Isaiah 21

1 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,

THE VISION OF THE DESERT. As though a whirlwind should pass through the desert, coming from a desert, [even] from such a land,

2 [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.

[so] a fearful and a grievous vision was declared to me: he that is treacherous deals treacherously, the transgressor transgresses. The Elamites are upon me, and the ambassadors of the Persians come against me: now will I groan and comfort myself.

3 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:

Therefore are my loins filled with feebleness, and pangs have seized me as a travailing woman: I dealt wrongfully that I might not hear; I hasted that I might not see.

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

My heart wanders, and transgression overwhelms me; my soul is occupied with fear.

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

Prepare the table, eat, drink: arise, you princes, and prepare [your] shields.

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

For thus said the Lord to me, Go and station a watchman for yourself, and declare whatever you shall see.

7 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.

And I saw two mounted horsemen, and a rider on an ass, and a rider on a camel.

8 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; —

Listen with great attention, and call you Urias to the watch-tower: the Lord has spoken. I stood continually during the day, and I stood in the camp all night:

9 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!

and, behold, he comes riding in a chariot and pair: and he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all her images and her idols have been crushed to the ground.

10 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.

Hear, you that are left, and you that are in pain, hear what things I have heard of the Lord of hosts [which] the God of Israel has declared to us. THE VISION OF IDUMEA.

11 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?

Call to me out of Seir; guard you the bulwarks.

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

I watch in the morning and the night: if you would enquire, enquire, and dwell by me.

13 The oracle on Arabia, —Among the shrubs in Arabia, must ye lodge, Ye caravans of Dedanites.

You may lodge in the forest in the evening, or in the way of Daedan.

14 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!

You that dwell in the country of Thaeman, bring water to meet him that is thirsty;

15 For, before swords, have they fled: Before a sword that is drawn, Before a bow that is bent, And before the stress of war.

meet the fugitives with bread, because of the multitude of the slain, and because of the multitude of them that lose their way, and because of the multitude of swords, and because of the multitude of bent bows, and because of the multitude of them that have fallen in war.

16 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;

For thus said the Lord to me, Yet a year, as the year of an hireling, [and] the glory of the sons of Kedar shall fail:

17 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.

and the remnant of the strong bows of the sons of Kedar shall be small: for the Lord God of Israel has spoken [it].