Isaiah 21

1 The oracle of the wilderness of the sea. As whirlwinds in the Negev sweep through, it comes from the wilderness, from an awesome land.

The prophecy concerning the desert of the sea. As storms which rush along through the south, So it cometh from the desert, From the terrible land.

2 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.

A grievous vision was revealed to me; The plunderer plundereth, and the destroyer destroyeth. “Go up, O Elam! Besiege, O Media! All sighing do I make to cease.”

3 Therefore my thighs are filled with anguish. Pains have taken hold on me, like the pains of a woman in labor. I am in so much pain that I can't hear. I so am dismayed that I can't see.

Therefore are my loins full of pain; Pangs have seized me, as the pangs of a woman in travail; For convulsions I cannot hear; For anguish I cannot see.

4 My heart flutters. Horror has frightened me. The twilight that I desired has been turned into trembling for me.

My heart panteth, Terror hath seized upon me; The evening of my desire is changed into horror.

5 They prepare the table. They set the watch. They eat. They drink. Rise up, you princes, oil the shield.

The table is prepared; the watch is set; They eat; they drink; “Arise, ye princes! Anoint the shield!”

6 For YHWH said to me, "Go, set a watchman. Let him declare what he sees.

For thus said the Lord unto me: “Go, set a watchman, Who shall declare what he seeth.”

7 When he sees chariots, horsemen in pairs, riders on donkeys, riders on camels, let him listen diligently, very diligently."

And he saw a troop, horsemen in pairs, Riders on asses, and riders on camels, And he watched with the utmost heed.

8 Then the lookout shouted: "Lord, I stand continually on the watchtower in the daytime, and every night I stay at my post.

Then he cried like a lion: “My Lord, I stand continually upon the watch-tower in the daytime, And keep my post all the night;

9 Look, 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.

And behold, there cometh a troop, Horsemen in pairs.” Again also he lifted up his voice, and said: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon, And all the graven images of her gods are cast broken to the ground.”

10 You are my threshing, and the grain of my floor." That which I have heard from YHWH of hosts, the God of Israel, I have declared to you.

O my threshing, and the corn of my floor! What I have heard from Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, That have I declared to you.

11 The burden of Dumah. One calls to me out of Seir, "Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?"

The prophecy concerning Dumah. A voice came to me from Seir: “Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?”

12 The watchman said, "The morning comes, and also the night. If you will inquire, inquire. Come back again."

The watchman saith: “Morning cometh, and also night. If ye will inquire, inquire! Return, come!”

13 The burden on Arabia. In the forest in Arabia you will lodge, you caravans of Dedanites.

The prophecy against the Arabians. In the thickets of Arabia shall ye lodge, O ye caravans of Dedan!

14 They brought water to him who was thirsty. The inhabitants of the land of Tema met the fugitives with their bread.

The inhabitants of the land of Tema Bring water to the thirsty; They come to meet the fugitive with bread.

15 For they fled away from the swords, from the drawn sword, from the bent bow, and from the heat of battle.

For they flee from swords, From the drawn sword, And from the bent bow, And from the fury of war.

16 For YHWH said to me, "Within a year, as a worker bound by contract would count it, the glory of Kedar will fail,

For thus saith the Lord to me: Within one year, according to the years of a hireling, Shall all the glory of Kedar be consumed.

17 and the residue of the number of the archers, the warriors of the people of Kedar, will be few; for YHWH, the God of Israel, has spoken it."

The remainder of the mighty bowmen of the sons of Kedar shall be diminished; For Jehovah, the God of Israel, hath said it.