Isaiah 21

1 The burden of the desert of the sea. As whirlwinds in the south pass through; [so] it cometh from the desert, from a terrible land.

A declaration about the desert by the sea. Like stormwinds sweeping through the Negev it comes passing through from the wilderness, from a terrible land.

2 A grievous vision is declared unto me; the treacherous dealer dealeth treacherously, and the spoiler spoileth. Go up, O Elam: besiege, O Media; all the sighing thereof have I made to cease.

A distressing vision has been given to me: the treacherous man deals treacherously, and the destroyer destroys. Go up and attack, Elam; besiege, Media; I will stop all her groaning.

3 Therefore are my loins filled with pain: pangs have taken hold upon me, as the pangs of a woman that travaileth: I was bowed down at the hearing [of it; ] I was dismayed at the seeing [of it].

Therefore my loins are filled with pain; pains like the pains of a woman in labor have taken hold of me; I am bowed down by what I heard; I am disturbed by what I saw.

4 My heart panted, fearfulness affrighted me: the night of my pleasure hath he turned into fear unto me.

My heart pounds; I shake with fear. Twilight was my desire, but it brought me terror.

5 Prepare the table, watch in the watchtower, eat, drink: arise, ye princes, [and] anoint the shield.

They prepare the table, they spread rugs and eat and drink; arise, princes, anoint your shields with oil.

6 For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Go, set a watchman, let him declare what he seeth.

For this is what the Lord said to me, “Go, post a watchman; he must report what he sees.

7 And he saw a chariot [with] a couple of horsemen, a chariot of asses, [and] a chariot of camels; and he hearkened diligently with much heed:

When he sees a chariot, a pair of horsemen, riders on donkeys, and riders on camels, then he must pay attention and be very alert.”

8 And he cried, A lion: My lord, I stand continually upon the watchtower in the daytime, and I am set in my ward whole nights:

The watchman cries out, “Lord, on the watchtower I stand all day, every day, and at my post I stand all night long.”

9 And, behold, here cometh a chariot of men, [with] a couple of horsemen. And he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods he hath broken unto the ground.

Here comes a chariot with a man and a pair of horsemen. He calls out, “Babylon has fallen, fallen, and all the carved figures of its gods are broken to the ground.”

10 O my threshing, and the corn of my floor: that which I have heard of the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, have I declared unto you.

My threshed and winnowed ones, children of my threshing floor! What I have heard from Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, I have declared to you.

11 The burden of Dumah. He calleth to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?

A declaration about Dumah. One calls to me from Seir, “Watchman, what is left of the night? Watchman, what is left of the night?”

12 The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will enquire, enquire ye: return, come.

The watchman said, “The morning comes and also the night. If you want to ask, then ask; and come back again.”

13 The burden upon Arabia. In the forest in Arabia shall ye lodge, O ye travelling companies of Dedanim.

A declaration about Arabia. In the wilderness of Arabia you spend the night, you caravans of Dedanites.

14 The inhabitants of the land of Tema brought water to him that was thirsty, they prevented with their bread him that fled.

Bring water for the thirsty; inhabitants of the land of Tema, meet the fugitives with bread.

15 For they fled from the swords, from the drawn sword, and from the bent bow, and from the grievousness of war.

For they have fled from the sword, from the drawn sword, from the bent bow, and from the weight of war.

16 For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Within a year, according to the years of an hireling, and all the glory of Kedar shall fail:

For this is what the Lord said to me, “Within a year, as a laborer hired for a year would see it, all the glory of Kedar will end.

17 And the residue of the number of archers, the mighty men of the children of Kedar, shall be diminished: for the LORD God of Israel hath spoken [it].

Only a few of the archers, the warriors of Kedar will remain,” for Yahweh, the God of Israel, has spoken.