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
1The oracle concerning the wilderness of the sea.
As whirlwinds in the Negeb sweep on,
it comes from the desert,
from a terrible land.
2A stern vision is told to me;
the plunderer plunders,
and the destroyer destroys.
Go up, O Elam,
lay siege, O Media;
all the sighing she has caused
I bring to an end.
3Therefore my loins are filled with anguish;
pangs have seized me,
like the pangs of a woman in travail;
I am bowed down so that I cannot hear,
I am dismayed so that I cannot see.
4My mind reels, horror has appalled me;
the twilight I longed for
has been turned for me into trembling.
5They prepare the table,
they spread the rugs,
they eat, they drink.
Arise, O princes,
oil the shield!
6For thus the Lord said to me:
“Go, set a watchman,
let him announce what he sees.
7When he sees riders, horsemen in pairs,
riders on asses, riders on camels,
let him listen diligently,
very diligently.”
8Then he who saw#21.8 One ancient Ms: Heb a lion cried:
“Upon a watchtower I stand, O Lord,
continually by day,
and at my post I am stationed
whole nights.
9And behold, here come riders,
horsemen in pairs!”
And he answered,
“Fallen, fallen is Babylon;
and all the images of her gods
he has shattered to the ground.”
10O my threshed and winnowed one,
what I have heard from the Lord of hosts,
the God of Israel, I announce to you.
11The oracle concerning Dumah.
One is calling to me from Seir,
“Watchman, what of the night?
Watchman, what of the night?”
12The watchman says:
“Morning comes, and also the night.
If you will inquire, inquire;
come back again.”
13The oracle concerning Arabia.
In the thickets in Arabia you will lodge,
O caravans of Dedanites.
14To the thirsty bring water,
meet the fugitive with bread,
O inhabitants of the land of Tema.
15For they have fled from the swords,
from the drawn sword,
from the bent bow,
and from the press of battle.
16For thus the Lord said to me, “Within a year, according to the years of a hireling, all the glory of Kedar will come to an end; 17and the remainder of the archers of the mighty men of the sons of Kedar will be few; for the Lord, the God of Israel, has spoken.”
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