it; I was dismayed at the seeing of it.

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

My heart panted, fearfulness terrified me: the night of my pleasure hath he turned into fear to me.

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

Prepare the table, watch in the watchtower, eat, drink: arise, ye princes, and anoint the shield.

6 For thus said the Lord to me, Go and station a watchman for yourself, and declare whatever you shall see.

For thus hath the Lord said to me, Go, set a watchman, let him declare what he seeth.

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

And he saw a chariot with a couple of horsemen, a chariot of donkeys, and a chariot of camels; and he hearkened diligently with much heed:

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

And he cried, A lion: My lord, I stand continually upon the watchtower in the daytime, and I am set in my post whole nights:

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.

And, behold, here cometh a chariot of men, with a couple of horsemen. And he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods he hath broken to the ground.

10 Hear, you that are left, and you 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.

O my threshing, and the grain of my floor: that which I have heard from the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, have I declared to you.

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

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

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

The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will enquire, enquire ye: return, come.

13 You may lodge in the forest in the evening, or in the way of Daedan.

The burden upon Arabia. In the forest in Arabia shall ye lodge, O ye travelling companies of Dedanim.

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

The inhabitants of the land of Tema brought water to him that was thirsty, they met with their bread him that fled.

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.

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

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:

For thus hath the Lord said to me, Within a year, according to the years of an hireling, and all the glory of Kedar shall fail:

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].

And the remainder of the number of archers, the mighty men of the children of Kedar, shall be diminished: for the LORD God of Israel hath spoken it.