Isaiah 21

1 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.

The burden of the desert of the sea. As whirlwinds in the south pass through, so it cometh from the desert, from a terrible land.

2 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.”

A grievous vision is declared unto me: the treacherous dealeth treacherously, and the spoiler spoileth. Go up, Elam! besiege, Media! All the sighing thereof have I made to cease.

3 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.

Therefore are my loins filled with pain; anguish hath taken hold upon me, as the anguish of a woman in travail: I am bowed down so as not to hear, I am dismayed so as not to see.

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

My heart panteth, horror affrighteth me: the night of my pleasure hath he turned into trembling unto me.

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

Prepare the table, appoint the watch; eat, drink: arise, ye princes, anoint the shield.

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

For thus hath the Lord said unto me: Go, set a watchman, let him declare what he seeth.

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

And he saw chariots, horsemen by pairs, a chariot with asses, a chariot with camels; and he hearkened diligently with much heed.

8 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;

And he cried [as] a lion, Lord, I stand continually upon the watchtower in the daytime, and I am set in my ward whole nights.

9 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.”

— And behold, there cometh a chariot of men; horsemen by pairs. And he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods he hath broken unto the ground.

10 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.

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

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

The burden of Dumah. He calleth to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?

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

The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will inquire, inquire; return, come.

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

The burden against Arabia. In the forest of Arabia shall ye lodge, [ye] caravans of Dedanites.

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

Bring ye water to meet the thirsty! The inhabitants of the land of Tema come forth with their bread for him that fleeth.

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

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

16 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.

For thus hath the Lord said unto me: Within a year, according to the years of a hired servant, and all the glory of Kedar shall fail;

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

and the residue of the number of the archers, the mighty men of the sons of Kedar, shall be diminished: for Jehovah, the God of Israel, hath spoken.