Isaiah 21
King James Version
21 The burden of the desert of the sea. As whirlwinds in the south pass through; so it cometh from the desert, from a terrible land.
2 A grievous vision is declared unto me; the treacherous dealer dealeth treacherously, and the spoiler spoileth. Go up, O Elam: besiege, O Media; all the sighing thereof have I made to cease.
3 Therefore are my loins filled with pain: pangs have taken hold upon me, as the pangs of a woman that travaileth: I was bowed down at the hearing of it; I was dismayed at the seeing of it.
4 My heart panted, fearfulness affrighted me: the night of my pleasure hath he turned into fear unto me.
5 Prepare the table, watch in the watchtower, eat, drink: arise, ye princes, and anoint the shield.
6 For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Go, set a watchman, let him declare what he seeth.
7 And he saw a chariot with a couple of horsemen, a chariot of asses, and a chariot of camels; and he hearkened diligently with much heed:
8 And he cried, A lion: My lord, I stand continually upon the watchtower in the daytime, and I am set in my ward whole nights:
9 And, behold, here cometh a chariot of men, with a couple of horsemen. And he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods he hath broken unto the ground.
10 O my threshing, and the corn of my floor: that which I have heard of the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, have I declared unto you.
11 The burden of Dumah. He calleth to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?
12 The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will enquire, enquire ye: return, come.
13 The burden upon Arabia. In the forest in Arabia shall ye lodge, O ye travelling companies of Dedanim.
14 The inhabitants of the land of Tema brought water to him that was thirsty, they prevented with their bread him that fled.
15 For they fled from the swords, from the drawn sword, and from the bent bow, and from the grievousness of war.
16 For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Within a year, according to the years of an hireling, and all the glory of Kedar shall fail:
17 And the residue of the number of archers, the mighty men of the children of Kedar, shall be diminished: for the Lord God of Israel hath spoken it.
Isaiah 21
Amplified Bible, Classic Edition
21 The mournful, inspired prediction (a burden to be lifted up) concerning the Desert of the Sea [which was Babylon after great dams were raised to control the waters of the Euphrates River which overflowed it like a sea—and would do so again]: As whirlwinds in the South (the Negeb) sweep through, so it [the judgment of God by hostile armies] comes from the desert, from a terrible land.
2 A hard and grievous vision is declared to me: the treacherous dealer deals treacherously, and the destroyer destroys. Go up, O Elam! Besiege, O Media! All the sighing [caused by Babylon’s ruthless oppressions] I will cause to cease [says the Lord].(A)
3 Therefore are my [Isaiah’s] loins filled with anguish, pangs have seized me like the pangs of a woman in childbirth; I am bent and pained so that I cannot hear, I am dismayed so that I cannot see.
4 My mind reels and wanders, horror terrifies me. [In my mind’s eye I am at the feast of Belshazzar. I see the defilement of the golden vessels taken from God’s temple, I watch the handwriting appear on the wall—I know that Babylon’s great king is to be slain.] The twilight I looked forward to with pleasure has been turned into fear and trembling for me.(B)
5 They prepare the table, they spread the rugs, [and having] set the watchers [the revelers take no other precaution], they eat, they drink. Arise, you princes, and oil your shields [for your deadly foe is at the gates]!
6 For thus has the Lord said to me: Go, set [yourself as] a watchman, let him declare what he sees.
7 And when he sees a troop, horsemen in pairs, a troop of donkeys, and a troop of camels, he shall listen diligently, very diligently.
8 And [the watchman] cried like a lion, O Lord, I stand continually on the watchtower in the daytime, and I am set in my station every night.
9 And see! Here comes a troop of men and chariots, horsemen in pairs! And he [the watchman] tells [what it foretells]: Babylon has fallen, has fallen! And all the graven images of her gods lie shattered on the ground [in my vision]!
10 O you my threshed and winnowed ones [my own people the Jews, who must be trodden down by Babylon], that which I have heard from the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, I have [joyfully] announced to you [Babylon is to fall]!
