Isaiah 21
21
1A message about the desert by the sea.#21:1. “Desert by the sea,” usually taken to refer to Babylon. Although there is no literal sea nearby, the large Euphrates River can be referred to as a “sea” in the same way the Nile is described in 18:2, 19:5. Like storm winds passing through the Negev, something is coming from the desert, from a land of terror— 2a horrifying vision that has been explained to me. The betrayer still betrays; the destroyer still destroys. Elamites and Medes, go ahead, attack and lay siege to Babylon,#21:2. “Babylon”: supplied for clarity. for I'm putting a stop to all the pain it has caused.#21:2. “All the pain it has caused”: literally, “all its sighing.”
3As a result my body is filled with agony. I'm overwhelmed with pain, like the pain of a woman giving birth. I am confused by what I hear; I am distressed by what I see. 4My mind falters; I shake in panic. The night I looked forward to has become terrifying.
5They set the table, they spread out the rugs, they eat and drink…
“Get up, officers! Prepare your shields for battle!”
6This is what the Lord told me: “Go! Have a lookout keep watch, and make sure he reports what he sees. 7When he sees chariots coming pulled by pairs of horses, riders on donkeys and on camels, he should watch very carefully, paying close attention.”
8Then the lookout#21:8. Dead Sea Scroll reading. Hebrew text, “lion.” shouted “Sir, I've stood here on the watchtower day after day; night after night I've remained at my post. 9Now look! A man in a chariot with a pair of horses is coming.”
Then he said, “Babylon has fallen, has fallen! All the idols of its gods lie smashed on the ground!”
10My poor downtrodden people, so badly mistreated, I have told you what I have heard from the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel.
11A message about Edom.#21:11. The word used here actually means silence, and is a play on words with the actual name of the country of Edom. This is how the Septuagint interprets it. A voice is calling to me from Seir, asking, “Watchman, what time of night is it? Watchman, what time of night is it?”
12The watchman replies, “Morning is coming, but the night is coming again soon. If you want to ask again, then come back and ask.”
13A message about Arabia. Caravans from Dedan, spend the night in the bushes. 14People of Tema, take water to the thirsty, meet the refugees with food. 15They're running away from a fierce battle, from swords, drawn swords, from bows and arrows.
16This is what the Lord told me: “Within one year, just as a contract worker precisely counts years, all the glory of Kedar will be gone. 17There will only be a few left of the archers, the warriors of Kedar.” The Lord, the God of Israel, has spoken.
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Isaiah 21: FBV
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Dr. Jonathan Gallagher. Released under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 Unported License. Version 4.3. For corrections send email to jonathangallagherfbv@gmail.com
Isaiah 21
21
Watchman, Pay Attention!
1The burden of the desert by the sea: As windstorms sweep over the South, so it comes from the desert, a terrifying land.
2A harsh vision has been shown to me: “The traitor betrays, and the plunderer plunders. Go up, Elam! Besiege, Media! I have put an end to all her groaning.”
3Therefore my body is filled with pain. Pangs have taken hold of me like the pangs of a woman in labor. I am bewildered by what I hear, terrified by what I see.
4My heart is bewildered, terror overwhelms me. The twilight I longed for has been turned into trembling.
5Set the table, spread out the cloth! Eat! Drink! “Rise up, you princes, oil the shield!”
6For Adonai has said to me. “Go, post a watchman— let him declare what he sees!
7When he sees a chariot with a pair of horsemen, riders on donkeys, riders on camels, let him pay attention— very close attention!”
8Then he cried out like a lion: “Upon the watch tower, Adonai, I stand continually in the daytime, and stay at my post every night.
9Look! Here comes a chariot of men, with a pair of horsemen.” Then one answered and said, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon! All the images of her gods are broken on the ground.”
10O my people, crushed on the threshing floor, what I heard from Adonai Tzva’ot, God of Israel, I have declared to you.
11The burden of Dumah: One calls to me from Seir, “Watchman, what is left of the night? Watchman, what is left of the night?”
12The watchman said, “Morning comes, yet also it is night.” If you would inquire, inquire. Come back again.”
13The burden of Arabia: In the desert brush of Arabia you will stay for the night, you caravans of Dedanites.
14To him who is thirsty bring water, inhabitants of the land of Tema, meet the fugitive with food.
15For they fled from swords, from drawn sword, from bent bow and distress of war.
16For thus Adonai said to me, “Within a year (as with the years of a hired worker), all the glory of Kedar will cease,
17and the remainder of the number of the archers, the mighty men of the sons of Kedar, will be few. For Adonai God of Israel has spoken.”
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