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 oracle on the desert of the sea: As storm-winds in the South which with a rush from the desert, do come 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.”

[So] hath, a grievous vision, been told me: —the deceiver, is deceiving. And the spoiler, is spoiling, Go up, O Elam Besiege O Media, All the sighing she hath caused, 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.

For this cause, are my loins filled with anguish, Pangs, have seized me, as the pangs of her that is giving birth, —I writhe so that I cannot hear, I tremble, so that I cannot see:

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

My heart fluttereth, A horror, terrifieth me, —My twilight of pleasure, hath he turned for me into a time of trembling.

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

[Ye thought] to prepare the table—spread the mat—eat—drink! …Arise ye chieftains anoint the shield!

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

For, thus, hath My Lord said unto me, —Go, set the watchman, What he seeth, let him tell!

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

When he seeth A train of horsemen in double rank, A train of asses, A train of camels, Then shall he hearken attentively with diligent 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;

Then cried he. A lion! On the watch, O My Lord, had I been standing continually, by day, And at my post, had I been stationed 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.”

When lo! here was a train of men coming. With horsemen in double rank, —And one began and said, Fallen! fallen! is Babylon, And all the images of her gods, are smashed to 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 thou My threshing! And the grain of my corn-floor! That which I have heard from Yahweh 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 oracle on Dumah: Unto me, is one crying—out of Seir, Watchman! how far gone is the night? Watchman, how far gone is the night?

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

Said the watchman, There cometh a morning. But also a night, —If ye will enquire, enquire, ye—Come, again!

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

The oracle on Arabia, —Among the shrubs in Arabia, must 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.

To meet the thirsty, bring ye water, —Ye dwellers in the land of Tema; With bread for him, get in advance of him that is in flight!

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

For, before swords, have they fled: Before a sword that is drawn, Before a bow that is bent, And before the stress 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 My Lord said unto me, —Within a year according to the yearn of a hireling, shall fail all the glory of Kedar;

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 remnant of the record of bowmen, The heroes of the sons of Kedar, shall become few; For Yahweh God of Israel, hath spoken.