11 The mournful, inspired prediction (a burden to be lifted up) concerning Dumah (Edom): One calls to me from Seir (Edom), Watchman, what of the night? [How far is it spent? How long till morning?] Guardian, what of the night?
12 The watchman said, The morning comes, but also the night. [Another time, if Edom earnestly wishes to know] if you will inquire [of me], inquire; return, come again.
13 The mournful, inspired prediction (a burden to be lifted up) concerning Arabia: In the forests and thickets of Arabia you shall lodge, O you caravans of Dedanites [from northern Arabia].
14 To the thirsty [Dedanites] bring water, O inhabitants of the land of Tema [in Arabia]; meet the fugitive with bread [suitable] for him.
15 For they have fled from the swords, from the drawn sword, from the bent bow, and from the grievousness of war [the press of battle].
16 For the Lord has said this to me, Within a year, according to the years of a hireling [who will work no longer than was agreed], all the glory of Kedar [an Arabian tribe] will fail.
17 And the remainder of the number of archers and their bows, the mighty men of the sons of Kedar, will be diminished and few; for the Lord, the God of Israel, has spoken it.
Jesaja 21
Svenska Folkbibeln
Babels fall
21 Profetia om Öknen vid havet.[a]
Liksom en storm, som far fram i Negev,
kommer det från öknen, från det fruktansvärda landet.
2 En hemsk syn har uppenbarats för mig:
"Bedragaren bedrar, plundraren plundrar.
Drag upp, du Elam!
Träng på, du Mediens folk!
På all suckan skall jag göra slut."
3 Därför är mina höfter fulla av smärta,
ångest har gripit mig lik en barnaföderskas ångest.
Jag är nertryckt, så att jag inte kan höra,
jag är bestört, så att jag inte kan se.
4 Mitt hjärta är utom sig, bävan överväldigar mig.
Skymningen, som jag längtade efter, får mig att darra.
5 Man dukar bordet, sätter ut vakt, äter och dricker.
Stig upp, ni furstar,
smörj era sköldar!
6 Ty så har Herren sagt till mig:
"Gå och ställ ut en väktare.
Han skall meddela vad han ser."
7 Och han såg en hästvagn och ett par ryttare,
en åsnevagn och en kamelvagn.
Han gav noga akt, mycket noga.
8 Han började ryta som ett lejon:[b]
"Herre, här står jag ständigt på vakt, dagen lång,
jag stannar här på min post natt efter natt.
9 Och se, här kommer en vagn med män och ett par ryttare!"
Och han tog till orda och sade:
"Babel har fallit, ja, det har fallit!
Alla dess uthuggna avgudabilder är nerslagna till marken."
10 O, du mitt krossade, mitt söndertröskade folk,
vad jag har hört av Herren Sebaot, Israels Gud,
det har jag förkunnat för er.
Profetia om Edom
11 Profetia om Duma.[c]
Man ropar till mig från Seir:
"Väktare, vad återstår av natten?
Väktare, vad återstår av natten?"
12 Väktaren svarar:
"Morgon kommer, ändå är det natt.
Vill ni fråga mer, så fråga.
Kom tillbaka igen."
Profetia om Arabien
13 Profetia om Arabien.
Ni skall bo i Arabiens vildmark,
ni karavaner från Dedan.
14 Möt de törstande med vatten.
Må invånarna i Temas land möta flyktingarna med bröd.
15 Ty de flyr undan svärd,
undan draget svärd och spänd båge,
undan krigets vedermöda.
16 Ty så har Herren sagt till mig:
Inom ett år, så som daglönaren räknar året,
skall all Kedars härlighet vara slut,
17 och få skall vara kvar av de många bågskyttarna,
Kedars väldiga krigare.
Ty så har Herren, Israels Gud, talat.
Footnotes
- Jesaja 21:1 Öknen vid havet Sannolikt träsklandet i södra Babylonien nära Persiska viken.
- Jesaja 21:8 Han började ryta som ett lejon: Jesajarullen från Qumran: "Och spejaren ropade:".
- Jesaja 21:11 Duma betyder "tystnad" och anspelar på Edom.
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