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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Isaiah 21: TLV
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Copyright © 2014 - Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society
Isaiah 21
21
A Prophecy Against Babylon
1Here is a prophecy against Babylon that the Lord gave me. Babylon is known as the Desert by the Sea.
An attack is coming through the desert.
It is coming from a land of terror.
It’s sweeping along like a windstorm blowing across the Negev Desert.
2I have seen a vision about something terrible that will happen.
People are turning against Babylon.
Robbers are taking its goods.
Elamites, attack the city! Medes, surround it!
The Lord will put an end to all the suffering Babylon has caused.
3The vision fills my body with pain.
Pains take hold of me.
They are like the pains of a woman having a baby.
I am shaken by what I hear.
I’m terrified by what I see.
4My heart grows weak.
Fear makes me tremble.
I longed for evening to come.
But it brought me horror instead of rest.
5In my vision the Babylonians set the tables.
They spread out the rugs.
They eat and drink.
Get up, you officers!
Rub your shields with oil!
6The Lord said to me,
“Go. Put a guard on duty on Jerusalem’s walls.
Have him report what he sees.
7Tell him to watch for chariots
that are pulled by teams of horses.
Tell him to watch for men riding on donkeys or camels.
Make sure he stays awake.
Make sure he stays wide awake.”
8“My master!” the guard shouts back.
“Day after day I stand here on the lookout tower.
Every night I stay here on duty.
9Look! Here comes a man in a chariot!
It’s being pulled by a team of horses.
He’s calling out the news,
‘Babylon has fallen! It has fallen!
All the statues of its gods
lie broken in pieces on the ground!’ ”
10My people, you have been crushed
like grain on a threshing floor.
But now I’m telling you the good news I’ve heard.
It comes from the Lord who rules over all.
He is the God of Israel.
A Prophecy Against Edom
11Here is a prophecy against Edom that the Lord gave me.
Someone is calling out to me from the land of Seir. He says,
“Guard, when will the night be over?
Guard, how soon will it end?”
12The guard answers,
“Morning is coming, but the night will return.
If you want to ask again,
come back and ask.”
A Prophecy Against Arabia
13Here is a prophecy against Arabia that the Lord gave me.
He told me to give orders to traders from Dedan.
They were camping in the bushes of Arabia.
14I told them to bring water for those who are thirsty.
I also gave orders to those who live in Tema.
I told them to bring food for those who are running away.
15They are running away from where the fighting is heaviest.
That’s where the swords are ready to strike.
That’s where the bows are ready to shoot.
16The Lord spoke to me. He said, “In exactly one year, Kedar’s splendor will come to an end. 17Only a few of Kedar’s soldiers who shoot arrows will be left alive.” The Lord has spoken. He is the God of Israel.
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