Isaiah 21

A Vision of the Fall of Babylon

1 This is a message about Babylonia. Like a whirlwind sweeping across the desert, disaster will come from a terrifying land.

2 I have seen a vision of cruel events, a vision of betrayal and destruction. Army of Elam, attack! Army of Media, lay siege to the cities! God will put an end to the suffering which Babylon has caused.

3 What I saw and heard in the vision has filled me with terror and pain, pain like that of a woman in labor. 4 My head is spinning, and I am trembling with fear. I had been longing for evening to come, but it has brought me nothing but terror.

5 In the vision a banquet is ready; rugs are spread for the guests to sit on. They are eating and drinking. Suddenly the command rings out: “Officers! Prepare your shields!”

6 Then the Lord said to me, “Go and post a sentry, and tell him to report what he sees. 7 If he sees riders coming on horseback, two by two, and riders on donkeys and camels, he is to observe them carefully.”

8 The sentry calls out, “Sir, I have been standing guard at my post day and night.”

9  t Suddenly, here they come! Riders on horseback, two by two. The sentry gives the news, “Babylon has fallen! All the idols they worshiped lie shattered on the ground.”

10 My people Israel, you have been threshed like wheat, but now I have announced to you the good news that I have heard from the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel.

A Message about Edom

11 This is a message about Edom. Someone calls to me from Edom, “Sentry, how soon will the night be over? Tell me how soon it will end.”

12 I answer, “Morning is coming, but night will come again. If you want to ask again, come back and ask.”

A Message about Arabia

13 This is a message about Arabia. People of Dedan, you whose caravans camp in the barren country of Arabia,

14 give water to the thirsty people who come to you. You people of the land of Tema, give food to the refugees. 15 People are fleeing to escape from swords that are ready to kill them, from bows that are ready to shoot, from all the dangers of war.

16 Then the Lord said to me, “In exactly one year the greatness of the tribes of Kedar will be at an end. 17 The archers are the bravest warriors of Kedar, but few of them will be left. I, the Lord God of Israel, have spoken.”

Isaiah 21

1 The burden of the wilderness of the sea. As whirlwinds in the South sweep through, it cometh from the wilderness, from a terrible land.2 A grievous vision is declared unto me; the treacherous man dealeth treacherously, and the destroyer destroyeth. Go up, O Elam; besiege, O Media; all the sighing thereof have I made to cease.3 Therefore are my loins filled with anguish; pangs have taken hold upon me, as the pangs of a woman in travail: I am pained so that I cannot hear; I am dismayed so that I cannot see.4 My heart fluttereth, horror hath affrighted me; the twilight that I desired hath been turned into trembling unto me.5 They prepare the table, they set the watch, they eat, they drink: rise up, ye princes, anoint the shield.6 For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Go, set a watchman: let him declare what he seeth:7 and when he seeth a troop, horsemen in pairs, a troop of asses, a troop of camels, he shall hearken diligently with much heed.8 And he cried as a lion: O Lord, I stand continually upon the watch-tower in the day-time, and am set in my ward whole nights;9 and, behold, here cometh a troop of men, horsemen in pairs. And he answered and said, Fallen, fallen is Babylon; and all the graven images of her gods are broken unto the ground.10 O thou my threshing, and the grain of my floor! that which I have heard from Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, have I declared unto you.11 The burden of Dumah. One calleth unto me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?12 The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will inquire, inquire ye: turn ye, come.13 The burden upon Arabia. In the forest in Arabia shall ye lodge, O ye caravans of Dedanites.14 Unto him that was thirsty they brought water; the inhabitants of the land of Tema did meet the fugitives with their bread.15 For they fled away from the swords, from the drawn sword, and from the bent bow, and from the grievousness of war.16 For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Within a year, according to the years of a hireling, all the glory of Kedar shall fail;17 and the residue of the number of the archers, the mighty men of the children of Kedar, shall be few; for Jehovah, the God of Israel, hath spoken it.