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God’s Message to Babylon

21 The message about the Desert by the Sea:[a]

Disaster is coming from the desert.
    It is coming like wind blowing in the south.
    It is coming from a terrible country.
I have seen a terrible vision.
    I see traitors turning against you.
    I see people taking your wealth.

Elam, attack the people!
    Media, surround the city and attack it!
    I will bring an end to the pain the city causes.

I saw those terrible things, and now I am in pain.
    My pains are like the pains of giving birth.
What I hear makes me very afraid.
    What I see causes me to shake with fear.
I am worried,
    and I am shaking with fear.
My pleasant evening
    has become a night of fear.

They set the table.
    They spread the rugs.
    They eat and drink!
Leaders, stand up.
    Prepare the shields for battle!

The Lord said to me,
“Go. Have a man be a lookout for the city.
    Have him report what he sees.
If he sees chariots and teams of horses,
    donkeys or camels,
he should pay very close attention.”

Then the lookout called out,
“My Master, each day I stand in the watchtower watching.
    Every night I have been on guard.
Look. I see a man coming in a chariot
    with a team of horses.”
The man gives back the answer,
    “Babylon has fallen. It has fallen!
All the statues of her gods
    lie broken on the ground.”

10 My people are crushed like grain on the threshing floor.
    My people, I tell you what I have heard from the Lord.
He is the Lord of heaven’s armies,
    the God of Israel.

God’s Message to Edom

11 The message about Dumah:[b]

Someone calls to me from Edom.
    He says, “Watchman, how much of the night is left?
    Watchman, how much longer will it be night?”
12 The watchman answered,
    “Morning is coming, but then night will come again.
If you have something to ask,
    then come back and ask.”

God’s Message to Arabia

13 The message about Arabia:

A group of traders from Dedan
    spent the night near some trees in Arabia.
14     They gave water to thirsty travelers.
The people of Tema gave food
    to those who were escaping.
15 They were running from swords.
    The swords were ready to kill.
They were running from bows ready to shoot.
    They were running from a hard battle.

16 This is what the Lord said to me: “In one year all the glory of the country of Kedar will be gone. (This is a year as a hired helper counts time.) 17 At that time only a few of the archers will be left. Only a few of the soldiers of Kedar will be left alive.” The Lord, the God of Israel, has spoken.

Footnotes

  1. 21:1 Desert by the Sea Probably Babylon.
  2. 21:11 Dumah Another name for Edom.

A Prophecy Against Babylon

21 A prophecy(A) against the Desert(B) by the Sea:

Like whirlwinds(C) sweeping through the southland,(D)
    an invader comes from the desert,
    from a land of terror.

A dire(E) vision has been shown to me:
    The traitor betrays,(F) the looter takes loot.
Elam,(G) attack! Media,(H) lay siege!
    I will bring to an end all the groaning she caused.

At this my body is racked with pain,(I)
    pangs seize me, like those of a woman in labor;(J)
I am staggered by what I hear,
    I am bewildered(K) by what I see.
My heart(L) falters,
    fear makes me tremble;(M)
the twilight I longed for
    has become a horror(N) to me.

They set the tables,
    they spread the rugs,
    they eat, they drink!(O)
Get up, you officers,
    oil the shields!(P)

This is what the Lord says to me:

“Go, post a lookout(Q)
    and have him report what he sees.
When he sees chariots(R)
    with teams of horses,
riders on donkeys
    or riders on camels,(S)
let him be alert,
    fully alert.”

And the lookout[a](T) shouted,

“Day after day, my lord, I stand on the watchtower;
    every night I stay at my post.
Look, here comes a man in a chariot(U)
    with a team of horses.
And he gives back the answer:
    ‘Babylon(V) has fallen,(W) has fallen!
All the images of its gods(X)
    lie shattered(Y) on the ground!’”

10 My people who are crushed on the threshing floor,(Z)
    I tell you what I have heard
from the Lord Almighty,
    from the God of Israel.

A Prophecy Against Edom

11 A prophecy against Dumah[b]:(AA)

Someone calls to me from Seir,(AB)
    “Watchman, what is left of the night?
    Watchman, what is left of the night?”
12 The watchman replies,
    “Morning is coming, but also the night.
If you would ask, then ask;
    and come back yet again.”

A Prophecy Against Arabia

13 A prophecy(AC) against Arabia:(AD)

You caravans of Dedanites,(AE)
    who camp in the thickets of Arabia,
14     bring water for the thirsty;
you who live in Tema,(AF)
    bring food for the fugitives.
15 They flee(AG) from the sword,(AH)
    from the drawn sword,
from the bent bow
    and from the heat of battle.

16 This is what the Lord says to me: “Within one year, as a servant bound by contract(AI) would count it, all the splendor(AJ) of Kedar(AK) will come to an end. 17 The survivors of the archers, the warriors of Kedar, will be few.(AL)” The Lord, the God of Israel, has spoken.(AM)

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 21:8 Dead Sea Scrolls and Syriac; Masoretic Text A lion
  2. Isaiah 21:11 Dumah, a wordplay on Edom, means silence or stillness.