Isaiah 21

1 A declaration about the desert by the sea. Like stormwinds sweeping through the Negev it comes passing through from the wilderness, from a terrible land.

The burden of the desert of the sea. Just as the whirlwinds approach from Africa, it approaches from the desert, from a terrible land.

2 A distressing vision has been given to me: the treacherous man deals treacherously, and the destroyer destroys. Go up and attack, Elam; besiege, Media; I will stop all her groaning.

A difficult vision has been announced to me: he who is unbelieving, he acts unfaithfully, and he who is a plunderer, he devastates. Ascend, O Elam! Lay siege, O Media! I have caused all its mourning to cease.

3 Therefore my loins are filled with pain; pains like the pains of a woman in labor have taken hold of me; I am bowed down by what I heard; I am disturbed by what I saw.

Because of this, my lower back has been filled with pain, and anguish has possessed me, like the anguish of a woman in labor. I fell down when I heard it. I was disturbed when I saw it.

4 My heart pounds; I shake with fear. Twilight was my desire, but it brought me terror.

My heart withered. The darkness stupefied me. Babylon, my beloved, has become a wonder to me.

5 They prepare the table, they spread rugs and eat and drink; arise, princes, anoint your shields with oil.

Prepare the table. Contemplate, from a place of observation, those who eat and drink. Rise up, you leaders! Take up the shield!

6 For this is what the Lord said to me, “Go, post a watchman; he must report what he sees.

For the Lord has said this to me: “Go and station a watchman. And let him announce whatever he will see.”

7 When he sees a chariot, a pair of horsemen, riders on donkeys, and riders on camels, then he must pay attention and be very alert.”

And he saw a chariot with two horsemen, and a rider on a donkey, and a rider on a camel. And he considered them diligently, with an intense gaze.

8 The watchman cries out, “Lord, on the watchtower I stand all day, every day, and at my post I stand all night long.”

And a lion cried out: “I am on the watchtower of the Lord, standing continually by day. And I am at my station, standing throughout the night.

9 Here comes a chariot with a man and a pair of horsemen. He calls out, “Babylon has fallen, fallen, and all the carved figures of its gods are broken to the ground.”

Behold, a certain man approaches, a man riding on a two-horse chariot.” And he responded, and he said: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon! And all its graven gods have been crushed into the earth!

10 My threshed and winnowed ones, children of my threshing floor! What I have heard from Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, I have declared to you.

O my threshed grain! O sons of my threshing floor! What I have heard from the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, I have announced to you.”

11 A declaration about Dumah. One calls to me from Seir, “Watchman, what is left of the night? Watchman, what is left of the night?”

The burden of Dumah, cried out to me from Seir: “Watchman, how goes the night? Watchman, how goes the night?”

12 The watchman said, “The morning comes and also the night. If you want to ask, then ask; and come back again.”

The watchman said: “Morning approaches with the night. If you are seeking: seek, and convert, and approach.”

13 A declaration about Arabia. In the wilderness of Arabia you spend the night, you caravans of Dedanites.

The burden in Arabia. In the forest you shall sleep, in the evening on the paths of Dedanim.

14 Bring water for the thirsty; inhabitants of the land of Tema, meet the fugitives with bread.

You who inhabit the land of the south: upon meeting the thirsty, bring water; meet the fugitive with bread.

15 For they have fled from the sword, from the drawn sword, from the bent bow, and from the weight of war.

For they are fleeing before the face of swords, before the face of a sword hanging over them, before the face of a bent bow, before the face of a grievous battle.

16 For this is what the Lord said to me, “Within a year, as a laborer hired for a year would see it, all the glory of Kedar will end.

For the Lord said this to me: “After one more year, just like one year for a hired hand, all the glory of Kedar will be taken away.

17 Only a few of the archers, the warriors of Kedar will remain,” for Yahweh, the God of Israel, has spoken.

And the remainder of the multitude of strong archers from the sons of Kedar will be few, for the Lord, the God of Israel, has spoken it.”