Isaiah 21

1 This 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.

2 A 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.”

3 Therefore 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.

4 My heart falters; fear makes me tremble. The twilight I desired has turned to horror.

5 They prepare a table, they lay out a carpet, they eat, they drink! Rise up, O princes, oil the shields!

6 For this is what the Lord says to me: “Go, post a lookout and have him report what he sees.

7 When he sees chariots with teams of horsemen, riders on donkeys, riders on camels, he must be alert, fully alert.”

8 Then the lookout shouted: “Day after day, my lord, I stand on the watchtower; night after night I stay at my post.

9 Look, here come the riders, horsemen in pairs.” And one answered, saying: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon! All the images of her gods lie shattered on the ground!”

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

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

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

13 This is the burden against Arabia: In the thickets of Arabia you must lodge, O caravans of Dedanites.

14 Bring water for the thirsty, O dwellers of Tema; meet the refugees with food.

15 For they flee from the sword—the sword that is drawn—from the bow that is bent, and from the stress of battle.

16 For 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.

17 The remaining archers, the warriors of Kedar, will be few.” For the LORD, the God of Israel, has spoken.

1 ¶ 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].

1 This is the burden of the wilderness by the sea: as the weather cometh from the south, and turneth all things, so cometh it out of the wilderness, out of a cruel land.

2 For a stern face is shewed me. One despiser cometh against another, one disturber against another. Show up, Elam; prove them, Madai! I will make an end of all his sighing.

3 Therefore my loins are full of pain, and fear hath taken hold upon me, as a woman in childbirth: I bow down when I hear it, and am afraid when I look upon it.

4 My heart trembles, horror hath terrified me; I have no rest from it in the dear night.

5 Yea, prepare a table, let watch in the waiting place, eat, drink; arise, ye princes, smear the shield.

6 For thus saith the LORD unto me, Go, set a watchman to watch and to tell.

7 And he seeth riders riding, and going on horses, and asses, and camels, and hath respect unto them with great diligence.

8 And a lion cried: Lord, I stand upon the watch by day, and stand upon my guard by night.

9 And, behold, there cometh one riding in a chariot, which answereth and saith, Babylon is fallen, she is fallen, and all the images of her gods are cast down to the ground.

10 My good threshingfloor, whereon I thresh: that which I have heard of the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, I declare unto you.

11 This is the burden of Duma. They cry unto me from Seir, O keeper, is the night almost gone? O keeper, is the night almost gone?

12 And the keeper said, Though the morning come, yet shall it be night. Though ye ask, yet shall ye come again, and ask again:

13 This is the burden of Arabia: ye shall dwell in the forest of Arabia, by the way of Dedanim.

14 Bring water to the thirsty, ye that dwell in the land of Thema; offer bread to the fugitives.

15 For they flee from the sword, yea, from the naked sword, from the bended bow, from the great battle.

16 For thus saith the LORD unto me, In one year, as the years of the hired servant, shall all the glory of Kedar perish,

17 And the remnant of the captains of the guard of Kedar shall be less: for the LORD God of Israel hath spoken it.