Isaiah 21
21
God Commands That Babylon Be Taken
1The pronouncement concerning the #21:1 Or sandy wastes, sea countrywilderness of the sea:
As windstorms in the #21:1 I.e., South countryNegev come in turns,
It comes from the wilderness, from a terrifying land.
2A harsh vision has been shown to me;
The treacherous one still deals treacherously, and the destroyer still destroys.
Go up, Elam, lay siege, Media;
I have put an end to all #21:2 Lit her groaningthe groaning she has caused.
3For this reason my loins are full of anguish;
Pains have seized me like the pains of a woman in labor.
I am so bewildered I cannot hear, so terrified I cannot see.
4My #21:4 Lit heart has wanderedmind reels, #21:4 Lit shudderinghorror overwhelms me;
The twilight I longed for has been turned into trembling for me.
5They set the table, they #21:5 Or spread out the rugs or possibly they arranged the seatingspread out the cloth, they eat, they drink;
“Rise up, captains, oil the shields!”
6For this is what the Lord says to me:
“Go, station the lookout, have him report what he sees.
7“When he sees #21:7 Or ridersa column of chariots, horsemen in pairs,
A train of donkeys, a train of camels,
He is to pay close attention, very close attention.”
8Then #21:8 As in DSS; MT he called like a lionthe lookout called,
“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 said, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon;
And all the images of her gods #21:9 Lit he has shattered to the earthare shattered on the ground.”
10My downtrodden people, and my #21:10 Lit sonafflicted of the threshing floor!
What I have heard from the Lord of armies,
The God of Israel, I make known to you.
Pronouncements about Edom and Arabia
11The pronouncement concerning #21:11 As in LXX; MT Dumah, silenceEdom:
One keeps calling to me from Seir,
“Watchman, #21:11 Lit what is the time of the night?how far gone is the night?
Watchman, #21:11 Lit what is the time of the night?how far gone is the night?”
12The watchman says,
“Morning comes but also night.
If you would inquire, inquire;
Come back again.”
13The pronouncement about Arabia:
In the thickets of Arabia you #21:13 Or will spendmust spend the night,
You caravans of Dedanites.
14Bring water #21:14 Lit to meetfor the thirsty,
You inhabitants of the land of Tema;
Meet the fugitive with bread.
15For they have fled from the swords,
From the drawn sword, and from the bent bow,
And from the press of battle.
16For this is what the Lord said to me: “In a year, as #21:16 Lit the years of a hireda hired worker would count it, all the splendor of Kedar will come to an end; 17and the remainder of the number of bowmen, the warriors of the sons of Kedar, will be few; for the Lord God of Israel has spoken.”
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Isaiah 21: NASB2020
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Isaiah 21
21
A Message about Babylon
1This message came to me concerning Babylon—the desert by the sea#21:1 Hebrew concerning the desert by the sea.:
Disaster is roaring down on you from the desert,
like a whirlwind sweeping in from the Negev.
2I see a terrifying vision:
I see the betrayer betraying,
the destroyer destroying.
Go ahead, you Elamites and Medes,
attack and lay siege.
I will make an end
to all the groaning Babylon caused.
3My stomach aches and burns with pain.
Sharp pangs of anguish are upon me,
like those of a woman in labor.
I grow faint when I hear what God is planning;
I am too afraid to look.
4My mind reels and my heart races.
I longed for evening to come,
but now I am terrified of the dark.
5Look! They are preparing a great feast.
They are spreading rugs for people to sit on.
Everyone is eating and drinking.
But quick! Grab your shields and prepare for battle.
You are being attacked!
6Meanwhile, the Lord said to me,
“Put a watchman on the city wall.
Let him shout out what he sees.
7He should look for chariots
drawn by pairs of horses,
and for riders on donkeys and camels.
Let the watchman be fully alert.”
8Then the watchman#21:8 As in Dead Sea Scrolls and Syriac version; Masoretic Text reads a lion. called out,
“Day after day I have stood on the watchtower, my lord.
Night after night I have remained at my post.
9Now at last—look!
Here comes a man in a chariot
with a pair of horses!”
Then the watchman said,
“Babylon is fallen, fallen!
All the idols of Babylon
lie broken on the ground!”
10O my people, threshed and winnowed,
I have told you everything the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has said,
everything the God of Israel has told me.
A Message about Edom
11This message came to me concerning Edom#21:11a Hebrew Dumah, which means “silence” or “stillness.” It is a wordplay on the word Edom.:
Someone from Edom#21:11b Hebrew Seir, another name for Edom. keeps calling to me,
“Watchman, how much longer until morning?
When will the night be over?”
12The watchman replies,
“Morning is coming, but night will soon return.
If you wish to ask again, then come back and ask.”
A Message about Arabia
13This message came to me concerning Arabia:
O caravans from Dedan,
hide in the deserts of Arabia.
14O people of Tema,
bring water to these thirsty people,
food to these weary refugees.
15They have fled from the sword,
from the drawn sword,
from the bent bow
and the terrors of battle.
16The Lord said to me, “Within a year, counting each day,#21:16 Hebrew Within a year, as a servant bound by contract would count it. Some ancient manuscripts read Within three years, as in 16:14. all the glory of Kedar will come to an end. 17Only a few of its courageous archers will survive. I, the Lord, the God of Israel, have spoken!”
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