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. As whirlwinds in the South sweep through, it comes from the wilderness, from an awesome 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 grievous vision is declared to me. The treacherous man deals treacherously, and the destroyer destroys. Go up, Elam; attack! I have stopped all of Media’s sighing.
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 thighs are filled with anguish. Pains have seized me, like the pains of a woman in labour. I am in so much pain that I can’t hear. I am so dismayed that I can’t see.
4 My mind falters; I shake in panic. The night I looked forward to has become terrifying.
My heart flutters. Horror has frightened me. The twilight that I desired has been turned into trembling for me.
5 They set the table, they spread out the rugs, they eat and drink… “Get up, officers! Prepare your shields for battle!”
They prepare the table. They set the watch. They eat. They drink. Rise up, you princes, oil 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 the Lord said to me, “Go, set a watchman. Let him declare what 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.”
When he sees a troop, horsemen in pairs, a troop of donkeys, a troop of camels, he shall listen diligently with great attentiveness.”
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.
He cried like a lion: “Lord, I stand continually on the watchtower in the daytime, and every night I stay at my post.
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!”
Behold, here comes a troop of men, horsemen in pairs.” He answered, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon; and all the engraved images of her gods are broken 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.
You are my threshing, and the grain of my floor!” That which I have heard from the LORD of Armies, the 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 calls to me out of 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 said, “The morning comes, and also the night. If you will enquire, enquire. Come back again.”
13 A message about Arabia. Caravans from Dedan, spend the night in the bushes.
The burden on Arabia. You will lodge in the thickets in Arabia, you caravans of Dedanites.
14 People of Tema, take water to the thirsty, meet the refugees with food.
They brought water to him who was thirsty. The inhabitants of the land of Tema met the fugitives with their bread.
15 They're running away from a fierce battle, from swords, drawn swords, from bows and arrows.
For they fled away from the swords, from the drawn sword, from the bent bow, and from the heat 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 the Lord said to me, “Within a year, as a worker bound by contract would count it, all the glory of Kedar will 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 residue of the number of the archers, the mighty men of the children of Kedar, will be few; for the LORD, the God of Israel, has spoken it.”
