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 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 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.

[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 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.”

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

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 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.”

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

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

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

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

14 Bring water for the thirsty; inhabitants of the land of Tema, meet the fugitives 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 have fled from the sword, from the drawn sword, from the bent bow, and from the weight 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 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, 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 Only a few of the archers, the warriors of Kedar will remain,” for Yahweh, the God of Israel, has spoken.

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.