Isaiah 21
Revised Geneva Translation
21 The burden of the Desert Sea. As the whirlwinds in the South used to pass from the wilderness, so shall it come from the horrible land.
2 A grievous vision was shown to me: “The treacherous deal treacherously and the destroyer destroys. Go up, Elam. Besiege Media. I have caused all its mourning to cease.”
3 Therefore, my loins are filled with sorrow. Sorrows have taken me, as the sorrows of a woman in childbirth. I was bowed down when I heard it. I was amazed when I saw it.
4 My heart failed. Fearfulness troubled me. He has turned the night of my pleasures into fear for me.
5 Prepare the table. Watch in the watchtower. Eat. Drink. Arise, you princes. Anoint the shield.
6 For thus has the LORD said to me, “Go. Set a watchman to tell what he sees.”
7 And he saw a chariot with two horsemen, a chariot of a donkey and a chariot of a camel. And he listened and took great care.
8 And he cried like a lion, “My lord! I stand continually upon the watchtower in the daytime. And I am set in my watch every night!
9 “And behold, this man’s chariot comes with two horsemen.” And he answered and said, “Babel has fallen! It has fallen! And He has broken all the images of its gods to the ground!”
10 O, my threshing, and the grain of my floor! That which I have heard from the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, I have shown to you.
11 The burden of Dumah. It calls to me out of Seir, “Watchman, what was in the night? Watchman, what was in the night?”
12 The watchman said, “The morning comes, and also the night. If you will, (as he) inquire. Return and come!”
13 The burden against Arabia. In the forest of Arabia you shall stay the night, you caravans of Dedanites.
14 O inhabitants of the land of Tema, bring forth water to meet the thirsty. Meet him who flees with bread.
15 For they flee from the swords, from the drawn sword, and from the bent bow, and from the grievousness of war.
16 For thus has the LORD said to me, “Within a year (according to the years of a hireling), all the glory of Kedar shall fail.
17 “And the residue of the number of the strong archers of the sons of Kedar shall be few. For the LORD God of Israel has spoken it.”
Isaiah 21
English Standard Version
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.
2 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.
3 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.
4 My heart staggers; horror has appalled me;
(I)the twilight I longed for
has been turned for me into trembling.
5 (J)They prepare the table,
they spread the rugs,[a]
they eat, they drink.
Arise, O princes;
(K)oil the shield!
6 For thus the Lord said to me:
“Go, set a watchman;
let him announce what he sees.
7 When he sees riders, horsemen in pairs,
riders on donkeys, riders on camels,
let him listen diligently,
very diligently.”
8 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.
9 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.
11 The (Q)oracle concerning (R)Dumah.
One is calling to me from (S)Seir,
“Watchman, what time of the night?
Watchman, what time of the night?”
12 The watchman says:
“Morning comes, and also (T)the night.
If you will inquire, (U)inquire;
come back again.”
13 The (V)oracle concerning (W)Arabia.
In the thickets in (X)Arabia you will lodge,
O (Y)caravans of (Z)Dedanites.
14 To the thirsty bring water;
meet the fugitive with bread,
O inhabitants of the land of (AA)Tema.
15 For they have fled from the swords,
from the drawn sword,
from the bent bow,
and from the press of battle.
16 For thus the Lord said to me, “Within a year, (AB)according to the years of a hired worker, all the glory of (AC)Kedar will come to an end. 17 And the remainder of the archers of the mighty men of the sons of (AD)Kedar will be few, (AE)for the Lord, the God of Israel, has spoken.”
Footnotes
- Isaiah 21:5 Or they set the watchman
- Isaiah 21:8 Dead Sea Scroll, Syriac; Masoretic Text Then a lion cried out, or Then he cried out like a lion
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