Isaiah 21
21
1 THE MOURNFUL, inspired prediction (a burden to be lifted up) concerning the Desert of the Sea [which was Babylon after great dams were raised to control the waters of the Euphrates River which overflowed it like a sea–and would do so again]: As whirlwinds in the South (the Negeb) sweep through, so it [the judgment of God by hostile armies] comes from the desert, from a terrible land.
2 A hard and grievous vision is declared to me: the treacherous dealer deals treacherously, and the destroyer destroys. Go up, O Elam! Besiege, O Media! All the sighing [caused by Babylon's ruthless oppressions] I will cause to cease [says the Lord]. [Isa. 11:11; 13:17.]
3 Therefore are my [Isaiah's] loins filled with anguish, pangs have seized me like the pangs of a woman in childbirth; I am bent and pained so that I cannot hear, I am dismayed so that I cannot see.
4 My mind reels and wanders, horror terrifies me. [In my mind's eye I am at the feast of Belshazzar. I see the defilement of the golden vessels taken from God's temple, I watch the handwriting appear on the wall–I know that Babylon's great king is to be slain.] The twilight I looked forward to with pleasure has been turned into fear and trembling for me. [Dan. 5.]
5 They prepare the table, they spread the rugs, [and having] set the watchers [the revelers take no other precaution], they eat, they drink. Arise, you princes, and oil your shields [for your deadly foe is at the gates]!
6 For thus has the Lord said to me: Go, set [yourself as] a watchman, let him declare what he sees.
7 And when he sees a troop, horsemen in pairs, a troop of donkeys, and a troop of camels, he shall listen diligently, very diligently.
8 And [the watchman] cried like a lion, O Lord, I stand continually on the watchtower in the daytime, and I am set in my station every night.
9 And see! Here comes a troop of men and chariots, horsemen in pairs! And he [the watchman] tells [what it foretells]: Babylon has fallen, has fallen! And all the graven images of her gods lie shattered on the ground [in my vision]!
10 O you my threshed and winnowed ones [my own people the Jews, who must be trodden down by Babylon], that which I have heard from the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, I have [joyfully] announced to you [Babylon is to fall]!
11 The mournful, inspired prediction (a burden to be lifted up) concerning Dumah (Edom): One calls to me from Seir (Edom), Watchman, what of the night? [How far is it spent? How long till morning?] Guardian, what of the night?
12 The watchman said, The morning comes, but also the night. [Another time, if Edom earnestly wishes to know] if you will inquire [of me], inquire; return, come again.
13 The mournful, inspired prediction (a burden to be lifted up) concerning Arabia: In the forests and thickets of Arabia you shall lodge, O you caravans of Dedanites [from northern Arabia].
14 To the thirsty [Dedanites] bring water, O inhabitants of the land of Tema [in Arabia]; meet the fugitive with bread [suitable] for him.
15 For they have fled from the swords, from the drawn sword, from the bent bow, and from the grievousness of war [the press of battle].
16 For the Lord has said this to me, Within a year, according to the years of a hireling [who will work no longer than was agreed], all the glory of Kedar [an Arabian tribe] will fail.
17 And the remainder of the number of archers and their bows, the mighty men of the sons of Kedar, will be diminished and few; for the Lord, the God of Israel, has spoken it.
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Isaiah 21: AMPC
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1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
Isaiah 21
21
The Fall of Babylon
1The oracle of the wilderness of the sea:
As storm winds passing over in the Negev,
it comes#Literally “to come” from the desert,
from a frightful land.
2A hard revelation is told to me;
the treacherous deals treacherously,
and the destroyer destroys.
Go up, Elam;
lay siege, Media!
I put an end to all of her sighing.
3Therefore my loins are filled with anguish;
pangs have seized me, like the pangs of a woman giving birth.
I am too bent to hear,#Literally “bent from hearing,” which could also mean “bent because of what I heard”
I am too dismayed to see.#Literally “dismayed from seeing,” which could also mean “dismayed because of what I saw”
4My mind#Literally “heart” staggers; fear terrifies me;
the twilight I desired#Literally “of my desire” brought#Literally “put” me fear.
5Set out the table in order!
Spread out the rugs!#Hebrew “rug”
Eat! drink!
Rise up, commanders;
smear#That is, prepare with oil the shield!
6For the Lord said this to me:
“Go, set a watchman in position.
He must announce what he sees.
7When#Or “And” he sees riders,#Hebrew “rider”
a pair of horsemen,
riders#Hebrew “rider” of donkeys,#Hebrew “donkey”
riders#Hebrew “rider” of camels,#Hebrew “camel”
then#Or “and” he must listen attentively,
paying attention, paying special#Literally “much” attention.”
8Then#Or “And” the watchman#Literally “lion” called,
“Lord, I am standing on the watchtower continually by day,
and I am standing at my post throughout#Literally “all of” the night.
9And look at this! A man’s a chariot is coming,
a pair of horsemen!”
Then#Or “and” he responded and said,
“It has fallen! Babylon has fallen!
And all the images of her gods are#Hebrew “is” smashed on the ground!”
10My downtrodden people
and the son of my threshing floor,
I will announce to you what I have heard from Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel.
Oracle regarding Dumah
11The oracle of Dumah:
One is calling to me from Seir,
“Watchman, what of#Literally “from” the night?
Watchman, what of#Literally “from” the night?”
12The watchman says,
“Morning comes,
and also the night.
If you will inquire, inquire;
come back again.”#Literally “return come”
Oracle against Arabia
13An oracle concerning#Literally “in” Arabia:
You will spend the night in the thicket in a desert-plateau,#The Hebrew for “in a desert-plateau” is the same as for “concerning Arabia” in the preceding line
caravans of Dedanites.
14When you happen to meet#Literally “Toward encountering” the thirsty, bring water.
Inhabitants of the land of Tema came to meet the fugitive with his bread.
15For they have fled from the swords,
from the drawn sword and the bent bow,
and from the heaviness of the battle.
16For the Lord said this to me:
“In one more year,#Literally “In yet a year” like the years of a hired worker,
all the glory of Kedar will come to an end.
17And the remainder of the number of the bows#Hebrew “bow” of the warriors of the sons of Kedar will be few.”
For Yahweh, the God of Israel, has spoken.
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