Isaiah 21

1 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.

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

2 A grievous vision is declared unto me: the treacherous dealeth treacherously, and the spoiler spoileth. Go up, Elam! besiege, Media! All the sighing thereof have I made to cease.

[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.

3 Therefore are my loins filled with pain; anguish hath taken hold upon me, as the anguish of a woman in travail: I am bowed down so as not to hear, I am dismayed so as not to see.

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.

4 My heart panteth, horror affrighteth me: the night of my pleasure hath he turned into trembling unto me.

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

5 Prepare the table, appoint the watch; eat, drink: arise, ye princes, anoint the shield.

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

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

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

7 And he saw chariots, horsemen by pairs, a chariot with asses, a chariot with camels; and he hearkened diligently with much heed.

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

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

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:

9 — And behold, there cometh a chariot of men; horsemen by pairs. And he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods he hath broken unto the ground.

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

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

13 The burden against Arabia. In the forest of Arabia shall ye lodge, [ye] caravans of Dedanites.

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

14 Bring ye water to meet the thirsty! The inhabitants of the land of Tema come forth with their bread for him that fleeth.

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

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

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.

16 For thus hath the Lord said unto me: Within a year, according to the years of a hired servant, and all the glory of Kedar shall fail;

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:

17 and the residue of the number of the archers, the mighty men of the sons of Kedar, shall be diminished: for Jehovah, the God of Israel, hath spoken.

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