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
The fall of Babylonia#21.1 Babylonia: King Cyrus and his army of Medes and Persians captured the city of Babylon in 539 BC.
1This is a message about a desert beside the sea:#21.1 This…sea: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text. The prophet may be speaking of Babylonia as a desert, because of the terrible punishment God will bring on it. The southern part of Babylonia on the Persian Gulf was sometimes called “the land beside the sea”.
Enemies from a hostile nation
attack like a whirlwind
from the Southern Desert.
2What a horrible vision
was shown to me—
a vision of betrayal
and destruction.
Tell Elam and Media#21.2 Elam and Media: People from the Iranian highlands; the capital of Elam was Susa, in the hill country east of Babylon.
to surround and attack
the Babylonians.
The LORD has sworn to end
the suffering they caused.
3I'm in terrible pain
like a woman giving birth.
I'm shocked and hurt so much
that I can't hear or see.
4My head spins; I'm horrified!
Early evening, my favourite time,
has become a nightmare.
5In Babylon the high officials
were having a feast.
They were eating and drinking,
when someone shouted,
“Officers, take your places!
Grab your shields.”
6The LORD said to me,
“Send guards to find out
what's going on.
7When they see cavalry troops
and columns of soldiers
on donkeys and camels,
tell them to be ready!”
8Then a guard#21.8 guard: The Dead Sea Scrolls and one ancient translation; the Standard Hebrew Text has “lion”. said,
“I have stood day and night
on this watchtower, Lord.
9Now I see column after column#Rev 14.8; 18.2.
of cavalry troops.”
Straight away someone shouted,
“Babylon has fallen!
Every idol in the city
lies broken on the ground.”
10Then I said, “My people,
you have suffered terribly,
but I have a message for you
from the LORD All-Powerful,
the God of Israel.”
How much longer?
11This is a message about Dumah:
From the country of Seir,#21.11 Dumah…Seir: Dumah was an oasis in the Arabian desert. One ancient translation has “Edom”, which may be what is meant. Seir is a mountainous region of Edom south-west of the Dead Sea.
someone shouts to me,
“Guard, how much longer
before daylight?”
12From my guard post, I answered,
“Morning will soon be here,
but night will return.
If you want to know more,
come back later.”
13This is a message for Arabs
who live in the barren desert
in the region of Dedan:#21.13 Dedan: A region in north-west Arabia.
You must order your caravans
14to bring water for those
who are thirsty.
You people of Tema#21.14 Tema: A region in north Arabia.
must bring food
for the hungry refugees.
15They are worn out and weary
from being chased by enemies
with swords and arrows.
16The Lord said to me:
A year from now the glory of the people of Kedar#21.16 Kedar: A region in the Arabian desert. will all come to an end, just as a worker's contract ends after a year. 17Only a few of their warriors will be left with bows and arrows. This is a promise that I, the LORD God of Israel, have made.
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© British and Foreign Bible Society 2012