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 burden of the desert Sea. As the whirlewindes in the South vse to passe from the wildernesse, so shall it come from the horrible 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.
A grieuous vision was shewed vnto me, The transgressour against a transgressour, and the destroyer against a destroyer. Goe vp Elam, besiege Media: I haue caused all the mourning thereof to cease.
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 loynes filled with sorow: sorowes haue taken me as the sorowes of a woman that trauayleth: I was bowed downe when I heard it, and I was amased when I sawe it.
4 My mind falters; I shake in panic. The night I looked forward to has become terrifying.
Mine heart failed: fearefulnesse troubled me: the night of my pleasures hath he turned into feare vnto me.
5 They set the table, they spread out the rugs, they eat and drink… “Get up, officers! Prepare your shields for battle!”
Prepare thou the table: watch in the watch towre: eate, drinke: arise, ye princes, anoynt the shielde.
6 This is what the Lord told me: “Go! Have a lookout keep watch, and make sure he reports what he sees.
For thus hath the Lord said vnto me, Go, set a watchman, to tell what he seeth.
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 he sawe a charet with two horsemen: a charet of an asse, and a charet of a camel: and he hearkened and tooke diligent heede.
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.
And he cryed, A lyon: my lorde, I stand continually vpon ye watche towre in the day time, and I am set in my watche euery 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 beholde, this mans charet commeth with two horsemen. And he answered and said, Babel is fallen: it is fallen, and all the images of her gods hath he broken vnto 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.
O my threshing, and the corne of my floore. That which I haue heard of the Lord of hostes, the God of Israel, haue I shewed vnto you.
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?”
The burden of Dumah. He calleth vnto me out of Seir, Watchman, what was in ye night? Watchman, what was in the night?
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.”
The watchman saide, The morning commeth, and also the night. If yee will aske, enquire: returne and come.
13 A message about Arabia. Caravans from Dedan, spend the night in the bushes.
The burden against Arabia. In the forest of Arabia shall yee tarie all night, euen in the waies of Dedanim.
14 People of Tema, take water to the thirsty, meet the refugees with food.
O inhabitants of the lande of Tema, bring foorth water to meete the thirstie, and preuent him that fleeth with his bread.
15 They're running away from a fierce battle, from swords, drawn swords, from bows and arrows.
For they flee from the drawen swords, euen from the drawen sword, and from the bent bowe, and from the grieuousnesse of warre.
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 hath the Lord sayd vnto me, Yet a yeere according to the yeeres of an hireling, and all the glorie of Kedar shall faile.
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 residue of the nomber of ye strong archers of the sonnes of Kedar shall be fewe: for the Lord God of Israel hath spoken it.
