Isaiah 21

1 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—

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 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.

[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 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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:

9 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!”

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

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.

11 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?”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 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.

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