< Isaiah 21 >
1 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.
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 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.
[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 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.
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 Mine heart failed: fearefulnesse troubled me: the night of my pleasures hath he turned into feare vnto me.
My heart wanders, and transgression overwhelms me; my soul is occupied with fear.
5 Prepare thou the table: watch in the watch towre: eate, drinke: arise, ye princes, anoynt the shielde.
Prepare the table, eat, drink: arise, you princes, and prepare [your] shields.
6 For thus hath the Lord said vnto me, Go, set a watchman, to tell what he seeth.
For thus said the Lord to me, Go and station a watchman for yourself, and declare whatever you shall see.
7 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.
And I saw two mounted horsemen, and a rider on an ass, and a rider on a camel.
8 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:
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 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.
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 corne of my floore. That which I haue heard of the Lord of hostes, the God of Israel, haue I shewed vnto you.
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 The burden of Dumah. He calleth vnto me out of Seir, Watchman, what was in ye night? Watchman, what was in the night?
Call to me out of Seir; guard you the bulwarks.
12 The watchman saide, The morning commeth, and also the night. If yee will aske, enquire: returne and come.
I watch in the morning and the night: if you would enquire, enquire, and dwell by me.
13 The burden against Arabia. In the forest of Arabia shall yee tarie all night, euen in the waies of Dedanim.
You may lodge in the forest in the evening, or in the way of Daedan.
14 O inhabitants of the lande of Tema, bring foorth water to meete the thirstie, and preuent him that fleeth with his bread.
You that dwell in the country of Thaeman, bring water to meet him that is thirsty;
15 For they flee from the drawen swords, euen from the drawen sword, and from the bent bowe, and from the grieuousnesse of warre.
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 sayd vnto me, Yet a yeere according to the yeeres of an hireling, and all the glorie of Kedar shall faile.
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 nomber of ye strong archers of the sonnes of Kedar shall be fewe: for the Lord God of Israel hath spoken it.
and the remnant of the strong bows of the sons of Kedar shall be small: for the Lord God of Israel has spoken [it].