Fallen, Fallen Is Babylon

21 The (A)oracle concerning the wilderness of (B)the sea.

(C)As whirlwinds in the Negeb sweep on,
    it comes from the wilderness,
    from a terrible land.
A stern vision is told to me;
    (D)the traitor betrays,
    and the destroyer destroys.
Go up, O (E)Elam;
    lay siege, O (F)Media;
all the (G)sighing she has caused
    I bring to an end.
Therefore my loins are filled with anguish;
    (H)pangs have seized me,
    like the pangs of a woman in labor;
I am bowed down so that I cannot hear;
    I am dismayed so that I cannot see.
My heart staggers; horror has appalled me;
    (I)the twilight I longed for
    has been turned for me into trembling.
(J)They prepare the table,
    they spread the rugs,[a]
    they eat, they drink.
Arise, O princes;
    (K)oil the shield!
For thus the Lord said to me:
“Go, set a watchman;
    let him announce what he sees.
When he sees riders, horsemen in pairs,
    riders on donkeys, riders on camels,
let him listen diligently,
    very diligently.”
Then he who saw cried out:[b]
(L)“Upon a watchtower I stand, O Lord,
    continually by day,
and at my post I am stationed
    whole nights.
And behold, here come riders,
    horsemen in pairs!”
(M)And he answered,
    (N)“Fallen, fallen is Babylon;
(O)and all the carved images of her gods
    he has shattered to the ground.”
10 O (P)my threshed and winnowed one,
    what I have heard from the Lord of hosts,
    the God of Israel, I announce to you.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 21:5 Or they set the watchman
  2. Isaiah 21:8 Dead Sea Scroll, Syriac; Masoretic Text Then a lion cried out, or Then he cried out like a lion

Bible Gateway Recommends

ESV Women's Study Bible--soft leather-look, deep brown
ESV Women's Study Bible--soft leather-look, deep brown
Retail: $69.99
Our Price: $34.00
Save: $35.99 (51%)
4.5 of 5.0 stars
ESV MacArthur Study Bible, 2nd Edition--soft leather-look, black
ESV MacArthur Study Bible, 2nd Edition--soft leather-look, black
Retail: $79.99
Our Price: $38.86
Save: $41.13 (51%)
5.0 of 5.0 stars
ESV MacArthur Study Bible, 2nd Edition--soft leather-look, brown
ESV MacArthur Study Bible, 2nd Edition--soft leather-look, brown
Retail: $79.99
Our Price: $38.86
Save: $41.13 (51%)
5.0 of 5.0 stars
ESV Student Study Bible, Trutone, Turquoise
ESV Student Study Bible, Trutone, Turquoise
Retail: $44.99
Our Price: $19.29
Save: $25.70 (57%)
4.5 of 5.0 stars