Isaiah 21

1 The burden of the desert of the sea. As whirlwinds in the south pass through; so it comes from the desert, from a terrible 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 grievous vision is declared to me; the treacherous dealer deals treacherously, and the spoiler spoils. Go up, O Elam: besiege, O Media; all the sighing thereof have I made 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 loins filled with pain: pangs have taken hold on me, as the pangs of a woman that travails: I was bowed down at the hearing of it; I was dismayed at the seeing of 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 My heart panted, fearfulness affrighted me: the night of my pleasure has he turned into fear to me.

My heart wanders, and transgression overwhelms me; my soul is occupied with fear.

5 Prepare the table, watch in the watchtower, eat, drink: arise, you princes, and anoint the shield.

Prepare the table, eat, drink: arise, you princes, and prepare [your] shields.

6 For thus has the LORD said to me, Go, set a watchman, let him declare what he sees.

For thus said the Lord to me, Go and station a watchman for yourself, and declare whatever you shall see.

7 And he saw a chariot with a couple of horsemen, a chariot of asses, and a chariot of camels; and he listened diligently with much heed:

And I saw two mounted horsemen, and a rider on an ass, and a rider on a camel.

8 And he cried, A lion: My lord, I stand continually on the watchtower in the daytime, and I am set in my ward whole nights:

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, behold, here comes a chariot of men, with a couple of horsemen. And he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods he has broken to 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 corn of my floor: that which I have heard of the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, have I declared to 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 calls to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?

Call to me out of Seir; guard you the bulwarks.

12 The watchman said, The morning comes, and also the night: if you will inquire, inquire you: return, come.

I watch in the morning and the night: if you would enquire, enquire, and dwell by me.

13 The burden on Arabia. In the forest in Arabia shall you lodge, O you traveling companies of Dedanim.

You may lodge in the forest in the evening, or in the way of Daedan.

14 The inhabitants of the land of Tema brought water to him that was thirsty, they prevented with their bread him that fled.

You that dwell in the country of Thaeman, bring water to meet him that is thirsty;

15 For they fled from the swords, from the drawn sword, and from the bent bow, and from the grievousness of war.

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 has the LORD said to me, Within a year, according to the years of an hireling, and all the glory of Kedar shall fail:

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 number of archers, the mighty men of the children of Kedar, shall be diminished: for the LORD God of Israel has 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].