Isaiah 21

1 The burden of the wilderness of the sea. As whirlwinds in the South sweep through, it cometh from the wilderness, from a terrible land.

This is the burden against the Desert by the Sea: Like whirlwinds sweeping through the Negev, an invader comes from the desert, from a land of terror.

2 A grievous vision is declared unto me; the treacherous dealer dealeth treacherously, and the spoiler spoileth. Go up, O Elam; besiege, O Media; all the sighing thereof have I made to cease.

A dire vision is declared to me: “The traitor still betrays, and the destroyer still destroys. Go up, O Elam! Lay siege, O Media! I will put an end to all her groaning.”

3 Therefore are my loins filled with anguish; pangs have taken hold upon me, as the pangs of a woman in travail: I am pained so that I cannot hear; I am dismayed so that I cannot see.

Therefore my body is filled with anguish. Pain grips me, like the pains of a woman in labor. I am bewildered to hear, I am dismayed to see.

4 My heart panteth, horror hath affrighted me: the twilight that I desired hath been turned into trembling unto me.

My heart falters; fear makes me tremble. The twilight of my desire has turned to horror.

5 They prepare the table, they set the watch, they eat, they drink: rise up, ye princes, anoint the shield.

They prepare a table, they lay out a carpet, they eat, they drink! Rise up, O princes, oil the shields!

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

For this is what the Lord says to me: “Go, post a lookout and have him report what he sees.

7 and when he seeth a troop, horsemen in pairs, a troop of asses, a troop of camels, he shall hearken diligently with much heed.

When he sees chariots with teams of horsemen, riders on donkeys, riders on camels, he must be alert, fully alert.”

8 And he cried as a lion: O Lord, I stand continually upon the watchtower in the day-time, and am set in my ward whole nights:

Then the lookout shouted: “Day after day, my lord, I stand on the watchtower; night after night I stay at my post.

9 and, behold, here cometh a troop of men, horsemen in pairs. And he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods are broken unto the ground.

Look, here come the riders, horsemen in pairs.” And one answered, saying: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon! All the images of her gods lie shattered on the ground!”

10 O thou my threshing, and the corn of my floor: that which I have heard from the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, have I declared unto you.

O my people, crushed on the threshing floor, I tell you what I have heard from the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel.

11 The burden of Dumah. One calleth unto me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?

This is the burden against Dumah: One calls to me from Seir, “Watchman, what is left of the night? Watchman, what is left of the night?”

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

The watchman replies, “Morning has come, but also the night. If you would inquire, then inquire. Come back yet again.”

13 The burden upon Arabia. In the forest in Arabia shall ye lodge, O ye travelling companies of Dedanites.

This is the burden against Arabia: In the thickets of Arabia you must lodge, O caravans of Dedanites.

14 Unto him that was thirsty they brought water; the inhabitants of the land of Tema did meet the fugitives with their bread.

Bring water for the thirsty, O dwellers of Tema; meet the refugees with food.

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

For they flee from the sword— the sword that is drawn— from the bow that is bent, and from the stress of battle.

16 For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Within a year, according to the years of an hireling, and all the glory of Kedar shall fail:

For this is what the Lord says to me: “Within one year, as a hired worker would count it, all the glory of Kedar will be gone.

17 and the residue of the number of the archers, the mighty men of the children of Kedar, shall be few: for the LORD, the God of Israel, hath spoken it.

The remaining archers, the warriors of Kedar, will be few.” For the LORD, the God of Israel, has spoken.