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.
A declaration about the desert by the sea. Like stormwinds sweeping through the Negev it comes passing through from the wilderness, from a terrible 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.
A distressing vision has been given to me: the treacherous man deals treacherously, and the destroyer destroys. Go up and attack, Elam; besiege, Media; I will stop all her groaning.
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 my loins are filled with pain; pains like the pains of a woman in labor have taken hold of me; I am bowed down by what I heard; I am disturbed by what I saw.
4 Mine heart failed: fearefulnesse troubled me: the night of my pleasures hath he turned into feare vnto me.
My heart pounds; I shake with fear. Twilight was my desire, but it brought me terror.
5 Prepare thou the table: watch in the watch towre: eate, drinke: arise, ye princes, anoynt the shielde.
They prepare the table, they spread rugs and eat and drink; arise, princes, anoint your shields with oil.
6 For thus hath the Lord said vnto me, Go, set a watchman, to tell what he seeth.
For this is what the Lord said to me, “Go, post a watchman; he must report what he sees.
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.
When he sees a chariot, a pair of horsemen, riders on donkeys, and riders on camels, then he must pay attention and be very alert.”
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:
The watchman cries out, “Lord, on the watchtower I stand all day, every day, and at my post I stand all night long.”
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.
Here comes a chariot with a man and a pair of horsemen. He calls out, “Babylon has fallen, fallen, and all the carved figures of its gods are broken 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.
My threshed and winnowed ones, children of my threshing floor! What I have heard from Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, I have declared to you.
11 The burden of Dumah. He calleth vnto me out of Seir, Watchman, what was in ye night? Watchman, what was in the night?
A declaration about Dumah. One calls to me from Seir, “Watchman, what is left of the night? Watchman, what is left of the night?”
12 The watchman saide, The morning commeth, and also the night. If yee will aske, enquire: returne and come.
The watchman said, “The morning comes and also the night. If you want to ask, then ask; and come back again.”
13 The burden against Arabia. In the forest of Arabia shall yee tarie all night, euen in the waies of Dedanim.
A declaration about Arabia. In the wilderness of Arabia you spend the night, you caravans of Dedanites.
14 O inhabitants of the lande of Tema, bring foorth water to meete the thirstie, and preuent him that fleeth with his bread.
Bring water for the thirsty; inhabitants of the land of Tema, meet the fugitives with bread.
15 For they flee from the drawen swords, euen from the drawen sword, and from the bent bowe, and from the grieuousnesse of warre.
For they have fled from the sword, from the drawn sword, from the bent bow, and from the weight of 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 this is what the Lord said to me, “Within a year, as a laborer hired for a year would see it, all the glory of Kedar will end.
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.
Only a few of the archers, the warriors of Kedar will remain,” for Yahweh, the God of Israel, has spoken.
