Isaiah 21
1 The doom of the desert by the sea. As tempests in the south blow with fury; so doth it come from the desert, from a terrible land.
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—
2 A hard vision hath been told unto me; the traitor dealeth treacherously, and the spoiler spoileth. “Go up, O 'Elam; besiege, O Media;” all sighing have I caused to cease.
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.
3 Therefore are my loins filled with pain; pangs have seized me, like the pangs of a woman that travaileth: I am too much cramped to hear; I am too much dismayed to see.
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.
4 My heart wandereth astray, dread affrighteth me: the evening of my pleasure hath he turned unto me into terror.
My mind falters; I shake in panic. The night I looked forward to has become terrifying.
5 Prepare the table, put on the candlesticks, eat, drink: arise, ye princes, and anoint the shield.
They set the table, they spread out the rugs, they eat and drink… “Get up, officers! Prepare your shields for battle!”
6 For thus hath said unto me the Lord, Go, set the watchman, what he seeth let him tell.
This is what the Lord told me: “Go! Have a lookout keep watch, and make sure he reports what he sees.
7 And he will see chariots, horsemen in couples, riders on asses, riders on camels; and he shall listen diligently with much heed:
When he sees chariots coming pulled by pairs of horses, riders on donkeys and on camels, he should watch very carefully, paying close attention.”
8 And he calleth [like] a lion, Upon the watchtower, O Lord, do I stand continually in the daytime, and on my ward am I set all the nights.
Then the lookout shouted “Sir, I've stood here on the watchtower day after day; night after night I've remained at my post.
9 And, behold, here cometh a chariot with men, horsemen in couples, and he commenceth and saith, Fallen, fallen is Babylon; and all the graven images of her gods hath he shivered unto the ground.
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!”
10 O my down-trodden [people, ] and the son of my threshingfloor: that which I have heard from the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, have I told unto you.
My poor downtrodden people, so badly mistreated, I have told you what I have heard from the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel.
11 The doom of Dumah. Unto me one calleth out of Se'ir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?
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?”
12 The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will desire, desire ye; return, come again.
The watchman replies, “Morning is coming, but the night is coming again soon. If you want to ask again, then come back and ask.”
13 The doom upon Arabia. In the forest in Arabia shall ye lodge, O ye caravans of Dedanim.
A message about Arabia. Caravans from Dedan, spend the night in the bushes.
14 Toward him that is thirsty they bring water; the inhabitants of the land of Thema meet with suitable bread the fugitive.
People of Tema, take water to the thirsty, meet the refugees with food.
15 Because from the swords are they fled, from the drawn sword, and from the bent bow, and from the pressure of war.
They're running away from a fierce battle, from swords, drawn swords, from bows and arrows.
16 For thus hath said the Lord unto me, Within yet one year, like the years of a hired laborer, shall all the glory of Kedar be at an end:
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.
17 And the residue of the number of bows of the mighty men of the children of Kedar shall be small; for the Lord the God of Israel hath spoken it.
There will only be a few left of the archers, the warriors of Kedar.” The Lord, the God of Israel, has spoken.
