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 wilderness of the sea. Like windstorms in the south for passing through, It has come from the wilderness, From a fearful 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 hard vision has been declared to me, The treacherous dealer is dealing treacherously, And the destroyer is destroying. Go up, O Elam, besiege, O Media, I have caused all its sighing 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 my loins have been filled [with] great pain, Pangs have seized me as pangs of a travailing woman, I have been bent down by hearing, I have been troubled by seeing.

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

My heart has wandered, trembling has terrified me, He has made the twilight of my desire a fear to me,

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

Arrange the table, watch in the watchtower, Eat, drink, rise, you heads, anoint the shield,

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, station the watchman, Let him declare that which he sees.”

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 has seen a chariot—a couple of horsemen, The rider of a donkey, the rider of a camel, And he has given attention—He has increased attention!

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 cries, “A lion, my lord! I am continually standing on a watchtower by day, And I am stationed on my ward whole nights.

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, this, the chariot of a man is coming, A couple of horsemen.” And he answers and says: “Fallen, fallen has Babylon, And He has broken all the carved images of her gods to the earth.

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 son of my floor, That which I heard from YHWH of Hosts, God of Israel, I have declared to 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. [One] is calling to me from Seir, “Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of 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 has said, “Morning has come, and also night, If you inquire, inquire, return, come.”

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

The burden on Arabia. You lodge in a forest in Arabia, O caravans of Dedanim.

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

Inhabitants of the land of Tema Have brought water to meet the thirsty, With his bread they came before a fugitive.

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

For they fled from the face of destructions, From the face of an outstretched sword, And from the face of a trodden bow, And from the face of the grievousness of battle.

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: “Within a year, as years of a hired worker, All the glory of Kedar has been consumed.

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 number of bow-men, The mighty of the sons of Kedar, are few, For YHWH, God of Israel, has spoken!”