Isaiah 21

1The burden of the desert of the sea. As whirlwinds in the south pass through; so it cometh from the desert, from a terrible land.

2A 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.footnote a

3Therefore 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.

4My heart panted, fearfulness affrighted me: the night of my pleasure hath he turned into fear unto me.footnote bfootnote c

5Prepare the table, watch in the watchtower, eat, drink: arise, ye princes, and anoint the shield.

6For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Go, set a watchman, let him declare what he seeth.

7And 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:

8And he cried, A lion: My lord, I stand continually upon the watchtower in the daytime, and I am set in my ward whole nights:footnote dfootnote e

9And, 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.

10O 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.footnote f

11The burden of Dumah. He calleth to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?

12The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will enquire, enquire ye: return, come.

13The burden upon Arabia. In the forest in Arabia shall ye lodge, O ye travelling companies of Dedanim.

14The inhabitants of the land of Tema brought water to him that was thirsty, they prevented with their bread him that fled.footnote g

15For they fled from the swords, from the drawn sword, and from the bent bow, and from the grievousness of war.footnote h

16For 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:

17And 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.footnote i

Babylon Is Fallen

1This is the burden against the Desert by the Sea:Like whirlwinds sweeping through the Negev,an invader comes from the desert,from a land of terror. 2A dire vision is declared to me:“The traitor still betrays,and the destroyer still destroys.Go up, O Elam! Lay siege, O Media!I will put an end to all her groaning.”

3Therefore my body is filled with anguish.Pain grips me, like the pains of a woman in labor.I am bewildered to hear,I am dismayed to see. 4My heart falters;fear makes me tremble.The twilight I desiredhas turned to horror. 5They prepare a table, they lay out a carpet,they eat, they drink!Rise up, O princes, oil the shields! 6For this is what the Lord says to me:“Go, post a lookoutand have him report what he sees. 7When he sees chariots with teams of horsemen,riders on donkeys, riders on camels,he must be alert, fully alert.”

8Then the lookoutfootnote ashouted:“Day after day, my lord,I stand on the watchtower;night after nightI stay at my post. 9Look, here come the riders,horsemen in pairs.”And one answered, saying:“Fallen, fallen is Babylon!footnote bAll the images of her godslie shattered on the ground!”

10O my people, crushed on the threshing floor,I tell you what I have heardfrom the LORD of Hosts,the God of Israel.

The Burden against Edom

11This is the burden against Dumah:footnote cOne calls to me from Seir,footnote d“Watchman, what is left of the night?Watchman, what is left of the night?”

12The watchman replies,“Morning has come, but also the night.If you would inquire, then inquire.Come back yet again.”

The Burden against Arabia

13This is the burden against Arabia:In the thickets of Arabia you must lodge,O caravans of Dedanites. 14Bring water for the thirsty,O dwellers of Tema;meet the refugees with food. 15For they flee from the sword—the sword that is drawn—from the bow that is bent,and from the stress of battle.

16For this is what the Lord says to me: “Within one year, as a hired worker would count it, all the glory of Kedar will be gone. 17The remaining archers, the warriors of Kedar, will be few.”
For the LORD, the God of Israel, has spoken.