Isaiah 21:1-10
Legacy Standard Bible
Fallen, Fallen Is Babylon
21 The [a](A)oracle concerning the [b](B)wilderness of the sea.
As (C)whirlwinds in the [c]Negev sweep on,
It comes from the wilderness, from a fearsome land.
2 A (D)harsh vision has been declared to me;
The (E)treacherous one still deals treacherously, and the destroyer still destroys.
Go up, (F)Elam, lay siege, Media;
I have made an end of all [d]the groaning she has caused.
3 For this reason my (G)loins are full of anguish;
Pains have seized me like the pains of a (H)woman in labor.
I am so bewildered I cannot hear, so terrified I cannot see.
4 My heart [e]reels; [f]horror terrorizes me;
The twilight I longed for has been (I)turned for me into trembling.
5 They (J)set the table, they [g]spread out the cloth, they eat, they drink;
“Rise up, commanders, oil the shields,”
6 For thus the Lord says to me,
“Go, station the lookout, let him (K)declare what he sees.
7 Indeed, he shall see (L)riders, horsemen in pairs,
Riders of donkeys, riders of camels,
So let him pay close attention, very close attention.”
8 Then [h]the lookout called,
“(M)O Lord, I stand continually by day on the watchtower,
And I am stationed every night at my guard post.
9 Now behold, here comes a troop of riders, horsemen in pairs.”
And one answered and said, “(N)Fallen, fallen is Babylon;
And all the (O)graven images of her gods [i]are shattered on the ground.”
10 O my (P)trampled people and my [j]afflicted of the threshing floor!
What I have heard from Yahweh of hosts,
The God of Israel, I have declared to you.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 21:1 Or burden of
- Isaiah 21:1 Or sandy wastes, sea country
- Isaiah 21:1 South country
- Isaiah 21:2 Lit her groaning
- Isaiah 21:4 Lit wandered
- Isaiah 21:4 Lit shuddering
- Isaiah 21:5 Or spread out the rugs; or possibly they arranged the seating
- Isaiah 21:8 As in DSS; M.T. he called like a lion
- Isaiah 21:9 Lit he has shattered to the earth
- Isaiah 21:10 Lit son
Isaiah 21:1-10
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.
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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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.