A Pronouncement against Arabia

13 A pronouncement concerning Arabia:(A)

In the desert[a] brush
you will camp for the night,
you caravans of Dedanites.(B)
14 Bring water for the thirsty.
The inhabitants of the land of Tema(C)
meet[b] the refugees with food.
15 For they have fled from swords,
from the drawn sword,
from the bow that is strung,
and from the stress of battle.

16 For the Lord said this to me: “Within one year,(D) as a hired worker counts years, all the glory of Kedar(E) will be gone. 17 The remaining Kedarite archers will be few in number.” For the Lord, the God of Israel, has spoken.

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Footnotes

  1. 21:13 LXX, Syr, Tg, Vg read desert at evening
  2. 21:14 LXX, Syr, Tg, Vg read meet as a command

The Lord Will Judge Arabia

13 This is an oracle about Arabia:
In the thicket of Arabia you spend the night,
you Dedanite caravans.
14 Bring out some water for the thirsty.
You who live in the land of Tema,
bring some food for the fugitives.
15 For they flee from the swords—
from the drawn sword,
and from the battle-ready bow,
and from the severity of the battle.

16 For this is what the Lord[a] has told me: “Within exactly one year[b] all the splendor of Kedar will come to an end. 17 Just a handful of archers, the warriors of Kedar, will be left.”[c] Indeed,[d] the Lord God of Israel has spoken.

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 21:16 tn The Hebrew term translated “Lord” here is אֲדֹנָי (ʾadonay).
  2. Isaiah 21:16 tn Heb “in still a year, like the years of a hired worker.” See the note at 16:14.
  3. Isaiah 21:17 tn Heb “and the remnant of the number of the bow, the mighty men of the sons of Kedar, will be few.”
  4. Isaiah 21:17 tn Or “for” (KJV, ASV, NAB, NASB, NRSV).

A Prophecy Against Arabia

13 A prophecy(A) against Arabia:(B)

You caravans of Dedanites,(C)
    who camp in the thickets of Arabia,
14     bring water for the thirsty;
you who live in Tema,(D)
    bring food for the fugitives.
15 They flee(E) from the sword,(F)
    from the drawn sword,
from the bent bow
    and from the heat of battle.

16 This is what the Lord says to me: “Within one year, as a servant bound by contract(G) would count it, all the splendor(H) of Kedar(I) will come to an end. 17 The survivors of the archers, the warriors of Kedar, will be few.(J)” The Lord, the God of Israel, has spoken.(K)

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